ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in
bluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
-based
boogie rockBoogie rock is a music genre which came out of the hard heavy blues rock of the late 1960s. It tends to feature a repetitive driving rhythm in place of instrumental experimentation found in the more progressive blues-rock bands of the period.-Definitions:...
, has come to incorporate elements of
arenaArena rock is a term used to describe rock music that utilised large arena venues, particularly sports venues, for concerts or series of concerts linked in tours...
,
southernSouthern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
, and
boogie rockBoogie rock is a music genre which came out of the hard heavy blues rock of the late 1960s. It tends to feature a repetitive driving rhythm in place of instrumental experimentation found in the more progressive blues-rock bands of the period.-Definitions:...
. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969. Musician
Billy GibbonsWilliam Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
and drummer Dan Mitchell, originally in a band called the
Moving SidewalksThe Moving Sidewalks was a 1960s American psychedelic blues-rock band, most notable for giving future ZZ Top guitarist, Billy Gibbons, his start in the music business...
, got together with bassist Lanier Greig (soon replaced by Billy Ethridge), to form ZZ Top. In 1969, Ethridge and Mitchell were replaced by
Dusty HillJoseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
and (the beardless)
Frank BeardFrank Lee Beard is the drummer in the rock band ZZ Top. Beard was formerly with the bands The Cellar Dwellars, who originally were a three-piece band, The Hustlers, The Warlocks, and American Blues before starting to play and record with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill as ZZ Top.Beard was born in...
from the band
American BluesAmerican Blues were a 1960s Texas-based garage band who played a psychedelic style of blues rock music influenced by the 13th Floor Elevators. They are most famous for including two future members of the band ZZ Top in their ranks, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard...
. The band soon began developing a following in Texas.
They were signed to
London RecordsLondon Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
in 1970 and released several albums, beginning with their 1971
debut albumZZ Top's First Album is the debut album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1971.In 1987, this album was remixed for CD release...
, followed by their 1972 album
Rio Grande MudRio Grande Mud is the second album by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was released in 1972.The album title was inspired by the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border between Mexico and Texas and means "big river" in Spanish....
. In 1973, the band emerged into the mainstream with the album
Tres HombresTres Hombres is the third album by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was released in 1973. The album marked the first of many times the band worked with engineer Terry Manning which proved a successful combination as the release was the band's first commercial breakthrough...
, and their 1975 follow-up
Fandango!Fandango! is the fourth album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1975. Half the cuts are selections from live shows, the other half are new songs from the studio...
expanded on their sound and sense of humor. By the mid-1970s, they were among the most popular touring acts in the United States and broke various concert attendance feats. After years of touring, the band went on a two-year break in 1977, which resulted in Gibbons and Hill growing chest-length beards.
Although they returned in 1979 and the band signed a new deal with
Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
(taking the rights to their London recordings with them), it was not until the band released 1983's Eliminator that they reached a new height in popularity, selling over 10 million copies. Throughout the late 1980s, the band made several hits and won several awards for music videos like "
Legs"Legs" is a song performed by the band ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as a single in 1984 and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States...
" and "
Sharp Dressed Man"Sharp Dressed Man" is a song performed by ZZ Top from their album Eliminator released in 1983. The song was produced by band manager Bill Ham, and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning....
". After over 40 years of performing with the same members, the band continues to tour and record music.
ZZ Top has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, including 25 million albums in the US alone. The band scored eight Top 40 hits on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, six number one
Mainstream RockHot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
hits, and three
MTV Video Music AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
. They were inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 2004.
Formation and early years (1967–1972)
In 1967,
Billy GibbonsWilliam Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
formed his own band called the
Moving SidewalksThe Moving Sidewalks was a 1960s American psychedelic blues-rock band, most notable for giving future ZZ Top guitarist, Billy Gibbons, his start in the music business...
with bassist Don Summers, drummer Dan Mitchell, and organist Tom Moore in
HoustonHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. After Summers and Moore were drafted into the
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, Gibbons formed a new group with Mitchell and bassist Lanier Greig, although they still needed a name. Lanier Greig later left the band and was replaced by Billy Ethridge.
The band's name was rumored to have derived from
Zig-ZagZig-Zag is a brand of rolling papers that originated in France. It is marketed in the USA by National Tobacco, in Europe by Republic Technologies, and in Japan by Tsuge Pipes...
and
TOPTOP is a brand of cigarette rolling papers distributed by Republic Tobacco of Glenview, Illinois. Republic Tobacco paid an undisclosed amount to acquire the brand from R. J. Reynolds in 1987....
rolling papers. Gibbons, however, revealed the true origin of the group's name in his autobiographical book Billy F Gibbons: Rock + Roll Gearhead. The book mentions an apartment that Gibbons lived in, with a row of
flyers__notoc__A flyer or flier, also called a circular, handbill or leaflet, is a form of paper advertisement intended for wide distribution and typically posted or distributed in public place....
on a wall. Taking notice of Z. Z. Hill and
B. B. KingRiley B. King , known by the stage name B.B. King, is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter.Rolling Stone magazine ranked him at No.3 on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. According to Edward M...
posters, Gibbons favored "ZZ" and "King," and came up with "ZZ King," though it was too much like the guitarist's name. Coming to the conclusion that B.B. King was on the "top," Gibbons settled with the name "ZZ Top."
