Zakk Wylde hasn’t even started learning Pantera songs yet

Zakk Wylde playing guitar onstage and Dimebag Darrell holding up his guitar

(Image credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty/James Cumpsty/Redferns)

We all know that sinking feeling you get when a deadline is looming and you realise you’ve done absolutely nothing to hit it. Turns out Zakk Wylde might be feeling it, too.

The Black Label Society guitarist is due to play his first show as part of the controversial Pantera reunion in December, but he recently fessed up to the fact that he hasn’t learned any of Dimebag Darrell’s parts yet.

“I don’t know [how to play] the songs,” Zakk told the SDR show. “If Dime had to play the [Ozzy solo songs] No More Tears solo and Mama, I’m Coming Home and Miracle Man and Perry Mason and play [Black Label Society’s] Suicide Messiah it’d be, like, ‘You must know Zakk’s stuff.’ He [would be], like, ‘No. I don’t know any of his stuff. Zakk’s my buddy, but no, I don’t know any of his stuff.’”

Sure thing, Zakk. Listen, we know you’re a great guitarist and that you were big buddies with Dimebag, but given those shows are less than two months away, you might want to think about pulling your thumb out of your arse and getting on with it.

The reunited Pantera – featuring singer Phil Anslemo and bassist Rex Brown alongside Zakk and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante – play their first show on December 2 at the Hell & Heaven Open Air festival in Mexico City. The reunion has attracted a lot of controversy from metal fans due to it taking place after the deaths of Dimebag and brother/Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul, as well as the historical racist controversies caused by Phil Anselmo.

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