Guitarist C.J. Pierce of Texas heavy rockers DROWNING POOL has weighed in on the truth that PANTERA‘s surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) have united with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) for a world tour underneath the PANTERA banner.

Anselmo and Brown, together with Wylde and Benante, are headlining quite a few main festivals throughout South America, Asia, North America and Europe and staging a few of their very own headline live shows. They may even assist METALLICA on a large North American stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

In keeping with Billboard, the lineup has been given a inexperienced mild by the estates of the band’s founders, drummer Vincent “Vinnie Paul” Abbott and guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, in addition to Brown, who in 2021 stated Wylde would not tour with PANTERA if a reunion have been to occur. It is unclear what modified his thoughts.

Pierce mentioned his views on the PANTERA comeback in a brand new interview with the “Brutally Scrumptious” podcast. Requested what PANTERA was like when DROWNING POOL and PANTERA shared the stage on Might 6 on the Thunder Seashore Motorbike Rally in Panama Metropolis, Florida, C.J. stated (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “PANTERA was nice, man. I do know individuals have stated quite a lot of stuff about it. Rex and Phil, it is a reunion of these two guys coming collectively. Hats off to PANTERA and what it was about. After all Dime and Vinnie have been a giant a part of that [and were] private mates. Really, we toured collectively again within the early days with DROWNING POOL. And I’ve recognized Zakk ceaselessly and I’ve recognized Charlie ceaselessly. What higher particular person to choose. And I used to be truly hanging out with Zakk.”

Concerning Wylde‘s method to performing components initially written and recorded by Dimebag, Pierce stated: “It is Zakk Wylde. Dime did Dime, and no person’s ever gonna play Dime like that… And we have been speaking about it, ‘trigger now and again I will get known as up and go on stage and do some PANTERA covers. So I keep up on my chops. However him and I, Zakk and I have been speaking about sure issues that Dime did. And we have been, like, ‘What the hell is he doing proper right here? Was he utterly drunk or is he only a genius? Why would you do this?’ And Zakk‘s, like, ‘There’s one or two issues I am undecided what he is doing. I am simply gonna play a solo.’ I stated, ‘It is a guitar solo, man. Do your factor. You are doing it nice.'”

C.J. additionally had sturdy phrases for all of the detractors who’ve been posting unfavourable feedback on-line earlier than even seeing the PANTERA present themselves.

“I do not know why you’ll [talk] shit [about it],” Pierce stated. “‘Trigger the present was nice, and also you’re preserving that music alive. And also you’re preserving what Dime and Vinnie dropped at the stage. They usually nailed it, to me. Phil sounded nice; he by no means sounded higher. And the present was wonderful. They allow us to use quite a lot of their toys, so our present was wonderful. [Charlie] is likely one of the finest [drummers out there]. They usually took time and so they nailed it, man.

“Go see the present. Simply go see it. You must see it and you may know whenever you’re there. It is so nice, dude. I hope they maintain going with it.”

Whereas he was alive, Vinnie Paul had repeatedly dismissed talks of a PANTERA reunion, telling Germany’s EMP Rock Invasion in 2014: “Persons are egocentric, man. They need what they need; they do not care what you need. And it is unlucky that individuals go, ‘Oh, wow, man, they will get Zakk Wylde to leap up there on stage and it is PANTERA once more.’ No, it is not, you realize. It isn’t that straightforward. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot within the head 4 instances subsequent week, would all people be going, ‘Hey, man, Zakk, go play for VAN HALEN. Simply name it VAN HALEN.’ You see what I am saying? I imply, it is actually egocentric for individuals to assume that, and it is silly. It isn’t proper in any respect.”

He continued: “They name it a reunion for a cause. It is known as bringing the unique members again to what it was. So there’s quite a lot of this stuff that they name reunions that are not actually reunions. They have one dude from the band floating round in them, you realize. That is not a real reunion. With PANTERA, it’s going to by no means be doable.”

He repeated those self same sentiments just a few months later, telling PlanetMosh in a separate interview: “With out Dimebag Darrell, there is no [PANTERA] reunion. And that is all there may be to it. We have been a really influential band, and we touched tens of millions and tens of millions of individuals with that band, however it’s over. Individuals actually have to return to grips with that, and that is all there may be to it. If all of us have been nonetheless right here, then the likelihood would really be there, however since it is not, you realize… It is egocentric of the followers to need one thing that they cannot have. They usually do not ever perceive that, and I get it. There’s issues I would like on this world too. You understand, individuals in fucking hell need ice water, however they are not gonna get it.”

Up till his passing in June 2018, Vinnie remained on non-speaking phrases with Anselmo, whom the drummer not directly blamed for Dimebag‘s dying.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they shaped DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, whereas performing with DAMAGEPLAN on the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA have been stealing his ideas.

Dimebag‘s longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 known as on Vinnie and Philip to settle their variations in honor of Dimebag.

Vinnie, who was Dimebag‘s brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA cut up in 2003. However the relationship obtained much more acrimonious when Vinnie advised that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print simply weeks earlier may need incited Dimebag‘s killer.

Haney instructed the producers of “Behind The Music Remastered: Pantera” that she forgave the singer after they discovered themselves unexpectedly head to head at a live performance in California.