Meanwhile, Hill and Beard formed the band
American BluesAmerican Blues were a 1960s Texas-based garage band who played a psychedelic style of blues rock music influenced by the 13th Floor Elevators. They are most famous for including two future members of the band ZZ Top in their ranks, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard...
with Hill's brother
Rocky HillRocky Hill was a blues guitarist, singer, and bassist from Dallas, Texas in the United States. Hill was the older brother of ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill.-Biography:...
, which was based on blues and
psychedelic rockPsychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
. Hill and Beard moved to Houston in 1968. Two years later, they met with Gibbons, who had dropped Mitchell and Ethridge from the group. After finalizing the lineup, they hired
Bill HamBill Ham was the manager, producer, and image-maker of ZZ Top, from its inception in late 1969 until September 2006.-Career:...
as their manager, who secured a record deal with
London RecordsLondon Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
. ZZ Top played their first gig in
BeaumontBeaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, Texas at the Knights of Columbus Hall on February 10, 1970, which was booked by rock DJ Al Caldwell.
The band issued their debut album,
ZZ Top's First AlbumZZ Top's First Album is the debut album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1971.In 1987, this album was remixed for CD release...
. Released in January 1971, the album failed to chart, though the single "(Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree" peaked at No.50 on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The album was a blues-rock record filled with distorted guitars,
boogie-woogieBoogie-woogie has the following meanings:*Boogie-woogie, a piano-based music style*Boogie-woogie , a swing dance or a dance that imitates the rock-n-roll dance of the 1950s*"Boogie Woogie" , a song by EuroGroove and Dannii Minogue...
rhythms, and
sexual innuendosAn innuendo is a baseless invention of thoughts or ideas. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging , that works obliquely by allusion...
, laying the foundation for ZZ Top's signature
blues-rockBlues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...
sound.
The band started to attract local attention doing live shows, opening for acts like
Janis JoplinJanis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
,
Humble PieHumble Pie was a rock band from England, finding success both in the UK and the US. They are remembered for songs such as "Black Coffee" "30 Days in the Hole", "I Don't Need No Doctor", and "Natural Born Bugie"...
,
Ten Years AfterTen Years After is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, Ten Years After scored eight Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart...
, and
Mott the HoopleMott the Hoople were a British rock band with strong R&B roots, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid 1970s. They are popularly known for the song "All the Young Dudes", written for them by David Bowie and appearing on their 1972 album of the same name.-The early years:Mott The Hoople...
. Ham also hired the
LubbockLubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, Texas, guitarist
Jay Boy AdamsJames Wallace Adams, known as Jay Boy Adams , is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Lubbock and San Antonio, Texas, known particularly for his talent for storytelling in his songs.-Early years:...
.
In January 1973, ZZ Top was asked by
Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
frontman,
Mick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, to open their shows in Honolulu. Dusty Hill recalls: The band released their second album
Rio Grande MudRio Grande Mud is the second album by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was released in 1972.The album title was inspired by the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border between Mexico and Texas and means "big river" in Spanish....
in 1972, which peaked at No.104 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. Although the only charting single from the album was "Francine" at #69, several songs such as "Just Got Paid" and "Bar-B-Q" would become fan favorites of the band's live shows.
US popularity, Tres Hombres and Fandango!
ZZ Top's next album was 1973's
Tres HombresTres Hombres is the third album by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was released in 1973. The album marked the first of many times the band worked with engineer Terry Manning which proved a successful combination as the release was the band's first commercial breakthrough...
, which established them as national stars when the album charted at No.8 on the Billboard 200. Tres Hombres was an instant success, starting with the single "
La Grange"La Grange" is a song by the rock group ZZ Top from their album Tres Hombres, released in 1973. One of their most successful songs, it was released in 1973 and received extensive radio play, rising to #41 in the Billboard Pop Singles list in 1974. The song refers to a bordello on the outskirts of...
," which hit No.41 on the Billboard Hot 100. In addition, "La Grange," a song about a bordello on the outskirts of
La GrangeLa Grange is a city in Fayette County, Texas, near the Colorado River. The population was 4,478 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimated population was 4,645. But a 2010 census estimated that the city had a population of 4,923...
, Texas, became a permanent staple in the band's
set listA set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
. The album is well regarded and appeared on Rolling Stones
500 Greatest Albums of All Time"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
. The band toured in support of Tres Hombres, performing for stadium-sized audiences. On Labor Day in 1974, a show at
Austin'sAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
Texas Memorial Stadium attracted an audience of over 100,000. The concert, named "ZZ Top's First Annual Texas Size Rompin' Stompin' Barn Dance and Bar B.Q.," featured special guests including
SantanaSantana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
,
Joe CockerJohn Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, and
Bad CompanyBad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
.
