Vinnie Paul Abbott has dismissed the idea that Pantera could somehow reunite with another guitarist in the wake of his sibling "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott's 2004 murder. Some have suggested, for example, that Zakk Wylde could step in -- but Abbott said that wouldn't be Pantera. And he used as an example one of classic rock's biggest bands to make his point.

"People are selfish, man," the drummer told Germany's EMP Rock Invasion. "They want what they want; they don't care what you want. And it's unfortunate that people go, 'Oh, wow, man, they can get Zakk Wylde to jump up there onstage and it's Pantera again.' No, it's not, you know. It's not that simple. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot in the head four times next week, would everybody be going, 'Hey, man, Zakk, go play for Van Halen. Just call it Van Halen.' You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's really selfish for people to think that, and it's stupid. It's not right at all."

Abbott went on to stress that a reunion just won't happen, even if other bands have made due under similar circumstances many times before. "They call it a reunion for a reason," he said. "It's called bringing the original members back to what it was. So there's a lot of these things that they call reunions that aren't really reunions. They've got one dude from the band floating around in them, you know. That's not a true reunion. With Pantera, it'll never be possible."

Dimebag was killed onstage during a concert in Columbus while performing with his band Damageplan, which he co-founded with his brother after Pantera broke up. The deranged gunman, a former Marine, went on to murder three others that night (including the band's head of security, a roadie and a fan) before police arrived. An officer killed the assailant as he was holding another person hostage. Vinnie Paul currently plays in the metal supergroup Hellyeah.

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