Former PANTERA/current DOWN singer Phil Anselmo is always an entertaining chit-chat. Those deep baritone vocal chords, ready to lash out at anytime, yet the man is reserved and so damn philosophical in his own unique way. But you still need to be on your toes for that errant jab. This interview is a bit aged, as we were told to hold off on our Cowboys From Hell special part II until the deluxe version of the 20th anniversary of the album was unleashed to the public (check out part I of our chat with former Pantera/current HELLYEAH drummer Vinnie Paul here). With both the Deluxe and Expanded editions of Pantera's Cowboys From Hell having hit store shelves just in time for the holidays (go figure), we can now let loose the lions and celebrate this landmark recording. So, on with the show. Bruised, battered and showing off his, er, bloody knuckles, here's Mr. Philip Anselmo:

BraveWords.com: What kind of memories does Cowboys From Hell stir up for you?

Anselmo: "Oh, man. Like you say, all kinds of memories. I mean, I can think of everything from certain aspects of the studio, certain songs that we wrote, but mostly and mainly that first cycle of touring during Cowboys From Hell. We were playing with a big old chip on our shoulder, man. Trying to win over every crowd that we possibly could. Touring and touring and touring. Unstoppable and I tell you, those were some great proving times."

BraveWords.com: I can remember the release of this album as plain as day. I was spinning records for my college radio metal shows and a CD appeared that literally turned the world upside down.

Anselmo: "Yeah, man. It was special and at the time we did not know, me personally, I did not know how much of an impact it would hold, but I’m just thankful for the fans really, man. Pantera sold records by touring. We weren’t a big radio-friendly, radio-hit band at all, and we weren’t perceived to be by the record company or whatnot. Matter of fact, 'Cemetery Gates' being a fan favourite and maybe one of the closest songs I guess I could point to being radio-friendly, it’s over six minutes long. So we were not thinking, 'let’s just have one radio hit here.' (laughs) It just came up in the flow of songs, so we sold our records playing live, like I’ve said for the eightieth time. It’s the audience that kept coming out and kept coming out that deserves a lot of that credit as well."

BraveWords.com: Now looking back, I’m not sure if your memory has held up...

Anselmo: "Are you calling me old?"

BraveWords.com: Of course not, I would never call you old. (laughs)

Anselmo: "Nah, I heard what you said, but you said 'does my memory hold up?' like I’m on Geritol. Go ahead. It might not, though."

BraveWords.com: The actual creation of the Cowboys material, do you remember those writing sessions, can you describe them for us?

Anselmo: "Well, I think it got to a point where a lot of bands at the time would save the money riff for the end of a song or something like that, and I believe I remember saying it one day, and me and Dimebag were discussing this pretty specifically with the rest of ‘em, Rex and Vince, it’s like, 'look, why save the money riff for the end, let’s make the whole damn song the money riff, you know.' And that’s where we were heading. Cowboys From Hell, a lot of that material was written in ’88 and ’89, recorded in ’89, so we knew musically we were heading into a more aggressive direction. I always bring it up, a case in point, the last song written for Cowboys From Hell was 'Primal Concrete Sledge', and you can definitely see that as a springboard to what would come on Vulgar Display Of Power. So I’d have to say 85% of the songs that we recorded for Cowboys From Hell we had been playing live in Texas, and people knew those songs, they looked forward to hearing those songs when we’d play ‘em live, they became popular regionally. So 'Heresy', 'Psycho Holiday', songs like that, we had been doing those songs, so going into recording them, those were down pat. But like I say, in our heart we were changing so it’s pretty significant that 'Primal Concrete Sledge' was the last song that we wrote."

BraveWords.com: I love that term, “money riff,” and there’s a ton of money riffs on this album. It’s not just a couple of songs, obviously that’s why we’re celebrating this landmark anniversary, because there’s money riffs all over.

Anselmo: "Man, oh man, I can’t deny it."

BraveWords.com: And these money riffs have really stood the test of time.

Anselmo: "I’ve got to agree with you again, my friend."

BraveWords.com: Why have they stood the test of time, do you think?

Anselmo: "You know, I cannot speak for the entire music world nor the entirety of heavy metal itself, but true, true, true trailblazing guitar heroes that we had a conglomerate of them, you know. There’s your Eddie Van Halens, and for god’s sake if I went through the lineage, went through THE BEATLES and JIMI HENDRIX and whatnot that would be a little pushing it, but for a while there there was the Eddie Van Halens and definitely Randy Rhoads and a handful of others, but Dimebag really, really was a gifted man. He was as badass as he ever was by the time I first met him. If you wanted to break down guitar players then you gotta look at the right hand on guitar players, true rhythm players, like James Hetfield and Scott Ian and a bunch of others. And I’m talking back in the day, when heavy metal and hardcore and everything was definitely crossing lines. Dimebag had a right hand, too. He could chug, and Pantera were tight as a pin. And I guess when you say standing the test of time and why, Pantera were very, very, very, very instrumental on how records sound today. We upped the ante on production. Us working with Terry Date was a great, great match made, and really Dimebag had always had that vicious guitar sound. Once again, we were recording in ’89, there was no Protools, there was no tricks and whistles, we were really organically tracking. It was just all a matter of transporting that guitar sound and getting it on a record or CD or cassette. Really, it was a battle. But with all the effort in doing that we changed the sound of the whole thing. Pantera was very machine-like tight because that’s how they really played, the three of them. So I think that’s why it stands the test of time, not to mention great songs, for god’s sakes."

