On March 11, 1964 in Abilene, Texas, Heavy Music history was made when Vincent Paul Abbott, also known as "Vinnie Paul", was born with a pair of drum sticks. No really, when you think about successful drummers within Heavy Music that have defined not only the style of playing but also the attitude, Vinnie Paul reigns supreme. Whither you know Vinnie from his legendary performances with Pantera, Damageplan, or Hellyeah. One thing is for sure, Vinnie has always put the pedal to the Metal.
It all started when Vinnie and his brother Darrell Lance Abbott (RIP), also known as "Diamond Darrell", started jamming out to bands like Deep Purple, Van Halen and Kiss. After many jam sessions, the Abbott brothers recruited Donnie Hart on vocals, Terry Glaze on guitar, and Tommy Bradford on bass, and started a band called Pantera's Metal Magic (which eventually became Pantera).
Once the band started picking up steam, singer Donnie Hart left the band and Terry Glaze took over vocals, leaving Dimebag as the only guitarist. Later that year bassist Tommy Bradford quit the band and was replaced by Rex Robert Brown, also known as "Rex Brown". Once the line up was locked Pantera became an underground sensation, specially after being part of regional tours that took them beyond Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
After releasing "Metal Magic" in 1983, which was produced by Dime and Vinnie's father Jerry Abbott, they worked very hard at getting their music exposed to the masses. During the next few years, Pantera released Projects in the Jungle (1984), and I Am the Night (1985). As we all know, all these albums didn't have the same punch as their later albums, mainly because singer Terrence Lee was missing that punch in your face style of vocals. After Pantera decided to switch gears, they parted ways with Terrence Lee and recruited Philip Anselmo. The band released a slightly heavier album in 1988, titled "Power Metal.
Pantera soon decided that they needed to change their musical style and become an engine of aggression and to single-handedly save Heavy Metal, this is when they ripped off the spandex and decided that "these magic clothes don't play music; we do. Let's just go out there and be comfortable—jeans, t-shirt, whatever—and see where it goes." After the release of "Power Metal", Dimebag auditioned for Megadeth, got offered the gig, but he didn't accept it since his condition was that if Megadeth wanted him in the band, they had to also recruit his brother Vinnie.
You may think that Pantera got their "break" really easily since they were such an original hard working band, but the reality is that the band was turned down 28 times! In a leap of faith, everything changed for them when Hurricane Hugo stranded ATCO Records representative Mark Ross in Texas. His boss Derek Shulman asked Ross to go check out Pantera, who he had been interested in signing after receiving numerous amounts of home videos produced by the band. Ross went to see the band at a birthday party, and after a few songs he had no question that ATCO had to sign Pantera! At the end of 1989, the band recorded "Cowboys From Hell" (its major label debut) at Pantego Studios.
"Cowboys From Hell" proved that Pantera had smartly switched gears into a Heavier and more ass kicking sound, that would win them millions of fans worldwide. After the release of the album, Pantera were asked to perform in front of over 500,000 people at the "Monsters of Rock" in Moscow, Russia. The event was a celebration of the new freedom of performing Western music in the former Soviet Union.
From that moment on Pantera became one of the hardest working bands in Heavy Music history, and released legendary albums such as "Vulgar Display of Power" and "Far Beyond Driven", which hit number 1 on the Billboard Charts.
During the production of "The Great Southern Trendkill", it became evident that the band was having internal problems. The personal relations within the band were an all time low, so Anselmo decided to record vocals for this record at Trent Reznor's studio in New Orleans while the rest of the band recorded in Dallas. Once this furious album was released, the band managed to keep their focus on the music and to tour the world non-stop. In a turn of events, on July 13, 1996, Philip Anselmo overdosed on heroine while at a Texas hometown gig.
From that moment the media took out their magnifying glass and had a feast with all the chaos surrounding the band. After many feuds with the media, specially from Anselmo, the band decided to use their stage as their weapon. They definitely proved this with the release of "Live 101 Proof", which also included two studio tracks.
At the turn of the century, Pantera released "Reinventing the Steel" and once again toured the entire world. After a year and a half of successful touring, which included co-headlining Ozzfest 2000 with Black Sabbath, the band came to a halt on September 11, 2001 due to the terrorist attacks in the United States. At the time, Anselmo told his band members that he was going to go take care of his health issues, but ended up reforming Down and Superjoint Ritual
After a few years of waiting for Anselmo to rejoin the band, who was busy on the road with Down and Superjoint Ritual, Dime and Vinnie decided to start Damageplan. At first glimpse, the fans were very confused about the new band, and were desperately waiting for the reunion of Pantera. After lots of hard work, and when they were finally starting make some noise, on December 8, 2004, Dimebag was shot and killed while at a gig at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. This would be the end of Pantera!
Here is an EXCLUSIVE interview with drumming legend Vinnie Paul, in which we discuss the legacy of Pantera. This interview took place in Los Angeles at the "Black Carpet", at the 3rd installment of Revolver Golden Gods Awards. Grab a black tooth and enjoy!
We want to thank Pantera, Vinnie Paul, Revolver Magazine & all the fans! This piece is dedicated to DIMEBAG (RIP)! \m/
The world was definitely a safer place before Pantera released "Vulgar Display Of Power" on February 25, 1992 through Atco Records. Not only was this album very influential in the 90s within the Heavy Music world, but it is also considered one of the best records in Heavy Metal history. Full of adrenaline and with songs that are more dangerous than giving a loaded gun to an inmate at San Quentin State Prison, Pantera changed Heavy Metal forever when they punched the world in the face with this no holds barred ass kicking record!
Here are some facts about Pantera's "Vulgar Display Of Power":
- The album was produced, engineered and mixed by Terry Date and Vinnie Paul (Pantera's drummer) at Pantego Sound Studio, Pantego, Texas. Pantego Sound Studio is owned and operated by Jerry Abbott (Dime and Vinnie's father).
- It has sold over 2 million copies and it was #44 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
- According to Q magazine it is one of the "50 Heaviest Albums of All-Time."
- IGN named it the 11th most influential Heavy Metal album of All-Time.
