Zakk Wylde Recalls Phil Anselmo’s First Phone Call About The Pantera Reunion

The Pantera reunion caught everybody off guard and has made fans invested in the new lineup, curious about what the shows will be like with the addition of Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. Wylde sat down to chat with Ola Englund on his ‘Sunday With Ola’ Youtube show to discuss the initial phone call with Phil Anselmo that reignited the possibility of a Pantera reunion.

“There have always been talks about it, for years, especially when Vinnie was still alive,” said Wylde, recalling his past conversations with the guys about a possible reunion. “And it was, like, I’ll wait till that day comes. ‘If you guys decide you want to do it, you know I’m always gonna be here for you.’”

He continued to tell the story of the phone call that changed everything and said, “Phil called me up one night, and he was, like, ‘Zakk, I was talking with Rex. We’re thinking about doing this. We were wondering if you would wanna honor Dime.’ And I was, like, ‘Of course, man.’ How could I say no? So now, it was just, like, ‘All right. Well, send me the songs for the setlist, so I can start learning this stuff, man.’”

Zakk Wylde was always included in chats about a possible reunion, even when Vinnie was still alive. However, after his passing, Wylde started seeing his involvement as several friends getting together to honor their mate and everything he accomplished throughout his career.

Now the new lineup consists of Zakk Wylde, Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante, and the remaining members of the original Pantera lineup. They are all gearing up to continue the band’s legacy with a tour in the new year. The band will headline several big festivals across North America, South America, and Europe. They will also have some headline concerts for fans who have been excited about their return.