Pantera Family Tree
Metal Family Tree
This is a project aimed at making it easy to see who inspired the bands you love or even hate. For this I try not to use any influences that the band don’t claim themselves. There will be a focus on predecessors but successors will be added as they site the band. These trees become more and more interactive as new bands are added, allowing you to click any band that has a tree and jump to it.
We want our lists to be better. If you know something that belongs on this list, let us know. When in doubt we will leave it out, so we need reliable sources.
Pantera, love them or hate the, they were one of the most game changing bands in metal. With their album Cowboys from Hell in 1990 they reinvented the steel with groove metal. Metal has never been the same since. Prior to that they did several albums that are considered glam by many although musically it wasn’t far off from traditional metal most of the time. Writing has been credited as as a collaborative effort, so we will like at the influences of all members. That won’t be so hard since Pantera kept a consistent line up with the exception of their early years featuring Terry Glaze on vocals before Phil Anselmo which most people are familiar with. At the heart of Pantera were brothers, guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul. Rex Brown joined early on before the release of the first “glam” album.
Stevie Wonder
Merle Haggard
David Allen Coe
Dime said he was listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd as a kid before discovering Van Halen and Black Sabbath.
Dime would have his dad show him how to play songs when he was young. His dad would show him multiple ways to play songs.
Vinnie got his drumming star in school and loved playing on the drum line.
Vinnie said Appetite For Destruction was a great album but didn’t name Guns ‘n’ Roses as an influence. He says he’s a huge fan of Enigma and that after touring and listening to slayer, they are good to relax to. Vinnie said he was blown away by Tommy Lee’s double bass drumming on “Live Wire” but he gives more credit to Tommy Aldrige for him wanting to play double bass himself. On another note, I’ve seen it stated Vinnie was influenced by Mikkey Dee, but I have dug for conformations and can’t find any. Nothing I could find supports this.
Vinnie and Rex met in high school jazz band. Vinnie said neither of them was that interested in jazz and would jam to “2112” together.
Rex said he listens to “all kids of crazy shit, from Sinatra to Slayer. His older sister gave him all her Beatles and Rolling Stones records, his parents listened to swing and his grandmother played piano for movies which he said he got boogie from. Rex played the tuba in school and said it wasn’t a big leap to bass but was already playing guitar since he was 9.
Phil talks about some bands he listened to as a kid such as: The Beatles, Kiss, Peter Frampton, Jethro Tull, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin. When asked about asked to name greatest singers he names Halford and Dio.
Phil is a big fan of early black metal bands such as Dark Throne, early Immortal and Emperor. Hell Hammer and Celtic Frost are his favorites though.
Terry Glaze was the original vocalist on most of the early Pantera albums. and contributed to the writing. I’m uncertain of his influences.
Bands influenced by Pantera!
As this project advances, bands will be added here… there are many!
Sources:
https://www.guitarworld.com/gw-archive/dimebag-darrell-discusses-his-roots-gear-and-pantera-1994-guitar-world-interview
https://www.guitarworld.com/magazine/prime-cuts-dimebag-darrell-chooses-his-12-favorite-tunes-1993-guitar-world-feature
https://www.loudersound.com/features/dimeradio-dimebag-darrells-top-tracks-as-chosen-by-vinnie-paul
https://www.revolvermag.com/music/dimebag-darrell-final-interview-pantera-and-damageplans-guitar-hero
https://www.loudersound.com/features/vinnie-paul-the-10-records-that-changed-my-life
http://www.drumlessons.com/drummers/vinnie-paul/
https://www.moderndrummer.com/2018/06/vinnie-paul-the-king-of-thrash-metal-drumming/
http://blabbermouth.herokuapp.com/news/vinnie-paul-a-lot-of-newer-metal-drummers-play-too-much/
https://www.musicradar.com/news/rex-brown-the-10-records-that-changed-my-life
https://www.guitarworld.com/features/interview-former-pantera-and-down-bassist-rex-brown-talks-gear-influences-and-kill-devil-hill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIHIQSZHy0Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=363&v=6X1zH9rNEYM&feature=emb_logo
https://web.archive.org/web/20130725031555/http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/phil-anselmo-only-a-fool-would-leave-out-black-sabbath/
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/pantera-phil-anselmo-beatles-kiss-influences/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_4nKosG0ZM
https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/phil-anselmo-picks-five-essential-metal-albums-580808
http://rockandrollgarage.com/phil-anselmo-says-who-is-the-best-vocalist-of-all-time-in-his-opinion/
https://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/exclusive-interview-with-phil-anselmo-and-jimmy-bower-of-down/
https://search.blabbermouth.net/news/philip-anselmo-sometimes-it-feels-good-to-be-miserable/