Vinnie Paul

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Vinnie Paul

Background information
Birth name Vincent Paul Abbott
Born March 11, 1964 (1964-03-11) (age 44)
Origin Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.
Genre(s) Heavy metal, groove metal
Years active 1981-present
Associated acts Pantera
Damageplan
Rebel Meets Rebel
Hellyeah
Website [1]

Vincent Paul "Vinnie Paul" Abbott (born on March 11, 1964 in Dallas, Texas, U.S.) is a heavy metal drummer and producer who is currently a member of supergroup Hellyeah, but is best known for being a member of the highly successful band Pantera. He also co-founded the band Damageplan in 2004 with his late brother, "Dimebag Darrell" Abbott, which was successful until the band's demise following Darrell's murder in December of that year.

Contents

[edit] Life and career

Vinnie Paul is the son of Carolina Abbott and Jerry Abbott, a country music songwriter and producer. He played in Pantera, Tres Diablos, Damageplan, and Rebel Meets Rebel with his brother, late guitarist Dimebag Darrell. His professional musical relationship with his brother often earned them comparisons to hard rock musicians Eddie and Alex Van Halen.

His biggest influence is Peter Criss of KISS[citation needed]. Vinnie Paul also incorporates elements of progressive rock and swing into his drumming.[citation needed]

[edit] Pantera

Main article: Pantera

Vinnie Paul formed the heavy metal band Pantera in 1981 with his brother Dimebag Darrell on guitar, bassist Rex Brown, guitarist Terry Glaze, and vocalist Donnie Hart. Upon Hart's departure, Glaze assumed vocal duties and the band released three albums with that lineup.

Pantera recruited vocalist Phil Anselmo to replace Glaze in 1988. By 1990 the band had been signed to Atco Records and released Cowboys from Hell which proved to be the band's turning point. Over the course of four more studio records, a live album and a greatest hits compilation, Anselmo and Pantera were nominated for four best metal performance Grammys, in 1995 for "I'm Broken", 1997 for "Suicide Note Pt. I", 1998 for "Cemetery Gates" and 2001 for "Revolution Is My Name."

In 2001, Anselmo decided to put Pantera on hold because of back pain while he toured and recorded with his side projects. Official disbandment happened in 2003 after Anselmo failed to return to the group. In the years to follow bad blood would stir up between the Abbott brothers and Anselmo. To this day, Vincent and Phil do not talk. Phil has announced publicly he wishes Vinnie to forgive him, and reform a friendship and Vinnie Paul maintains that he will one day talk to Phil Anselmo again, according to VH1's "behind the music", a Pantera special[citation needed]

While in between bands, the Abbott brothers and Pantera bassist, Rex Brown, teamed up with country artist David Allan Coe in a project called Rebel Meets Rebel.

[edit] Damageplan

Main article: Damageplan

The Abbott brothers formed heavy metal band Damageplan with then-tattoo artist Bob Zilla on bass and former Halford guitarist Patrick Lachman on vocals. Damageplan recorded one album, New Found Power, which was released in February 2004. On December 8, 2004, while on tour to support Damageplan's album, Dimebag Darrell was gunned down onstage by Nathan Gale at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio.

[edit] Latest projects

Following Damageplan's demise, Vinnie Paul formed Big Vin Records in February 2006 and released Rebel Meets Rebel and a DVD, Dimevision, Volume 1. Paul writes a monthly question-and-answer column in Revolver. Paul maintains endorsement deals with Pearl drums, Sabian cymbals, and Vic Firth drumsticks. He used to endorse Tama and Remo drumheads and hardware.

[edit] Hellyeah

Main article: Hellyeah

After the death of his brother, Vinnie Paul was unsure if he wanted to return to music, but eventually joined the supergroup Hellyeah. Hellyeah also features vocalist Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett from Mudvayne, guitarist Tom Maxwell from Nothingface, and bassist Bob Zilla from Damageplan, who replaced original bassist Jerry Montano.

[edit] Drum set configurations

Vinnie Paul plays on a Pearl MRX Masters Series:In snake skin finish (Vinnie Paul Custom Wrap)

24x20 bass drum x 2 14x14 tom 15x15 tom 18x16 floor tom 14x8 Vinnie Paul Signature snare drum

[edit] Cymbals

Sabian 14 AA Rock Hi-Hats, 18 AA Rock Crash, 20 AA Chinese, x2 18 Hand Hammered Rock Crash, 22 Hand Hammered Power Bell Ride, 20 AA Chinese, 14 AA Rock Hi-Hats, 18 AA Rock Crash, 12" Sabian Ice bell

[edit] Vic Firth Sticks

American Classic Rock. American Classic Metal Vinnie Paul signature (2B) Is usually witnessed playing his sticks backwards, striking the drums with the butt-ends.

[edit] influences

Vinnie Paul once said in an interview in 2005 My biggest drummer influence is Neil Peart, but I have a lot of of other guys I'd like to name, but I can't. while laughing.

[edit] Discography

[edit] External links