The next album, 1975's
Fandango!Fandango! is the fourth album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1975. Half the cuts are selections from live shows, the other half are new songs from the studio...
, featured the
A-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
with live performances recorded at
The WarehouseThe Warehouse, located at 1820 Tchoupitoulas Street, was the main venue for rock music, in New Orleans, in the 1970s. It opened on January 30, 1970, with Fleetwood Mac, followed the next night by The Grateful Dead. The Allman Brothers Band were regulars....
in New Orleans and the other side with studio tracks. The album scored the band their first Top 40 hit "
Tush"Tush" was the only single from ZZ Top's fourth album Fandango!. It reached number 20 on the pop chart.The song is a twelve-bar blues in the key of G. The recording was produced by Bill Ham, and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning...
," peaking at #20. Soon after Fandango! was released, the band continued to tour extensively, headlining their own shows, and breaking concert attendance records set by
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
and
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
. In 1976, they organized the
Worldwide Texas TourThe Worldwide Texas Tour: Taking Texas to the People was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Launched in support of Fandango!, the band performed in stadiums and convention centers from 1976 through 1977. The Worldwide Texas Tour was elaborately-staged, complete with five 36-foot wide...
, which included a Texas-shaped stage, as well as various livestock and plants for props. 1977's
TejasTejas is the fifth album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in late November 1976. The title is the modern Spanish word for Texas, the band's home state....
was not as successful or as positively received as their previous efforts, although the album went to No.17 on Billboards Pop Albums chart.
ZZ Top continued the Worldwide Texas Tour in support of Tejas, though they had been touring for seven years. The band went on what was supposed to be a 90-day break from public appearances. Gibbons traveled to Europe, Beard had gone to
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, and Hill went to
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The break extended to two years, during which Gibbons and Hill grew chest-length beards.
Reunion, Degüello and El Loco (1979–1981)
In 1979, ZZ Top signed with
Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
and released the album
DegüelloDegüello is the sixth studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1979 . "Degüello" means "beheading" or, idiomatically, "no quarter" in Spanish and was the title of a Moorish-origin bugle call used by the Mexican Army forces at the Battle of the Alamo, Texas, in 1836.Degüello...
. While the album went platinum, it only reached No.24 on the Billboard chart. The album produced two singles, including "
I Thank You"I Thank You" is a song written by David Porter and Isaac Hayes originally recorded by Sam & Dave, released in early 1968. The single was Sam & Dave's final release on Stax Records, reaching #9 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and #4 on the R&B chart...
," a cover of a song recorded by Sam and Dave, and "
Cheap Sunglasses"Cheap Sunglasses" is a 1980 single by ZZ Top from their 1979 album Degüello. It is one of their most famous songs and includes the use of some odd instruments. The song captures many of the sounds and beats that ZZ Top is famous for. It is also featured on the greatest hits collections ZZ Top's...
." The band remained a popular concert attraction and
toured in support of DegüelloThe Expect No Quarter Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Launched in support of Degüello, the band performed in coliseums from 1979 through 1981. Unlike the previous Worldwide Texas Tour, the Expect No Quarter Tour's stage set was simple and featured a drum riser with an animated...
. In April 1980, ZZ Top made their first appearance in Europe, performing for the German music television show
RockpalastRockpalast is a German music television show that broadcasts live on German television station Westdeutscher Rundfunk . Rockpalast started in 1974 and continues to this day. Hundreds of rock and jazz bands have performed on Rockpalast...
.
El LocoEl Loco is the seventh studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1981 . The title means "The Crazy One" in Spanish. Guitarist/singer Billy Gibbons has stated that the recordings of this album was the first time the three members of the band were isolated from one another in the...
was released in October 1981, featuring three singles ("
Tube Snake Boogie"Tube Snake Boogie" is a song by the rock band ZZ Top from their 1981 album El Loco. It was released as a single that year and reached #4 on the Mainstream Rock charts....
," "
Pearl Necklace"Pearl Necklace" is a song by ZZ Top from their 1981 album El Loco. The song went to #28 on the Mainstream Rock charts in 1981."Pearl Necklace" was produced by Bill Ham, and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning.-Song information:...
," and "Leila").
Eliminator and the synth era (1981–1990)
ZZ Top's next album was even more successful. Eliminator, released in March 1983, featured two Top 40 singles ("
Gimme All Your Lovin'"Gimme All Your Lovin" is a song by ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as the album's first single in 1983 ....
" and "
Legs"Legs" is a song performed by the band ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as a single in 1984 and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States...
"), four Mainstream Rock hits (including "
Got Me Under Pressure"Got Me Under Pressure" is song by ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was produced by band manager Bill Ham, and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning.-Album appearances:...
" and "
Sharp Dressed Man"Sharp Dressed Man" is a song performed by ZZ Top from their album Eliminator released in 1983. The song was produced by band manager Bill Ham, and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning....
