By Ray Shasho
Billy Gibbons/ ZZ Top Interview:
Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top have essentially pioneered
its own musical genre since the release of their first studio album in 1971. The
band fused hard rock, blues, and Texas boogie into their own unique sound,
style, and live performance. The hard rockin’ power trio of Billy Gibbons
(guitars, vocals), Dusty Hill (bassist and vocalist) and Frank Beard (drums) has
energetically and persistently entertained audiences worldwide for over forty
years.
ZZ Top will be bringing their Texas-style rock &
blues boogie to Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida on December 27th and to
the Hard Rock Live in Orlando on December 29th. Tickets for the
Clearwater show are available at www.rutheckerdhall.com
or by calling 727-791-7400 for more
information. Tickets for the Orlando show are available at www.hardrock.com or call 407-351-(LIVE) 5483.
In 2012, after a nine year hiatus from the recording
studio, ZZ Top released their fifteenth studio album entitled La Futura. The album spotlights many of
the attributes that has distinguished the band as rock music legends. Tracks like “Chartreuse,” “Have a Little Mercy” and “Big Shiny Nine” reminisce to
the Top’s heyday while igniting habitual hot and saucy Texas boogie intoxication.
“Heartache in Blue” is my favorite
track on the album, an exceptional blend of the blues highlighting Gibbons impressive
guitar licks with virtuoso harpist JamesHarman. The track “Flyin High” was
actually requested by longtime ZZ Top fan and NASA astronaut Mike Fossum. It
was played in space on-board the Soyuz spacecraft during its launch to the
International Space Station.
The Best Buy version of the CD includes two bonus
tracks … “Threshold of a Breakdown”
and “Drive by Lover” another
personal favorite and skillfully choired by bassist Dusty Hill.
La Futura is an exhilarating Texas
boogie & blues pilgrimage … ZZ Top style!
BILLY
GIBBONS was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Billy received his first electric guitar
after his thirteenth birthday. Some of his early influences included electric
blues musician and songwriter Jimmy Reed.
While attending Warner Brothers’ art school in
Hollywood, California, Gibbons played with various bands. At 18, he formed the
psychedelic blues-rock group, The Moving Sidewalks, inspired by fellow musician
and friend Rory Erickson of the 13th Floor Elevators. The band
recorded one album entitled Flash (1968).The Moving Sidewalks were …Billy
Gibbons, Tom Moore, Don Summers and Dan Mitchell.
Gibbons became a prominent songwriter with his
penned releases “99th Floor” and “Need Me.” The band performed with The Doors and with
Jimi Hendrix during his first American tour. Gibbons also formed a special
friendship with Hendrix. Hendrix mentioned Billy on The Dick Cavett Show by
stating that Gibbons would be the next big thing as a guitarist. Hendrix gave the
up and coming guitarist a pink Stratocaster.
ZZ
TOP
was formed in Houston, Texas in 1969. After various lineup changes, the classic
line-up of Gibbons, Hill and Beard signed with London Records and recorded
their debut self-titled album in 1971. Early on, Gibbons became the bands
principal songwriter. The group also began a long and rewarding relationship
with manager/producer Bill Ham. In 1972, the band followed up in the studio
with Rio Grande Mud.
The release of their third studio album entitled Tres Hombres (1973) would define ZZ
Top’s perennial sound and style while launching the band into rock stardom,
performing at large arenas and stadiums. Tres
Hombres (Top 10 album) was a brilliant rock & blues statement. The album spawned the bands signature tune “La Grange” (#41 Billboard Hot 100), a song about a bordello near La Grange, Texas.
Other notable tracks were “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” and “Waitin’ for the Bus.”
In 1975, ZZ Top released Fandango! (Top 10 album) Half of the tracks were recorded live in
concert and the other half were new studio released songs. ZZ Top was now a top
headlining concert attraction selling-out arenas worldwide. The Fandango tour
consisted of three legs and 55 shows. It began in March of 1975 and ended
February of 1976. Various supporting acts during the tour included KISS, Status
Quo, Peter Frampton, R.E.O. Speedwagon, Aerosmith and Blue Ӧyster Cult to name
a few. Fandango spawned the hit
single “Tush” (#20 Billboard Hot 100).
