ZZ Top, why am I only just getting into them?

Miki73

Good news if you would like to see them live.  They are on their 50th anniversary tour and will be playing at the London, SSE Wembley Arena on 12 July 2019

Winny_Pooh

ICBM said:

One of the most over-rated bands, music, player and 'tone' ever, in my opinion. And I don't just mean the Eliminator period.

Someone had to say it...

@ICBM I agree that perhaps he's overrated as a player in terms of soloing but they're an excellent band. 

Listen to this live track from XXX

(I don't have many of their albums but XXX I have listened to alot. It kicks it.)

Moe_Zambeek

Love the Top. The complete studio albums box set has all the original masters and sounds great, when I bought it it was only 40 quid or so, bargain.

Much as I love the blues and rock stuff, I do really like the odd stuff too

mudslide73

"It's only love" from Tejas holds my "best solo nobody else rates as much as me" title. Lovely bending and runs.. very killer.

Their First Album is my favourite though.

EricTheWeary

soma1975 said:

My Francine just turned thirteen
She's my angelic teenage queen
And I love her, she's all that I want

yeaaah... No.

Quite a few dodgy lyrics in the back catalogue - Mexican Blackbird comes to mind and one of their best known songs, La Grange, is about a brothel. 
I guess the defence of Francine is that it’s of its era and that they didn’t write it. 
There are also an awful lot of artists with dodgy lyrics in their back catalogues, my listening choices would be highly restricted if they all had to be consistently PC. 

roberty

EricTheWeary said:

soma1975 said:

My Francine just turned thirteen
She's my angelic teenage queen
And I love her, she's all that I want

yeaaah... No.

Quite a few dodgy lyrics in the back catalogue - Mexican Blackbird comes to mind and one of their best known songs, La Grange, is about a brothel. 
I guess the defence of Francine is that it’s of its era and that they didn’t write it. 
There are also an awful lot of artists with dodgy lyrics in their back catalogues, my listening choices would be highly restricted if they all had to be consistently PC. 

She was just seventeen, you know what I mean...

soma1975

13 though...  Technically a Polanski

fandango

scrumhalf said:

Fandango - great album.

Did someone call me?

stickyfiddle

ICBM said:

One of the most over-rated bands, music, player and 'tone' ever, in my opinion. And I don't just mean the Eliminator period.

Someone had to say it...

I agree. To me they're more of a one-trick-pony than ACDC or Status Quo. I'm very happy to listen to one or two tracks (doesn't matter which - they're all the same...) but more than that and I get very bored very quickly.

ToneControl

soma1975 said:

13 though...  Technically a Polanski

according to this, the song was written by someone else, when they were mid-teens

soma1975

Well yes, they clearly liked the Children... 

Dominic

stickyfiddle said:

ICBM said:

One of the most over-rated bands, music, player and 'tone' ever, in my opinion. And I don't just mean the Eliminator period.

Someone had to say it...

I agree. To me they're more of a one-trick-pony than ACDC or Status Quo. I'm very happy to listen to one or two tracks (doesn't matter which - they're all the same...) but more than that and I get very bored very quickly.

Totally agree......they have a great sound and style and I like the image but after 2 or 3 songs ,which are great they do get very "samey " You can only listen to so much
I'm convinced that on many tracks in the Eliminator era that his guitar tone is underwritten by a pulsing synth gently mixed in to give it some girth

scrumhalf

fandango said:

scrumhalf said:

Fandango - great album.

Did someone call me?

I prefer your side 1, I have to admit.

Strat54

THE actual 'Jesus Just Left Chicago' 1950 Broadcaster #0096.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXjJmI4BsI4&t=566s

boogieman

zepp76 said:

I never realised there was so much love for the Top! I am really hooked on their early stuff it's just fantastic, not since hearing Led Zeppelin for the first time have I been moved by a band but there is some crazily good stuff on the albums I bought. I so far have:

Rio Grande Mud
Tres Hombres
Fandango!
Deguello
Eliminator
Afterburner
recycler
El Loco
Tejas
First Album

Is there anything missing that I should be looking for?

Rhythmeen is a really good album, especially the title track. XXX has it’s moments too but Rhythmeen is more consistent.
Edit, just realised you haven’t got Antenna, it’s a good’un. 

Kittyfrisk

fandango said:

scrumhalf said:

Fandango - great album.

Did someone call me?

Dammit. I had you pegged as a Bohemian Rhapsody fan. 
I'll get me coat...

zepp76

Does anyone know what guitar Mr Billy G is playing in this clip? It looks like the love child of an SG and a Flying V!

EricTheWeary

zepp76 said:

Does anyone know what guitar Mr Billy G is playing in this clip? It looks like the love child of an SG and a Flying V!

Most of Billy’s stage guitars in recent years have been built by Bolin Guitars so probably one of them.

stickyfiddle

Lmgtfy...

https://twitter.com/bluesfoundation/status/788014210504503296

Misty

springhead said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWMnxyIhCDw 

I love that....always liked the band anyway but thanks for this!