- It has been listed as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
- This is what the media had to say about the album:
Entertainment Weekly (3/6/92, p. 59): "One of the most satisfying Heavy Metal records since Metallica's early-80s cult days... 11 caustic songs of unabashed brute force... a fully realized album that goes way beyond metal's usual crunch-and-burn." - Rating: A
Q magazine (7/01, p. 90): "Pantera's new, heavier direction... was succinctly summed up by 'A New Level's' sludge-thick chorus and the neck-snapping riffage of bile-flecked hate anthem 'Fucking Hostile'."
Last night the band Hellyeah held their Official after party at Duff's Brooklyn, following their performance with Buckcherry and All That Remains at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square. As usual, the vibe was great and the band had a great time with their fans. Among the rowdy fans were media personalities Jose Mangin (Sirius XM Liquid Metal and MTV's Headbangers Ball) and Don Jamieson (That Metal Show).
Hellyeah is what you get when you place a group of very talented musicians in the same room, and tell them to let their creativity flow without a set agenda. The whole concept behind Hellyeah is to create a musical blend that is aged to perfection just like a fine bottle of Scotch. While they don't necessarily fit into a musical category, their music is honest and serves as the perfect soundtrack to a night of debauchery.
Recently, our European correspondent Tanja Caciur from Music Photocalypse sat down with Hellyeah's Chad Gray and Vinnie Paul for a very intimate interview. Here is what went down!
You guys have been touring non-stop for a while now. What is it like being on tour with Hellyeah?
Chad: It is blurry.
Vinnie: Yeah, blurry. A lot of press, a lot of drinking, never get to soundcheck… I mean, we would like to have one, but being a support band, usually things are not ready in time for us to do that. But we like to do a lot of things. This is the most I’ve ever gotten to see of Europe, from all the times I’ve ever been on tour. Every day I get out and walk somewhere. On every tour I did with Pantera, I never saw anything. It was just stay on the bus, go to the hotel, and go to the gig. That was it. The other day in Milan I walked around the whole damn square, it is really cool to experience that. We have done a lot of this support stuff in the States. We were recently on tour with Avenged Sevenfold and Stone Sour at the Uproar Festival. We were done at 5.30 in the afternoon every day. So we started drinking at 4… (laughter). That is not really a Rock’N’Roll life style when you are done doing your job at 5.30 in the afternoon. If we have a singing to do, we are done at 7. So there is a lot of looning about that goes on from bar to bar, from place to place, to this to that.
Chad: The worst part about tours like Uproar is those ‘sheds’ that are just in the middle of fucking nowhere, there is literally nothing to do. We headline the 2nd stage; we play, like he said, at 5.30. So we start drinking about an hour before we go on and I am getting up at 3. I am only sober literally like a fucking hour a day for the whole summer, it is amazing. That is how we usually are out here [in Europe] too, but it has been awesome.
How would you describe Hellyeah to people who have never heard the band? Give me some kind of a teaser.
Vinnie: It is a fucking Friday night, a full on freight train. It is all about working class people that bust their fucking asses, living in the real world, not the shit you see on MTV (laughs). And you know, you bust your ass and you cannot wait for Friday night, forget about your problems, drink, have a good time and just enjoy yourself. That is the basic vibe that we put out, that’s kinda it in a nutshell.
Chad: I think Hellyeah as a band… it is more of an attitude; a kind of lifestyle…
You speak about the working class people, but I would assume you have not been a part of the working class for quite a while…
Vinnie: I wouldn’t say that. When you have to do what we do every day… OK, but its not a 9 to 5 kind of job…
Vinnie: No, it is a 24-hour a day job. You cannot take this face off, anywhere you go people will expect something from you. They want an autograph, they want to say hi, they want to shake hands… its part of it, and you don’t get a day off. If I get sick, there is nobody else who’s going to get there to play the drums. But then you can cancel the show.
Vinnie: No you can’t just cancel the show.
Chad: You’ve got to understand that everything is tied down to a budget. If you take one show out of that budget, you are fucking everything up. And we have got to play. You know, I am not going to say that I am laying bricks…
Vinnie: But back in the day you were.
Chad: Yeah, I have done that.
Vinnie: I worked in McDonald’s back in the day. You start off somewhere.
Chad: I have worked in construction, I’ve worked at factories and so has Vinnie. There are great elements to what we do now, there is party, the drinking and shit like that. But when I leave home... I am gone, I go to work. When I grab my suitcase and go out of the door... I am going to work. I’ve got to work for months sometimes before I can go home to my wife, my dogs, sleep in my own bed. Trust me; we’ve got 6 more days now until the end of the tour. We have been out since April and been going really fucking hard since July.
What is the first thing you are going to do when you get home?
Chad: Sit down. (laughter)
You’re sitting down right now.
Chad: It is a whole different sit down.
Vinnie: I will probably go straight to shop for Thanksgiving; we get home the day before probably one of the biggest holidays in the United States. And there are always a lot of people coming over, so there is a lot of work to be done when I get home. Now, with that being said, it is a job that we love and we are lucky. A lot of people go to work and they hate doing their job. This is a job that you love, the music… that is why you are there in the first place... and you find out you can pay your bills sometimes and then you do it. To me it is like being a professional athlete of some sort. It is something you love to do, but it’s not easy. And very few people are lucky enough to get to live their dream and do that kind of thing. So we appreciate it.
How does each of you contribute to writing music in Hellyeah? I know Chad writes the lyrics, right?
Vinnie: He is an amazing lyricist and really great coming up with melodies and stuff, and Greg works with him quite a bit on some of that. And for me, I’ve always wanted to be more than a drummer. I cannot sing for shit, so I don’t try (laughs). I leave that up to Chad. But I do find myself involved in the production process, help arrange the music, sometimes I will come in and work with Chad on some stuff. We all trust each other from the start, we all work together. So I guess everybody truly puts everything they have into the band musically. When I watch Greg and Tom sit down and start riffing, it is the two of them. Somebody’s going to change something along the way and they work it together. Anyways, it all comes together as Hellyeah in the end.
