There is no doubt that Pantera climbed the ladder of fame thanks to their unmatched talent and sound. However, it would be fair to say Megadeth was a driving force while the band was starting out and helped out their campaign. Former bassist David Ellefson recently recalled his memories with Vinnie Paul and Pantera while chatting with Travel Addict.
So, Ellefson was talking about his travels and the cruises in which he has performed since the magazine’s name is, you know, Travel Addict. Then the bassist was asked to share some memories from ShipRocked, a cruise that numerous rockers and metalheads have popped by. That is when Ellefson disclosed how he helped Pantera while they were getting into the scene.
“I have a few,” said David when asked if he had any fun memories from the cruise. “On one of the ShipRocked cruises, I was on there with Hellyeah, so it was great to hang with Vinnie Paul. We kind of brought Pantera up with us; they were sort of a half generation behind the big four, Megadeth and whatnot, so we took them out on the road in ’92, which helped kick their campaign in.”
The bassist then recalled collaborating with Lzzy Hale. Ellefson said, “It was great to see him [Vinnie] there. Another one, I remember as a Stowaway, a couple of the songs we played were with Lzzy Hale from Halestorm, who is just awesome. She gets on the stage, and the room changes. She’s such a powerhouse singer and can just be one of the guys. Super cool.”
So, David, Megadeth, and Hellyeah somewhat helped Pantera kickstart their career during the early days, and in return, Pantera influenced a whole generation. Even though Pantera entered the scene after the success of the big four and while several metal bands were trying to make it, their current status as legends proves that they managed to power through.
