This is what I love about rock and roll. This is some guy who I just discovered a month ago who just sits in his room and talks but I could listen to him talk about his album rankings for hours on end and find it just as fulfilling and entertaining as watching a movie. That's how you know this is the best genre.
As a teenager in the 80's video age, Eliminator was my introduction to ZZ Top. I went crazy for the band. I joined the ZZ Top fan club and started reading up on the history of the band. I decided to venture into the past of the band and discovered the early catalog and loved it. All this happened between the release of Eliminator and Afterburner. From there, nothing could compare to the 70's catalog.
I had just the same experience like you. As a european I was totally unaware of their earlier career before Eliminitor. And now I couldn't live without their early stuff
agree with ya to me tejas is as good as any album with those cool grooves.a very underrated Z.Z.Top album.It's probably the album I play the most or close to.
I'm first and foremost into Extreme Metal, especially Death Metal, but this channel motivates me to dig into classic rock/hard rock/heavy metal in a way I never did before. Two thumbs up.
Yes, love this track. That's what I love about this band, they were able to go beyond the mere boogie rock. And each album has its own character. Unique band.
I know you disagree, Pete, but having listened to your favorite ZZ Top album, I still consider 'Rough Boy' to be their finest song. It's so honest and original and real. It's so beautiful and individual. I love this song.
I discovered ZZTop with Eliminator when I was 9 years old. My grandma bought me the record, so it holds a special place. Now I’m in my 40s and prefer the 70s stuff.
"Tres Hombres" is in my top 10 records of all time. Opening the record with that string of songs is freaking rare. I think maybe only the "Joshua Tree" did something like that. Incredible.
Thank you Pete for being apologetic about the use of those words. Most youtubers would have a "deal with it" attitude about it. That's a very respectful, honorable and humble response.
I've been meaning to listen to more ZZ Top for quite some time. SO many albums and SO many deep cuts, it's about damn time I listened past "Tush" and "La Grange"
For me the first album is the tops by far. I grew up in the 70’s in the triangle between Houston, Dallas and Austin where this band emerged. The Moving Side Walks (precursor to ZZ Top) played at our High school prom. When that first album came out it perfectly encapsulated the very best of the Texas blues rock scene at that time and place.
Another great ranking. I grew up on Eliminator and Afterburner and only got into the old stuff within the past few years. Found the 6 pack album that has the first 5 albums and the 7th. All amazing material. Definitely need to pick up more.
Love all the ZZ Top stuff! As for the lengthier latter day albums, I don't mind em. Simply for the fact of how much time passes between most of the albums from veteran bands! Lol I'll take all I can get whenever I can get it! Gives me more to dig into until the next one arrives. 🤘
Love your top 3. Unforgettable period for ZZ. Heard Tres Hombes before the first two but immediately added all 3 after seeing them as an opening band.This three man wrecking crew blew me away- the fastest guitar playing I had ever seen. They did a number that ended up counting to 1.2.3 BLOW YOUR TOP. Swore I could see smoke coming off Billy’s guitar. To this day, I have forgotten who was headlining that night in Richmond,Va. I’m certain they wished they had never agreed to follow “The Little Ole Band From Texas” Believe it was sometime in ‘73, no later than ‘74. Saw again same venue 10 years later.after Dusty and BFG had gone from fairly clean shaven cowboys to their signature 2ft. long beards. Of course by then they had become touring monsters. Had become polished with a few theatrical gimmicks to the show. That night their opening act was completely discounted as forgotten faster than you could say Afterburner.
1st concert I ever saw, June of 1974 Long Beach Arena, California. (Tres Hombres tour). Brownsville Station, Black Oak Arkansas, and ZZ Top. Remember it clearly. No beards back then... My top 5 1) Tres Hombres 2) Rio Grande Mud 3) Deguello 4) First Album 5) Fandango
7:16 I'll never get sick of the tune and video Sharp Dressed Man. It is wayyy too badass! Especially Billy's riffs and soloing. Same goes for Legs and Gimme All Your Lovin. Absolutely killer! Plus totally hot gals in the videos. Yeah MTV played em to death but somehow I never let that ruin the fact of how amazing these tracks are.
ZZ Top is my favorite blues rock band. Also can you do a KISS ranking (involving the Ace, Paul, Gene, and Peter 78 solo albums) and AC/DC ranking anytime soon?😁
I got afterburner for my birthday, when I was 13. I told my Grandma I like this band when i was riding with her to the store.and she just bought me afterburner. This was 1999. Im not sure why she chose that. But I thought it was pretty cool.
They were in my collection since 1972 Rio Grande Mud and I went back to buy the first album that I had missed. So once again a band I grew up with and grew along with, so that is what fuels my assessments. And I agree with your notion that the CD age made them release albums that were too long. Their point was short excellent focused songs with that special guitar tone. 1. Tres Hombres (agree with every word you say, whoever sequenced the album was a genius, it builds and builds while starting at such a high level already...) 2. Tejas 3. First Album (I discovered the band with Rio Grande Mud and liked them so much I went immediately to buy their first one, and that was even better) 4. Deguello 5. Rio Grande Mud 6. Eliminator 7. El Loco 8. Fandango 9. Recycler 10. Afterburner 11. Antenna 12. Rhythmeen 13. Mescalero (Sorry, when guys get older they do the blues...slow blues...but I do not need ZZ Top for such stuff - same is true for Rhythmeen.) 14. La Futura 15. XXX
Have You Heard? and Just Got Back From Baby’s and Arrested For Drivin’...are my three favorite ZZ songs. The first five records were spectacular. I remember hearing Arrested for the first time, driving between Raleigh, NC and Cumberland, Md. Somewhere around Rockville, I heard that tune on DC101 for the first time, and had to pull off the road because it hit me so hard. You’ve got a great channel, mio amigo.
Great review as usual. These reviews are making me dig out my copies and really enjoying them again. They're also costing me cash as I'm ordering something after every review!! 👍
Great Video. I first got to know zztop in the 80s. That's why I also like Afterburner and Recycler. I especially like Tres Hombres and Fandango from the early albums. Eliminator is my favorite.
I really enjoyed this video! Although, I"m a little late....3 years late. lol Couldn't agree with you more about Tres Hombres. It's my favorite ZZ Top album. All the songs are insanely great but Sheik is what really does it for me. Tres Hombres is a top 10 all time all around favorite of mine!...maybe even top 5. Great vid! Thanks!
The concert had ZZ Top, Uriah Heap and Earth Wind and Fire. My friend had ZZ's first album and that is who we went to see, but the whole venue was great.
ZZ is my favorite band. As much as I love the early stuff, Rhythmeen is my favorite album. I dig every single track. Least favorite is Mescalero. That album surprised me because I really didn't care for much of anything on it--and I like just about everything else they've done over their 50 years of playing and recording together, including the 80s stuff. Check out Billy's latest solo project, Big Blues Band--fantastic gut-bucket electric blues and blues rock.
1) Tres Hobres 2) Deguello 3) Fandango 4) Rio Grande Mud 5) Eliminator 6) Tejas 7) EL Loco 8) Rythymeen 9)LaFutura 10) First Album 11) Mescalero 12 ) Antenna 13)Recycler 14) Afterburner Just love zz top !!
I knew and loved them since their first album. They were completely unknown in Germany at that time. But I think the purists tend to underrate Eliminator and the other 80s stuff. Very difficult to make a rating: 1 Degüello + Tejas + Eliminator, 2 Tres Hombres + First Album + Rio Grande Mud, 3 El Loco + Rhythmeen + (Afterburner, Mescalero, Antenna …). Usually totally underrated are Mescalero, Rhythmeen, Afterburner and XXX.
