Tejas is really good! interesting, Billy really changes up his guitar tone, real clean Fender sounding tone
all the songs are great, weird there's this basically no-hits great album in their prime period
― My Chief Keef Keef (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 17 December 2013 17:54 (ten years ago) link
I saw the Moving Sidewalks at Austin Psych Fest and it's great just how singular Billy's guitar sound is no matter what style he's playing. (thanks to thread for encouraging me to listen to Tejas)
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 18 December 2013 06:28 (ten years ago) link
still working through the discography...Tejas will be the next used record I buy for sure....
I can kind of see why they went full on new wave/synth on Eliminator...I feel like you can kind of hear the air go out of the tires between Deguello (which on the whole is still really good) and El Loco (which i'm not feeling as much though it does have its jams)
don't know if I'll have the guts for the post-Afterburner, pre-La Futura era
― My Chief Keef Keef (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 19 December 2013 23:03 (ten years ago) link
Recycler is much better than Afterburner, but it's tough. Antenna and Rhythmeen are good. Haven't heard the late 90s/early 00s records.
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 19 December 2013 23:08 (ten years ago) link
English People! Please confirm something I have always wondered: Do you refer to this band as Zed Zed Top?
― chr1sb3singer, Thursday, 19 December 2013 23:20 (ten years ago) link
Afterburner has to be one of the most 80s sounding records ever. I actually listened to it at work and at the start of every tune I hear Don LaFontaine in my mind do some movie promo speak "He's got a fast car, a bag full of money and the hottest girl you have ever seen in the passinger seat...he's only got one problem...his mother."
ZZ Tops later records are pretty spotty, but there are a few good tunes on each one. Mescalero has some of the nastiest sounding guitars, some of that record is really good. There is some good stuff on the new one too, especially 51 Lighters. That tune and the background on it is really dope.
― earlnash, Thursday, 19 December 2013 23:22 (ten years ago) link
25 lighters
back to the future 3 was on today
― Ayn Rand Akbar (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 20 December 2013 01:03 (ten years ago) link
25 Deloreans parked on my dresser/yessir/I gots to get back in time...
― Maintenance Engineer of Foolhardiness (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 20 December 2013 05:39 (ten years ago) link
No, we Brits call them Zee Zee Top. While drinking a nice cup of tea. Thanks for asking.
― Call the Cops, Friday, 20 December 2013 06:40 (ten years ago) link
When I was in Australia in 1990 a local radio DJ in Wollongong did refer to "Zed Zed Top."
― Elvis Telecom, Friday, 20 December 2013 11:45 (ten years ago) link
They also say "Acca Dacca" for AC/DC
― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Friday, 20 December 2013 12:01 (ten years ago) link
When I was in Australia in 1990 a local radio DJ in Wollongong did refer to "Zed Zed Top." --Elvis Telecom
Sounds like Wollongong all right.
― Call the Cops, Friday, 20 December 2013 13:15 (ten years ago) link
Listening to lots of The Top today, thanks to this thread. The second side of El Loco reminds me in more that a few places of The B-52s circa Whammy!, setting the stage for their synth-rock renaissance.
― Glenn Miller-core (Dan Peterson), Friday, 20 December 2013 20:41 (ten years ago) link
the instrumental on Tejas basically invents Calexico
― My Chief Keef Keef (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 20 December 2013 20:46 (ten years ago) link
dying @ "Acca Dacca"
― From the Album No Baby for You! (Matt P), Friday, 20 December 2013 21:20 (ten years ago) link
We had a rebellious VJ on MuchMusic in Canada who said Zed Zed Top. Needless to say it didn't stick.
― A. Begrand, Friday, 20 December 2013 21:22 (ten years ago) link
Mescalero is just now kicking my ass. Guitar tone for DAYS. The cover of "Tramp" is so ridiculously over the top in all the best ways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3APxAfzxSw
― Glenn Miller-core (Dan Peterson), Friday, 20 December 2013 21:23 (ten years ago) link
http://24.media.tumblr.com/690a1b9788d2a9c5b9b388a0e0c6f46c/tumblr_n19m031Pv41qbo6leo1_1280.jpg
More early pictures here
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 19 February 2014 22:49 (ten years ago) link
oh my god awesome :D
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 19 February 2014 22:50 (ten years ago) link
Music video for "Legs" is pretty amazing. All their 80s music videos rule.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 19 February 2014 22:51 (ten years ago) link
every girl crazy for a sharp dressed man
http://theselvedgeyard.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/zz-top-nudie-suits.jpg?w=1050&h=1350
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 19 February 2014 22:52 (ten years ago) link
My parents saw them opening for Smith (of "Baby, It's You" fame) not long after that prom photo was taken.
― Virginia, Plain and Tall (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 19 February 2014 22:55 (ten years ago) link
proto-Pharrell giant hat action.
― Merdeyeux, Wednesday, 19 February 2014 23:00 (ten years ago) link
That "Zee Zee Top" pic is blowing my mind.
― burbbhrbhbbhbburbbbryan ferry (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 19 February 2014 23:03 (ten years ago) link
"Hey good lookin', we'll be back to pick you up later."
― earlnash, Wednesday, 19 February 2014 23:04 (ten years ago) link
those giant hats are my favorite thing
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 19 February 2014 23:04 (ten years ago) link
amazing
― How dare you tarnish the reputation of Turturro's yodel (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 19 February 2014 23:09 (ten years ago) link
Didn't know Robert Fripp was in early ZZ Top
― sXe & the banshees (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 20 February 2014 14:03 (ten years ago) link
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, February 19, 2014 6:04 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Just think, those hats could've been their wacky schtick instead of their beards.
