When Pantera announced they were reforming — albeit as a tribute/celebration to their musical legacy — some fans weren’t having it. Guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott and drummer Vinnie Paul both sadly passed away years ago, and critics felt that there shouldn’t be an attempt to re-create their live experience without the departed brothers.
Since then, however, show reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and most feel the new lineup of Philip Anselmo, Rex Brown, Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante have been doing an admirable job of celebrating the band’s many great songs.
During a recent appearance on “The Metallica Report,” Anselmo and Brown both talked about how much they’re enjoying re-visiting their legacy.
“It’s empowering,” Anselmo said. “It is incredibly beautiful, and you feel so much love when you’re up there. And if you take it in, it’s a great feeling, man. These days, man, that’s where me and Rex, you know, we get to dig the shows more.”
He continued: “When we were younger, we were at war and when we were on stage; we were just angry and at war, man. Now it’s — the songs are there. I can concentrate on singing the fricking songs, number one. Geez, that’s a relief for me, man. I don’t have to break my fricking body in part anymore.”
Anselmo and Brown also praised Benante and Wylde for the work they’ve done in paying tribute to their late bandmates.
“Them two dudes, so enthusiastic. And they got their damn thing and they got their own damn legacy, both of them, without us. It’s an honor to play with them. They’re the nicest frickin guys in the world, man. I’m just so… [Laughs] Zakk, he’s a crack-up, man. He’s a sweetheart. And fricking Charlie, we’ve known Charlie since ’87, man. It’s a long time.”
Brown added: “The way [Charlie] plays Vinnie’s parts is uncanny. I don’t think there’s any drummer out there that could play the way that Vinnie did. I would close my eyes, because I was trying to get tight, and sometimes if I close my eyes, I can hear a little better; I think I can. And there’d be a tear of joy just coming down, because that was so close to what Vinnie and I used to play. So you have the foundation.”
Anselmo also shared what how he thinks “Dimebag” and Vinnie Paul would feel about the band’s tribute/celebration shows.
“Only thing I can say is, man, I know for a damn fact Vince and Dime would want us to do this, hands down. They would want the Pantera brand or the legacy to go on. And I don’t know what you believe in, but sometimes, you know, you would like to think that them old fellas are looking down on us, giving us the thumbs-up.”
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