I have a soft spot for Afterburner. Sorry. A sentimental favorite. That and eliminator got me into zz top when I was a kid, which led me to their admittedly superior early work. So I'm thankful for that pair of albums even if they're not exactly artistic triumphs compared to the stuff that came before.
Drew Sollars Sounds exactly like me to a tee. I had heard of them, kinda, then when they literally exploded on MTV in the 80’s, it was on like donkey Kong. Sorry I couldn’t resist, but yeah I got into them deeper and appreciated them more for it as a result.🤘✌️🖖🎸🥁🎤🎹👍
Like many watching this, I was introduced to ZZ Top in the 80s thanks to MTV and the trio of music videos for the songs off Eliminator, so I have a soft spot for that album. Having said that, it’s their 70s output that makes them the great band that they are. I definitely need to dive into that era of music.
Pete's CD Vinyl World I’m English but live in Lucca, Italy. I am convinced that American swearing has its origins in Italian parolacce, brought over from il bel paese by Italian immigrants. If you translate from Italian to American English, the phrases used are all pretty much identical. British English swearing is completely different, coming from Protestant rather than Catholic origins.
Watched many of your videos and dig them. I don't always agree but your perspective is always very interesting. You a lot when you talk, but that's a lot less annoying than people that say "y'know" every other word. Keep up the good work Pete!
Love all of them but for some reason I keep coming back to El Loco, just works great as an album for me, song after song. God damn, I love that little ol band from Texas!
I subbed yesterday and a band randomly popped up in the suggestion box. They do covers of huge songs, like war pigs, but with their own spin. I have immediately become obsessed. Give them a spin they are called “The Main Squeeze”
@@ginoferiante7140 I understand a bit, but, "true" rock really came into its own in the 70's with the advent of amplification systems and distorted guitars and amps. I have NOTHING against 60's rock, but it was still mostly still finding its legs throughout the decade, not knowing whether to stay true to its rockabilly origins, or go all in with the blues rock American "dirty", not safe for your mutha and daddy, rock.
Yeah, I hear you. Technology definitely improved and strides were made into prog rock and blues rock kept growing. But bands like Cream, the Yardbirds, the Stones, the Beatles, the Band, Janis Joplin, and especially Jimi Hendrix are where it's at for me. But I think I know what you mean- Physical Graffiti has a more diverse mix of sounds and textures than their 60s albums. And bands like Rush and Aerosmith perfected "arena rock" It's all killer. I love Jeff Becks 70s albums as much as I love Truth, but then again I love his stuff from the 21st century, too. Music is magic...
Ha ha the more I think about your original comment the more I agree with it. I guess just personally I like the pioneer aspect of the 60s. But thats just what it was. The 70s was the apex of the rock era.
4:38 I'm completely opposite of you Pete when it comes to records with lots of songs. I love when bands go nuts creatively, and are prolific songwriting wise. It's real. They're messing around in the studio jammin and getting off on the new stuff for themselves. I dig that. Self indulgence is GOOD. I love double albums too. I wanna hear the experiments. I wanna hear where they're taking it all. It's an adventure with every tune. I couldn't care less if the tunes are big hits or not. Sometimes it's just the chemistry and sound of the 3 guys playing together that is enough to satisfy me as a fan. But hey that's just me. The more songs the merrier 😎😎😎😎😎
When I heard Just Got Paid way back in the day I was hooked. Got to see the Fandango tour for..are you ready? $5:00!! Crazy how things have changed RIP Dusty
Billy / Dusty / Frank !! Soooooo good..... 1. Deguello 2.Tres Hombres 3. Eliminator 4.Tejas 5. Rio Grande Mud 6. First Album 7. El Loco 8. Fandango 9.La Futura 10. Rhythmeen 11. Antenna 12. Mescalero 13. Recycler 14. Afterburner 15. XXXI have to mention an important album to me, One Foot In The Blues
Agree mostly with your comments on Eliminator, but I'm surprised you didn't mention the track I Need You Tonight. It's just an epic slow blues with delay and distortion, an absolute masterpiece.
