Industry Source: Zakk Wylde Is Using “Backing Tracks” At PANTERA Tribute Shows Because Dime’s Parts Are “Too Difficult”

Believe it or not, Zakk Wylde warned PANTERA fans not to expect him to sound like Dimebag Darrell Abbott at the band’s long-awaited tribute shows. Maybe this is why he did not release any play along videos to songs like “Becoming”, the classic Pantera song that is at the center of the “backing tracks” scandal. TMD’s article exposing the fakery by Wylde on the stage this past May reached millions of readers via FM rock radio station sites all across America, including Alice Cooper’s radio show site.

There was already an existing controversy surrounding the announcement that Pantera members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown were reuniting to celebrate the memory of deceased bandmates Dimebag Darrell and his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul, who died in 2004 and 2018. It all stunk of a “cash grab”. Remember how they were all totally in a war of words with each other? In fact, the Abbott brothers totally distanced themselves from Anselmo for “hate speech” the singer was using right up to moments before Dimebag was shot and killed on the stage by a supposed deranged (MK ULTRA) gunman. Nothing has ever changed, remember Anselmo shouting the racist “White Power” remark at Dimebash 2016 concert?

Wylde – a close friend of Dimebag and long linked with the idea of standing in for him thanks to Rocket and TheMetalDen.com who first suggested it – is doing what 90% of the rock music industry does today, he is playing with backing tracks.

An industry source has now tipped TMD off:

Zakk Wylde is using “backing tracks” at PANTERA tribute shows because Dime’s parts are “too difficult”.

Wylde himself even admitted he was not good enough to replicate Dime’s playing (without the help of backing tracks), “I’m gonna have fun with it, knowing that I am not expecting myself to sound like Dime, and no one else should either, which is how it is when I play with Ozzy [Osbourne] or whatever else.

Wait a minute. So, you admit you can’t play as good as Dimebag? You are saying that you can’t play the songs the right way, and this is why you are not being totally authentic on the stage, and instead of playing the parts precisely as Dime played them, which yes, it would have taken a lot more practice than what you did invest, you’re going to employ what is called “finger synching” so you can cheat and pipe in backing tracks instead? This is how you honor a great guitar player?

Does everyone now forget that it was Wylde who said he did not even start practicing Dime’s guitar parts until one month before the tribute shows began? It would take anyone of equal skill level at least 6 to 12 months of daily practice to get Dime’s parts perfected. So that right there is very incriminating itself.

Zakk Wylde: “The sound of Pantera comes from Dimebag’s love for Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads. The playing is rooted in precision”

Wylde confirmed he’d be using the equipment previously used by Dimebag Darrell, including amplifier heads and cabinets along with effects pedals.

“I’ll be using my guitars, effects and pedals, a lot of the pedals that Dime actually gave me, and yeah, I’ll definitely be using some of Dime’s pedals and stuff, too,” he said. “I’m still working out how it’ll all come together, but I am looking forward to seeing how it all flows once I do.“Dime’s tech, Grady [Champion], is gonna be coming down, too, which is great. I’ve got my tech, but it’ll be great to have Grady here to help pay tribute to Dime.”

Or do you mean use Grady as a “cover up” story because the truth is you planned on using backing tracks all along? Using someone else to be a decoy for the fact that you are not able to play Dime’s parts note for note is not very impressive and it is downright disrespectful.

Dimebag Darrell’s ex-guitar tech Grady Champion (the patsy) even made a very telling statement that tells you all you need to know, that Pantera is using backing tracks, when he said about fans should not expect Zakk Wylde to “clone Dime note for note” in Pantera reunion shows. Well, if anyone listens to Zakk’s playing at these shows he is somehow pulling it all off miraculously for a guy who doesn’t want to sound like Dime. How is that being done if he cannot play the parts correctly?

Answer: BACKING TRACKS

But you won’t admit that you are using backing tracks that are essentially Dimebag’s studio stems from the original album productions being piped in through the PA at concerts. Why? Even after your drummer Charlie Benante says Pantera and everyone else in the music industry today is using backing tracks and thinks it should not be a big problem for fans who pay their had earned money to see these musicians perform live in concert. Notice the part ‘live in concert’. It does not say “fake fans out at live concert by using backing tracks”.

Listen to the guitar on any videos from these Pantera reunion shows and the trademark Dimebag guitar squeals heard throughout these songs are definitely being reproduced with backing tracks. Zakk Wylde never even released play along videos showing he can play these Pantera songs ‘note for note’ like the Crue’s John 5 did with old classic metal songs he had to learn how to play correctly.

You should not have to have anyone helping you play your instrument from behind the stage. It is totally ridiculous and an all-out act of total fraud and deception. You are mocking Dimebag and the fans of Pantera. It does not get any more disgraceful.

TMD’s Randy “Rocket” Cody busted MÖTLEY CRÜE‘s drummer Tommy Lee fake playing at a concert last year. The report spread across all iHeart radio sites and hit a massive audience well into the tens of millions. The widespread usage of backing tracks in the rock music industry for main instrumentation is out of control. Ousted Crue guitarist Mick Mars launched a lawsuit against his former band mates, claiming he is being “ripped off” of profits and that every member except himself used backing tracks at all of the Crue’s comeback concerts last year.

Soon after the tribute project was announced, Benante said he’d do all he could to sound exactly like Paul. “I can’t go do this as the drummer from Anthrax, because it would be a different sound completely,” he said. “So the way I’m gonna do that is, if you close your eyes, it’s gonna sound like it’s Vinnie, basically.”

How is that being done exactly?

Answer: BACKING TRACKS