You're dead right bout Billy. I'm 54 yo. Born in 1969. It was about 1975 I'm in the first grade. I'd never heard nonthing but gospel music and country. My uncle put this record on. And my life literally changed in many ways from that moment. The song was I heard it on the x. The voice coming out of the speakers and that 59 Les paul Pearly gates was screaming as loud as Billy was. Needless to say if I ever heard country again from that day in 75. It was on someone else's radio. Or an advertisement. And to this day I can't stand country and I grew up in the sticks of North Carolina Bass fishing and deer hunting. But only rock was good enough. I became since age 12 a fairly proficient drummer. And guitarist for what I heard at home. Getting picked up from school in my uncles 1969 Plymouth road runner. Man what happened to time. Thankfully the music back then is still there.
There was an ad that ran in Guitar Player magazine for a number of years in which Mr.Gibbons used a slang term for playing guitar that I'd never before encountered: "Spankin' the Plank"! It immediately cracked me up and I made a point of paying attention to this bearded gentleman who spoke so colourfully. "Whoa-that dude's inn ZZ Top!", I brilliantly surmised. This was right around the time "Sharp-Dressed Man" came out and Mr. Gibbons spanked that plank all the way to the top! I'm genuinely moved by the fact that Dusty and the guys had talked about what they were going to do without him and concluded that the show must go on. Rest in Rock and Roll, Dusty. May the show go on and on.
Billy has been one of my favorite guitar players for years. He was born to play guitar and he has a style and feel that is truly unique and all his own. Play on Rev! ❤
I was introduce to ZZ Top thru the airwaves in 72ish & pot about the same time , Tres Hombres was my first, ZZ Top album, been a fan ever since, 14 then 65 now , rip Dusty.. gbnf
I've seen ZZ Top when nobody ever heard of them. They opened for Ten Years After and Wild Turkey at Bill Grahm's Winterland in San Francisco. It was either Dec.1 or Dec.2 in 1972. My friend and I were looking at our tickets thinking..."who the hell is ZZ Top?" I have seen them 4 other times and they are one of my favorites.
"Cheap Sunglasses" was the first ZZ Top song I heard, I was with my dad in his car....Still my favorite song of theirs to this day. Every time I listen to it I think of my pop's and I riding in his car like it was yesterday.
I was born in Texas but my family moved to Kansas when I was twelve. I remember listening to ZZTop has a Kansas teenager and I missed Texas. I think it was La Grange I heard first. I've been hooked ever since. I've seen them seven times in concert. I moved back home to Texas years ago and I'm still listening.
Love Billy. SRV's gotta be the best thing that ever came out of Texas if you're gonna frame it that way... But ultimately it's not a contest. They both taught us different things. Valuable things.
No such thing as the best. Johnny Winter, Bugs Henderson, Blind Willie Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Anson Funderberg, Smokin Joe Kubeck, Lightning Hopkins, Mance Lipscombe, Denny Freeman, Derek O Brian, Albert Collins, JL and SR Vaughan, T Bone Walker, Charlie Christian (Oklahoma?), Johnny Guitar Watson, Dimebag, Eric Johnson. BFG is great but to say he's the best? I'm not too sure
I find Billy's playing a lot more interesting personally. SRV at times sounded similar to Jimi or Lonnie Mack.Billy sounds like nobody but Billy. He got those tones that make your hair stand. He wasn't afraid to get heavy .
I saw those guys in Boulder co in 82 just a bar on the hill i couldn't. Believe what i was seeing they were really Great thank you ZZ for 3 sets of the best picking l ever saw
My friend had a knowing smirk on his face, that day back in 1974! As he pulled Tres Hombres out of its sleeve! Wait till you hear this! As the first notes of Waiting for the Bus rang out in the room, a shiver went up my spine! I’d found what I’d been looking for! That day changed my life forever! After that, I wasn’t interested in listening to anyone else! I listened to that album every day for years! I still do! My eldest son’s name is ZZ! Full name, ZZ Dusty Billy Frank John Lee BB Muddy Hank! I met him briefly and was able to tell him that I loved him so much I named my son after him! Thank you for the video! Excellent! God Bless!
Wow…..you really didn’t think about how much of a pain in the ass that would be to write on any document did you? Kind of a dick move….literally. It doesn’t even sound cool……
("Sgt.J."). The years i, was trying to get something going worth a crap. I, was happy "Jesus just left Chicago/ Waitin for the Bus". And, a few others were known by some guys that wasn't going to do much good."Some Bartenders have heard "Tush." So, Much they get irritable. Lol. I, Think too many ppl are playing "Sharp dressed dude." Wich is... Over priced tennis shoes 👟. Baggy jeans 👖. And, A "Tu pach" T-Shirt👕. Lol. And, "Gimme 3Steps" By "Lynard Skynard." Is played to much. I, do hard rock. And, Some metal. But... I, still like what i, was learning how to play. And, listening 🎧 to. And, Going to see in Concert. ✌️, Rockin Roll.🍻🍻🎸🎸🥁🎤🎻🎺🎷🎹🎸👯👯🎙️🎛️🎚️🎧🔊🔊🎆🎇🏟️👍🤪☕☕.And, Take care.🕊️
I was about 14 or 15, my older brother took me to his friends house where I first heard tres hombres, I remembered it like it was yesterday but it was 40+ years ago.
