NICKELBACK Frontman Says He Was 'Very Upset' When He Heard About DIMEBAG's Death

August 19, 2005

NICKELBACK frontman Chad Kroeger recently spoke to Launch Radio Networks about the previously unheard guitar solo from late PANTERA and DAMAGEPLAN guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott which appears on the group's upcoming album, "All the Right Reasons". The solo appears on a track called "Side of a Bullet", which Kroeger wrote as a tribute to his fallen friend. Kroeger initially wanted Abbott's brother, PANTERA and DAMAGEPLAN drummer Vinnie Paul, to play drums on the track, but Paul didn't think he could improve on NICKELBACK drummer Daniel Adair's take. Kroeger told Launch that Paul put another idea in motion instead. "Darrell's wife, Rita, got in touch with us and just started sending us all this stuff, like, him playing so many different solos, and we pieced this solo together and it fits the song so well," Chad said. "And it's kind of spooky to be singing about him, you know, your friend who's gone, and then have him play this shredding, amazing guitar solo."

The 24-second lead solo was edited together from outtakes off various PANTERA albums.

"Side of a Bullet" was written three months after Abbott was shot to death by a disturbed gunman during a December 8, 2004 DAMAGEPLAN concert in Columbus, Ohio. Kroeger told Launch how he felt when he heard about Abbott's death and how he's dealt with it since. "I was very, very upset and really angry," he said. "I couldn't understand why somebody would do that. I stay in touch, I call Vinnie and just try and keep his mind off of things. It's nice to let him know that he could just call you up and talk about anything — it doesn't have to be about Darrell — and just be there for him."

Tomorrow (Saturday, August 20) would have been "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott's 39th birthday.

"All the Right Reasons", NICKELBACK's fifth album, arrives on October 4.

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