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Musicians remember Vinnie Paul

By Josh_Doe #Damageplan, #HELLYEAH, #Pantera, #Vinnie Paul

With news of Vinnie Paul’s passing, tributes from his friends and contemporaries have surfaced via social media. Below are many of the stories and memorials shared:

HELLYEAH guitarist Tom Maxwell issued the following statement:

“Just so broken hearted and in shock. I’m struggling to write this but we want to thank you all for your kind words and support in this tragic time. We don’t have much info to give you other then Vinnie is now with Dime and they are together in a better place.

Sadness, shock, confusion, anger, despair. We feel it all together. Hug your loved ones and keep them close.

Thank you all again for all your love. Vinnie will be and is greatly loved and missed but his music will live forever. Crank it loud today and scream to the heavens so he can hear you.

—Maxwell 💔”

The band’s label, Eleven Seven Music said:

“Vinnie Paul Abbott wasn’t just a drummer, he was an iconic fixture in the metal and hard rock community, a pioneer, and an absolute legend. He was a self taught drummer who went on to win many awards for his impeccable skills throughout his career.

A founding member of Pantera, DamagePlan and his current band HELLYEAH, Vinnie was a vital force for bands and millions of fans worldwide. Whether fans were turning their volume to 11 or headbanging their hearts out at live shows, Vinnie was an inspiration.

His most recent release, HELLYEAH’s UNDEN!ABLE contained three hit singles, thanks to support from Sirius XM’s Octane. “All of us at Octane are so broken hearted to hear of the passing of our brother Vinnie Paul. We sent love to his family, band members and fans. You will be missed. Thinking of you reunited and rockin’ with Dime… Rest in Peace, Vinnie Paul Abbott”, Octane released in a statement.

Today, the world not only lost a legend, but also a genuine human being who lived to put a smile on the faces of everyone he met. May he be reunited with his brother as we all strive to continue his legacy.

Eleven Seven Music is heartbroken. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, bandmates, friends, and fans through this difficult time.”




Very sad news this evening. This man always treated me & the guys in my band like family, from the very first time we ever met him with his brother at a Damageplan gig in Texas– whether backstage at a show, on his crazy tour bus, at his club, at his house, he was always a gracious host to us. He just wanted people around him to be happy. I didn’t see Vinnie much the last time we played a gig together because I heard he was in a very foul mood– this was highly unusual for him. Why was he in a foul mood? Because we were playing a big festival in Chicago, he had bought a TON OF FOOD to grill in the parking lot for everyone (as usual), & the fire marshall came and shut him down before he could start the bar-b-que. That’s the type of dude he was– he just wanted to make sure people were having a good time, & he took steps to make that happen. He also did me a very solid favor when I was in some very serious legal trouble a while back by writing a detailed letter to a judge explaining what had happened to his brother & the need for good stage security– that wasn’t an easy thing for him to do, but he did it anyway because he was a true friend and knew I needed some help– I’ll never forget that, & I made sure he knew I appreciated it. He also never minded when I got in his face with my camera– I took this photo with a 50mm fixed lens at a festival we were playing with Hellyeah in Iowa in 2016– that means I was basically inside his drum kit. When he saw me poking my head in there, he just turned, flashed me this grin, & kept on rocking. I love this photo– Big Vin smiling and doing what he did best. Rest In Peace, Vinnie Paul. You’ll be missed. BIG LOVE.

