After 34 years, ZZ Top's still got it

[Zomby Woof]

"Mescalero", their 2003 effort, complete with a marimba in the mix in the title track, and funky rhythm tracks by Dusty Hill and Frank Beard... this little ol' band from Texas has still got the dirty blues thang goin' on...

Name one other band who has maintained all of their original members and integrity after this long.

You can't. Because they don't exist.

ZZ Fuckin' Top.

[GOPisEvil]

1. I remember seeing them in 1984-ish...with the Texas-shaped stage...

...and livestock. Love the Top!

[Fleurs du Mal]

2. Still lookin' for some tush

[carnie_sf]

3. One of the first concerts

I ever saw was ZZ Top on their Tres Hombres tour. Nothing fancy. As I recall they sauntered out onto stage in their old blue jeans and flannel shirts and burned the house down.

[Zorro]

4. Afterburner -- the quintessential R&R album

Every tune is memorable, with great guitar licks and indistinct yet smutty-sounding lyrics. It's one of the great rock-and-roll albums of all time, in my book.

[Zomby Woof]

6. Afterburner?????

That is the only clinker in their storied career. The closest they came to 'jumping the shark'.

Are you SURE 'Afterburner' is the album you are referring to??? :wtf:

What about "Deguello"? "Eliminator"? "Fandango!"? All of those shame "Afterburner", the only Top album that will never make my conversion list to CD.

[Zorro]

9. Guess your tastes are different from mine

I personally think Afterburner is their best work, with Eliminator a close second.

YMMV.

[argyl]

5. I saw them when they were clean shaven. About 1970, they opened

for The Flying Burrito Brothers in Dallas at the State Fair Band Shell.ZZ Top sans beards and Gram Parsons; if I'da known then what I know now I'd have taken some pictures.

Billy Gibbons can sure wail on a Les Paul. When he cuts loose he can flay your nerve endings.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. They do put on a great show

[Zomby Woof]

8. Hendrix praised him on Johnny Carson

Back in 1969, Hendrix appeared on Carson, and was asked if there were any guitarists he liked up and coming...

A Houston band called The Moving Sidewalks opened for Hendrix recently, and Jimi praised their guitarist Billy Gibbons as "someone to watch out for"...

Gibbons formed ZZ Top with Sidewalks bassist Dusty Hill and from a band called American Blues (with Dusty's brother Rocky Hill on guitar), drummer Frank Beard later that year, and in 1970, ZZ Top put out their first album.

In 1986, ZZ Top finally appeared on Carson, and Carson wore a white beard with cap and sunglasses as a tribute after their performance...

[CatWoman]

10. I love ZZ Top

Funny you mention them -- I was watching one of the many MTV channels yesterday, and they were doing an 80's show.

She's Got Legs!!!

Yeah, baby!!!!!

And knows how to use them.

:hi:

[Zomby Woof]

12. those fuzzy guitars!

And the magic keys! :hi:

[johnnie]

11. I saw them in the late 80's early 90's

My friend was working on the crew and got us passes. The Black Crows opened for them and they weren't too bad. ZZ Top was just an over the top theatrical pop show. They used a lot of background tapes and it showed, in my opinion they were pretty bad. After the show we went back stage and they came in for a meet and greet. I didn't take the opportunity to talk to them, I just ate the food and drank the beer.

[haunce]

13. ZZ Top

God I love them guys:toast: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang: