Former Pantera bassist Rex Brown shared insights about the band’s early musical evolution in a recent interview with Scott’s Bass Lessons.
“The [Abbott] brothers were playing more Loverboy, 1981, ’82 kind of stuff [with] a little bit of Van Halen thrown in — a lot of Van Halen, a lot of Def Leppard thrown in — but the pop sense was still there,” Brown explained. “We were a popular band. We were just trying to write good songs within that sense, and that’s hard to do, man.”
“So about ’84, by the time [Metallica’s] ‘Ride The Lightning’ came out is when it all changed — this heavy riffing, that’s when it all changed,” he continued. “Because we were so young, we kept that natural progression. You’ve got a band that’s tight; we can all play together really good.”
Brown elaborated on the band’s lineup changes: “[We] had a different singer the first three records and then found this crazy dude down in New Orleans named Philip Anselmo. He wasn’t that crazy; I’m just saying. He was different because he wasn’t from the same neighborhood. Everybody in this band, we basically all lived not five miles apart from each other in Texas.”
This insight into Pantera’s musical evolution highlights the band’s transformation from their early pop-metal sound to their later, heavier style.
Blabbermouth documented how Philip Anselmo’s arrival in 1987 transformed the band. His addition completed what would become Pantera’s classic lineup alongside Brown and the Abbott brothers.
Brown’s musical foundation draws from diverse influences. Guitar World revealed that legendary musicians Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones, and Geezer Butler shaped his distinctive bass playing style.
The bassist’s musical spectrum extends beyond metal. Music Radar highlighted Brown’s deep appreciation for Led Zeppelin and The Beatles. These influences have shaped both his solo work and his contributions to projects like Kill Devil Hill.
This musical versatility explains Pantera’s successful transition from their pop-metal origins to their groundbreaking heavy metal style.
