To each his own. Probably he'd not be bothered by what people think about him. He has his niche and made his mark. Seems like he has a charmed life compared to most. I would not study Gibbons the way I might Bloomfield or Hendrix. I would however study the production of their hits. As for cars I get off on hotrods. Wouldn't be driving the styles Billy likes. He did get to live the rocker who played guitars and tinkered with hotrods life. Gotta give him props for that.
I like a few of their songs from the pre-MTV days. The MTV days on, pretty much suck, IMO. Back in the day, they had groove & a vibe going. In the '80s, it sounds like Billy poorly programmed a drum machine & made the drummer play it, lick-by-lick, even if it sounds like someone that didn't know what he was doing. While their lyrics have never been that intellectual, some of the '80s stuff, like TV Dinners, is just low IQ. She's got legs... & she knows how to use them. Tube Steak Boogie... I don't think a porn movie would go that low, to use that one... Sleeping Bag... I think I'll go write a song about my Pet Rock, or Yellow Underwear... ...
Yeah that was the magic about it. They "sold out." Their genre appealed to the average Joe. And the formula to get mass appeal is in itself a "genre." Gimme was used to good effect in Tim Allen's The Santa Clause. They got rotation out of MTV. I can see these base guttural trog tunes be covered over and over. Not unless THX1138 takes over everything... These days lyrics are going to be more in a serious vein where the social climate is trying to get people to forget about sex.
ive seen several videos of them live and to me they always sound like shit live. i just dont like the stupid spinning guitars, dressing alike, the stupid dancing, glitter, they act like they should have been members of Wham or something.
the guy that was their manager, even quit, at that time because he thought it was stupid. He went on to manage King's X into stardom...
Hehehe, yeah I thought the same thing too it was cornball. But that's what was selling on MTV. And was where people were at musically or at least what the cafeteria was serving. Video creation was gaining momentum and a long way from the schlock shtick of the 60's videos. I think it is rare for a band to sound good both live and on records. It's usually one or the other. Saving grace for them not many can tell. Or had better drugs at the show.
regardless, I still respect where he came from, in his roots. He may not be technical, but he left his mark. Can't take that away from him...
If ya don't know these , you don't know ZZ Top BTW 1989, I let Buddy Guy sign the back of my 71 Deluxe Goldtop...whereabouts of that guitar are unknown
Regardless of the music or whether pinstripes belong on guitars... Pinstriping is an art. I wasn't aware that the Reverend actually did his own pinstriping -- he's damn good at it. He could have had a solidly middle class career doing it.
Yeah Mud (Francine) sounds similar to Gimme. And a little like the Stones' Brown Sugar. Looking back it can take you but back then, there was too much similar going on they got lost in the shuffle.
I would. All that Eliminator and after bullshit isn't the ZZ Top that's in my head...that's the Mexican Blackbird, Nasty Dogs, Balinese, Heard it on the X ZZ...I don't know how anyone couldn't like them pre Eliminator..
If I had a newish goldtop I would definitely let Billy pinstripe it. I was very impressed with his pinstriping skill demonstrated in the OP video. I don't think I would like him to sign the front, though. Let him initial it on the back and leave the pretty pinstriped front alone.
