Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • Tiny Dancer
  • Browser DAWs
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Restring your guitar
  1. Artists
  2. Guitarists

7 rare Dimebag performances you need to hear

News
By Stuart Williams
Published 8 December 2014

Young Dimebag, Anthrax, King Diamond, Nickelback and more!

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Anthrax - King Size

Anthrax - King Size

When Anthrax found themselves making Stomp 442 without a lead guitarist, they approached Dimebag. Scott Ian recently told us, “He came to the studio, we hung out for a couple of days. We wanted to pay him but he wouldn't take our money because we were friends. We said we had to do something for him and he said, 'Alright, I want this video camera.' We bought him the best video camera that was out at the time.”

Hear Dimebag's solo, at 2:21.

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
King Diamond - Voodoo

King Diamond - Voodoo

Dime gets dark on this guest slot with King Diamond, the title track from the concept album of the same name. There are a couple of solos, both short but brilliant, appearing at 2.11 and 3.40 respectively.

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Nickelback feat. Kid Rock - Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

Nickelback feat. Kid Rock - Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

Nickelback and Dimebag join forces with Kid Rock to cover Elton John. You probably didn’t expect to read that sentence today, but it happened for the Charlie's Angels: Fill Throttle soundtrack in 2003. Chad Kroeger told MTV in 2003 “We were driving and I slipped it in [the CD player] in his vehicle, and he just flipped,” Kroeger said. “So I said, ‘Dude, wanna play the guitar solo on this?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, I’d love to.”

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
Nickelback - Side of A Bullet

Nickelback - Side of A Bullet

This tribute to Dimebag was written after his death, but features an unused Dime solo from Pantera’s Far Beyond Driven era. Vinnie Paul and Dime’s wife, Rita sent Nickelback the solo for them to use on the track, which appears on Nickelback’s All The Right Reasons.

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
Tres Diablos - Heard It On The X

Tres Diablos - Heard It On The X

While Pantera had some downtime, Dime, Vinnie Paul and Rex got together to record a cover of ZZ Top’s Heard It On The X. It shows Dime’s more classic side, throwing out some typically impressive country-metal licks while handling lead vocals. This version would go on to be included on the ECW Extreme Music soundtrack.

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
Sebastian Bach - Believer

Sebastian Bach - Believer

Dimebag pays tribute to another fallen guitar hero, Randy Rhoads, on Sebastian Bach’s cover of Ozzy’s Believer. Taken from Bach’s second solo album, Bach 2: Basics, it’s atmospheric, and Dime nails his idol’s style here, with screaming pinched harmonics and a belter of a solo starting at the 3.09 mark.

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
Dimebag in his youth

Dimebag in his youth

Okay, so it’s not really a guest slot, but you’ve read the tales of a young Dimebag conquering guitar competitions in Texas bars and music stores, now it’s time to see him in action. Note the Van Halen and Randy Rhoads references, as he melts the fretboard on his trusty Dean ML with his playing.

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
CATEGORIES
Guitars
Stuart Williams
Stuart Williams
Social Links Navigation
Drums

Stuart has been working for guitar publications since 2008, beginning his career as Reviews Editor for Total Guitar before becoming Editor for six years. During this time, he and the team brought the magazine into the modern age with digital editions, a Youtube channel and the Apple chart-bothering Total Guitar Podcast. Stuart has also served as a freelance writer for Guitar World, Guitarist and MusicRadar reviewing hundreds of products spanning everything from acoustic guitars to valve amps, modelers and plugins. When not spouting his opinions on the best new gear, Stuart has been reminded on many occasions that the 'never meet your heroes' rule is entirely wrong, clocking-up interviews with the likes of Eddie Van Halen, Foo Fighters, Green Day and many, many more.

Read more
Bon Scott on stage in 1978
Artists “I was so shocked and sad when he died. That night, I wrote a song about Bon”
 
 
Steve Farris plays a Strat with Mr Mister, while Eddie Van Halen takes a two-handed tapping solo.
Artists Steve Farris on the time he jammed ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin songs with Eddie Van Halen
 
 
On the left, Sadler Vaden (in white T-shirt) jams with Jason Isbell. On the right, Mike McCready plays his Strat onstage with Pearl Jam.
Artists Sadler Vaden on when he and Jason Isbell jammed Little Wing with Pearl Jam's Mike McCready
 
 
Sammy Duet performs during a 2025 Acid Bath reunion show
Artists How cult heroes Acid Bath rose from the ashes to open stadium shows for System Of A Down
 
 
Oliver Ackermann [left] playing on a red-lit stage and Richard Fortus playing his White Falcon live with Guns N' Roses
Artists Death By Audio’s Oliver Ackermann on the time he sold a pedal to Richard Fortus and disaster struck
 
 
Vivian Campbell and Ronnie James Dio onstage in 1985 as they tour Campbell's final studio album with Dio, Sacred Heart. Campbell is playing a well-worn Charvel S-style electric guitar.
Artists “I felt like I was the weak link in the band”: How Vivian Campbell overcame self-doubt in Dio
 
 
Latest in Guitarists
Sophie Lloyd shreds on her signature Kiesel
Artists Sophie Lloyd pays tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne with a shred cover of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid
 
 
Ray Davies (left) and his brother Dave Davies, of The Kinks, at a soundcheck before a session for the BBC at the Playhouse Theatre, London, 7th September 1964.
Guitarists “I don’t know, but never say never": Dave Davies isn't ruling out a Kinks reunion
 
 
A Charvel Type 2 Tele headstock with an inset of the company's founder, the late Wayne Charvel, who died on 12 July
Guitars Remembering Wayne Charvel, visionary luthier and Superstrat pioneer
 
 
Pete Townshend with a freshly smashed Rickenbacker in 1966
Artists Pete Townshend on how Stevie Wonder's producer inspired him to smash guitars
 
 
Sammy Duet performs during a 2025 Acid Bath reunion show
Artists How cult heroes Acid Bath rose from the ashes to open stadium shows for System Of A Down
 
 
Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age performs onstage in 2025.
Artists Queens Of The Stone Age drop a brand new single out of nowhere and it features Nikki Lane on vocals
 
 
Latest in News
Sander De Keere
Artists Sander de Keere reimagines the church organ as an 'ancient synthesizer'
 
 
Rolling Stones earbuds
Headphones Technics drops limited-edition wireless earbuds in collaboration with the Rolling Stones
 
 
U2 and Martin Garrix
Bands "We go back a long way": U2 join forces with DJ and producer Martin Garrix for new track Fireflies
 
 
Sophie Lloyd shreds on her signature Kiesel
Artists Sophie Lloyd pays tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne with a shred cover of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid
 
 
Razorlight perform at STEREO Covent Garden to celebrate 20 years.COPYRIGHT 2026PhotographicGenius.com
Artists Razorlight’s biggest song was originally intended for another artist, says Johnny Borrell
 
 
Moog Minimoog Model D 2022
Samples SampleRadar: 493 free Moog synth samples
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...