Chad: Mudvayne was coming up on a break when we first started Hellyeah. And I told Greg: “I would really like for you to do this with me”. Because I knew we were going to take a break, we had to take a fucking break. We had been working non-stop for years. And I was like: “You can either go home and sit down on your ass and watch TV or we can go do something else.” Kind of explore the different sides of ourselves. This was before Vinnie actually came in. Greg thought about it and was like: ‘Yeah OK, cool’. And then we got Vince. We went to Dallas and we all got together and I did not even know Vinnie. Then we went to dinner, got drunk and got up the next day and went into the studio. And we wrote a song that night, we wrote 7 songs in the first 7 days. It is weird, because it’s like Damageplan… one guitar-player band, Nothingface… one guitar-player band, Mudvayne… one guitar-player band. I was blown away by 3 different guys from one guitar-player bands who can get together and work amazingly. And we just went like boom! Song, next day… boom! Song, next day… boom! We had no idea what the hell we were even doing. We just started writing music and it became what it is. It is a very honest band. We are not trying to be like anybody. If anything, in the future we will probably try not to be like people who are trying to be like us.
Chad, what is the difference for you between fronting Hellyeah and fronting Mudvayne?
Chad: It is like night and day. Mudvayne is pretty calculated and there is always a deep theme that runs through the fabric of the entire record as a whole. So you have to get the ideas around and then kind of adhere to something. In Hellyeah we just write about whatever, it does not matter what it is. It has been really liberating for me to do this, all I knew for so long was Mudvayne. So with Hellyeah I am be able to just write whatever I want to write about, write whatever kind of songs I want to write. We don’t stick to one theme and I think that has been really awesome. You know, Damageplan, Nothingface, Mudvayne they have to write these types of songs. You can’t really go too far out of that box before everyone will go “What the fuck are you doing?” Hellyeah started that way, so now we can just go wherever. We can write any kind of fucking song. We wrote a country song called “Alcohaulin’ Ass”, which is as country as it gets, and then we can write a rock song like “Pole Rider” about strippers. I have never written a song like that. I never had a reason to, but they started playing the song and that is what came into my head. It is kind of a part of this band’s lifestyle: just partying and barbequing, drinking, we do a lot of this shit.
What would you say “Stampede” is about?
Chad: It is like the dictionary definition of it: a herd of wild animals that are unstoppable. It’s not about one thing; it is the most diverse record I have ever written. There are songs like “Stampede”, there are songs like “Better Man” or “Stand Or Walk Away”, and then there are songs like “Pole Rider”. So many different vibes all the way through the record… every song is different from the previous one. It is just how we write. It’s really hard to put in a box… like what is “Stampede”? Fuck, I don’t know.
Are you planning to sustain this kind of ‘badass cowboy’ style on the upcoming albums?
Chad: Tom and I have been wearing fucking cowboy hats since like 2000; we’ve been wearing cowboy hats since we met. It is not like we are out roping cows or mending fences. People look at us and go like: “What is up with the cowboys thing?” We are not trying to look like cowboys; we’re trying to look like fucking outlaws. It has a Southern vibe to it, of course, but the way we look at it, it is more about being real people. You know, like that is how people really look. We just walk on stage in what we wear.
Both of you have been in the music industry for quite a while. What would you say was the most valuable lesson that you have learned along the way?
Vinnie: Probably the most valuable lesson anybody should learn is never piss on the people on your way to the top, because you are going to have to see them on your way down, some day. That is a very valuable lesson. And another lesson is to try to learn to be somewhat business-minded. You know, it is called the music business. We have all gotten into it because we love the music, and a lot of people end up with nothing at the end of the day, after they have done all of this great music… because they never learned any of the business side. So to be able to pick up on some of that is helpful for sure. Don’t just say: “Well I will just let my accountant handle that”. Still to this day, I pay my own fucking bills, they come to my house, they don’t go to some dude in Los Angeles and he does it. I want to look through them; I want to make sure there is no bullshit.
Chad: The first thing he said about not pissing on people on your way up… I have always been the kind of person who has really kept my feet on the ground. I know that he has been that kind of person too. I think that is why the respect level that we have for each other was so high right from the get go. It’s because when we met each other… there was no bullshit, there was no ego. It was like wow, this is fucking amazing, because it is really hard to find that in this business. Hellyeah has been very humble. Mudvayne saw a certain level of success: we have 3 records out in the States. We make money when we go out in the States, we sold almost 6 million records worldwide and that is a big deal. Hellyeah is like starting over in this new world that we live in with downloading and so on. It has been really humble; it has been fucking awesome too. It’s really taking me back to be able to live a life and make a climb for 10 years and then turn around and come back and start all over again. It just makes you really appreciate all of your work, where you kind of end up. It has been really awesome for me. I never saw the level of success he saw. It is a testament to the headspace of Hellyeah and what we are about. I do not know many people that could do what we are doing right now, and how we are living our lives right now. Trust me; this has been the biggest and the nicest dressing room we have seen on this whole tour. All the props in the world to Stone Sour, they have taken such a good care of us, being really respectful and doing the best that they can.
Vinnie, I have read some speculations online regarding the possibility of you ever re-creating Pantera without Dime. I do not know what triggered these speculations, but what do you have to say to these people?
Vinnie: It is ridiculous. Dime was such a huge part of it; it would be just completely asinine to even consider that. I think it’s pretty disrespectful from people to even suggest it. He left an amazing legacy and it is going to be left untouched. It’s beautiful, it’s pristine and I want to leave it that way. I am really proud of what I do with Hellyeah. Of course the history of Pantera speaks for itself. I want him to always be known as ‘the dude’, you know. Period. Forever!
Yeah, but the comments I have read were actually criticizing you as if you have ever said that this was possible.
Vinnie: No no, I have never said this was possible. Not me. It might have been some of the other clowns that used to be in Pantera, but not me. (laughs)
You are quite accomplished musicians today. Is there anything that you still strive for musically, or it is more like just chilling and playing what you like?
Vinnie: With the economy like this, with the music business like it is and everything else, of course we are striving to be successful. If we get to some level like that, then that is going to be a dream for me. My dream when we put this band together was to scpre a gold record with Hellyeah. We are so close to doing that in the States, it is almost there. Gold records these days are like having a double-platinum record, it really is. It is an amazing accomplishment. So for that and to just, you know, be able to stay healthy, enjoy what we do and keep writing great songs. Our chemistry is incredible, everybody works together, it is a respect thing, you know? You never have to worry about anybody stepping on somebody else’s toes; we all fit together pretty well.
