PANTERA – Is Vinnie Paul Closer To A Reconciliation With Philip and Rex?

Those celeb names that support the PANTERA reunion cause includes Hank Williams III, Chris Jericho, Rita Haney (Dimebag’s hag) and even Zakk Wylde himself who went on the record saying he’d be “honored” if asked to participate.

Recently in August, a fake poster began to make the rounds on the internet for Sonisphere 2013 that had Pantera w/Zakk Wylde headlining the bill. Wylde himself had to comment on it, typing to his fans on his Facebook in reference to the hoax event:

“This is not a real tour poster… but it sure would be a slammin’ gig!”




Most recently, Anselmo and Wylde even reconnected in person and discussed the subject together directly and so it’s a real big surprise to the metal community that this ‘idea’ has actually now grown some legs.

Bassist Rex Brown even went on the record via his Facebook last month to confess to fans that he and Philip would ‘love to’ reunite Pantera… but that the decision ultimately falls on VP.

Now it’s no shocker to anyone that Vinnie Paul has still not broken his long standing promise to never speak to or work with his ex-Pantera band mates ever again. He as always felt that his brother’s murder was in direct connection with the bitter band feud that waged for over two years in the media before Dimebag was shot and killed on stage while performing with his new project entitled DAMAGEPLAN on December 8, 2004.

TMD reported to the world in February of this year that Vinnie Paul has indeed turned down a “large sum of money’ for the remaining members to get back together and jam the classic Pantera hits in honor of Darrell.

So where exactly is Vinnie Paul’s head at right now on the matter? It’s obvious he does not speak on the subject at all over the years. You’d be better off trying to capture footage of Sasquatch.

But if the somewhat telling interview Vinnie did this year in March with DFW DJ Cindy Scull of KEGL (97.1 FM, “The Eagle”) is any indication of a ‘warming up of the frozen solid iceberg’ between he and Anselmo in particular, there is a measurable amount of respect that VP gives vocalist Anselmo during the discussion where Dime’s brother freely admits that if a Pantera reunion ever did happen that Zakk Wylde would undoubtedly be the man for the job.

“There’s a new tune called “Piss” (included on 20th anniversary VDOP)”, Vinnie confesses. “And it’s totally Phil… his attitude and everything that Pantera was all about.”



Anselmo, who has a penchant for being a bit abrasive in his comments (Come on, people. It’s Phil we’re talking about here!!) has made more of an effort than ever in 2012 to make things right so as to put an end to his estranged relationship with Vinnie Paul once and for all.

On whether there is any truth to rumors that a Pantera reunion is possible with Zakk Wylde filling in for Dime, Phil told Arizona radio station 98 KUPD in May of this year:

“There has been a great distance since Darrell’s murder. I think Vinnie is in his own place. I can’t speak for the man and I cannot speak for what is going on in his mind, but there are still wide-open wounds and I guess we have taken different paths to some form of recovery that is healthy for us, so I’m not sure where he’s at in his mind. But, once again, I have nothing but love for Vince.”

Anselmo’s most passionate statement during the discussion:

“Put it this way: I miss that Pantera feel, the feeling of walking out on that stage and performing those songs and having that massive audience just turn into this swirling whirlpool of bodies.”

Only time will tell if Vinnie Paul can find it in his heart to forgive his band mates for what he and Dime felt was the blatant abandonment of Pantera and all their fans around the world.

http://www.pantera.com/