Tributes from rockers such as Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons (KISS), Duff McKagan (Guns’n’Roses), Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) and Dave Mustaine (Megadeth/Metallica) have been posted on Twitter after news broke that co-founder of thrash metal band Pantera, Vinnie Paul, has died.
The band, from Arlington, Texas, was formed by Vinnie and his late brother Dimebag Darrell in 1981, and went on to have phenomenal success, selling more than 60 million records.
They disbanded in the early 2000s.
The brothers went on to form Damageplan. Tragically, on 8 December 2004, Dimebag was gunned down by a crazed gunman during a show in Columbus, Ohio. Three other people, including the band’s head of security, were also killed.
A statement by Pantera on their Facebook page reads:
“Vincent Paul Abbott aka Vinnie Paul has passed away.
Paul is best known for his work as the drummer in the bands
Pantera and Hellyeah.
No further details are available at this time.
The family requests you please respect their privacy during this time.”
No further information has been released so far.