There are many young bands these days who act kind of arrogant, thinking that they basically made history in a way, even though they really just make noise. And then there are guys like you two who have actually made history, but you are really down to earth. So what helps you keep your feet on the ground?
Chad: It is probably that statement that Vince made. That is the greatest thing I have ever learned and I learned that from Ozzy from the “Decline Of Western Civilization Part II” documentary. Do not fuck with people on your way up, because you will meet them on your way down. I remember watching that whole documentary and I was like “that’s it!” I was probably 17 when I saw it, way before I have ever done anything, but I always kept that in my head for some reason. It’s all going to go away, it all ends. Here today, gone tomorrow. If you got the attitude like “I am the fucking shit” for the here today, what happens when you are gone tomorrow? You’re going to look like a fucking fool, when you are working at the record store or flipping fries. Hang on to your integrity as a person. It’s just a fucking job. We love our job, but it is a job.
What is it about music that you love so much, what gives you goose bumps?
Vince: It is just creating it and performing it, you know. There is not a bigger rush in this world then to hear a crowd roar when the lights go down. If you cannot get up for that, you can’t get up for anything. That is what it’s all about… performing. You look out there and whether it is 500 people, or Donington with 100,000 people, or Monsters of Rock with half a million people… you are making these people happy and they are into it.
Chad: For me it starts when we start writing something, putting something together. I listen to a song and I will listen to it over and over again. A lot of times you are kind of holding on, trying to figure it out so you know where to go with it. The more I listen to the song as a singer and a writer, the more I familiarize myself with it, the more I tend to just unconsciously let go off the song. Then it is just in my head, and all of a sudden here comes the melody, here come the lyrics, everything just starts coming in. And I love that feeling when I start writing and everything is just pouring out, I am so fucking excited… I cannot wait to get behind the mike. So you got that one moment. Then you get the moment of getting behind the mike and actually hearing it. And then you get on stage and there is this fucking energy, like what Vince was talking about. We’ll get on stage tonight and there are all these people that have never seen us here in Oslo. And if everything is really cool and everybody is being really open-minded and everybody really wants to give it a shot, there is this energy exchange that happens. We are giving them something and then they go ‘Waaaah!!’ and they give it back. And then we go “Oh yeah!” and we give it harder and then they give it harder. And the next thing you know everybody is fucking partying and fist-pumping and drinking… We fucking bring it pretty hard and I think that is what people receive from us. They see that we are very passionate about what we do. It is a real fucking thing, you can almost touch it. The big thing with us is honesty, we are not out to fool anybody. We just want to share our music and if you like it then take it, if you don’t… OK.
If you could go down in history as the first band that did... what?
Chad: …Drank one billion beers. I think we are close. (laughter)
Vinnie: And tha is just the four of them, because I drink vodka. I drink a lot of vodka. And I have been drinking Finlandia all the time I've been here.
Chad: Yeah well… one thing. I think just to leave any kind of mark, not from record sales or this or that, but actually leave a mark with what we have done, that would be amazing! I mean worldwide mark.
Today is the release date of Pantera's Cowboys From Hell 20th Anniversary Edition. In order to celebrate this day, Pantera's vocalist Philip Anselmo got online and chatted with fans worldwide via Ustream. During the chat Philip looked healthy, strong and was very eloquent with all of his answers. As usual, he was very honest and comical. When asked what his recipe for looking younger and younger is, he jokingly said: "next thing you know, I will be back in an egg. My mother used to call me a hatch." Since we know not everyone was able to tune in, here is a rundown of what went down during Anselmo's chat with Pantera's fans. Uncensored and real, just like the way it should be!
Why did you decide to become part of a Heavy Metal band?
There is no energy like the Heavy Metal energy!
What is your favorite track from Cowboys From Hell?
Philip Anselmo: It has to be Primal Concrete Sledge! It is a brutal song that came out of nowhere. We where in between takes while recording Cowboys From Hell, and Vince started playing this beat that made all of us lose our minds. Dimebag started playing this crazy guitar part, I started scribbling some lyrics. And next thing you know we had a whole song. It was magic!
How does it feel to have been part of Pantera?
It was a full way split when the four of us would get in a room and jam. All of us! The only way to describe it is: "Modulistic terror, a vast sadistic feast, the only way to exit, is going piece by piece." (SLAYER lyric from Piece by Piece)
How was the lyrical process during Cowboys From Hell?
It was up to me to make sure the lyrics fit into the song. But I would be open to the bands opinions, and sometimes we even voted to see if a lyric was right for a particular song. Specially during Cowboys From Hell.
What was your personal inspiration and motivation to switching gears into a more ass shredding sound?
Gradual but honest things. When I joined Pantera, we made it be known that we were going for a more aggressive sound. The thing is that at the time we had a war with the clubs. If you wanted to be part of the club scene, they made you dress with Spandex like Motley Crue since that was popular in the 80's. But that did not last long.
Where you aware that this album would change Heavy Metal forever?
No Way! We knew we were great, but we had a lot to prove. Cowboys From Hell was our introduction to the world. We had to prove ourselves every night, show after show.
During that time, which vocalists influenced your vocal style?
I found a lot of beauty in Thrash metal vocalists like Paul Ballof from Exodus and Dark Angel's Don Doty.
What inspired the lyrics from Cemetery Gates?
There was a friend who had died in NOLA and it had a real heavy impact within my group of friends. When I wrote the lyrics I did not want them to be too personal, because that can be cheesy. I also had to make sure that the lyrics would not take away from the song, because that was one of our best songs.
What are your top five songs of all time?
Man, that is a fucking hard question! But if I have to pick five songs, they are: At Dawn They Sleep by Slayer, The Battle of Evermore by Led Zeppelin, Drowning Man by U2, Blind by Swans, Painted Black by the Rolling Stones, A Day in the Life by The Beatles, and I got one more, The Prophet Song by Queen.
What is your favorite Dimebag solo from Cowboys From Hell?
It has to be The Sleep! It is a ripping solo, with so much feel, it is a great song!
