TGIF Rock-n-Roll Oldies: ZZ TOP - 1979

Reaganite Republican ^ | July 8, 2011 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

ZZ Top is a hugely successful Texas-rock band who've been quite innovative over four decades in the music business- 

yet they never strayed far from the basic elements/roots that made the trio so popular and distinctive in the first place. 

The group's sound -like British trio Status Quo- features a blues-based 'boogie rock', but influences are wide and varied. They hail from Houston, and formed the band from local rival bands back in 1969. ZZ Top soon developed a solid following in Texas and began writing their own songs.  Once original drummer was replaced by Frank Beard- he, Billy Gibbons, and Dusty Hill formed the band as we know them now for 40 years.

The boys signed with London Records in 1970, releasing ZZ Top's First Album in 1971, yet selling few... although I've got it and it's great, as is the second album Rio Grande Mud- which at the time fared little better in the record stores.

But after opening for such major bands as Humble Pie and Janis Joplin when they played Texas, ZZ Top were making themselves known. 1973's Tres Hombres completed the task when it went all the way to #8 on the Billboard Album chart. The record featured the single "La Grange", which of course went on to be a concert staple that has played on FM radio forever (although the first time I heard it was on AM radio when I was eleven!).

In January 1973 ZZ Top was asked by Mick Jagger to fly out to Hawaii and open for the Rolling Stones at upcoming Honolulu shows- Dusty Hill recalls the way that went: 

"We got word that Mick Jagger heard our first album and liked it. And he wanted us to open for the Stones in Hawaii. That just blew us away. 

But the next thing I heard was that Stevie Wonder opened for them here in the States and actually got booed at one show. So I was scared to death... 

We get onstage in Hawaii with our cowboy hats, boots and jeans and you could hear a pin drop. Somebody went, ‘Oh no, they’re a country band..."

After much touring and limited commercial success, the band went on a two-year hiatus in '77, which resulted -unbeknownst to each other at the time- in Gibbons and Hill growing chest-length beards. Genuinely surprised when they saw each other again, the two front men decided it would be a cool look onstage: in the event, they became instant icons. The trio was back in the music business in 1979 (never forget the first time I heard "Cheap Sunglasses" in my Camaro on the way to school!), and by 1983 found themselves in the upper-tier of rock stardom with the album Eliminator, which sold over 10 million copies alone.

Throughout the 1980s, the band had several hits that became timeless rock radio classics. MTV also played a part, as the Texas rockers were a sensation on the cable video music channel.  ZZ Top won several awards for music videos like "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man"-any real American's got to love that '32 Ford! I myself have caught the band live on two occasions, and I would say the '79 tour was one of the best shows -if not the best- I can recall having witnessed in my life, and a lot of fun, too. 

I absolutely love ZZ Top, every album-every song. If you're not familiar with some of the early 70s stuff, do yourself a favor and check it out- more of a raw, Texas country-rock.

After over 40 years, the band continues to tour and record music. ZZ Top has sold more than 50 million albums...

Here from 1979's Degüello... covering Isaac Hayes:

ZZ Top: I Thank You - 1979

Video/photos/links at Reaganite Republican

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Previous RR Rock n Roll Oldies Features -here-

Enjoy your weekend, FReepers~

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ZZTop.com   Wikipedia

[BIGLOOK]

This works for me....

[andy58-in-nh]

Great blues tune - nice choice. Playing along to it right now... thanks!

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Saw them in 73/4. Tres-Hombres top 10 of all time albums. I really miss those albums that were good beginning to end.

[Reaganite Republican]

Not really, referring to Stevie as a TX blues rocker of a similar ilk, as are the FTBs imho

But ZZ Top was always unique

[Reaganite Republican]

That was the time to see them, beat my by 6 years and pre hiatus, I would have loved to see them in a smaller setting

[Hatteras]

"Yeah, and I still think the girl with the long blond hair in this video is one of the all time hottest ever...any video.....wow"

Ahh yes, Kimberly... March '81, I believe ;-) Gina Tomasino was pretty sharp as well. From the top of the line models in all their videos right down to the spinning fuzzy guitars, ZZ Top epitomizes rock and roll class.

[NELSON111]

Uhhhh

I miss the 80's.

[antiRepublicrat]

I never hear a song from or an interview with ZZ Top that doesn’t impress me more.

One thing that helps is they stay strong. I saw them on the VH1 tribute a few years back. They blasted out Gimme All You’re Lovin’ and Cheap Sunglasses as great as they ever did, shaming Nickelback’s attempt at Sharp Dressed Man. Then Heart came up, Nancy did the guitar all right, but Anne just couldn’t do the vocals anymore, really blew Crazy on You. They should have retired a while ago.

[antiRepublicrat]

Did you say top of the line models in their videos?

[Max in Utah]

“Long Distance Boogie” from the Fandango album — recorded live, hot and righteous~!

[JNRoberts]

Uhhhh

I miss the 80’s.

The 80s were good times for a single guy living in Southern CA. Except I don’t know how I made it through without so much as a cold sore....if ya know what I mean. I am not gay (on the contrary, lots of women during the 80s for me) but this movie captures the beginning of a scary time back then.....a great movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaTAm8lSQrs

[bigbob]

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner ;-) Sorry for the late reply but wanted to recognize your correct answer. Double Extra-Points for the graphic ;-)

The song appears in Stephen King’s novel, The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands, where in the series’s post-apocalyptic alternate reality of Mid-World, the song’s looped percussion intro, played via a large PA system in the decaying city of Lud, is referred to as “the God Drums”.

[brickdds]

“Mexican Blackbird” has to be one of the funniest songs ever written.

[antiRepublicrat]

Great song. Back at you: What song was Billy Gibbons playing on the TV show Bones when Jack asked him for his blessing to marry his daughter?

[DesertSapper]

Love me some ZZTop. Got to see them in concert in ‘86 in Shreveport, LA (Afterburner tour).

[Reaganite Republican]

That’s the one I was originally going to post, to be honest... then I decided it might not be that great for general consumption lol

Drive that ole Chrysler to Mexico, boy...