FOO FIGHTERS On VINNIE PAUL: 'You Were One In A Million'

FOO FIGHTERS have commented on the passing of Vinnie Paul Abbott. The former PANTERA drummer reportedly died in his sleep at his home in Las Vegas on Friday, June 22.

In a statement posted to their social-media sites, FOO FIGHTERS wrote: "Vinnie... to the man with the slickest kicks and the best vibe ALWAYS. You inspired us all, not only with your music, but with your love and hospitality. You were one in a million, and will be missed..."

FOO FIGHTERS frontman and ex-NIRVANA drummer Dave Grohl told "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show" back in 2010 that he first met Vinnie Paul and his brother "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott "a really long time ago at an Ozzfest." He explained: "FOO FIGHTERS played an Ozzfest in England in 1998, I think it was. It was weird because I think KORN had canceled and so they called us. And we were like,' Really? FOO FIGHTERS at Ozzfest?' It was SLAYER and PANTERA and OZZY. So we went, 'Yeah. Fuck it. We'll do it.' And we went and we were really nervous because we didn't feel like we fit in, but everybody was so fucking cool, and Vinnie and Dime were awesome; they were super-fucking-cool. So then whenever PANTERA — I used to live on the East Coast — whenever they'd come around Philadelphia or New York, I'd go and see them play. And we just made friends. And then when Dime was killed, it freaked us all out. He was just one of those guys that fucking everybody loved. You could be in the FOO FIGHTERS or you could be in SLAYER or you could be Justin Bieber, or whatever, he'd be your best bud. So when he passed away, I wrote Vinnie a letter. Because when Kurt Cobain died, our worlds were all turned upside down and this good friend of mine sent me a letter and said, 'I know you can't really imagine playing music right now, but it'll come back, and that's what will help you get with life — music.'"

Vinnie Paul told Australia's Utopia that receiving Grohl's letter helped him get inspired to play music again after Dimebag's death. He said: "After being in a very dark place and really thinking that I was done with music, I got a letter from Dave Grohl. He's been a friend for a long time and he just said that he'd been through something similar with Kurt and thought he was done with music, that eventually.... he said that living without music would kill him... He was totally right."