Going through a box of old ticket stubs not long ago, My first rock concert May 19, 1973 (Dusty Hill's 24th birthday, I've come to find out) East Tennessee State University Rory Gallagher ZZ Top $4 It was about six months before Tres Hombres came out. Rory was pure fire right out of the gate, and I think he had as much fun as anyone. Then, BG and the boys came out. Back when they were the most badass blues rock band that ever was. Straw hats, jeans, no beards(but Frank. lol), and BG in a white tshirt w/ pack of Marlboros rolled up in the sleeve(lol). Needless to say, Rory and BG made a big impression on a 16 yr old. Blues rock, slide guitar nut ever since. RIP Dusty, Rory, Lou, Rod. Thank You!
ZZ Top played a show at the Northern Illinois University Fieldhouse in my hometown of DeKalb, Illinois in 1975, and I almost missed it. I had been home on leave from the Army and called and begged my CO for permission to report back two days late so I could go to this show. I love blues and had heard ZZ Top was a big blues rock band. My CO was a guitarist and he understood where I was coming from and agreed to give me the two extra days leave, IF I would work six days a week for the first two weeks I was back on duty. I took him up on that and went to my first ZZ Top show. To say the least, it was a kick ass show...
Discovered zztop with tush on a hot summer afternoon. Like you went out and purchased fandango. Wow!. I like this. Later purchased tres hombres, followed by Rio grande mud, and first album. I was hooked. In the next couple of years I was fortunate enough to see z z top in concert 3 times in Massachusetts. Nice job on your presentation. Thanks.
saw them in Kansas City in 1973 with Bachman Turner , they were killer , I had been listening to them since Rio Grande Mud , but when Tres Hombres. came out they became a favorite ,man lots of good music in the late 1970s
Growing up in the Houston area at the beginning of ZZ Top I fell in love with their music. I was at the concert in Austin from the Fandango album. The concert was incredible, hot but oh so worth it. You can hear me on all the live parts of the album...the loudest whistle. When my adult son moved home from the west coast & found out someone had stole my Fandango album for Christmas he replaced it. I asked him to listen to it with me. The very beginning which you play here he paused the record player & exclaimed 'Holy Sh!t Mom that's you!!! I've got goose pumps' I used that whistle to call the kids home at dinner time - I agree with you, I just can't imagine ZZ without Billy.
As a union stagehand I had the pleasure of working for them on at least 7 or 8 tours. I was also the doorman/ bouncer at the carabana reggea club in Houston on times blvd. Billie Gibbons would come by occasionally, a very nice man. He tipped me $50 one night because I busted his gun toting friend and I let him stay. Dusty has a brother named Rocky if I recall who also came in occasionally. My older sister worked at the dome shadows club in 1970 and my mom and I went to pick her up one night and she took me backstage to see this great new band, ZZ Top. Needless to say I am a fan. R.I.P Dusty.
back in 78 one day my friend pulled out "Tres Hombres and Tejas" asked if I heard ZZTop. "no-p". well. I could not believe what I was hearing! wow. I couldn't understand how someone could wright such lyrics and produce such clean and crisped sound. then I picked up Deguello. then El Loco LOL. I have seen them 7 times. and even had Dusty wave to me once when I called his name, I was in the stands and he was out beside the stage, that was an hour or so before they started to play on stage. when I heard Dusty passed I had a tear in my eye all day. yes. those 3 guys are that much a part of my life.
My very first real to reel recording purchase was ZZ Tops Fandango.. and I saw them in concert back in the mid-70s when a little-known musician to me at the time named Bob Seger was opening for them,. I was deaf for the next 3 days after the concert..lol I agree that Billy Gibbons is an awesome guitar player, but let us not forget Stevie Ray Vaughan also came from Texas..
I first heard ZZ Top's "La Grange" when I was a kid in the early 70's while in the 9th grade going to Crockett HS in Austin TX. I loved it. Then I discovered ZZ Tops First Album and "Brown Sugar". Have mercy! That song is still my favorite after all these years. God bless Billy, Frank, and Elwood. Dusty gets no love from me. He's already made to heaven!
I wish I hadn't been so contrary and hade just recently (a couple of years ago....) Really started Listening to them. I'd have listened and loved ZZ Top a Lonnnnnggg time ago. But better Late than Never I guess. They Are/Were Fabulous!!
Great video. I love many guitar players. Slash, SRV, Albert King, but nobody gets me to smile as much as Billy. I absolutely love the way he makes the guitar sound. Nothing is better. For me he is the absolute King.
Since way back in the 70s ZZ-TOP has been my absolute favorite band, bar none. Saw them in concert three times back in the 80s. Best concerts I ever saw, my favorite was the one that had Jeff Healey as opening act. OUTSTANDING! I still have my ZZ key chain from the Eliminator tour, and the T-shirt from the 1990 Recycler tour.