Tejas (Spanish
for Texas) was released in 1976. The band signed with Warner Brothers Records
in 1979 and released their sixth studio album entitled Degüello. The album
generated two hit singles … “I Thank You” (#34 hit single) and “Cheap Sunglasses” (#89 hit single). Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill also grew their
chest length beards during this period.
In 1981, they released El Loco
while spawning the singles … “Tube Snake Boogie,” (#4 hit) “Leila” and “Pearl Necklace” (#28 hit).
ZZ Top released their ninth studio album entitled Afterburner in 1985. The album became
their highest charting album at #8 in the U.S. The album generated the hit
singles … “Sleeping Bag” (#8 Billboard Hot 100), (#1 Mainstream Rock Tracks),“Velcro Fly” (#35 Billboard Hot 100), “Stages” (#21 hit) and “Rough Boy” (#22
hit).
In 1994, the band signed with RCA Records and
released their 11th studio album entitled Antenna. The single “Pincushion”reached #1 the Mainstream Rock Tracks charts. Billy Gibbons co-produced with
Bill Ham on the album.
Rhythmeen
was
the last album to feature Bill Ham as producer. Rick Rubin shared duties
as producer with Billy Gibbons on La Futura in 2012.
In 2004, ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Keith Richards. ZZ Top has generated 11 gold records, 7 platinum,
13-multi-platinum records, while selling over 25-million units.
The band continues to tour relentlessly and still
packs the house worldwide.
I had the rare opportunity to ask Billy about ZZ
Top’s current tour, the band’s latest studio release, his relationship with
Jimi Hendrix, my infamous “Field of Dreams” wish question, and much-much more.
Here’s my recent interview with legendary guitarist,
singer, songwriter, producer, car customizer and founder of classic rock
legends ZZ Top …BILLY GIBBONS.
Ray
Shasho: Hello Billy! ZZ Top will be performing at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater,
Florida on December 27th and the Tampa Bay area is especially looking
forward to that show. The band will also be in Orlando at Hard Rock Live on the
29th. Where and how will you be celebrating Christmas in 2013?
Billy
Gibbons: “With Miz Gilligan in Florida, well in advance of
December Twenty-Five, in order to get warm, sample the seafood, hit the gaming
tables, seek out Mexican cuisine, go to Versailles for Cuban fare, charter an
afternoon for salt water fishing, take in a night at the dog track, take in a
ball game, take in something frosty around South Beach…basically chillin'
before taking the stage with my pals. An elegant simple scheduling.”
Ray
Shasho: “I saw the band perform for the first time around 1973 at the Baltimore
Civic Center … ZZ Top opened for Earth, Wind and Fire and Uriah Heep. I knew
the band was going places after that performance; I never witnessed a power
trio with so much energy and raw power.
Billy
Gibbons: “That's about as on target as I've ever heard and
right to the point as we, the band, were aimed at free drinks and getting on
the gals. And to accomplish the task, we fired up the tempo, cranked up
the volume, and let it rip. Hard! And it definitely set the tone for
what was to come and what remains as the driving force, even now.”
Ray
Shasho: Why do you think the trio has worked so successfully over the years,
especially with all the bizarre changes in the music industry?
Billy
Gibbons: “Amidst the rampant gallop of attempting to maintain
pace with an increasing speed of change, working within the trio as a base is
just like a pyramid…the 3 sides stand stridently around the constantly shifting
sands. I say, “Three is for me!””
Ray
Shasho: One of my favorite ZZ Top tunes is “Jesus Just Left Chicago” just an
incredible hard-driving blues classic …What is the origin behind that classic
blues/rock song?
Billy
Gibbons: “Jesus Just Left Chicago” is certainly an obtuse
mental visual, particularly placing a fixed location, moving forward from, and
going to. The surreal combination of Jesus, Chicago, and New Orleans, is
a bizarre mix of righteousness, and soulful sin. It's a blend of bluesy
elements stirring up some salient points to ponder.”