What is your favorite Black Sabbath album?
That is another tough question, I feel like two lovers feeling like a fool. I have to go with Sabotage and you cannot forget Paranoid!
What song gives you goose-bumps?
David Bowie's Wild Is the Wind.
What is your most meaningful tattoo?
When in doubt, always go with the first! The old PHIL CORE.
Which artists were your main influences when writing lyrics for Pantera?
Definitely Van Halen, some Judas Priest, and even Metallica and Slayer. Metallica made the breakthrough for Thrash Metal bands, but Slayer killed me! Without Slayer I would be a differrent man today!
If you would be 18 years old today, would you try to make it in the music business?
Of course! But its not about making it, it is all in your head. When Far Beyond Driven went number one on Billboard, I was overwhelmed. But also underwhelmed. It is a great honor, but making it is all a state of mind. Put in the work by practicing, spending time in the studio, and definitely get on that fucking stage!
What can you tell us about your upcoming autobiography? Would say it is a cautionary tale? Why should people read Phil Anselmo's story?
It is a cautionary tale about an interesting journey, with certain stories that nobody has heard before. You will understand me better if you read it. When you write a book it is a self examination. When you start getting old, you will see how much you learn from when you were younger. It will not be your average rock autobiography!
What was your first concert?
When I was young I would go see local acts. But my first big show was KISS in the 6th grade, a good friend of my family who was Kiss's tour manager took me. Around that time I also saw Jethro Tull, and I even OZZY with a shaved head and a wig on! INSANE!
Did you ever experience stage freight?
When I was a kid I was always the youngest in the bands I played in, so there was some apprehension. With Pantera we had to work our way up. Being in the Cowboys From Hell tour taught us a lot. We had to build our ground. Once you have that microphone on your hand, you simply melt the stage freight away!
Which of your songs is the hardest song to sing?
It has to be The Great Southern Trendkill! I had no time to breath on that one, since I had to fill in all the gaps. I learned my lesson hard on that one.
What are your favorite memories of the Cowboys From Hell tour?
Hanging out with Suicidal Tendencies and Exodus was mayhem every night! The funniest story was when Dimebag ruffled Yngwie Malmsteen's feathers. It was hilarious, everyone was inhebriated. They wanted to kick his ass!
How was it to reach Platinum status with Pantera?
It was a great achievement! Very unexpected. I am a pessimist when it comes to getting something good with my music because the music industry is very rough!
How did you end up doing guest vocals on Vision of Disorder's Imprint?
I toured with Tim Williams from VOD, and I became friends with the band when they would come see us in New York. They asked me to do it, so I did! VOD DAMN! I hope they are doing good, they are great guys.
What are your favorite boxers?
Great question! Got to go with Mohammed Ali, Rocky Marciano, MikeTyson in his prime, Lennox Lewis, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran (manos de piedra), and Tomas Hitman.
What was your first gig ever?
Speaking of stage freight. I was terrified! It was in NOLA at an all ages show. I was wearing Jeans, a Van Halen t-shirt, and a bandana on my neck. Once I gripped that microphone stand, I did not let go! I plugged my microphone into a guitar FX pedal. Then at the end of the a Black Sabbath song we were covering, I hit the guitar pedal. It was horrific!
What band did you want to play in, but couldn’t?
KISS. What is your favorite NFL team?
Please! I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana! So my team has always been the New Orleans SAINTS. I would stand in front of the TV as a toddler and watched them lose all the time! But now look at this t-shirt (shows Saints championship t-shirt), world champions! And we are looking good this year too.
What message do you have for your fans?
I love you all! Celebrate this special day! Just have an awesome time! Be happy, be strong!!! I love you all!!! This is Philip Anselmo signing off!
On Friday September 10th, we experienced history in the making at the Official Pantera 20th Anniversary Edition release party at Duff's Brooklyn. It was like being at a Pantera show in the mid 90's. People were losing their minds, losing their voices and losing their sanity song after song. From the moment we arrived Pantera's Cowboys From Hell was blasting on the PA and we ran into many Pantera fans from all over the tri-state area. Once the first beer was in hand, it was all about Pantera's legacy. The legacy that was established thanks to the bands passion and the well crafted music that Pantera created throughout their tremendous career.
Cowboys From Hell was released on July 24, 1990, and it was Pantera's 5th studio album. After many years of trial and error, Pantera was signed by Atco Records after the band found their sound, their image and the right moment to bring Heavy Metal back to the surface. Produced, engineered and mixed by Terry Date and Pantera, the album is a sonic assault that quickly gets the crowd grooving and headbanging. This is exactly what happened at Duff's Brooklyn!
There was definitely something in the air that night, a vibe that brought people together in unity. It reminded us of when Pantera played in 1991 at the Monsters of Rock festival in Russia, in front of 1.6 million people. That day Pantera shared the stage with Metallica, AC/DC and Aerosmith in what is considered one of the largest music festivals in history. Pantera outperformed every single band that day and made a statement that they were ready to rise the flag of Metal for many years to come.
Today the impact of Cowboys From Hell is evident throughout the entire Heavy Music scene, there is no artists or fan that doesn't own this classic record. If you ask anyone to choose their favorite song, they will have a hard time picking just one song. Cowboys From Hell is one the best records of all time, and 20 years later it is as relevant as it when it was released. We want to thank the Duff's crew for inviting us to cover the event and all the Pantera fans worldwide.
Here is a promotional clip we produced for the Pantera 20 Year Anniversary Edition, and it features footage from the party at Duff's Brooklyn. ENJOY! \m/
It gives Horns UP Rocks GREAT honor to dedicate our 150th post to PANTERA!!!
The Kings of Metal PANTERA, are releasing the 20 year anniversary edition of their legendary album Cowboys From Hell, on TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 14th! Make sure you pick it up! \m/
To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of "Cowboys From Hell", Pantera is offering a limited edition, web-store exclusive box set. This box set contains merchandise only available in the band's official web-store! Here is what this box set contains:
- Cowboys from Hell Logo Flask - Belt Buckle Bottle Opener - Cowboys from Hell Exclusive T-Shirt - 4 Piece Guitar Pick Set - Cowboys from Hell 20th Anniversary Expanded CD
The "Deluxe" and "Expanded" editions of "Cowboys From Hell" will be released on September 14th at all retail outlets. This special editions will also be sold on Pantera's Official site and on Rhino Entertainment's site. The "Deluxe Edition" will be available for a suggested list price of $29.98 (hard copy) and $17.99 (digital copy) and the "Expanded Edition" for $19.98 (hard copy) and $12.99 (digital copy).