And Ron from what I can tell there's still quite a bit of interest in Billy G ,ZZTOP ,Stevie Ray Vaughn and others from the southwest Texas rocking blues wave 🌊 of the whole southern rock explosion 💥 that was the beginning of the end of the British invasion into American Roc and Roll
I personally love the "live" side of Fandango. They were very impressive in their younger days. The singing was incredible on that side. The dialog between the 3 of them was so tight and spot on. The 1st time I heard that I been a fan ever since.
Great documentary mate. Thanks for taking the time to make this. Really awesome. Love Billy and The Top, have done since the 80’s and Eliminator. One of the best
Bless them 🙏❤👍👍👍👍👍 Little big band from Texas From me here in sweden Favorite album well! All of them, cant stop listening To them! 👍❤🙏⭐👍👍👍👍👍 Hockt seens 1977 tejas album 🎵🎸🎵🎶🎶🎶🎸🎸
My first encounter with zztop was tush some time in the early 70s ,don't remember where I heard but I have been a fan ever since. Going to Spotify to listen.
As I was about to say was the southwest Texas rockin blues 🌊 🌊 was the last phase of the whole southern rock explosion 💥 onto the music 🎶 scene in the late 70s to mid 80s that pretty much ended the British invasion in the music 🎶 scene world wide
Got to see ZZ TOP just last weekend. It was a great show. Billy was great as always. Frank is amazing on drums. Sure did miss seeing Dusty, but Elwood did a fine job filling in. But where they got new bassist. Their is only one Billy
As a native Houstonian , and TEXAN, I tend to agree, with no disrespect to the video. Fandango was my first ZZ TOP album and me and my friend ,down the street wore it out! We would put on our cowboy hats and play air guitar. I always wished I would have got to go to that bbq on the picture. Tejas is GREAT,too. Avalon Hideaway rocks,
had to stop at 1 15 and change.... For me Nasty Dogs from Fandango. Good intro. All in. Epi LP and IBZ V here. Saw them for Tejas, Cow Palace. Loudest but clearest bass from Dusty i ever heard , Winterland about a dozen times, etc. I'll never forget this.... Great offering !!!
I’ve been a fan of Billy and his playing for many years. I have a Les Paul and love it. Billy’s songs play really well on it. ❤ I got to meet Billy about two years ago in Nashville, my home town. He was so nice and he even said, “Let’s take a pic together.” That pic hangs on my wall at home. 😊🙏
Thanks for this, I've reall y enjoyed it. I've been a fan since I first heard them in the 70's, I play guitar and have often jammed along to ZZ Top. But Billy Gibbons is out on his own for sound and talent!
Great video! ZZ Top will always reign supreme - they were my first concert back in 1974 when I was in the 8th grade. I have seen ZZ 4 times and have never been disappointed. I agree, when the good Reverend Billy decides to stop, we'll have to settle back into the vast catalog of music to get our fix. Keep on rockin!'
I had Fandango Rio Grande Mud and Tres Hombres. My sister had the first album. The newer stuff I never bought the CD's but liked a few of the songs that were on the bluesy side. Hell they were all good.
My sister would usually pick me up from school in the late 70s, and she had good taste in music (The Doors, Queen, April Wine). So one day our eldest brother (EXCELLENT taste: Yes, Hendrix, Nugent) borrowed her new Ford Pinto and dented the front fender. To make ammends, he pointed at his wall of LPs and 8-tracks in his room and told her "to pick a few." I had recently heard him playing a certain black 8-track while working on his Dodge Demon in the garage. I didn't know who it was, but I loved that slow blues song I knew was on it, so I sprinted out to grab it... It was Fandango, and I made her put it on everyday. We moved back to Louisiana in '78, and he left Tres Hombres in my Dad's car, so I got that one from him also.
Great story. Thanks for sharing it. You just jiggled my memory of a group I hadn't though of in years, April Wine! I got to go search them up and listen again. Thanks for watching and your story.
Going to see The Top this summer- know it’ll be an emotional concert… Was blessed to meet Big Dust years ago- made a total ass of myself as I was star struck… couldn’t even talk. Great tribute Mate
Nobody will believe this but I took guitar lessons from him. He ran an ad in the Houston Press guitar lessons Billy 5.00. I went to his home in Belair and hung out with him in his little bedroom and we tried to discect Jeff Beck and Eric and some Peter Green. I was in awe of him and still am.
I'm 67 group just down the street from Billy Gibbons I got some stories too would love to chat almost everything you say is authentic I know a couple things are just a slight bit different but close enough that they are the ultimate and that's what formed my lifestyle in the great state of Texas growing up. I'm in Ormond Beach Florida now but I still watch them and I've seen him since Justin is gone to even in Daytona Beach Florida metal many times backstage Billy Gibbons does remember me that makes me feel good. Would love to tell some of my stories growing up with them song so many times great band My favorite
Love your video. I agree completely with that billy is zztop and once he is gone it’s over. I think billy is the best guitar player ever and his sound is Texas at its best. Thanks and have a great day…