Ray
Shasho: I chatted with Norman Greenbaum about “Spirit in the Sky” and the
similarities to Canned Heat’s “On the Road Again,” yet they’re also very
different in their own ways … Was the “La Grange” riff based on John Lee
Hooker’s “Boogie Chillun”?
Billy
Gibbons: “The “La Grange” riff is another interpretation of
one of the cornerstone staples of that splendid American art form, the blues.
There are many ways to chop it, we just got really lucky and landed
something with resonance that lasts and lasts.”
Ray
Shasho: Billy,
here’s a question that I ask everyone that I interview. If you had a
‘Field of Dreams’ wish, like the movie, to play, sing or collaborate with
anyone from the past or present, who would that be? (You can name more
than one person)
Billy
Gibbons: “Ry Cooder. The expressions from that Rylander-man
are many and I know there's somewhere he'd go and that sooner or later, I would
fit in. Ry's range is that wide. I'll call 'im directly and get the ball
rolling.”
Ray
Shasho: The Moving Sidewalks was a cool psychedelic blues band. The band opened
for The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and you developed a special friendship with Hendrix.
Billy
Gibbons: “Yes, and it's fair to tag Jimi Hendrix and
The Experience with threads that tie into psychedelic blues quite
handily. Jimi was always generous in sharing
his curiosity about how certain sounds could be created from an
imaginary idea. We spent many hours comparing pragmatic ways to bring
those vaporous thoughts into tangible, electric form. When Jimi
had no guidebook, he invented one.”
Ray
Shasho: Did Hendrix actually give you a pink Stratocaster?
Billy
Gibbons: “It's the one seen in the famed photo with The
Moving Sidewalks.”
Ray
Shasho: Your latest studio release “La Futura” has gotten rave
reviews and the track “Flyin’ High” was even requested by astronaut Mike Fossum
during a launch to the International Space Station.
Billy
Gibbons: “Wow. Who'da thought writing the
track with my pal, Austin Hanks, would take off from our studio shack
in L A and land a seat in outer space…?!? We just wanted to
create a good Southern rock song. Now it's a stratospheric number.”
Ray
Shasho: After a nine year hiatus from recording, what made this album such a
success?
Billy
Gibbons: “Good material as they say… And the richness
of Rick Rubin standing alongside us and turning us into more of what we already
were. More ZZ with a defiant touch of our raucous and raunchy
beginnings.”
Ray
Shasho: What was it like working with Rick Rubin?
Billy
Gibbons: “Super sounds in the studio, interspersed with
surfin' safaris at Zuma Beach.”
Ray
Shasho: Billy, what factors make a great producer?
Billy
Gibbons: “Patience. We learned it early on. The
studio sessions for "La Futura" left no doubt about Rick's ability to
be in no hurry. The result is the luxury of the band playing a composed
piece in many different ways and going with the flow. It takes time, of
course, yet that again is the value of maintaining a measure of patience to get
there.”
Ray
Shasho: Who are some of the producers that you’ve admired over the years?
Billy
Gibbons: “The staff specialists from Ardent Studios in
Memphis, particularly Joe Hardy who has steadfastly guided us through many
exotic sonic landscapes with an ever escalating expression. G.L.
"G-Mane" Moon in Houston is always lending his talented techniques
with us to bust a move to a higher groove as well.”
Ray
Shasho: Billy, anything you’d like to promote?
Billy
Gibbons: “Hot sauce and barbecue sauce. There's
never enough…!”
Ray
Shasho: I heard you’re quite a chef … what’s your specialty?
Billy
Gibbons: “Mexican cuisine. Guacamole, certainly, which is a
staple compliment to the vast variations found in the many different
regions of the country. Fiery spices make for fierce foods and that,
my friend, is a good thing…!”
Ray
Shasho: Billy, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule
today. More importantly for all the incredible ZZ Top music you’ve given us and
continue to bring into the future. We’ll see you in Florida December 27th
and 29th.
Billy
Gibbons: “Thanks Ray, we’ll see you then!”
Very
special thanks to Bob Merlis
Contact classic rock music journalist Ray Shasho at
rockraymond.shasho@gmail.com
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