A UK magazine printed an interview two weeks before former Pantera guitarist Darrell Abbott was shot and killed, saying he should be “severely beaten".

Metal Hammer published the interview with singer Phil Anselmo, who featured in Pantera with Abbott.

Abbott was one of five people killed in Ohio as his band Damageplan performed.

A spokesman for publisher Future said it was “really sorry” to hear of the deaths, adding: “We extend our sympathies to the families involved.”

Metal Hammer
The cover features Anselmo with two knives
Abbott, nicknamed “Dimebag", and three others were shot when a man stormed the stage at the Alrosa Villa Club in Columbus and began firing at the band and crowd.

Nathan Gale, 25, was then shot and killed by a police officer who arrived shortly after the first shots were fired.

The other men killed were named as club employee Erin Halk, 29, fan Nathan Bray, 23, and Jeff Thompson, 40, who was affiliated with the band.

Two other people were taken to hospital following the incident but their condition is unknown.

Anselmo, who is now lead singer for Superjoint Ritual, was interviewed in the Christmas edition of the magazine, talking about the acrimonious break-up of Pantera.

Motive

No motive has yet been established for the killings, although Columbus police have said witnesses had described hearing Gale accuse Abbott of being behind the split of Pantera.

“He deserves to be beaten severely,” Anselmo told the magazine, which is not published in the US.

The magazine’s cover features Anselmo brandishing two knives at the camera.

Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne often toured alongside Pantera
Pantera were one of the most popular metal bands of the early 1990s, topping the US album charts and getting a Grammy nomination for 1994 release Far Beyond Driven.

A spokesman for Future said it had no further comment to make.

Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne was one of many in the rock world who paid tribute to Abbott.

The Black Sabbath frontman, who often toured with the 38-year-old, said: “I’m absolutely beside myself with grief.

“I can’t for the life of me understand why someone would do this.”