PANTERA Backing Tracks Controversy: Zakk And Dimebag Are Both Guilty!

Watch DAMAGEPLAN jam PANTERA‘s “Becoming” during rehearsals featuring late shredder Dimebag Darrell on 10-23-2004. During the performance, it is clear to see that Dimebag uses what is called a Digitech whammy pedal that is a “pitchshifter”. TMD reported that PANTERA fill-in guitarist Zakk Wylde got accused of not being authentic when he played along to a guitar backing track for the song “Becoming” at the reunited group’s first gig in the USA in over two decades, due to the fact that the song has this one part where the whammy pedal needs to be pressed. If you are too busy running around as Zakk seems to be, that cannot be pulled off without the pre recorded studio version featuring Dimebag being fed through the PA, and after careful analysis that is what looks to have happened here with Zakk.

Dimebag was no different. That being said, he is most certainly playing the whammy in this rare “rehearsals” footage captured shortly before his tragic death by Chad Lee.

In recently posted footage, fans online blistered the band in the comments section, accusing them of using backing tracks.

One fan wrote: “Dime used a whammy effects pedal to lift the notes two octaves. EITHER it’s a backing track or Zakk’s guitar tech is stomping on the pedal each time.”

In the footage posted below of Pantera performing the same song in 1998, Dime is clearly playing along to a backing track. That means nobody named Grady would ever be needed to stand backstage and push on a pedal for the band.

This was just BS that they wanted everyone to believe, so that it does not ruin the illusion that an authentic rock performance is going on.

The bottom line is that both Dimebag and Zakk Wylde have now been exposed for using backing tracks, which again has been common practice in the rock music industry for decades.