The "Cowboys From Hell" 20th-anniversary reissue track listing:
Disc One - Ultimate, Deluxe, and Expanded Editions
01. Cowboys From Hell 02. Primal Concrete Sledge 03. Psycho Holiday 04. Heresy 05. Cemetery Gates 06. Domination 07. Shattered 08. Clash With Reality 09. Medicine Man 10. Message In Blood 11. The Sleep 12. The Art Of Shredding
Disc Two - Ultimate, Deluxe, and Expanded Editions
01. Domination (live) * 02. Psycho Holiday (live) * 03. The Art Of Shredding (live) * 04. Cowboys From Hell (live) * 05. Cemetery Gates (live) * 06. Primal Concrete Sledge (live) * 07. Heresy (live) * 08. Domination (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) † 09. Primal Concrete Sledge (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) † 10. Cowboys From Hell (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) † 11. Heresy (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) † 12. Psycho Holiday (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) †
Disc Three - Ultimate and Deluxe Editions Only
01. The Will To Survive * 02. Shattered (demo) * 03. Cowboys From Hell (demo) * 04. Heresy (demo) * 05. Cemetery Gates (demo) * 06. Psycho Holiday (demo) * 07. Medicine Man (demo) * 08. Message In Blood (demo) * 09. Domination (demo) * 10. The Sleep (demo) * 11. The Art Of Shredding (demo) *
* Previously unreleased † Unreleased in the U.S.
Here is a promo video featuring footage from the OFFICIAL Release party at Duff's Brooklyn! We want to thank Jimmy Duff and Nightcrawler Steve for asking us to cover the event.
Legendary Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul recently talked to "Artisan News Service" about the upcoming 20th-anniversary deluxe edition of PANTERA's classic "Cowboys From Hell". Which was also their major-label debut, and changed Heavy Metal forever.
Pantera released a previously un-released song titled "The Will To Survive" earlier this week on their Official Pantera Facebook Page. The song was part of the Cowboys From Hell demos. Right now you can also have your own "Cowboys From Hell" listening party.
Make sure you warn your neighbors! Here are the songs included on this listening fiesta:
To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of "Cowboys From Hell", Pantera is offering a limited edition, web-store exclusive box set. This box set contains merchandise only available in the band's official web-store! Here is what this box set contains:
- Cowboys from Hell Logo Flask - Belt Buckle Bottle Opener - Cowboys from Hell Exclusive T-Shirt - 4 Piece Guitar Pick Set - Cowboys from Hell 20th Anniversary Expanded CD
The "Deluxe" and "Expanded" editions of "Cowboys From Hell" will be released on September 14th at all retail outlets. This special editions will also be sold on Pantera's Official site and on Rhino Entertainment's site. The "Deluxe Edition" will be available for a suggested list price of $29.98 (hard copy) and $17.99 (digital copy) and the "Expanded Edition" for $19.98 (hard copy) and $12.99 (digital copy).
The "Cowboys From Hell" 20th-anniversary reissue track listing:
Disc One - Ultimate, Deluxe, and Expanded Editions
01. Cowboys From Hell 02. Primal Concrete Sledge 03. Psycho Holiday 04. Heresy 05. Cemetery Gates 06. Domination 07. Shattered 08. Clash With Reality 09. Medicine Man 10. Message In Blood 11. The Sleep 12. The Art Of Shredding
Disc Two - Ultimate, Deluxe, and Expanded Editions
01. Domination (live) * 02. Psycho Holiday (live) * 03. The Art Of Shredding (live) * 04. Cowboys From Hell (live) * 05. Cemetery Gates (live) * 06. Primal Concrete Sledge (live) * 07. Heresy (live) * 08. Domination (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) † 09. Primal Concrete Sledge (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) † 10. Cowboys From Hell (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) † 11. Heresy (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) † 12. Psycho Holiday (live, "Alive And Hostile" EP) †
Disc Three - Ultimate and Deluxe Editions Only
01. The Will To Survive * 02. Shattered (demo) * 03. Cowboys From Hell (demo) * 04. Heresy (demo) * 05. Cemetery Gates (demo) * 06. Psycho Holiday (demo) * 07. Medicine Man (demo) * 08. Message In Blood (demo) * 09. Domination (demo) * 10. The Sleep (demo) * 11. The Art Of Shredding (demo) *
The Kings of Metal Pantera, debuted a previously unreleased song called "The Will To Survive" on their official Facebook page. The song has the vibe of Power Metal, combined with the furious groove of Cowboys From Hell. In case you don't know this, Rhino is re-releasing Pantera's legendary album Cowboys From Hell on September 14th. The Official release party will take place at Duff's Brooklyn on September 10th.
The re-release of Cowboys From Hell will be delivered in various formats thanks to Rhino Entertainment. One of those version is a three-disc package, which includes the demos of this legendary album. For more details about this release and for a more detailed view of the packaging, become a Pantera fan on Facebook.
PANTERA: A WILL TO SURVIVE
Here is a video tribute we put together for PANTERA's COWBOYS FROM HELL!
It gives Horns Up Rocks GREAT honor to dedicate our 100th post to the Kings of Heavy Metal: PANTERA!
When Pantera released their legendary album Cowboys From Hell on July 3, 1990. Everyone was caught by surprise to the fury the Pantera boys displayed. As we all know, Pantera started as a glam band and with Cowboys From Hell they left that part of their career behind, and single-handedly reinvented the steel! 20 years later, it is very hard to imagine the Heavy Metal scene being what it is today, without Pantera's Cowboys From Hell.
