Interview: Zakk Wylde Says Purpose of Pantera Is ‘Not to Record’

On Tuesday night (Feb. 27), Zakk Wylde joined Loudwire Nights to celebrate the recent announcement of his first-ever music festival, Berzerkus.

“I’ve had the idea for doing this thing for years,” Wylde told host Chuck Armstrong. “People have been, ‘Oh, did you just think of this the other day?’ It’s like, no, I’ve been planning this for years but I had to mow enough lawns and clean enough people’s pools so this way I could save up my money.”

Wylde’s signature sense of humor was present throughout the chat about Berzerkus, but that didn’t keep him and Chuck from diving deep into the uniqueness of this festival.

“It’s an extended version of my birthday party, but I’m just going to have all of my friends play at my party,” he said about the other bands performing at Berzerkus alongside Black Label Society, like Cody Jinks, Clutch, Rival Sons and Black Stone Cherry. “I actually started the idea of this when I joined [Ozzy Osbourne].”

Along with the diverse musical lineup, Berzerkus will feature several distinct experiences, like a craft beer festival, music gear swap meet and even a Miss Berzerkus competition.

“We made a stipulation that we will allow beards this year, so I’m going full in. I’m going to take that title.”

Before Berzerkus, Zakk Wylde Is On the Road With Pantera

Ahead of the launch of the Berzerkus festival on Sept. 14, Wylde is staying busy with Pantera‘s current headlining tour.

As he has done since the new Pantera lineup was revealed, Wylde has remained humble about his role in waving the flag for Dimebag Darrell and helping carry the legacy of Pantera to a new generation.

“It’s amazing because Phil [Anselmo] always does this, like almost every night,” Wylde explained.

“He’s just like, ‘How many people saw Pantera back in the day?’ You obviously have the Pantera faithful. Then he goes, ‘How many people, this is the first time seeing Pantera?’ It’s mind-blowing. I mean, I’d say it’s like 60-40, 70-30 sometimes. That is amazing.”

Wylde agreed with Chuck that what the band is doing today is more than simply taking a trip down memory lane and milking the nostalgia of the music.

“It’s a beautiful thing.”

As they discussed all things Pantera, Chuck asked a question that Wylde hasn’t shied away from in the past: If Pantera are carrying their legacy forward through live shows, will they ever do that with new music?

“No, I don’t think so,” Wylde responded quickly and confidently. He said, again, how awesome it is to see what the band is doing onstage, but he assured the Loudwire Nights audience the purpose of Pantera today is “not to record.”

“It’d be like [Eric] Clapton playing with Mitch [Mitchell] and Noel [Redding] honoring Jimi [Hendrix] — they’re going to go in and record? That’s the Jimi Hendrix Experience with Eric Clapton.”

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Then Wylde added a sort of asterisk to the conversation.

“Obviously if we would ever do anything, it would be under a different name, you know what I mean,” he said.

“Like Jimmy Page playing with Paul Rodgers, it’s the Firm. They’re not going out as Led Zeppelin.”

What Else Did Zakk Wylde Discuss on Loudwire Nights?

• Why he’s trying to think of the craziest, most random experiences for the Berzerkus festival
• How Ozzy Osbourne recorded with so many different special guests on Patient Number 9
• Why he was so relieved the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl this year

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Zakk Wylde joined Loudwire Nights on Thursday, Feb. 27; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand. Read more about Berzerkus here.