Pantera members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown are the guests on the latest episode of the Metallica Report podcast.
Anselmo and Brown seldom do interviews, so the appearance was quite the scoop for the Metallica Report crew.
The podcast features several interesting insights from the 2024 Knotfest Australia headliners commenting on their time playing with Metallica in their other project Down in 2008.
"Me and Rex did a tour with Metallica back in the day and we did the arena-sized circle where Lars' drum set was in the center, but it couldn't be moved. So, we had to put [drummer] Jimmy [Bower] off to the side and that was kind of a nightmare stage to navigate."
The pair then compare it to their current experience of touring with the newly reformed Pantera lineup as primary support for Metallica on their mammoth M72 tour.
"This time, however, soundcheck... I went up there, I put the in-ears in, I like it! I thought it was going to be bad, but I like it."
Brown adds "When we got up there and did the soundcheck — of course, there's no people [there] so you can't really tell what's happening. Once you get those people in there, for me, it was like going on a rollercoaster ride that you just kept going on. You're playing your music to these people that we didn't know gave a fuck about it at all. And we just got up and had the best time. I don't think about where I'm going to go, where I'm going to stand — I'm just going to jam my balls off. That's all there is to it."
The pair also opened up on the reformed lineup, sharing that they feel they'd have the blessing of the late Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul to carry on the band's considerable legacy, with Anselmo stating:
"Only thing I can say is, man, I know for a damn fact Vince and Dime would want us to do this, hands down. They would want the Pantera brand or the legacy to go on. And I don’t know what you believe in, but sometimes, you know, you would like to think that them old fellas are looking down on us, giving us the thumbs-up.”
Both members then spoke glowingly about their current Pantera bandmates Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante.
“Them two dudes, so enthusiastic. And they got their damn thing and they got their own damn legacy, both of them, without us. It’s an honour to play with them. They’re the nicest frickin guys in the world, man. I’m just so… [Laughs] Zakk, he’s a crack-up, man. He’s a sweetheart. And fricking Charlie, we’ve known Charlie since ’87, man. It’s a long time.” Anselmo comments, with Brown expanding stating
“The way [Charlie] plays Vinnie’s parts is uncanny. I don’t think there’s any drummer out there that could play the way that Vinnie did. I would close my eyes because I was trying to get tight, and sometimes if I close my eyes, I can hear a little better; I think I can. And there’d be a tear of joy just coming down because that was so close to what Vinnie and I used to play. So you have the foundation.”
You can listen to the full podcast appearance below.
Pantera and Disturbed have been revealed as the headliners for the 2024 edition of Knotfest Australia.
Following its entirely sold-out inaugural Australian run in 2023, the second edition of Knotfest Australia will see music, art and culture collide in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in March 2024.
Pantera and Disturbed will be joined on the event by a stack of Maniacs favourites including Lamb of God, Halestorm, The Hu, Asking Alexandria, Wage War, Escape the Fate, Thy Art Is
Murder, Skindred, Speed, Windwaker, Brand of Sacrifice and King Parrot.
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Knotfest Australia 2024
Thursday 21 March 2024 - Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne
Saturday 23 March 2024 - Centennial Park, Sydney
Sunday 24 March 2024 - RNA Showgrounds, BrisbaneStay up to date on all things Knotfest Australia over at https://knotfest.com/
australia .
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