Cowboys From Hell contains Heavy Metal classics such as their anthem "Cowboys From Hell", "Domination", "Primal Concrete Sledge" and "Cemetery Gates". This album also gave Pantera the exposure they needed, and took them from playing small clubs to playing the "Monsters of Rock" festival in Russia in from of 1 million people. That night they outplayed Metallica, AC/DC and Aerosmith. It was evident that Pantera were ready for World Domination!
The legacy that Phil Anselmo, Dimebag Darrell (RIP), Vinnie Paul and Rex Brown created, is to this day untouched, unmatched, unscarred by trials! A New Level of confidence and power, that has influenced millions of musicians worldwide! We salute Pantera for their amazing album "Cowboys From Hell" and lets all have a couple of black tooth's this weekend, in memory of our brother in Metal Dimebag Darrell!
I want to dedicate this video segment to the Pantera boys (Phil Anselmo, Dimebag Darrell, Rex Brown & Vinnie Paul)! And to all the Horns Up Rocks familia! ENJOY
Our good friends from Sirius XM Liquid Metal will be conmemorating this amazing album all weekend long, so make sure you tune in! Happy 4th of July, please be safe because we need everyone of you alive and well, so we can keep this movement growing! \m/
Ever since I became a diehard Pantera fan, I wanted to get a CFH (Cowboys From Hell) tattoo! Not only is Pantera my all time favorite band, but also a huge influence on who I am. Pantera defines what life is all about: Determination, Passion and making the best out of every single moment lived. With that said, when I went to the Philadelphia Tattoo Convention I knew I had to have an appointment with the needle and chinese ink. Now I am officially Scarred For Life and a Pantera fan until the day I die.
Here is a video documenting the entire process, along with some footage of the tattoo convention. Support the scene, spread the word and buy your music! PANTERA 4 life!!!
I want to dedicate this video segment to the Pantera boys (Phil Anselmo, Dimebag Darrell, Rex Brown & Vinnie Paul)! And to all the Horns Up Rocks familia! ENJOY
Jimmy Duff is the owner and founder of the top Heavy Metal bar in the world! While Duff's Brooklyn might not be the biggest one, it's definitely the realest. As soon as you step inside Duff's you feel right at home: with Heavy music blasting from the Jukebox, drinks being served by hot beautiful bartender ladies and headbangers constantly filling up the bar. You are also guaranteed great entertainment thanks to the bar's atmosphere. The decor is out of this world. Featuring lots of old school posters, memorabilia, pictures hanging from everywhere and even crosses. Oh, and there is a zombie and a casket too. If you haven't visited 168 Marcy Avenue, what are you waiting for?
Recently, I had the chance to chat with Jimmy Duff about the history of the bar and one of the stories that really stuck with me was the one about Dimebag Darell's few visits to the bar. Here is a piece of history for all the Horns Up Rocks friends to enjoy, the story told by a man who drives a Hearse!
HU: How many bars have you had so far? Tell the people out there.
Jimmy: Well, in my mind it’s the same bar but this is the third location. We started back in 1999 and due to the gentrification of New York City, we’ve had to move several times. But if we have to move 4 times, if we have to move 5 times... I am going to keep the party going as long as I can. As long as my liver holds out we are good.
HU: We have to keep that liver. If you need a new one, I am cleaning mine out to give it to you later.
Jimmy: Alright then. We’ll get that in writing, right? (Laughter).
HU: You have told me a lot of stories, and I want to let people know the story about Dimebag, because that is a very special one. Because it is Dimebag, it was at Duff’s and you were really good friends with Dimebag. And we all love Dimebag! That’s why we are here.
Jimmy: Yeah, that’s why! He was the embodiment to me of what Metal is: heavy crushing crunchy fucking music, but living the life, living life to the fullest. Having a sense of humor about it and just making a lot of people happy; just spreading the music, the love and the happiness. To me that’s what it’s all about. It’s about good times. And that’s why he will always be my number one. I can relate to him on a lot of levels. It’s what I want to see. It’s not necessarily about putting on the spikes, standing around and fucking flexing. And I do love Black Metal and Death Metal, but to me it’s about living it onstage and off stage. It’s just in your blood; it’s who you are.
HU: It’s all about the soul. You know what I mean? With Dimebag everything he did: Pantera, Damageplan, Rebel Meets Rebel. I love Rebel Meets Rebel because it’s all soul!
Jimmy: Yeah, totally. And you can tell.
HU: I was surprised when I heard Dime, Vinnie and Rex where going to do a country metal project with David Allan Coe. I am very open minded because you have to be. At the time I was wondering how is this going to sound?! But then when I heard it, it was awesome!
Jimmy: Yeah and they where working with David Allan Coe, who is a true outlaw. And… excuse me for a second. (Burps off mike).
HU: (Laughter).
Jimmy: Anything that guy did was golden to me. I am a first day buyer of course. Anything, because you know his heart was into it. You can hear it in the music. You know what I mean? And that’s what it was all about.
HU: When and how did you end up meeting Dimebag?
Jimmy: He came by the bar when Epic signed Damageplan. I was friends with the singer Patrick Lachman, I still am. He used to play guitar for Rob Halford. Those cats were in the city and they came by the bar looking for me because they heard that I was keeping Metal alive in New York City. That’s what they told the bartender. Unfortunately, the first time Dime got fucking falling down, fucking drunk and he had to be carried out of the bar. I got down there too late, but I got there in time to hang out with Vinnie Paul and Pat. We where hanging out and chilling. I mean, they just are fucking cool cats and they were digging the vibe. We were cranking old school Ozzy and having a good time. Eventually I drove them over to the Penthouse Club in my Hearse and they were very appreciative. And then I said, “Next time you guys hit town, next time you roll through on tour, we’ll hang.” That next time I think was at Roseland, they opened up for Hatebreed. So we got there early and we got fucked up! (Laughter).
HU: (Laughter). What was the night that you drank the bottle of Crown Royal that is over on that shelf?
Jimmy: I knew they where coming to town, so I bought a Crown Royal bag embroidered for Vinnie Paul “Private stock”. Because Vinnie was even more of a fucking Crown Royal fan than Dime was. He gave that up though. So Dime came back and we're hanging out, we're drinking. I tell the bartenders to leave the bottle on the bar top. We're doin' blacktooths, just knockin' them back. Having the time of our lives.
HU: (Laughter).
