Loudwire has reported that the longtime guitar technician for the late Dimebag Darrell, Grady Champion, has been recruited for the upcoming Pantera 2023 reunion tour. The technician took to social media to announce the great news.
While it may be expected that Champion will work as the guitar tech for Zakk Wylde, the recently announced touring guitarist, Champion will instead be working on effects for the tour, with the goal to “bring Dime’s tone to the party.” In his post, he explains that Rita Haney, Dimebag Darrell’s girlfriend and the owner of his estate, gave Champion approval to use Darrell’s gear on the tour. This would allow the band to recapture the sound of the late guitarist on the upcoming tour as much as possible.
Loudwire quotes Champion explaining that “I started with Pantera and I will end with Pantera. I didn’t know the ‘right’ thing to think, to say, to do. When I saw the headline like everyone else, I threw up, sweaty palms, heart was freaking out, I had seen that headline 1000 times in my nightmares,” Champion wrote. “After it sunk in and I spoke to everyone, I felt like I would be crazy to turn my nose up and say, ‘F that.’ I need to be involved if I am needed, turns out I am needed, and I’m fkn doing it… I wouldn’t be anywhere in life if it hadn’t been for Dime and his belief in me. So I have to go represent.”
He went on to explain that he is “not too good with words, but heart is on the sleeve here… Anyone that brings up ‘money grab’ has no concept of reality. How much it takes from people to do this. More dedication that you’ll ever see, tears, all of it. If you want to hate, don’t go, I don’t want to hear it. If you want a Pantera experience, this is it. We’re giving it hell, and going to give it all there is to give. Philip [Anselmo], Rex Brown, Zakk and Char Benante are going to bring it.”
Zakk Wylde and Chris Benante were recently announced as the replacements for Dimebag and Vinnie Paul, who passed away in 2004 and 2018, respectively.
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