"), and "Legs" peaking at No.13 on the Club Play Singles chart. Eliminator was a critical and commercial success, selling more than 10 million copies, and several music videos were in regular rotation on MTV. The band also won their first
MTV Video Music AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
in the categories of
Best Group VideoThe MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video was first given out at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards; and in 2007, going along with how the VMAs were revamped that year, the award was renamed Best Group, as it awarded the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video...
for "Legs," and
Best DirectionThe following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Direction in a Video. In 2007, the award was briefly renamed Best Director, but it returned to its original name for the 2008 awards....
for "Sharp Dressed Man." The music videos were included in their
Greatest HitsGreatest Hits is a music video compilation by ZZ Top. It was released in 1992 under Warner Bros. Records.-Track listing:All songs by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard except where noted.#"Gimme All Your Lovin'"#"Sharp Dressed Man"#"Legs"...
video, which has been released on DVD ever since and quickly went multi-platinum.
Afterburner
Despite not selling as many copies as Eliminator, 1985's
AfterburnerAfterburner is the ninth studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1985 . Afterburner was a financial success, going several times platinum and launching several hit singles. The most successful single released from this album was "Sleeping Bag", which peaked at No. 1 on the...
was still as successful commercially, becoming their highest-charting album, and racking up sales of 5 million units. All of the singles from Afterburner were Top 40 hits, with two hitting No.1 on the Mainstream Rock chart. The music video for "
Velcro Fly"Velcro Fly" is the fifth single off ZZ Top's 1985 album Afterburner. The song peaked at #15 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, and #35 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986.A 12" version is featured on the box set Chrome, Smoke & BBQ....
" was choreographed by pop singer
Paula AbdulPaula Julie Abdul is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.In the 1980s, Abdul rose from cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers to highly sought-after choreographer at the height of the music video era before scoring a string of pop music-R&B hits...
. ZZ Top's grueling
Afterburner World TourThe Afterburner World Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. The tour took place in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. The set list featured material from the band's previous six studio albums...
lasted well into 1987, which also saw the release of The ZZ Top Sixpack, a three-disc collection of ZZ Top's albums from 1970 to 1981, with the exception of Degüello. The albums "ZZ Top's First Album", "Rio Grande Mud", "Tres Hombres", "Fandango" and "Tejas" were remixed with the result that the sound of the first 5 albums of material was changed to sound like they were recorded in the 1980s (with echo and drum machines), and sounded very different from the original album releases. Many of the original mixes were used on the 2003 CD box set
Chrome, Smoke & BBQChrome, Smoke & BBQ is a box set by American blues-rock band ZZ Top, released in 2003. This box set is notable for using the original mixes for all of the tracks from the band's first 5 albums for the first time on the CD format...
and it's companion piece
Rancho TexicanoRancho Texicano: The Very Best of ZZ Top is a best of album by American blues-rock band ZZ Top, released in 2004 . The title is a portmanteau of "texan" and "mexicano", meaning "Tex-mex Ranch". The compilation is essentially a pared-down version of the box set Chrome, Smoke & BBQ, released the...
. Also, remastered versions of
Tres HombresTres Hombres is the third album by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was released in 1973. The album marked the first of many times the band worked with engineer Terry Manning which proved a successful combination as the release was the band's first commercial breakthrough...
and
FandangoFandango is a lively couple's dance, usually in triple metre, traditionally accompanied by guitars and castanets or hand-clapping . Fandango can both be sung and danced. Sung fandango is usually bipartite: it has an instrumental introduction followed by "variaciones"...
were eventually released on CD in 2010 with the original mixes intact. However, the remaining songs from
ZZ Top's First AlbumZZ Top's First Album is the debut album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1971.In 1987, this album was remixed for CD release...
,
Rio Grande MudRio Grande Mud is the second album by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was released in 1972.The album title was inspired by the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border between Mexico and Texas and means "big river" in Spanish....
and
TejasTejas may refer to:* Tejas, a Sanskrit synonym for fire; light; brightness; sharp; brilliance; lord of speed; name meaning- People with this name tend to be natural leaders, self-sufficient, and ambitious. They generally want to make their own decisions in life and are not afraid to take charge or...
have never appeared on CD in their original mixes.
Recycler
Recycler, released in 1990, was ZZ Top's last studio album under contract with Warner Records. Recycler was also the last of a distinct sonic trilogy in the ZZ Top catalogue. The collection actually marked a return towards the earlier, simpler guitar-driven blues sound with less synthesizer and pop bounce of the previous two albums. This move did not entirely suit the fan base that Eliminator and Afterburner had built up, and while Recycler did achieve platinum status, it never matched the sales of Eliminator and Afterburner. The cartoonish and sexy-ZZ-girl videos continued in singles like "My Head's in Mississippi", "Give It Up", and "Burger Man".
ZZ Top contributed a song, "
Doubleback"Doubleback" is a song by ZZ Top from their album Recycler, which was featured in the film Back to the Future Part III. The band had a cameo in the movie playing an "Old West" version of the song along with some local musicians. The regular version of the song plays over the credits."Doubleback"...
