The recent Ozzfest featured an all-star tribute to the late guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell, including stars such as Slayer's Kerry King, Metallica's Kirk Hammett, Alice In Chains's Jerry Cantrell and Mike Inez, Anthrax's Scott Ian and Charlie Benate, Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta, King Diamond and former Damageplan bassist Bob Zilla.
Backstage, the talk all seemed to center around Dimebag and the effect the Texas guitarist had on the many players taking part in the event.
Here's what a couple of them had to say:
Serj Tankian: "When System Of A Down played with Pantera at the Forum, my parents had come to the show, and my parents are definitely not into heavy music at all. They were older, in their late sixties. What they did was very special, to a point where my parents, who are not into any rock or metal or any type of heavy music, really got them. I was blown away, and I said, 'Really? You're not just messing with me?' They said, 'No, we love them. You guys were great, but they are awesome.'"
Jonathan Davis: "The shit he did, that's what got me into heavy music - Vulgar Display Of Power. I was only into '80s music before that. The heaviest thing I listened to was Skinny Puppy and Ministry, but that wasn't metal. When I heard Vulgar Display, I was like, 'Holy shit, what the fuck is this?' The first time I ever saw them live, before Korn was even signed, me and Fieldy went, and it was Pantera and Sepultura at Irving Meadows in LA. They came out, started the first song, the curtain dropped, and me and Fieldy just started crying. We looked at each other and we had tears in our eyes because it was so fucking intense and heavy and sick."
