In a recent interview with Guitar Interactive magazine, Zakk Wylde discussed the idea of creating new music with the reformed lineup of PANTERA. The band currently consists of surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass), with Wylde and Charlie Benante (drums) filling in for the late Dimebag Darrell Abbott and Vinnie Paul Abbott.

When asked if he would be open to working on fresh material with PANTERA, Zakk explained, “Well, the fellows [Philip and Rex] were talking about doing something, and Rita [Haney, longtime girlfriend of Dimebag Darrell] has tons of cassette recordings of Dime writing riffs and stuff like that.”

He then elaborated, drawing an analogy to another legendary musician: “So, I guess if it would be something like, let’s say if it’s Eric Clapton playing with [JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE drummer] Mitch [Mitchell] and [bassist] Noel [Redding].” Zakk continued, “If Eric went out and did what we’re doing right now — a Jimi Hendrix celebration — and Mitch and Noel asked Eric to come out because he was friends with Jimi and they were like, ‘Would you go out and sing and play Jimi’s stuff?'”

Zakk further explained how this analogy would work for PANTERA, saying, “If Eric did that, and then after that, they said, ‘We’ve got these recordings that Jimi never finished, a song called ‘Purple Haze’ and a song called ‘The Wind Cries Mary’ and this song called ‘Little Wing’ or whatever,’ and they wanted to properly record them with Eric.”

Wylde added, “If those were just Jimi jamming on a tape recorder, just him playing them, I could totally see that. If it was something Dime wrote and him and Vinnie were working on, then yeah, of course, I’d be into that. But PANTERA is those four guys.”

He concluded by reiterating the sentiment, stating, “You’re gonna call it the Jimi Hendrix band, but you’ve got Eric playing and singing. It’s just Mitch and Noel. If it’s Jimi’s original ideas, and you’re going to properly record them from a cassette, yeah, that would be cool.”