I totally agree with your top picks Pete. And Eliminator as well. I think that we all enjoy your top ten, and ranking the albums shows. Now, whenever you can get around to it, do shows for the following: Moody Blues, Alan Parsons Project, Bob Seger, Metallica, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac. I'm sure there are more that I can't think of right now, but I'm sure you know of some. All my favorite music and bands or artist was from the 60's & 70's. And I just thought of a two more: Judas Priest, Scorpions, So , in your time man. I'm looking forward to seeing more shows. love you dude.
My Top 15 ZZ Top Albums. 15. Recycler 14. Afterburner 13. Eliminator 12. XXX 11. Antenna 10. La Futura 9. Mescalero 8. Rythmeen 7. Duguello 6. Tejas 5. El Loco 4. ZZ Top's First Album 3. Rio Grande Mud 2. Tres Hombres 1. Fandango! Took Some Time, getting into that Debut Album.
Have every ZZTop album. Love their “ tongue and cheek funny lyrics. Songs remind you of a time or event in your life. Senior year nov 79 / five mins after getting my license New York FM radio played Cheap Sunglasses. Tremendous song. Tres Hombres. Is a album every song unreal. Number 1. 2-3-4-5. Any order. ZZ Top first album. Deguello (79). Fandango. Tejas. But. I actually like A lot of Recycler and Afterburner. Tremendous show PETE. Safe Travels.
I like ZZ Top songs. Would burn my own best of CD. But if I'm in the mood for any ZZ Top CD. I'll reach for these two albums. 2) *Eliminator* Got Me Under Pressure 1) *Degüello* (love the whole album)
Rough Boy. Nothing sounds like this song. It is unique. I love America (as a British citizen), and I have now purchased Tres Hombres on your recommendation. If this is the source of Rough Boy then it must be a potent potion indeed. I have never heard La Grange, or indeed any of the tracks on this album. I soon will. It landed on my doormat a few days ago.
XXX is 30 years as ZZ TOP. They started in 1969 and XXX was released in 1999. Every time I turn our local Classic Rock station on I will hear Gimme All Your Lovin’ or Sharp Dressed Man within a few moments. Legs not as often. Used to be Tush and La Grange and sometimes Cheap Sunglasses. Love the Wurlitzer piano on that.
ZZ Top That Little Ol' Band from Texas. Formed in 1969. Two guys with beards and one guy named Beard that for many years didn't grow a beard. Longest running original band lineup ever I believe.
Pete! Awesome list! My favorites simply all from the 70ties! In my mind just for me they are the best! From 90ties and last Cd is good too! The 80ties I liked that they became so famous as I love the Band but there are only a couple of tunes for me! This is the way it is for me and I don't apologize for it! You do great work man! I enjoy a lot of your videos like on Deep Purple and Black Sabbath etc. for example! 🎸🎸🎸🎸
I feel like you are really hard on the 80s music, not just from ZZ Top, but from many albums from that era. Growing up in a small market where the radio was the only exposure to music I had as a kid and teen, I latched onto albums like Afterburner and Eliminator. As I have gotten older, I too gravitate to the older albums from the 70s but for what it was, ZZ Top had strong albums in the 80s compared to their counterparts. With that said, I respect your opinion and enjoy your videos
I'm 45. I can see both sides of this. I think the artistry of 70s albums is clearly superior. 80s material is often formulaic, and tended to emphasize the singles over albums. That said, when you get a great 80s single, it often has a vitality and energy that no other era can match.
My Top 10 ZZ albums are: 1. Tres Hombres 2. Fandango 3. Rio Grande Mud 4. Deguello 5. First Album 6. El Loco 7. Eliminator 8. Tejas 9. Mescalero 10. XXX. I started listening to ZZ right after the Tres Hombres album in 1973 and have been a huge fan ever since. I love your Ranking the Albums shows! Keep up the great work.