", and appeared as an acoustic band in the wild-west dance scene in the 1990 movie
Back to the Future Part IIIBack to the Future Part III is a 1990 American science fiction comedy Western film. It is the third installment of the Back to the Future trilogy. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson and Lea Thompson. The film...
. The band also appeared in the 1990 TV movie
Mother Goose Rock 'n' RhymeMother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme is a 1990 musical TV movie that aired on the Disney Channel starring Shelley Duvall as Little Bo Peep and Dan Gilroy as Gordon Goose, the son of Mother Goose along with a star-studded supporting cast of various other actors and...
, portraying the
Three Men in a Tub"Rub-A-Dub-Dub" is an English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 3101.-Lyrics:This rhyme exists in many variations. Among those current today is:The earliest versions of this rhyme published differ significantly in their wording...
.
In 1992, Warner released ZZ Top's Greatest Hits along with a new Rolling Stones-style cut "Gun Love" and an Elvis-inflected video, "Viva Las Vegas".
In 1993, ZZ Top inducted a major influence,
CreamCream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, into the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
.
Antenna, Rhythmeen and XXX
The band then signed to a $35 million deal with
RCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, releasing the million-selling Antenna in 1994. Subsequent RCA albums,
RhythmeenRhythmeen is the 12th studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1996.-Reception:Allmusic gave it a mixed review, by stating: "ZZ Top's long-awaited return to blues finally arrived in 1996, well over a decade after they abandoned their simple three-chord boogie for a synth and...
(1996) and 1999's
XXX-Japan track listing:-ZZ Top:*Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals*Dusty Hill – bass, keyboards, vocals*Frank Beard – drums, percussion-Production:*Producer: Billy Gibbons*Engineer: Joe Hardy*Assistant engineer: Gary Moon*Mixing: Joe Hardy*Mastering: Bob Ludwig...
(the second album to feature live tracks) sold well, but did not reach earlier standards. ZZ Top, however, continued to play to enthusiastic live audiences.
Mescalero
In 2003, ZZ Top released a final RCA album,
MescaleroMescalero is the fourteenth studio album by American rock band ZZ Top. It was released on April 15, 2003 as the band's final release for RCA Records. While the band still retained their foundation in blues music, Mescalero explored genres like country, Tejano...
, an album thick with harsh Gibbons guitar and featuring a
hidden trackIn the field of recorded music, a hidden track is a piece of music that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, vinyl record or other recorded medium in such a way as to avoid detection by the casual listener...
– a cover version of "
As Time Goes By"As Time Goes By" is a song written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931. It became most famous in 1942 when it was sung by the character Sam in the movie Casablanca. The song was voted #2 on the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs special, commemorating the best songs in film. It was used as a fanfare for Warner...
". RCA impresario Clive Davis wanted to do a collaboration record (in the mode of
Carlos SantanaCarlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
's successful Supernatural) for this album. In an interview in Goldmine magazine, artists
PinkAlecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
,
Dave MatthewsDavid John "Dave" Matthews is a South African–born American musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band...
, and
WilcoWilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
were among the artists slated for the project.
A comprehensive four-CD collection of recordings from the London and Warner Bros. years,
Chrome, Smoke & BBQChrome, Smoke & BBQ is a box set by American blues-rock band ZZ Top, released in 2003. This box set is notable for using the original mixes for all of the tracks from the band's first 5 albums for the first time on the CD format...
, was released in 2003. It featured the band's first single (A- and B-side), several rare B-side tracks as well as a radio promotion from 1979, a live track and several extended dance mix versions of their biggest MTV hits. Three tracks from Billy Gibbons' pre-ZZ band, The Moving Sidewalks, were also included.
Hall of Fame, touring, and unfinished album (2004–present)
In 2004, ZZ Top was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
.
Keith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
of
The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
gave the induction speech. ZZ Top gave a brief performance, playing "La Grange" and "Tush."
Expanded and remastered versions of the original studio albums from the 1970s and ’80s are currently in production. Marketed as "Remastered and Expanded," these releases include additional live tracks which were not present on the original recordings. Three such CDs have been released to date (Tres Hombres, Fandango!, and Eliminator). The first two were released in 2006 and use the original mixes free from echo and drum machines, while "Eliminator" was released in 2008. The Eliminator re-release also features a collector's edition version containing a DVD featuring several videos and additional live tracks.
As of 2006, it was reported that ZZ Top were recording their 15th studio album. There was no release, however, and on September 17, 2006, the band ended their tenure with RCA Records and further left their manager
Bill HamBill Ham was the manager, producer, and image-maker of ZZ Top, from its inception in late 1969 until September 2006.-Career:...
, president of Lone Wolf Management. No reasons were publicized for these changes. In December 2006, Sanctuary Management added ZZ Top to its roster.
ZZ Top's most recent high-profile appearance was a performance at the 2008
Orange BowlThe Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935 and celebrated its 75th playing on January 1, 2009...
game in Miami. They also performed in 2008 at the
Auto Club 500The Auto Club 400 is a long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Prior to 2005, the race was held in late April or early May, and until 2010, the race was run at a length of 500 miles. When the NASCAR Realignment of 2005 was made, the race...
