Formed by the brothers Vinnie Paul (Drums) and Dimebag Darrell (Guitar) back in 1981, Pantera achieved fame in 1990 with the release of the album “Cowboys From Hell”, which marked the band’s classic line-up which also had Phil Anselmo (Vocals- Joined in 1986) and Rex Brown (Bass – Joined in 1982).
They became one of the most promising Heavy Metal bands in the 90s but disbanded in 2003. One year later, Dimebag was brutally murdered at the age of 38 during a concert of Damageplan, band he created with his brother. After that, Vinnie Paul was asked multiple times over the decades about a possible Pantera reunion, which ultimately happened, but four years after he passed.
In an interview with Jesea Lee, the singer Chad Gray, who was Vinnie’s bandmate in Hellyeah, said that the late musician never wanted a Pantera reunion. He recalled that whenever he was questioned about it he would simply answer: “My brother is dead”.
Bandmate says Vinnie Paul never wanted a Pantera reunion
“I know what it is, and I know some levels of the intention are true and pure. But I also know, from sitting in on a million fucking interviews with Vinnie Paul (…) There was always some clown interviewer setting himself up for failure. Being like: ‘So, what’s the deal with all the mutterings we’re hearing about the Pantera reunion?’ Vinnie would literally go, ‘My brother’s dead.’”
“That’s all he’d say and they wouldn’t say another fucking word. That’s the way Vinnie thought about it: Pantera was done because his brother was dead. When I hear that, and I hear how passionately he said that, and I know how much he meant it. He didn’t care! Vinnie didn’t need the fucking money. Vinnie’s whole heart was in Hellyeah,” Chad Gray said.
Since 2022 Pantera has been touring with a line-up featuring Phil Anselmo, Rex Brown, the Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante and the Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde.
Vinnie Paul passed away back on June 22, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was 54 and died of a heart condition. Although the current reunion was blessed by the relatives from the brothers, Pantera never reunited when they were still alive.
Outside Pantera, the brothers worked together on the only Damageplan album “New Found Power”, released in 2004. After his brother’s assassination, Vinnie released five studio albums with Hellyeah and after his passing one posthumous record was released.
