A lot of legendary rock lore lies in the rubble of a hilltop home at 1209 Hickory Valley Court in Arlington.
It’s what remains of the home once owned by late heavy metal drummer Vinnie Paul, co-founder of the rock band Pantera. In 2018, Paul died at 54 from a heart condition in his other home in Las Vegas.
The 3,784-square-foot gated two-story home was listed for $750,000 and soon sold.
But former radio deejay Derek “D-Rock” Walker of North Richland Hills swung by the site and posted photos of the demolished remains of the house in a Facebook post. Walker’s photos show the leveled homesite with a bulldozer and dump truck nearby.
“Absolutely gut wrenching and heartbreaking,” Walker wrote on the post. “This was not only a heavy metal landmark but a staple in Pantera’s rock and roll legacy. Sold off to private investors to be leveled for a new build. If you were fortunate enough to be invited over, cherish the memories forever…
“Ironically enough the last photo of Vinnie Paul’s Play House, the “Brick Wall” stands alone. 💔”
The Tarrant Appraisal District shows the house was built in 1995 by Vincent Paul Abbott (Paul’s full name). Metrotex Acquisitions LLC took ownership of the property on Sept. 21.
Chris Johnston controls Metrotex Acquisitions and listed the house with his son Christopher. They are co-owners of Texas Best Home Buyers in North Richland Hills.
Updated appraisal district records list Robert Brown of Fort Worth as the owner. The appraised value of the four-bedroom house that featured a large pool with waterfall and spa was $585,515.
In February, Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows tweeted an NFT-based funding plan to buy the house, but it didn’t materialize. An estate sale of Paul’s belongings through Backstage Auctions will close Sunday.
The house was certainly distinctive and wasn’t anything like the brick, Texas-style suburban homes in the area. The house had a white stucco exterior and a black-and-white interior.
The house’s 30-foot-tall barrel ceilings in the main living area give off a silo look. On the hilltop, the property offered views of downtown Fort Worth, Veridian Lake, Las Colinas, and Arlington.
Pantera became well-known within the rock community for “raucous alcohol-fueled parties while on tour and back at home,” according to a biography of Paul published by the Texas State Historical Association.
“He wanted a party house, and that’s what he built,” Johnston told Candy’s Dirt in February.