Jimmy: So we do a few shots and I just took the fucking bottle and whipped it right over my shoulder not knowing what’s behind me. There was a picture frame on the wall, smashed it. The bottle stayed in one piece, spilled a little bit and the porter picked it up and saved it. Dimebag started cracking up and he says: “Man, you see this big motherfucker behind me?” He was with this guy; this guy must have been 7 feet tall. I think it was Mayhem (Jeffrey Thompson) actually. I was too fucked up to remember correctly. He goes: “I bring him around with me so I don’t do fucking stupid shit like that!” And we just started cracking up, backslapping or whatever. And it was just a grand old time. The bartender I had working, who wasn’t even a metal head asks me: “Who was that guy?” I go: “That was fucking Dimebag!” She says: “I love that fucking guy!” And you know what, she just met him, didn’t really know who he was. And says to me: “He was the fucking nicest fucking guy!” And it didn’t hurt that he gave her a hundred dollar tip. But that just goes to show the generosity and heart of the guy. She was in love with him and everybody had a good time. I just wish I wasn’t as fucked up as I was because I kind of blacked out here and there. I started taking bar stools and smashing them into the ceiling. HU: (Laughter). So it’s a good thing it’s your bar!
Jimmy: Yeah absolutely! I’d probably still be in jail otherwise. (Laughter).
HU: (Laughter).
Jimmy: It was a legendary time. And when I moved out of Bellevue, it was a funny thing because I had packed everything up. It was like the fall of Saigon, I had to get all my shit out. I was like fuck this; I am done!
HU: That is when you moved to North 3rd street, right?
Jimmy: Well, I was just packing up without knowing where I was going to end up at the time. I was just trying to keep it tight, I didn’t want to take everything with me. So I decided to take as much as I could and I found the Crown bottle. I looked at it and said to myself: “Man, that was a great fucking night, I am going to save this fucking bottle.” I packed it up and I forgot about it. We signed the lease and we starting moving into the new bar about 3 or 4 days after he was assassinated. So I'm there unpacking the stuff and I got to this one box. I unwrapped it, and I'm holding it my hands and said: “Motherfucker, here is that fucking bottle that we drank!" This thing is fucking priceless to me now. This is a symbol. I will always have it in my mind but I have something tangible in my hands. I said: “Man, I am glad I saved this because there is not going to be a next time.” It's not going to be something we can do the next time.
HU: That should have not been the last time. But we all know what happened and it's bullshit.
Jimmy: Yeah, there's nothing we can say about that, that hasn’t been said already. It’s senseless, that’s all. That is the only word.
HU: And what is your favorite Pantera record of all time?
Jimmy: Favorite? Favorite is Trendkill. I would say their best, their strongest release was Far Beyond… no, not Far Beyond Driven. Mouth For War...
HU: Vulgar Display of Power.
Jimmy: Fucking hell. (Laughter). Bang that against my head. I need another drink here!
HU: (Laughter).
Jimmy: Vulgar is their strongest and their most cohesive. My favorite is Trendkill though. It’s just moody and atmospheric, and Floods is one of the best songs ever made by any fucking band. And that solo, I mean that kills every fucking time. The outro?!
HU: Yeah, it’s perfect.
Jimmy: Come on. That’s the shit!
HU: I remember that on the last tour they ever did they where playing Floods. They brought in into the set list and it was awesome.
Jimmy: Yeah, I remember when they toured with White Zombie and I can’t remember who else. But I remember seeing them on my birthday in 96. But that’s my personal favorite. So if I had to… I mean I don’t get confused like some people. I don’t think my favorite its their best or strongest.
HU: Exactly. It’s for you. Personal.
Jimmy: Yeah. I’ll say Vulgar is their best, strongest and most cohesive. But Southern is my personal favorite. That’s the one that if I am in a desert island, that’s the one I am taking with me.
HU: What other records would you take with you to a desert island?
Jimmy: Let me see… The best of John Travolta! No. (Laughter).
HU: (Laughter).
Jimmy: That’s a tough question. How many can I take?
HU: Let’s say 10.
Jimmy: 10? Let’s see… Got to take something by Black Sabbath, maybe "Black Sabbath". Which era you know? Well, "Unleashed in the East" by Priest it’s got to be one. Man, that’s a tough question. I got to think about it, I can’t just pull that off the top of my head.
HU: Right, because you got to think about your entire music collection, since you started getting into this music.
Jimmy: Yeah, if I said to myself: “Well, I got to take one by AC/DC.” But then which one? Then Priest… which one? Then Maiden… which one? And so on. Pantera… I would have to sit down and chew on that one for a little bit. But there wouldn’t be a whole lot of surprises there. If you name the top 10 Metal bands ever… you could say it would be at least one album by each one.
HU: Right. Black Sabbath, Pantera, Slayer, Metallica, Priest…
Jimmy: Slayer, Metallica, Priest...
HU: Maiden… Yeah, I know what you mean.
Jimmy: The heavyweights. You got to go with the meat and potatoes. You don’t have to take something that you like for a minute and then whatever. It’s the classics, the ones that endure. I mean come on; it’s a desert island. I’ll be there for a long time. (Laughter).
On March 11, 1964 in Abilene, Texas, Heavy Music history was made when Vincent Paul Abbott, also known as "Vinnie Paul", was born with a pair of drum sticks. No really, when you think about successful drummers within Heavy Music that have defined not only the style of playing but also the attitude, Vinnie Paul reigns supreme. Whither you know Vinnie from his legendary performances with Pantera, Damageplan, or Hellyeah. One thing is for sure, Vinnie has always put the pedal to the Metal. 
From that moment on Pantera became one of the hardest working bands in Heavy Music history, and released legendary albums such as "Vulgar Display of Power" and "Far Beyond Driven", which hit number 1 on the Billboard Charts. 
At the turn of the century, Pantera released "Reinventing the Steel" and once again toured the entire world. After a year and a half of successful touring, which included co-headlining Ozzfest 2000 with Black Sabbath, the band came to a halt on September 11, 2001 due to the terrorist attacks in the United States. At the time, Anselmo told his band members that he was going to go take care of his health issues, but ended up reforming Down and Superjoint Ritual
