Dimebag Darrell was murdered on December 8, 2004, in Columbus, Ohio, during a Damageplan concert, the band he formed with his brother and drummer Vinnie Paul after the breakup of Pantera .
The group disbanded in 2003, and according to new information, just weeks before his death, Darrell was planning to reunite with his former bandmates. In an interview on the Landry.audio podcast, cinematographer and close friend of Pantera, Daryl “Bobby Tongs” Arnberger , revealed that his last meeting with Darrell was in November 2004, when the musician confessed his intention to revive the band.
“The last time I saw him was in November 2004, and I was about to go on tour with Slipknot or [Marilyn] Manson, one of the two. And then I went to his house. We were talking about various different things, and then he said, 'We're going on this [Damageplan] tour in December, and I'll see you at Christmas. After that, we'll have new things. And it won't be this. Whatever it takes, we're going to get these guys back together and we're going to do this right.'”
Arnberger continues: “He said he was going to do everything he could. He was tired of what Damageplan was doing at that point. He wanted to move on and get back with Pantera.” The group played their last show in 2001 and disbanded two years later after disagreements between vocalist Phillip Anselmo and brothers Darrell and Vinnie Paul. The duo then formed Damageplan.
Darrell's longtime girlfriend, Rita Haney , commented on a possible reunion in honor of the musician during the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund 10th Anniversary Memorial Awards event last week. "I don't think there would be a Pantera reunion, but I think if Rex [ Brown , bassist] and Phillip wanted to get together to honor Darrell and Vinnie, I think Darrell would be honored."
“It’s a cliché, but I truly believe he would be very grateful and happy to have meant so much to them. And I think if they want to honor their deceased brothers, that would be great. But about a Pantera reunion, it’s a no – that would be too unpleasant. But as a tribute, it would be nice.”
Anselmo recently revealed a desire to create a Pantera tribute with Zakk Wylde , and the guitarist supported the idea. The complicated part of this plan is getting approval from Paul's family, due to the tension that existed between him and Anselmo up until the drummer's death.
Listen to the full interview below.
