Zakk Wylde Says Pantera Reunion is ‘Beautiful Every Night’
Zakk Wylde – Author Charles Ken, Photo via Anne Erickson
Zakk Wylde is all in on the Pantera reunion tour. Although Pantera will never really be Pantera without Vinnie Paul and Dimebag, I have to say that they couldn’t have gotten anyone better to fill in that Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society and Charlie Benante of Anthrax. Those guys are just a perfect fit for surviving members Rex Brown and Phil Anselmo. So, both Wylde and Benante totally fit the bill, and they’re putting everything they have into representing the Abbott brothers. Now, Wylde is opening up about playing with Pantera on the reunion tour and what the experience is like.
Speaking in a new interview with The News-Herald, Wylde commented on the reunion trek, “The Pantera thing is beautiful every night. I’m really happy the fellas put it together so people can still hear Vinnie (Paul) and Dime’s (Dimebag Darrell) greatness.”
Wylde, of course, is also Ozzy Osbourne’s lead guitarist. He says he’s still very tight with Ozzy, even though he hasn’t toured with him in a while, due to Ozzy having to take time off the road due to health issues.
“I still text Ozz all of the time,” Wylde said. “I recently sent him a GIF when they introduced him on MTV with the big poofy hair. Ozz goes, ‘Oh my God. Zakk, something went terribly wrong between my journey from Sabbath to that. I’ll pay you not to show that to anyone.’ His sense of humor is still hilarious. I’m like, ‘Ozz, keep doing your therapy.'”
Wylde and Pantera are playing a New Year’s Eve gig at the House of Blues in Cleveland, which is why he was speaking to The News-Herald. So, what’s new New Year’s resolution?
“Eat more steak,” he said, laughing. “I don’t know if that’s a resolution or I just enjoy steak.” He added, “I’ve never made New Year’s resolutions. It’s just kind of keep doing what you love doing. I guess that would be the resolution every year.” That sounds like a good New Year’s resolution to me, Wylde.
Pantera have another tour lined up for 2024, this one with Lamb of God. The tour will kick off Feb. 3 in Sunrise, Florida, and even play a show at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York City on Feb. 22. They’ll close out the tour on Feb. 27 in Québec City. While most of the dates on this tour are in the U.S., the bands included three Canadian shows on the run.
Pantera also spent much of 2023 on the road serving as direct support for Metallica on their tour in support of “72 Seasons.” On the tour, Metallica performed two nights in select cities. Pantera and Mammoth WVH opened for the first night of those tour dates, while Five Finger Death Punch and Ice Nine Kills opened on the second night. Pantera have some dates with Metallica in 2024, opening on their remaining North American dates, which kick off in August of 2024. So far, Pantera’s final date with Metallica is Aug. 30 in Seattle, Washington. Find tour dates here.
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