THE BEAST

In a heartfelt and revealing new interview with Anthony Bryant of The Hair Metal Guru, original PANTERA frontman Terry Glaze shared personal memories from his time in the band, his reaction to Dimebag Darrell's tragic death, and his thoughts on PANTERA’s legacy—past and present.

Leaving PANTERA: “It Was Just Life”

Glaze, who fronted PANTERA during their glam-infused “party metal” phase in the early '80s, sang on the band's first three albums: Metal Magic (1983), Projects In The Jungle (1984), and I Am The Night (1985). Reflecting on his exit from the group, Glaze said, “I'm not exactly sure that I remember. It was just life, just things. You might have a disagreement on how to proceed in certain ways. But it was just basically that.”

Recalling his final show with the band, Glaze described it as surreal. “I think we were playing in Wichita Falls maybe. It was just weird. We were playing, and it was a great show. And then just ‘bye’. I remember driving home by myself in my truck and just thinking, ‘Wow.’ There wasn’t any effort by us to solve it.”

Despite any differences, Glaze emphasized that his departure wasn’t due to creative conflict. “It wasn’t musical direction,” he insisted. “I loved playing in the band.”

Dimebag and the Evolution of PANTERA

Terry remembered reconnecting with Dimebag years later after the band had transitioned into a heavier sound with the arrival of vocalist Philip Anselmo. One night after a LORD TRACY show in Dallas, Dimebag gave Glaze a personal preview of what would become Vulgar Display of Power.

“He’s got a limo, and he starts playing me tracks from the next record. He plays me ‘Mouth For War’, me and him in the backseat. He’s air-guitaring it, and he goes, ‘VAN HALEN, right?’ That’s probably my favorite song. It was so cool.”

The Night of the Tragedy

Glaze also opened up about the night he learned of Dimebag Darrell’s death in 2004, when the guitarist was shot onstage during a DAMAGEPLAN show in Columbus, Ohio.

“I was asleep. The phone rings. It’s my best friend, Buddy Blaze. He says, ‘Turn on your…’ whatever. Disbelief,” Glaze recounted. “A couple days later, I went to the funeral. Darrell’s buried in the same cemetery as my grandparents and my father-in-law. So I go there all the time. But it didn’t really hit me until I saw the dirt. That’s when I felt, ‘This is real.’”

On the PANTERA Comeback

In recent years, Glaze has expressed support for PANTERA’s current comeback tour, which features original members Rex Brown and Philip Anselmo joined by Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante.

“It’s hard for us old people,” he admitted, comparing the revival to imagining VAN HALEN without Eddie and Alex. “But you know, man, more power to everybody to celebrate the music. Especially for all the young people who never got to see them—now they get to celebrate those songs. That music means so much to a lot of people around the world.”

The Controversy Over the Early Albums

Glaze has long championed the idea of reissuing PANTERA’s first three albums, which showcase Dimebag’s early guitar work. “It would be a great thing for everybody to get to hear more Darrell. You could do a big box set—it would be amazing.”

However, bassist Rex Brown has publicly opposed such reissues, declaring in a 2021 interview that “unless Philip’s singing on it, it’s not PANTERA.” Brown dismissed Glaze’s contributions, saying, “The old singer? Shit, it was going nowhere really quick… Now you're wanting claim to fame 35 years later? Sorry, pal, you missed the boat!”

Terry responded diplomatically, saying, “People change their minds, and business opportunities happen. What are you going to do?”

The Beginning of It All

Looking back on how it all started, Glaze remembered forming the band with drummer Vinnie Paul and reluctantly agreeing to include Vinnie’s younger brother Darrell—then just a middle schooler. “We weren’t really interested in a young kid in middle school, but we reluctantly agreed—thank goodness. We were lucky enough to do that.”

Despite the divisions among former band members, Glaze remains proud of his contributions to PANTERA’s early foundation and the lasting impact of the music they all created. “There’s plenty of room for all kinds of art,” he said. “So thank goodness everybody doesn’t like the same thing. There’s something for everybody.”