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
event at the Auto Club Speedway in
FontanaFontana is a city of 196,069 residents in San Bernardino County, California. Founded in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area...
, California.
On June 23, 2008, ZZ Top celebrated the release of their first live concert DVD entitled
Live From TexasLive from Texas is a live DVD/Blu-ray by ZZ Top. It was recorded on November 1st, 2007 at the Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas and released on June 24, 2008 via Eagle Rock Records...
with the world premiere, a special appearance, and charity auction at the
Hard Rock CafeHard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
in Houston. The DVD was officially released on June 24, 2008. The featured performance was culled from a concert filmed at the Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas on November 1, 2007.
In July 2008, the band announced they have signed with producer
Rick RubinFrederick Jay "Rick" Rubin is an American record producer and the co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, Rubin was the co-founder of Def Jam Records and also established American Recordings...
and are recording a new album. Rubin will be producing the next album, and it has been reported that the band will be aiming to move back to their pre-80s La Grange sound.
The Eliminator Collector's Edition CD/DVD, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band's iconic RIAA Diamond Certified album, was released September 10, 2008. The release includes seven bonus tracks and a bonus DVD, including four television performances from
The TubeThe Tube was an innovative United Kingdom pop/rock music television programme, which ran for five seasons, from 5 November 1982 until 1987...
in November 1983.
The band performed at the 2009 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo on the final night on March 22, 2009. In July, the band appeared on
VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's
StorytellersStorytellers is a television music series produced by the VH1 network.In each episode artists perform in front of a live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat similar to MTV Unplugged...
, in celebration of their four decades as recording artists.
On January 22, 2010, Billy Gibbons accompanied
Will FerrellJohn William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
and others playing "
Free Bird"Free Bird" is a song by the American southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
" on
Conan O'BrienConan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
's last show. O'Brien joined in on guitar.
On June 8, 2011, a press release, reported on various media sources, announced that the new song "Flyin' High" will debut in space. Astronaut and friend of ZZ Top, Michael Fossum, was given the released single to listen to on his trip to the International Space Station.
Billy Gibbons stated in an interview in August 2011 that the new album had been recorded, with initial recording taking place in
Malibu, California before moving to Houston, but was still unnamed and had yet to be mixed and mastered. Gibbons said that the expected release date was sometime in March or April 2012.
Current members
- Billy Gibbons
William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
– lead vocals, guitar
- Dusty Hill
Joseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
– bass, keyboards, vocals
- Frank Beard
Frank Lee Beard is the drummer in the rock band ZZ Top. Beard was formerly with the bands The Cellar Dwellars, who originally were a three-piece band, The Hustlers, The Warlocks, and American Blues before starting to play and record with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill as ZZ Top.Beard was born in...
– drums
Discography
- ZZ Top's First Album
ZZ Top's First Album is the debut album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1971.In 1987, this album was remixed for CD release...
(1971)
- Rio Grande Mud
Rio Grande Mud is the second album by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was released in 1972.The album title was inspired by the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border between Mexico and Texas and means "big river" in Spanish....
(1972)
- Tres Hombres
Tres Hombres is the third album by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was released in 1973. The album marked the first of many times the band worked with engineer Terry Manning which proved a successful combination as the release was the band's first commercial breakthrough...
(1973)
- Fandango!
Fandango! is the fourth album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1975. Half the cuts are selections from live shows, the other half are new songs from the studio...
(1975)
- Tejas
Tejas is the fifth album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in late November 1976. The title is the modern Spanish word for Texas, the band's home state....
(1977)
- Degüello
Degüello is the sixth studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1979 . "Degüello" means "beheading" or, idiomatically, "no quarter" in Spanish and was the title of a Moorish-origin bugle call used by the Mexican Army forces at the Battle of the Alamo, Texas, in 1836.Degüello...
(1979)
- El Loco
El Loco is the seventh studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1981 . The title means "The Crazy One" in Spanish. Guitarist/singer Billy Gibbons has stated that the recordings of this album was the first time the three members of the band were isolated from one another in the...
(1981)
- Eliminator (1983)
- Afterburner
Afterburner is the ninth studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1985 . Afterburner was a financial success, going several times platinum and launching several hit singles. The most successful single released from this album was "Sleeping Bag", which peaked at No. 1 on the...
(1985)
- Recycler
Recycler is the tenth studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1990.The band had a cameo in the 1990 movie Back to the Future Part III playing an "old west" version of "Doubleback" along with some local musicians....
(1990)
- Antenna (1994)
- Rhythmeen
Rhythmeen is the 12th studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1996.-Reception:Allmusic gave it a mixed review, by stating: "ZZ Top's long-awaited return to blues finally arrived in 1996, well over a decade after they abandoned their simple three-chord boogie for a synth and...
