Ask anyone, and they will tell you Vinnie Paul was one of the most genuine, friendly, colorful, and passionate characters in the Heavy Metal community. One half of the Abbott brothers (the other legendary Guitarist Darrell “Dimebag” “Diamond” Abbott) who formed Pantera (one of the most influential Heavy Metal bands in history), there were so many sides to the Rubik’s Cube that was Vinnie Paul.
On the surface recognized as a powerful drummer who sat behind the kit for Pantera from over two decades through iconic records like 1990’s Cowboys from Hell and 1992’s Vulgar Display of Power, Vinnie Paul also co-found Damageplan with his brother Darrell, but tragically the venture was cut short when Darrell was tragically murdered during a concert by a mentally disturbed spectator.
An experience that undoubtedly left a massive scar on Vinnie Paul’s heart, he nearly gave up music altogether. Still, he found the strength to carry on almost two years later when joining forces with HELLYEAH (alongside Mudvayne’s Chad Gray and Greg Tribbett and Nothingface’s Tom Maxwell and Jerry Montano). A place where he slowly began to mend his broken heart; it was a refuge for twelve years of touring and six studio albums. However, this was not all there was to Vinnie Paul, as he also spent fifteen years as an advice columnist in Revolver Magazine, and had other big passions, such as cooking.
Growing up in Texas, Vinnie Paul was always surrounded by diverse cuisine with bold flavor and a lot of tender love and care put into each dish. Naturally, this stuck with him, and with the zest for life he had, he would often concoct his personal recipes for himself and his friends. Drawing on his own life experiences and learning from his mother, Vinnie Paul became known to those in and around his circle as a fantastic cook who always had terrific spreads at his home, where everyone was welcome to enjoy grub made with love.
A surprise? Not really, because would you expect anything less from such a warm personality? With all of that being said, Vinnie Paul wanted to share his taste for food and the time and passion put into each dish in the form of a cookbook. An idea he spoke of openly back in 2016, reports were that it was ready to be released by Christmas of that year. For whatever reason, never coming to be, sadly, Vinnie Paul died less than two years later at the age of fifty-four on June 22, 2018.
A sad loss for many, in the years since you had to wonder – would the cookbook ever see the light of day? A valid question, there were talks of a posthumous release in 2020, but still, it never came to be. Now, nearly seven years later, hopes were fading that it could happen, but on March 11, 2025, the long-awaited Vinnie Paul cookbook called Drumming Up An Appetite With Vinnie Paul arrived.
Published by Z2 (a fantastic publisher that has released graphic novels featuring Halestorm, Dee Snider, Blondie, Pantera, among others), the cookbook is a lovely collection of varied dishes all using ingredients curated by Vinnie Paul. Offering plenty of diversity, you have main courses (featuring a variety of barbecued meats), sides (including vegetarian dishes and a particularly spicy cornbread), as well as some exciting desserts (such as BBQ Baked Apples).
A total of thirty-seven recipes, Vinnie Paul showcases an eclectic palette for flavor that is fun, inventive, and, of course, tasty! With each recipe written by Vinnie Paul, you get the feel and tone of the drummer in each step, making the cooking process that much more enjoyable. Furthermore, the book features a lovely foreword from Vinnie Paul’s close friend Carrot Top and an afterword from another close friend, Brian “Bridog” Jones. Giving you a good idea of the type of guy Vinnie Paul was in each section, the book also has an array of cool photos featuring Vinnie Paul cooking and enjoying life. Presented in a solid hardcover format, if you go to Z2comics.com, you can also pick up a limited edition package including the book, one Butcher-paper protective dust jacket, one Vinnie Paul “Cooking Hostile” apron, one Vinnie Paul “Hellyeah!!!” 25-piece Napkin set, and one Hellyeah University Vinnie Paul Cooking Diploma. A very tempting offer! However, if you want the apron alone, you can also buy it alone to wear at your private cookouts.
Overall, Drumming Up An Appetite With Vinnie Paul is a delightful homage to the gentle soul that was Vinnie Paul. More than just a collector’s item for Pantera, Damageplan, or HELLYEAH fans, you are going to want to try out each one of Vinnie Paul’s recipes with friends, family, and cherish one of the last true uniting aspects of humanity in enjoying a meal together. That is why Cryptic Rock gives Drumming Up An Appetite With Vinnie Paul 5 out of 5 stars.
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