DIMEBAG DARRELL: 'Me And VINNIE Were The Heart And Soul Of PANTERA'

In a recent interview with Digital Noise, DAMAGEPLAN guitarist Dimebag Darrell (ex-PANTERA) was asked to comment on Philip Anselmo's statement that the fact that he has the utmost freedom to create any way he chooses in his new band, SUPERJOINT RITUAL, contributed to his decision to leave PANTERA. "Dude. I'll tell you this, dude. It's not a musical thing really that is why that dude took off and left. It's not, dude," Dimebag said. "I can't even begin to put a finger on it. I know some shit that nobody fucking knows. Look, dude: When you're a brother with somebody for 12 fucking years, and you do everything in the fucking world together, and you build this band from nothing to what it is and what-not, and then you just up and just don't want to be around those people all of a sudden... There's some weird reason floating around. It goes even further than egos or something like that. I can't even... I don't really want to get into it. This whole thing needs to come to rest, period. It's not just a musical thing. It could be anything from fucking addictions to anything you can fucking dream up. Me and [brother] Vinnie have a fucking standard level. When somebody feels paranoid or something to be around somebody that knows... When you know one of your brothers are gonna tell you the straight truth and you don't wanna have to face it and you run from it... That's all I gotta say about it. You can build your own conclusion. There's nothing that PANTERA incompetent of doing musically, period. There's nothing that we can't do at all … or that we couldn't do, or that me and Vinnie couldn't do. So whatever."

Asked if he and his brother Vinnie feel a sense of relief now that PANTERA is put to bed and they're being successful with their next project, Dimebag said, "Man, you know... I'll tell you this, dude. Me and Vinnie were the heart and soul of PANTERA. You watch the fucking home videos. You see who's driving the fucking thing, who's the fucking life of the fucking party and who's the hell-raisers. Me and Vinnie never had a problem with any fucking band in this business. We don't care. If it's not our cup of tea, not our style of music, it doesn't matter. It doesn't mean those are uncool people. In [Phil's] situation he sees that in a different way. He chooses to attack anything that he doesn't like and he chooses to try to degrade anything that's not his way and then once you agree and try to go his way with hit, then all of a sudden you're ripping him off. It's a no-win situation. Yeah, it's a weight lifted off our shoulders. The cat used to never be that way. He's [gone] through some definite changes through his life. I damn sure don't know who the dude is now. Even though I'd been with the dude for 12 years. So there you go — go figure. It's not the Phil I know from way back in the day. And, dude, when some dude just up and just won't let you get in contact with him at all, and dude, this is coming on three years that he's stayed completely out of contact with him by his choice, there's something... something's funky. You know what I mean?"

Read Dimebag's entire interview with Digital Noise at this location.