In a recent discussion with Sweetwater, the guitarist from Pantera delved into the inspirations behind some of the band’s iconic riffs and solos, shedding light on the influence of not only his own but also Dimebag Darrell’s musical muses. Reflecting on the creation of their hit song ‘Floods,’ he attributed the inspiration for the solo to none other than Andy Summers, guitarist for The Police:
“Dime incorporated those Andy Summers chords throughout ‘Floods.’ It’s all about those Andy Summer chords. I can envision Dime listening to ‘Message In A Bottle’ and thinking, ‘These chords are awesome, I’m going to build something around them.’ And he did. Every time we played it live, I couldn’t help but feel moved trying to capture that emotion.”
‘Floods’ holds a special place in Pantera’s repertoire, serving as a poignant tribute to their original members, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell. As the band continues to honor their legacy with performances featuring their new lineup, the emotional weight of the song resonates deeply with the guitarist.
During a conversation with Rock Feed, he reminisced about the emotional impact of their music video for ‘In This River,’ which features two children portraying the youthful versions of Dimebag Darrell and himself. The poignant moment captured in the video, especially poignant for Vinnie Paul, evokes powerful emotions each time the guitarist performs ‘Floods’ onstage:
“It’s a deeply emotional experience, especially when Vinnie saw the music video for the first time. Even now, as I perform ‘Floods’ each night, I’m reminded of the profound tribute it represents to both Dime and Vinnie. Dime took great pride in that piece, particularly the outro, so it holds immense significance. It’s a moment that never fails to stir up emotions within me.”
