Dimevison 2: Roll With It Or Get Rolled Over
Metal Blade Records
The goateed humble face of Dimebag Darrell Abbott grins wide with that trademark smile that never failed to shine from his eyes as they regard the camera earnestly: “Let’s have a look at it, this could be fun. That’s the way I gotta view everything, man – this moment’s the Last one…Let’s Get a pull!” The second installment of the Dimevision tribute films opens with a rare solitary moment with just Dime and his camera waxing philosophical, less than 20 seconds of film in a veritable treasure trove of hundreds of hours of archived home footage taken by the notorious videophile, yet in retrospect it’s one of the most profound goosebump-inducing clips of the guitar legend that you’ll ever see. In just two sentences he summarizes the very essence of everything that we love & respect about Dimebag Darrell; for every bit as much as we hold his legendary guitar skills in high regard we also revere the philosophy of how he lived his sorrowfully short life. He was a big hearted manchild who never took anything too seriously, who reveled in good music, a good buzz and – most importantly – good friends. He was an exceptional human being whose music and message not only had a permanent, benevolent and profound impact on everyone in his immediate life but on millions of people across the planet. In truth his personality and philosophy are every bit as important – if not more – than his prolific influence as a guitar master, because by inspiring so many people with his playing he was also able to pass on his infectious thirst for living life to the fullest, his priceless value on friendship and his unshakable sense of humility. This is the man his friends & family miss and cherish and this is the man they share with us in Dimevision II.
If there’s a running theme throughout this less serious/more lighthearted installment of Dimevision it has to be Friendship. Misadventures and mischief abound, whether he’s preparing a buffet-in-a-boot with Bobby Tongs, instigating early morning pranks on those unfortunate enough to have passed out first or getting pedicures with landscaper-turned-companion known as “23”. And let’s not forget a wardrobe malfunction while building the ultimate redneck mailbox with his lifelong girlfriend and companion Rita Haney, all of which establish the overall tone of Dimevision II and will have you laughing & smiling from start to finish. It’s an inspiring, uplifting collection of Dimebag home videos that paint a vivid picture of the thrilling chaos that came with having him in your life.
Scattered throughout these Dime-loving home video clips are five previously unreleased songs from the Dimebag Darrell vault. It’s important to note that these tracks are not PANTERA or DAMAGEPLAN b-sides, these are straight from Dime’s twisted brain and recorded at various points throughout his tragically short life. They’re not pristinely polished nor are they necessarily on par with most of his commercial catalogue, but they’re all the more endearing for that very same reason. They mesh perfectly in the background of particularly entertaining segments of the film and are a nice extra bonus for the companion EP that accompanies the DVD.
It’s safe to say that without such close, dedicated friends and the undying love of the man’s soulmate much of the legacy of Dime would have tragically passed with him; the true beauty is that by being the high spirited, full-of-love kook that he was he was able to affect an undying loyalty and love from his fans, his friends and his family. In return there are a countless number of us committed to keeping his memory alive and thanks to those that were his closest companions having dedicated themselves to keeping incredible tributes such as Dimevision 2 rolling out we can continue to revel in the life of love led by the immortal Dimebag Darrell Abbott. It’s up to us to put his inspiration to good use, so the next time you find yourself facing a moment of indecision just Get a Pull and ask yourself: WWDD-What Would Dime Do?
5.0 Out Of 5.0
