The Washington Times caught up with Hellyeah drummer Vinnie Paul this week, and the musician spoke about the group’s latest release Blood for Blood, what bands inspired him and his brother Dimebag Darrell as kids and why his favorite rock ‘n’ roll memory involves KISS making him cry.

When asked what his favorite rock ‘n’ roll memory has been so far, Paul had this story to tell, “Pantera was the opening band on the KISS reunion tour in 1997, with all the original members. We toured with them in South America. We did three nights in Mexico City, then we had a flight on my birthday, which is March 11, and we were on a flight from Mexico City to San Diego, Chile.”

He continued, “KISS was in first class, and we were in business class. Halfway through the flight, all four of the original members of KISS came back to me and sang "Happy Birthday" in four-part harmony. They gave me a KISStory book. I felt like a 14-year-old kid. I had tears coming out of my eyes. They took us under their wing, really liked us, and it was a great tour.”

In fact, the former Pantera drummer also said that he and his late brother had KISS to thank as one of the bands that inspired them to make hard rock and heavy metal music. “The four bands that did it for me and my brother [Dimebag Darrell] were KISS, Van Halen, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath. All four of those bands are still iconic and active. They're the ones that really sparked us to play music.”

As for Hellyeah's Blood for Blood album, Paul stated, "We feel like we finally accomplished the true Hellyeah sound. It took us four records, but it all came together on this CD: the sound, the songs and the production all fit each other....The first two Hellyeah records were kind of experimental metal meets blues meets Southern rock meets rock 'n' roll. This one is really focused. It's what fans expected from the start. It's a great place to be right now."

Hellyeah are currently on a headlining tour with Devour the Day and Like a Storm as their supporting acts. They play in Baltimore tomorrow and you can check out their remaining tour dates here. Fans should also be on the look out for a cookbook from the drummer called Drumming Up an Appetite With Vinnie Paul, which he promises will hit shelves in time for Christmas 2015.

Hellyeah’s Chad Gray and Tom Maxwell Play ‘Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?’

More From The Basin's Classic Rock