During a recent appearance on the latest episode of the Jesea Lee Show podcast, Mudvayne’s Chad Gray revealed that Vinnie Paul never supported a Pantera reunion.
The 2022 comeback of Pantera received different responses. Some people were unsure because the band continued without the Abbott brothers, Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul. Gray spoke on their return:
“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 f*cking interviews with Vinnie Paul and him and I interviewing together and sh*t, the whole time [he was] basically [saying that the reunion] wasn’t happening.”
Vinnie’s Thoughts On A Possible Reunion
He went on to share how Vinnie would respond to the reunion questions:
“And Vinnie would literally go, ‘My brother’s dead.’ [long pause] That’s all he would say. That’s all he would f*cking say. That’s the way Vinnie thought about it. Pantera was done because his brother was dead. So when I hear that and how passionately he said that and I know how much he meant it… he didn’t care [about bringing Pantera back].”
The Late Drummer’s Estate Was Okay With The Reunion
Still, Paul’s estate previously supported the tour in a statement they shared on Facebook in December 2022. They wrote:
“There can never be a Pantera reunion without Vinnie and Dime. However, there is no better way to celebrate and honor Vinnie and Dime’s legacy than to bring the music of Pantera directly to the fans. We are honored that Charlie and Zakk, their very close friends and musical brothers, will share the stage with Philip and Rex to unleash the power of Pantera live around the world.”
Zakk Wylde Says Vinnie Had Discussions To Reunite
Although Chad said Vinnie never wanted a reunion, Zakk Wylde revealed reunion plans between Pantera and Paul in a 2022 chat with Ultimate Guitar. The guitarist explained:
“Back in the day with Vinnie, there were discussions, and then, after Vinnie passed away, I didn’t think anything would ever happen. I remember Phill called me one night and said, ‘Zakk, me and Rex would love it if you would honor Dime.’”
Pantera will headline major festivals across North America, South America, and Europe. They also perform their own shows and will join Metallica for a stadium tour in 2024.
You can watch Gray’s whole conversation below.