BraveWords.com: And you were establishing your own vocal style.

Anselmo: "Yeah, I was. I really was. You take the influences, everybody from of course Rob Halford, David Lee Roth, to shit, Paul Stanley and once again any of the Beatles, minus Ringo maybe (both laugh). And I am chuckling myself, giggle, giggle, insert. But really, man, I mean fuck, when I was a kid even PETER FRAMPTON, the Comes Alive record, dude’s a great singer and a great guitar player. I sang a lot of different stuff. RONNIE JAMES DIO, OZZY OSBOURNE, for sure, man. And then later on the hardcore bands, Roger Miret from AGNOSTIC FRONT has a very distinct voice. Rollins, BLACK FLAG, you continue that on and there was this attitude I wanted to bring to heavy metal, a gut-level attitude I wanted to bring to heavy metal, and I just don’t think imitating Rob Halford to a tee was going to break that barrier. So yeah, I was becoming myself and I took several different influences and it has taken several different influences to become me, so to speak, vocally at least."

BraveWords.com: You dance around on this record like you would dance around in the boxing ring.

Anselmo: "Yeah, well it was still a lot of variety there. If I was able to really hit those soaring high notes that Halford would hit, I’d still to this day I have no falsetto at all, so I was singing that from my heart, from the throat for real. But we played and played and played so many different gigs and toured, we were a live band, man. So a lot of playing, a lot of work, it can sharpen a voice up and it can also tear a voice up. I always liked to try and have that happy medium, but after a while, honestly if the shows got crazier the more raw and primitive it made me want to express myself, so with Cowboys From Hell you can still feel that remnant for sure of my earlier years and my early influences, but you can hear that edge that was coming from the future, I guess. You hear me, you catch me on that one."

BraveWords.com: Can you still hit those notes on 'The Will To Survive', the unearthed "new" track?

Anselmo: "Inexplicably, fuck no. No fuckin’ way. No way, but I tell you it’s a gift to be able to sing like that, man. In certain times, sure, I wish I could still hit that shit, but I can’t so there’s to wishing, you know. Maybe if I worked hard at it, but it’s not really how people remember me."

BraveWords.com: Has this 20th anniversary been in the back of your mind? Have you guys been talking about it or you with management been talking about this celebration? Who initiates stuff like this, the label, the band, the fans?

Anselmo: "You know, it’s been going on now for probably the most of this past year. I’m not sure how it was brought to my attention, but I thought it was a great idea because I just did, especially with all the extra stuff, the demos and whatnot. Look, man, it’s very worth it. It is a fucking awesome collector’s thing, so once again I don’t really remember how I was pulled into it, but once I was made alert I was all for it."

BraveWords.com: Did you have much input into the packaging?

Anselmo: "Sure, sure, yeah. Everything was passed through us and I guess if you’re getting around it, did we work together specifically, no. There’s a lady named Kim (Kimberly Zide Davis) that mediates in between the three of us, Rex (Brown; bass), Vince (Vinnie Paul; drums) and I. And she’ll ask me one day, 'Phil, how’s this look, what’s your opinion? Is it picture one, two, three or four?' I’ll give her my opinion and I guess we deduce like that. Normally it’s whatever Vince and Rex want. It’s just Pantera pictures, man."

BraveWords.com: So I guess you have had no contact with Vince?

Anselmo: "No, I have not and it’s a shame."

BraveWords.com: Anything more to say about that?

Anselmo: "Not really. I love him, I wish him the best."

BraveWords.com: And obviously this brings up thoughts of Dime. As you said, you’re highlighting his guitar work that’s beyond legendary. It’s indescribable and his name will obviously be front and centre with this 20th anniversary celebration.

Anselmo: "Well, as it should be. If any of us were to pass, I would hope it would be said about all of us, but Dimebag, like I brought up earlier, is one of them guitar heroes - I just don’t see any on the horizon like him or... (pauses). It’s tough, man. Put it this way: I know in my life I’m only allotted a certain amount of years to live, days to live, minutes to live, seconds to live, and I think about Dime every day, every single day, several times a day. And I know in my heart that I will never, never, never play in a band with someone so talented. And honestly, I feel that way about the entirety of Pantera, I really do. As a trio of musicians, hands down they are the tightest, most talented group of guys I’ve ever worked with."

BraveWords.com: As a devout metal fan following Pantera, it’s all very heartbreaking and sad. It was sad day when the band broke up and with Dimebag's death it was like, 'my god, what just happened?' It’s just brutal that some good things must come to an end. It almost puts a tear to your eye.

Anselmo: "Yeah, agreed."

BraveWords.com: When you guys were creating this record you never thought, 'in twenty years we’re going to be doing a celebration.' Did I guess correctly?

Anselmo: "Man, not even close. I was always a - and still am - very much a pessimist when it comes to getting rewards in life, man, but shit, don’t think I don’t think every day goes by this has not been a blessed life. I didn’t think I’d be having this conversation with anybody, man, I really didn’t. But once again I gotta credit the fans and all the longevity of the whole thing, and celebrate Dimebag the way you remember him. Listen to him play, because him and that guitar were man and instrument entwined and pretty inseparable, so it’s a special thing, man."

BraveWords.com: Well as always, thanks for your wisdom, man. It’s definitely a celebration, it’s time to crank Cowboys From Hell!

Anselmo: "Fucking A. I appreciate it, my brother."