PANTERA guitarist Zakk Wylde says he would be open to recording new music with the band, but insists it would have to be called something else
During a recent appearance on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk,” Zakk Wylde shared thoughts on the potential for new music from the reformed lineup of PANTERA, which includes surviving members Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown, alongside Wylde himself and Charlie Benante on drums.
When asked if he would be open to working on new material with PANTERA, Zakk responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “No. I think you would have to call it something else. You know what I mean? PANTERA is those four guys. So, yeah, you can’t replace that.”
Asked if he would want to do it under an altered name rather than calling it PANTERA, Wylde said: “Yeah. If that was ever a bridge we crossed, we’d have to wait until we get there. But right now, it’s just the four of us celebrating what the fellas [from the classic lineup] created.”
Zakk added that he would be open to making new music with Anselmo, Brown and Benante, provided that it was presented differently than as PANTERA. “Yeah, of course,” he said. “I mean, how could you call it PANTERA unless it was just pre-existing material and we were gonna record it — stuff that was in demo state or whatever, and it is songs that the guys wrote. But as far as new songs, it would have to be — you’d call it something else.”
The rejuvenated PANTERA is currently on the road for a run of shows with LAMB OF GOD and will be continuing to tour with METALLICA for their “M72” “No-repeat weekend” trek in 2024.
Initial reports in July 2022 indicated that Anselmo and Brown would join forces with Wylde and Benante for a global tour under the PANTERA name.
Singer Phil Anselmo recently said of the tour: “Youngsters have come out in droves to these PANTERA shows, and it has lit and ignited a fuse and a fire in me, and I just wanna play these fucking shows the best fucking way we goddamn know how. And I’m looking forward to it.”
Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA, but tragedy struck on December 8, 2004, when Dimebag was fatally shot onstage during a DAMAGEPLAN show by a troubled schizophrenic fan.
In 2011, Dimebag’s longtime girlfriend Rita Haney urged Vinnie and Philip to reconcile their differences in honor of Dimebag.
Following the band’s dissolution in 2003, Vinnie, Dimebag‘s brother, and Anselmo ceased communication. Tensions escalated further when Vinnie suggested that remarks made by Anselmo in print just weeks prior to Dimebag‘s death might have influenced the shooter.
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