I put a buttload of old school ZZ Top on my iPod the other day and now I'm in heaven. I haven't listened to a lot of this stuff since I was a kid. Forgot how much I used to (and still) love it. I'm talking about the pre-Eliminator records. Deguello, Fandango, Tres Hombres, El Loco. I pretty much quit listening to them after Eliminator. They kind of turned into an MTV band there for a while. Kind of sad that the first thing a lot of people think of when they think of ZZ Top....is that cheesy Gimmie All Your Lovin' video. I know they're still making records. Anyone have any of their recent stuff? How is it? Should I pick some up? Have they gone back to their roots, so to speak?
I am right there with you, ima. I stopped listening to them after Tejas ("Driving While Blind"). Eliminator and everything afterwards just annoys the hell out of me...reminds me of when the Fabulous T-Birds sold out with "Tuff Enough" and it's ridiculous synthesizer track. I saw ZZ Top three years ago at the last concert at the Summit/Compaq Center before it became a MegaChurch. They were awful, and were playing to pre-recorded backing tapes during alot of their later songs, including the opener "Gimme All Your Lovin'". Los Lobos opened for them, and blew them off the stage. ZZ Top will never be as great as they were pre-Eliminator.
+1 Old Top was great; new(er) top is awful. They sold a lot of records as new Top, though so I can't blame them... I saw Top on New Years eve (or was it Christmas?) in the Summit for one of their tours when I was in High School.
I can't tell you how fast I reach turn stations whenever I heard the opening riffs to Sharp Dressed Man or Legs. I liked those songs, and especially videos, back in the day, but now it just sounds like garbage to me because those songs are really all you hear on the radio these days from them.
not a big fan, but as a native texan i almost feel that zz top is part of my heritage. like willie nelson or the butthole surfers. i do have tres hombres and that album is smokin'! my friend used to live down the street from frank beard - his mom knows him - said he was always very nice and down to earth - regular dude.
Overexposure is any band's deathknell, just ask the anyone if they can stand to listen to the Eagles. You have to say they are talented, maybe the THE most talented American band ever; you have to say the songs were great, gorgeous lyrics and flawless production; but it's like a dentist drill when they come on now. Lately, it seems to me that Billy has fallen too in love with his fuzzbox. The last four albums, Antenna, Rythmeen, XXX and Mescalero all sound like the same fuzzy buzz. If you disect them there are one or two real good songs on each, the best one's are the bluesier ones the worst ones are the boogier ones. I think if you sampled through them and only downloaded the songs that suit your ears from those 4 cd's you could end up with a real strong 13 song 'nuvo' Top album. If you just want to listen to one of those I'd suggest Rythmeen, it's really a pretty good ole' Top album. I will state this though....Deguello is one of the top 25 albums of all time. And Rio Grande Mud is in the top 100. And if you go back and listen to the first one it's still damn good to this day (36 years later).
Damn, that's a shame. I guess I'll stick with the old stuff and won't bother with any of their new stuff... My best friend's Dad actually played drums with them when they were in high school. He still has reel-to-reel tape of him playing with Billy and Dusty. They used to give him free tickets and backstage passes whenever they would come to town. He took us to the Eliminator tour, one of my first concerts. That's why I was such a fan when I was a kid.
everything before "pearl necklace" was recorded was amazing... love that stuff. My new band is kind of modeled after that down and dirty foot stompin' boogie. Eliminator and after is mostly garbage with the occaissional decent tune. I borrowed my mom's car the other day and she had a couple of the latest albums. Unlistenable. terrible. garbage.
My dream is that' they go in a studio, just the 3 of them with guitar, bass, drums and a case of the blues, just to prove they are still in there.
I'm sooo sick and tired of music snobs on here. The fact is that Eliminator put them on the map. There are plenty of good songs on it and Afterburner, as well. Hell, I'll listen to those just for the nostalgia. Without those two albums, most people under the age of 40 wouldn't even know who the hell they were. I like the older stuff, also. But quit ragging on albums just because they were played on MTV. These threads are like a broken record around here.
Man, that's a sign. As soon as I read the title to this thread "Sharp Dressed Man" came on my radio on 106.9. I'm listening now..... The only other song they have that I really know and like is "Cheap Sunglasses." Pugs
The TOP is bad ass!! You know they're closing out this year's rodeo. Anyone out there got a free ticket?
Love ZZ Top, especially the 70s stuff. The newer albums don't compare, but I always find a couple of good songs on them. "Goin' So Good" is a sweet track on Mescalero. Anyone who likes old school Top should check out The Black Keys.
No doubt. I was waaaaaaaay too hungover from a christmas party on Saturday to make their show last Sunday. Bummer. Sorry, Fatty, but synthesizers & drum machines don't do it for me. I liked the 80's era ZZ at the time, but it hasn't aged well at all. I could care less what made them popular, I just know what I like. If that makes me a music snob (which is apparently anyone who disagrees with your taste in music), so be it.