A post shared by D. Randall Blythe (@drandallblythe) on

R.I.P #Vinniepaul 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔SHOWN Here with @nealfingtiemann AND Myself right After A GIG IN Dallas cause he showed up to surprise me 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔If you ever met @vinniepaul3 then you knew you were meeting one sweetheart of a man . It was Big Vinn that selected @coalchamberofficial back in the day to tour around the world with @panteraofficial for YEARS , it’s FARE TO SAY that I would not have a career today , Gold Records etc had it not been for Vinnie throwing our name in the hat time and time again and again he went to bat for us when it was Black Sabbath/Pantera / Coal Chamber in fucking soccer stadiums overseas so I OWE THE World to Vinnie .He was the kind of guy that would always ask you how you were and offer to have a drink w ya . Vinnie was this kind of guy , we would get off an airplane from Europe to start a pantera tour tired as fuck on tour for almost two years and the whole front lounge of the bus would be full of pantera swag and I mean tons of shit / or we were just a starving band and he would fill our front lounge every fucking night with Taco Bell or whatever Food they were ordering to make sure we were fed !💔 We had tons of Tears together whenever we ran into each other over the Death of his brother #dime and now they are together as NO DOUBT DIME Was there to greet him as he passed through the veil today . Remember Vinnie for his music , remember Vinnie for his beautiful smile , but Most of all remember Vinnie for being a man with a heart and a very big one , everyone loved vinnie and if you didn’t then none of us liked you and that’s the way it was . TODAY A LEGEND DIED TODAY IS THE FUCKING WORST TODAY A REAL ROCKSTAR PASSED AWAY – today my heart goes out to his family and everyone of the lives he touched and made better / I’m wrecked I’ll be off here a while #restinpeacevinniepaul

A post shared by dezfafara (@dezfafara) on

My God, we have lost another friend. I don't understand what is happening. The music world has been completely shaken by too many pre-mature deaths the last few years, its horrible. Vinnie Paul was definitely the kindest living legend I've ever met. He endured so much tragedy, yet still had so much more love and positivity. Truly a kind soul with such a giving heart. Just in the last couple years he surprised Korn with some cool gifts. Right after we walked off stage in Dallas we were shocked to find a brand new thundering loud stereo blaring music in our dressing room as we walked in – compliments of Vinnie Paul. And on our European tour with HELLYEAH Vinnie surprised Fieldy with a brand new bass… signed by Paul McCartney. That's the type of person he was. Vinnie, you were one-of-a-kind and will be so missed by countless people. God, let your unconditional love and mercy bring Vinnie Paul back together with his brother, and be with his family through this devastating loss. https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/8462386/vinnie-paul-dead-pantera-damageplan-hellyeah

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I decided to share some of my many Vinnie Paul stories I had the privilege of living over the years. We had the honor of taking @hellyeahofficial out on the road with us a few years back. One night, their bus broke down on the way to one of the shows. Vinnie took it upon himself to rent an SUV and PERSONALLY drive the band and their gear for HOURS overnight to the next gig. Not once did I hear him or the band complain about the bus breaking down nor the long drive in a packed SUV to make sure they made the show. Many a night on that run after coming offstage, Vinnie would don a chef’s apron, sweating through that ever present bandana and personally cook on a grill that he brought with him on the road for every single person from stagehand to onstage musician as a gracious host of some AMAZING parking lot barbecues. Vinnie LOVED cooking. Burgers. Steaks. Peanut butter stuffed jalapeños. I sit here today thankful for hours of conversation and good times spent over food made with love by my good friend, Vinnie. Vinnie made it a point to come out to support me and my Chris Kael Impaled Ale from Abke Baker Brewing at several Vegas appearances from The Office Bar to PKWY Tavern to The Hard Rock Cafe. One night long before Death Punch and my Impaled Ale, Vinnie came out to celebrate his birthday with me and our friends in the Sin City Sinners. I jumped from working the bar that night at The Hard Rock Cafe to crushing “Ace of Spades” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming” onstage. Out of breath having performed those two songs as if the were the only two I’d ever have the chance to play onstage, I called out, “Happy Birthday, Vinnie. Call me.” Just recently, Vinnie came out to see us play Las Rageous here in #Vegas. He texted me the next day, “You guys kicked major ass last night!!!” That was Vinnie. Always supporting. Always a fan. Forever my friend. @vinniepaul3

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