BLACK LABEL SOCIETY guitarist Zakk Wylde says he is “honored” to take part in the upcoming PANTERA tour, but still needs to learn the songs
This summer the news was revealed that Wylde and ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante would be joining surviving PANTERA members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) for a tour under the iconic band’s name. The run would consist of a number of major festivals across North America and Europe as well as some of the band’s own headlining concerts.
Zakk spoke about being involved in the forthcoming PANTERA tour during a recent appearance on The SDR Show. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I had nothing to do with [putting the PANTERA thing together]. I’m friends with the guys. It’d be like if Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell were gonna do a tribute to Jimi [Hendrix] and they [asked] Eric Clapton, ‘Eric, would you sing and play Jimi’s stuff? We’re gonna put this tribute thing together.’ It’s just, like, of course Eric would [do it]. ‘Just let me know when you wanna do it.’ It’s just like anything. Like when we do ‘Experience Hendrix’, we do anything like that, it’s just, like, ‘Would you guys like to go out and honor Jimi Hendrix?’ It’s just, like, ‘Yeah. And why wouldn’t we?'”
He continued: “Yeah, of course. I’m gonna be honored. Even if it was a festival they were putting together and they wanted BLACK LABEL to come up and have Phil sing and they were gonna have all the different bands up there — LAMB OF GOD, BLACK LABEL, ANTHRAX — and all the bands were gonna play a PANTERA song and Phil’s gonna sing. Of course we’d be involved. Why wouldn’t we be involved?”
Zakk went on to say that he has yet to learn how to play the PANTERA songs for the upcoming run.
“I don’t know [how to play] the songs,” he said. “If Dime had to play the ‘No More Tears‘ solo and ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home‘ and ‘Miracle Man‘ and ‘Perry Mason’ and play ‘Suicide Messiah‘, it’d be, like, ‘You must know Zakk’s stuff.’ He [would be], like, ‘No. I don’t know any of his stuff. Zakk’s my buddy, but no, I don’t know any of his stuff.'”
PANTERA will co-headline the first night of Hell & Heaven Metal Fest, sharing the stage with SCORPIONS, MESHUGGAH, ARCH ENEMY, EPICA and CRADLE OF FILTH, among others, on December 2 at Foro Pegaso in Toluca. PANTERA will also perform at the Monterrey Metal Fest on December 6 at Estadio Mobil Super in Monterrey, Mexico.
PANTERA has also been confirmed for Knotfest Colombia, Knotfest Chile and Knotfest Brasil, all of which will take place in December. Knotfest Colombia is scheduled for Friday, December 9 at Campin Circuit of Bogotá. Knotfest Chile is slated to take place on Sunday, December 11 at Estadio Monumental in Santiago. Knotfest Brasil will follow on Sunday, December 18 at Sambódromo do Anhembi in São Paulo.