HELLYEAH / ex-PANTERA drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott is featured in a new interview with the Russia-based Darkside webzine, along with Hellyeah vocalist Chad Gray. An excerpt is available below:

Q: I have read some speculations online regarding the possibility of you ever re-creating PANTERA without Dime. I don’t know what triggered these speculations, but what do you have to say to these people?

Vinnie: "It’s ridiculous. Dime was such a huge part of it; it would be just completely asinine to even consider that. I think it’s pretty disrespectful from people to even suggest it. He left an amazing legacy and it’s gonna be left untouched, it’s beautiful, it’s pristine and I wanna leave it that way. I am really proud of what I do with this band (HELLYEAH). Of course the history of Pantera speaks for itself. I want him to always be known as ‘the dude’, you know. Period. Forever."

Q: Yeah, but the comments I have read were actually criticizing you as if you have ever said that this was possible.

Vinnie: "No no, I have never said this was possible. Not me. Might’ve been some other clowns that used to be in that band, but not me (laughs)."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

Hellyeah have announced the following live dates in Asia:

April

30 - Pulp Summer Slam - Manilla, Philippines

May

2 - Thunder Dome - Bangkok, Thailand

In Episode 4 of JägerTV, HELLYEAH talks about being a part of the Jägermeister Music Tour (currently underway, the other bands on the tour and what kind of party to expect on the road. Watch the video below:

Dates for the 2011 Jägermeister Music Tour featuring BUCKCHERRY, Hellyeah as direct support, as well as special guests ALL THAT REMAINS and THE DAMNED THINGS, include:

January

28 - Kansas City, MO - Midland Theater
29 - Des Moines, IA - 7 Flaggs Events Center
31 - Peoria, IL - East Peoria Event Center

February

1 - Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre
2 - Waterloo, IA - McElroy Auditorium
4 - St. Louis, MO - Pop's Nite Club
5 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
8 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Center
9 - Lousville, KY - Expo Five Outdoors
11 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House Of Blues
12 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live
13 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom
15 - New York, NY - Best Buy Theater
16 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
18 - Albany, NY - Northern Lights
19 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
20 - Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena
22 - Charlotte, NC - Fillmore Charlotte
23 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
24 - Atlanta, CA - Tabernacle