Black Label Society frontman and Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde has commented on his involvement in the upcoming 2023 Pantera reunion/tribute tour. In a conversation with Matt Pinfield and Jose Mangin on the DannyWimmerPresents YouTube channel Wylde offered:
“When Vinnie was still alive, when the fellows were all talking about doing it, I just always told ’em, I said, ‘Of course I would… If you asked me, why would I not do it? I’m gonna honor Dime.’ It could be like Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell asking Eric Clapton if he would go out and honor Jimi [Hendrix] and Eric playing Jimi‘s stuff and singing Jimi‘s songs and they’re going out as the ‘Jimi Hendrix celebration’.
And he’s gonna honor his buddy and he’s gonna play his songs. I think it’s a beautiful thing. It’s like when we do the Dimebash, it’s a celebration of Dime‘s greatness. It’s a Pantera celebration — that’s what it is… You’re celebrating Vinnie and Dime‘s greatness and you’re celebrating all the mountains that Pantera conquered and crushed.”
Speaking on the tour being more of a tribute than a new incarnation of the band, he added:
“Obviously, it’s not Pantera. Pantera is those four guys — it’s Phil, Rex, Dime and Vinnie. But it’s just like when Zeppelin went out with Jason Bonham playing, it was phenomenal. I told Jason, I was just, like, ‘Dude, you crushed it, man.’ It’s a great thing just to hear them play that music again. I’m beyond honored to be a part of it.”
[via Blabbermouth]