Unbelievably sad.
Vinnie was an awesome drummer and a big ingredient in the barassery that is Pantera.
That band is a gravesite. The brothers dead (one murdered, on stage) and the remaining boys, Phil and Rex, spiritually broken and crippled with addiction issues, etc.
And although it’s brutal to say, if Dime hadn’t been shot, today he’d be in dire straits, healthwise. The man was a monstrous alcoholic. The effects were more than starting to show those last few years.
I have Reinventing the Steel on this very moment to hail Paul.
Anselmo never got to mend his relationship with the Abbotts and this is a real tragedy. And he knows in his heart he set the wheels in motion to ruin Pantera and that family.
Drugs, booze, egos ...
This.
They partied harder than any other band during their reign.
Currently, Rex suffers from pancreatitis because he was also a mammoth alcoholic and looks like death.
Phil is but a shadow of himself voice-wise and health-wise. Booze, cigarettes, former major heroin addict (even died backstage for 10 minutes), and had major reconstructive surgery on his back. And I agree, Phil lives with the fact that he was the major downfall of Pantera with his addictions and physical problems and set the ball rolling for Dimebag's murder by saying stupid shit. He wasn't allowed at Dimebag's funeral (won't be at Vinnie's either) and Vinnie never forgave him. Phil lives with that fact and will die with it. Sad.
I actually was at a few functions with Phil and spoke with him a few times. Always nice and loved talking boxing and music with anyone. The only thing I found funny was each time I was with him, he said publicly that he was sober, but he always smelled of booze.
These guys really took it to the extreme.
Legends.