But then, their drummer would have to change his name to Frank Hat.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 20 February 2014 14:07 (ten years ago) link
Awesome pictures
― Prince Kajuku (Bill Magill), Thursday, 20 February 2014 19:01 (ten years ago) link
Someone in Skynyrd wore one of those giant hats too, they're officially dope
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 20 February 2014 20:34 (ten years ago) link
ZZ Top's playing a bikerfest in my area in April. I'll probably go to their show, even if the website says their set will be immediately followed by a wet t-shirt contest on the same stage.
http://www.azbikeweek.com/events.asp?day=5
― intheblanks, Sunday, 23 February 2014 00:08 (ten years ago) link
♫La Grange♫♫Sharped Dressed Man♫♫Gimme All Your Lovin‘♫♫Cheap Sunglasses♫Got Me Under Pressure♫♫Legs♫ ♫Tush♫
― Mike Dixn, Sunday, 23 February 2014 01:09 (ten years ago) link
What do you mean, "even if"?
― Humorist (horse) (誤訳侮辱), Sunday, 23 February 2014 01:18 (ten years ago) link
Been spinning a CDR of Tres Hombres & Fandango! in the car changer this week. The live stuff on the latter owns so hard. Really wish the rest of that show had been issued.
― Interior. Ibiza Bar (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 31 March 2014 19:29 (ten years ago) link
Saw them this week, they're total pros, with a polished "the big hits, plus 3 new songs" setlist and the goofy stage moves you'd expect. They project the videos for Sharp-Dressed Man and Legs when those songs are played, and they bring out the fuzzy guitars for Legs. Kind of wish they played a couple more of their 70s jams, but overall this was a really entertaining show.
― good and relaxing like akon dont matter (intheblanks), Tuesday, 8 April 2014 16:17 (ten years ago) link
nice to hear, I'm probably gonna go see them in August.
― sleeve, Tuesday, 8 April 2014 16:21 (ten years ago) link
did they do I Gotsta to Get Paid
― How dare you tarnish the reputation of Turturro's yodel (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 8 April 2014 16:25 (ten years ago) link
Yeah. That plus Chartreuse and Flyin' High were the ones they did off La Futura.
― good and relaxing like akon dont matter (intheblanks), Tuesday, 8 April 2014 16:42 (ten years ago) link
Gonna borrow that Billy Gibbons pic for pics of dudes without beards who normally have beards
I'll bring it back over here when I'm done.
― pplains, Tuesday, 8 April 2014 16:48 (ten years ago) link
http://blog.chron.com/thetexican/2015/06/zz-top-to-literally-play-la-grange-in-la-grange/#22138101=0
― Love, Wilco (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 4 June 2015 17:21 (nine years ago) link
http://www.zztop.com/2015/billy-f-gibbons-launches-solo-project-the-bfgs-album-perfectamundo-due-out-this-october/
― Love, Wilco (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 1 August 2015 21:44 (nine years ago) link
I'm actually really excited to hear that. I won't even make the obvious joke about Eliminator being Gibbons' first solo album...oh, damn.
― the top man in the language department (誤訳侮辱), Saturday, 1 August 2015 22:42 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, I've heard bands mixing "1950s Latin" with ZZ, Zep---can imagine Gibbons' crew doing it better, or at least as well. Looking fwd to this, thanks.
― dow, Sunday, 2 August 2015 02:58 (nine years ago) link
so what's worth hearing that came out between Eliminator and La Futura
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 9 December 2015 16:43 (eight years ago) link
never listened to El Loco before, what an odd record - kinda spacey and laid back, almost gentle
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 9 December 2015 22:36 (eight years ago) link
Rhythmeen from '96 is worth looking into.
― Boz Scaggs was Adele back in 1976 (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 9 December 2015 22:50 (eight years ago) link
still rockin that clean+chorused guitar sound, tons of processed vocals, there's just a lot of space in the mix, odd rhythms
xp
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 9 December 2015 22:50 (eight years ago) link
Afterburner - This one isn't as fat and dry sounding production wise as Eliminator. It's kinda like Genesis when you get to Invisible Touch, synth technology is heading out of the warm old analog into colder sounding samples and way too much digital reverb. The songs are not quite as good either.
Recycler- The album title is pretty honest. The songs are a bit more bluesy. "My Head's in Mississippi" is a good tune. It's sill way too shiny production wise.
Antenna- Sounds weak, there may be a song I missed, but I didn't like it enough after a couple of listens to even bother it again.
Rhythmeen- CD length kinda kills most of their records. I'd think it would work pretty good as a 35 minute album. They get back to basics but there is still scifi in the production.
XXX- Kinda weak. Better production than Antenna
Mescalero- This one is the one I would say to check if you dug La Futura. This thing is dirty and nasty, probably one of their rawest albums. There are some good tunes on this one and again would have been better at LP length.
― earlnash, Wednesday, 9 December 2015 23:46 (eight years ago) link
I feel like a single or even a double disc compilation of their RCA years (Antenna through Mescalero) could be pretty good. But I've never been able to get all the way through the albums to really know what would go on it.
― the top man in the language department (誤訳侮辱), Thursday, 10 December 2015 01:24 (eight years ago) link