Philip Anselmo Respects Vinnie Paul’s Decision to Move Forward After Pantera
There has been plenty of discussion in recent years over the possibility of a Pantera reunion, but nothing has come out of it other than a few headline-grabbing quotes. During a recent appearance on The Classic Metal Show, Philip Anselmo once again addressed the topic after he was questioned about it.
"My feelings are slightly complex on the whole thing," stated Anselmo. "I know Rex [Brown] is up for it. I'm always flexible on the situation, but I known Vince [Paul] wants no part of it, and therein lies the problem. It's like, okay, do we do this without Vince Too? It's like, man, I don't think so. I don't think so. And then, also, do we do it at all? Do we do it without Dimebag [Darrell]? Is it really fair? Is it really something people want to see?"
The vocalist says he knows there's a contingency of people that say they would love to see it with specific guitarists filling in for the late Dimebag Darrell, but there are others who feel that it's just not Pantera without the guitar great. But he concludes, "In the long run, it's gonna be up to us. But the answer right now is it's not happening."
Delving further into the factors to consider, Anselmo adds, "It's a very complex thing to think about … Would the money be amazing? Maybe so, probably so. But, also, there's this word called 'integrity' as well out there that resonates with me big time, man. It's like I've got Housecore Records, I've got my horror fest, I've got Down, I've got Superjoint, I've got the Illegals … I've got my own thing going, man. I've done what I believe is the most healthy thing to do, and move on, and move on to different things in life that fill it up with happiness and fulfillment."
He states that while nothing could take the place of Pantera, but the healthy thing to do is to move on. He also credits Vinnie Paul for doing the same thing. "Vince and I both receive criticism," he states. "All that criticism … it's not gonna affect us, man. We're gonna keep doing what we're gonna do. And I respect what Vince is doing by moving forward in his life. I think that's very healthy for him. And I've gotta do what I have to do. And that's all she wrote, g--dammit." Listen to more of Anselmo's interview with The Classic Metal Show in the player above.
In other Anselmo news, his Housecore Horror Festival continues to add to its 2015 lineup. King Diamond, Exodus and Incantation have all been added to the lineup for this year's event, which runs Nov. 13-15 in San Antonio, Texas. For more details on the event, click here.
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