(1996)
- XXX
-Japan track listing:-ZZ Top:*Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals*Dusty Hill – bass, keyboards, vocals*Frank Beard – drums, percussion-Production:*Producer: Billy Gibbons*Engineer: Joe Hardy*Assistant engineer: Gary Moon*Mixing: Joe Hardy*Mastering: Bob Ludwig...
(1999)
- Mescalero
Mescalero is the fourteenth studio album by American rock band ZZ Top. It was released on April 15, 2003 as the band's final release for RCA Records. While the band still retained their foundation in blues music, Mescalero explored genres like country, Tejano...
(2003)
Filmography
In addition to recording and performing concerts, ZZ Top has also been involved with films and television. In 1990, the group starred as the "band at the party" in the film
Back to the Future Part IIIBack to the Future Part III is a 1990 American science fiction comedy Western film. It is the third installment of the Back to the Future trilogy. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson and Lea Thompson. The film...
, and played the "Three Men in a Tub" in the movie
Mother Goose Rock 'n' RhymeMother Goose Rock 'n' Rhyme is a 1990 musical TV movie that aired on the Disney Channel starring Shelley Duvall as Little Bo Peep and Dan Gilroy as Gordon Goose, the son of Mother Goose along with a star-studded supporting cast of various other actors and...
. ZZ Top made further appearances, including the "Gumby with a Pokey" episode of
Two and a Half MenTwo and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
in 2010 and the "Hank Gets Dusted" episode of
King of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
in 2007. The band were also guest hosts on an episode of
WWE RawWWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
. In 2008, ZZ Top performed "Sharp Dressed Man" with
David CookDavid Roland Cook is an American rock singer-songwriter, who rose to fame after winning the seventh season of the reality television show American Idol...
at the season 7 finale of
American IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. Billy Gibbons also portrays the father of Angela in the television show
BonesBones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
.
Concert tours
- 1975: Fandango! Tour
The Fandango! Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Launched in support of their fourth studio album Fandango!, the tour's show took place in arenas and convention centers from March 1975 through February 1976. It had three legs and 55 shows, taking the band across North America and...
- 1976–1977: Worldwide Texas Tour
The Worldwide Texas Tour: Taking Texas to the People was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Launched in support of Fandango!, the band performed in stadiums and convention centers from 1976 through 1977. The Worldwide Texas Tour was elaborately-staged, complete with five 36-foot wide...
- 1979–1981: Degüello Tour
The Expect No Quarter Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Launched in support of Degüello, the band performed in coliseums from 1979 through 1981. Unlike the previous Worldwide Texas Tour, the Expect No Quarter Tour's stage set was simple and featured a drum riser with an animated...
- 1981–1983: El Loco Tour
The El Loco-Motion Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. The tour took place in North America and Europe from 1981 through 1983. Most of the venues were coliseums, though arenas were visited in later tour dates. Embracing the image of the El Loco album cover, band members Billy...
- 1983–1984: Eliminator Tour
The Eliminator Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Presented by Schlitz Beer, the tour took place in the United States and Europe...
- 1985–1987: Afterburner World Tour
The Afterburner World Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. The tour took place in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. The set list featured material from the band's previous six studio albums...
- 1990–1991: Recycler World Tour
The Recycler World Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Presented by Beaver Productions and sponsored by Miller Lite, the tour took place in North America and Europe. The set list featured material from the band's previous seven studio albums. Venues were mostly...
- 1994: Antenna World Tour
The Antenna World Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. The tour supported their eleventh studio album, Antenna, released on January 18, 1994.-Personnel:*Billy Gibbons - Guitar, Vocals*Dusty Hill - Bass, Vocals...
- 1996–1997: Continental Safari Tour
The Continental Safari Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band ZZ Top. Launched in support of the group's 1996 album, Rhythmeen, the tour's shows were performed in stadiums and arenas from 1996 through 1997...
- 1997: Mean Rhythm Global Tour
The Mean Rhythm Global Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. It was the second tour that supported their twelfth studio album, Rhythmeen, released on September 17, 1996...
- 1999–2000: XXX Tour
The XXX Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. The tour supported their thirteenth studio album, XXX, released on September 28, 1999...
- 2000: XXX World Tour 2000
The XXX World Tour 2000 was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. The tour supported their thirteenth studio album, XXX, released on September 28, 1999...
- 2002: Casino Tour
The Casino Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. This was another tour that supported their thirteenth studio album, XXX, released on September 28, 1999.-Personnel:*Billy Gibbons - Guitar, Vocals*Dusty Hill - Bass, Keyboards, Vocals...
- 2002: European Tour 2002
The European Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. This was the third tour that supported their thirteenth studio album, XXX, released on September 28, 1999...
- 2003: Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Tour
The Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Presented by Clear Channel Communications and promoted by Beaver Productions, the tour supported their fourteenth studio album, Mescalero, released on April 15, 2003...
- 2004: Summer North American Tour
The Summer North American Tour was a concert tour by rock band ZZ Top. Launched in support of the group's 2003 album, Mescalero, the tour's concerts were performed in festivals and casinos from June through September 2004. The tour's backdrop was made of multi-colored tinsel. Band members Billy...
