Vinnie Paul

Vincent Paul Abbott, also known as Vinnie Paul (born March 11, 1964), is an American professional drummer and producer who is best known for being a former member, and co-founder, of the heavy metal band Pantera. He is currently a member of supergroup Hellyeah. He also co-founded the heavy metal band Damageplan in 2003 with his late younger brother, Dimebag Darrell.

Vincent Paul Abbott was born in Abilene on March 11, 1964. His parents are Jerry, a country music songwriter and producer, and Carolyn Abbott.

In December 2008, he handpicked several of his most memorable drum parts to demonstrate in a promotional video for the drum company ddrum: "Use My Third Arm," "Primal Concrete Sledge," "13 Steps to Nowhere," "Domination" and "Becoming." In 2009, he started American Drummer Champions with the aide of friend and influence M.Ludowise, former Downset drummer.

In August 2013, Paul featured in a music video for Black Label Society's cover of "Ain't No Sunshine", appearing alongside a horse-masked Zakk Wylde. Wylde and Paul are well known to be close friends, with Wylde also having been particularly close with Paul's brother Dimebag Darrell before his death in 2004.

Pantera

Paul formed the heavy metal band Pantera in 1981 with his brother Dimebag Darrell (then known as Diamond Darrell) and Terry Glaze on guitars, bassist Tommy D. Bradford, and vocalist Donnie Hart. Upon Hart's departure, Glaze assumed vocal duties. In the summer of 1982, Bradford left the band and was replaced by Rex Brown. The band released three albums with that lineup.

Pantera recruited vocalist Phil Anselmo to replace Glaze in 1987. 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 for the songs "I'm Broken", "Suicide Note Pt. I", "Cemetery Gates" and "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. Pantera's official disbandment took place in 2003 for several reasons, but mainly because of the ongoing dispute between Anselmo and the rest of the band, although Rex Brown remained neutral. In the years to follow, bad blood would stir up between Abbott and Anselmo. However, Anselmo has publicly announced that he wishes for Paul to forgive him and reform a friendship. However, Paul has stated that he is not interested and will never talk to Anselmo again.

Damageplan

After the breakup of Pantera, the Abbott brothers formed the heavy metal band Damageplan with former tattoo artist Bob Zilla on bass and former Halford guitarist Pat Lachman on lead vocals. Damageplan recorded one album, New Found Power, which was released on February 10, 2004. On December 8, 2004, while on tour to support Damageplan's album, Dimebag Darrell was shot dead onstage by ex-US marine Nathan Gale at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. Damageplan disbanded shortly thereafter.

Latest projects and Hellyeah

Abbott performing with Hellyeah

After burying his brother, Paul formed Big Vin Records in February 2006 and released Rebel Meets Rebel and a DVD, Dimevision, Volume 1. Paul (along with Cristina Scabbia, co-lead vocalist of Lacuna Coil) writes a monthly question-and-answer column in Revolver. Paul maintains endorsement deals with ddrum, Sabian cymbals, and Vic Firth drumsticks. He previously endorsed Tama, Pearl drums, and Remo drumheads and hardware. Paul also played drums for Dethklok at a show in Philadelphia with Metalocalypse creator Brendon Small. Around this time in his career.

In June 2006, after the death of his brother and an 18-month hiatus, Paul was not sure if he would return to music, but eventually joined in with the heavy metal supergroup Hellyeah, which also features vocalist Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett from Mudvayne, guitarist Tom Maxwell from Nothingface, and bassist Bob Zilla from Damageplan, who was called on to replace original bassist Jerry Montano. As of 2016, the group has released 5 albums, latest being Unden!able, released in June 2016.

For Christmas 2016, Paul is planning on releasing a cookbook called "Drumming up an Appetite with Vinnie Paul".

Vinnie used Tama drums during the Cowboys from Hell album and tour from 1990 until 1992. On Vulgar Display of Power and Far Beyond Driven albums and tours respectively, he used Remo drums. Vinnie was endorsed by Remo until The Great Southern Trendkill album, when he changed his endorsement to Pearl drums. He was endorsed by Pearl from 1996 until 2008, when he made his latest change to ddrum. Vinnie has used Sabian cymbals and Vic Firth drumsticks throughout his career. He is also known for using triggered samples mixed with real miked drum sounds during live shows.

This is Vinnie Paul's current setup for Hellyeah, taken from the Modern Drummer September 2010 issue:

Drums: ddrum Vinnie Paul signature series (All drums in his custom dragon finish modeled after the design on his hat, along other Hellyeah album art related designs)

• 24x24 bass drum x2
• 14x14 tom
• 15x15 tom
• 18x18 floor tom
• 14x8 signature snare drum

Cymbals: Sabian

• 12" Ice bell
• 14" AAX Metal Hi-Hats
• 18" Hand Hammered Rock Crash
• 20" AA Chinese
• 19" AA Rock Crash
• 19" AA Metal-X Crash
• 22" Hand Hammered Power Bell Ride
• 20" AA Chinese
• 14" AA Rock Hi-Hats
• 20" AA Metal-X Crash

Sticks: Vic Firth Signature Series: Vinnie Paul (SVP), which he is known to play with backwards, hitting with the butt-end of the stick.

Paul also uses Evans drum heads, ddrum hardware, ddrum and Roland electronics, Danmar red wood beaters and kick pads, Shure microphones and Neumann sport gloves.

Paul has said that his biggest drum influences are Peter Criss of KISS and Tommy Aldridge. He has also listed Bill Ward, John Bonham, Mikkey Dee, Alex Van Halen, and Neil Peart as influences.

Pantera

• Metal Magic (1983)
• Projects in the Jungle (1984)
• I Am the Night (1985)
• Power Metal (1988)
• Cowboys from Hell (1990)
• Vulgar Display of Power (1992)
• Far Beyond Driven (1994)
• The Great Southern Trendkill (1996)
• Official Live: 101 Proof (1997)
• Reinventing the Steel (2000)

Damageplan

• New Found Power (2004)

Rebel Meets Rebel

• Rebel Meets Rebel (2006)

Hellyeah

• Hellyeah (2007)
• Stampede (2010)
• Band of Brothers (2012)
• Blood For Blood (2014)
• Unden!able (2016)