- 2005: Whack Attack Tour
The Whack Attack Tour was a concert tour by rock band ZZ Top. Whack Attack was a 24-week-long tour in the United States and Canada, which was a longer outing than the previous Summer North American Tour. It began in June 2005 and ended in November 2005...
- 2007: Hollywood Blues Tour
The Hollywood Blues Tour was a concert tour by rock band ZZ Top. The tour's concerts were performed in concert halls and nightclubs from February through December 2007. Much like the group's previous Whack Attack Tour, Hollywood Blues was simple, though decorative, in stage design, complete with a...
- 2008: El Camino Ocho Tour
The El Camino Ocho Tour was a concert tour by rock band ZZ Top. The tour's concerts were performed in casinos and fairs from May through September 2008. Band members Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill dressed in black biker jackets, along with baseball caps and boots. The El Camino Ocho Tour consisted of...
- 2008: Brooks & Dunn's Cowboy Town Tour
- 2008: In Your Face Tour
The In Your Face Tour was a concert tour by rock band ZZ Top. The tour's concerts were performed in performing arts and convention centers from September through November 2008. Band members Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill dressed in black biker jackets with rhinestones, as well as baseball caps and...
- 2009: European Tour 2009
The European Tour 2009 was a concert tour by rock band ZZ Top. The tour's concerts were performed in arenas and festivals from May through June 2009, consisting of 14 shows. Band members Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill dressed in black biker jackets, along with similar hats and boots.-Concert...
- 2009: Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour
The Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour, sometimes referred to as the A to Z Tour or Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Tour, was a concert tour headlined by American hard rock bands Aerosmith and ZZ Top...
- 2009: Necessity Is a Mother Tour
The Necessity Is a Mother Tour was a concert tour by rock band ZZ Top. Launched in the wake of the cancelled Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour, the tour's concerts were performed in theatres and arenas from September through November 2009. Band members Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill dressed in black biker...
- 2010: 2010 World Tour
The 2010 World Tour was a concert tour by rock band ZZ Top, which began in April 2010 and ended in December 2010. Like recent previous tours, it was a short outing, though for the first time in the band's career, they performed in South America, including three shows in Brazil. The band played many...
Awards and achievements
Despite ZZ Top's popularity and success in the 1970s, it wasn't until the 1980s that they started winning major awards and honors. ZZ Top's music videos won awards throughout the 1980s, winning once each in the categories
Best Group VideoThe MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video was first given out at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards; and in 2007, going along with how the VMAs were revamped that year, the award was renamed Best Group, as it awarded the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video...
,
Best DirectionThe following is a list of MTV Video Music Awards winners for Best Direction in a Video. In 2007, the award was briefly renamed Best Director, but it returned to its original name for the 2008 awards....
, and
Best Art DirectionThe following is a list of MTV Video Music Award winners for Best Art Direction in a Video. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are the biggest winners in this category with three wins in 1992, 2000, and 2006....
. The videos that won the VMAs are "Legs," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "
Rough Boy"Rough Boy" was the third single by American rock band ZZ Top from their album Afterburner. The song reached #5 on the Mainstream Rock charts and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as #23 in the UK Top 40. Unlike the other songs on the album, this song has a much slower tempo and is more...
." Some of the high honors ZZ Top have achieved include induction into Hollywood's RockWalk in 1994, the
Texas House of RepresentativesThe Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
naming them "Official Heroes for the State of Texas", a declaration of "ZZ Top Day" in Texas by then-governor
Ann RichardsDorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
on May 4, 1991, and induction into the
Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 2004. They were also given commemorative rings by actor
Billy Bob ThorntonBilly Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
from the
VH1 Rock HonorsThe VH1 Rock Honors were an annual ceremony paying homage to bands who influenced the sound of rock music. The events began in 2006, and the final event took place in 2008. The general format of each show is for modern bands to "pay tribute" to classic greats of the rock/metal world , after which...
in 2007.
ZZ Top also holds several chart and album sales feats, including six number one singles on the
Mainstream Rock TracksHot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart. From the
RIAAThe Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
, ZZ Top has achieved 4 gold, 3 platinum, and 2 multi-platinum album certifications, in addition to one diamond album.
In addition to this,many of their songs have become classic rock and hard rock radio staples.
Rankings
- "Legs" is listed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
- In 1999, "MTV: 100 Greatest Music Videos Ever Made" included "Gimme All Your Lovin'" at #43.
- In 2000, ranked No.44 on VH1's "100 Greatest Hard Rock Artists."
- In 2001, "VH1: 100 Greatest Videos" included "Legs" at #96.
- In 2003, Rolling Stones The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
included Tres Hombres at No.498 and Eliminator at #396.
- In 2004, ranked No.292 on the "Top Pop Artists of the Past 25 Years" chart.
- In 2008, Rolling Stone ranked "La Grange" at No.74 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.
- In 2009, "VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs" ranked "Tush" at #67.
See also
External links