ZZ Top - kind of disappointed

[maxvintage]

The OP has a point. On the one hand, it's all show biz and it's foolish to mistake the performer for what they pretend to be. On the other hand performers move heaven and earth to convince you they are the thing they're selling. It seems to me it's slightly complicated when "da blues' is involved, because blues is always framed in claims about authenticity.

I remember how ZZ Top was pitched when I was in high school and first heard them in the 70's: the authentic sound of texas boogie and blues. There was always a lot of tex-bro schtick around ZZ Top.

Nobody can help how they're born and raised. The best comparison to Rev. Billy is probably Bonnie Raitt, also a hollywood nepo baby, but someone who has made her music and toured and lived the life since forever. Same with Billy. The difference is there was less cartoon schtick around Bonnie

 

[Telenator]

Just chiming in to throw "blanket like" onto all the posts where Billy is celebrated for what he's done. Judging him based on where he's from is kinda similar to prejudice.

 

[notmyusualuserid]

Stop me if you've heard this before.
In the 90's I saw a UK band called Pitchshifter several times. They were Industrial-Electronic-Techno-Rock!
In the studio there were just 3 of them but they toured as a 5 piece - drums/bass/2 gtrs/vox.

Last time I saw them I had a great view of the stage.
A song started with drums - the drummer was cleaning his sticks!!!
Then keyboards - no keyboard player on stage!
Then clean sounding bass - the bass player was drinking a beer!
Then guitar - 1 guitarist was having a beer, the other was fiddling with his amp.

So the audience could hear a full band & no-one was playing anything!!!
The band finally joined in with drums, 2 guitars & really filthy distorted bass.

There was a lot of it about in the 1980s

 

[Mike Eskimo]

Frank and Dusty had (relatively) tougher upbringings…But Billy paid his dues, especially musically.

None of this changes how I feel about ZZ Top.

If you wanna call someone a hypocrite, start with Tom Morello. He idolizes murderers like Che, then signs multimillion dollar contracts with those “evil corporations” and yet refuses to arm the homeless (as he encourages others to do).

You know just going by my own stupid geographical biases/assumptions I’m guessing you and I aren’t similar ideologically, but I’m right with you on the Tom Morello hoo-hah.

Plus Audioslave was garbage, and I kinda thought less of Bruce when he would feature Morello at his gigs for a year or two.

Great Jungle Show shots btw

 

[Junkyard Dog]

This is the most recent appearance I could find of Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top performing live. If they are using backing tracks here, then they've fooled me. Also, I kind of like that they put some thought into their stage appearance, wardrobe, etc., instead of just cargo shorts and Hawaiian shirts or whatever.

 

[TF from MN]

This is the most recent appearance I could find of Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top performing live. If they are using backing tracks here, then they've fooled me. Also, I kind of like that they put some thought into their stage appearance, wardrobe, etc., instead of just cargo shorts and Hawaiian shirts or whatever.

This is an excellent May 2024 ZZ Top video. I hear processing on BG's vocal, maybe a Leslie sound. Bass sound has an added "thing" - heavy distortion plus pitch shift - ? But the song seems a truly live performance - good!

It would not surprise me if Gibbons has been reading comments on TDPRI, and has decided to minimize the backing tracks.

 

[Fiesta Red]

You know just going by my own stupid geographical biases/assumptions I’m guessing you and I aren’t similar ideologically, but I’m right with you on the Tom Morello hoo-hah.

Plus Audioslave was garbage, and I kinda thought less of Bruce when he would feature Morello at his gigs for a year or two.

Great Jungle Show shots btw

That’s just the thing—I’m kinda unique for my time and location in the fact that I don’t really have an ideological stance, outside of “Think through what you’re saying, and if you’re promoting it—loudly or otherwise—you need to *live it*…otherwise, you’re a hypocrite.”

I’m neither left nor right.
I’m a Pedestrian—if somebody wants to argue, I walk away.

So many of Morello’s statements seem like he’s pandering to a particular audience that (if you scratch the surface) he’s really not a part of…he says something shocking and radical and extreme, but doesn’t back it up with his actions or lifestyle. He hates “Tha Man” yet he takes endorsement money and instruments from Gibson (in the past) and Fender (recently), playing guitars that common folk usually can’t afford or only afford if they save up for a long time.

I don’t expect Bruce to live in my (blue collar) neighborhood. I don’t expect that of Billy Gibbons or Bob Dylan or anybody else, either.

If I had their money, I wouldn’t be living in my neighborhood, either (as nice as it is and as much as I love it and most of my neighbors)…I’d have a ten-car garage full of vintage cars and a theater-sized rehearsal/recording/performance venue full of guitars, amps and other musical stuff in my back yard, with about ten acres near Gruene, Texas…with bee hives, a pet armadillo named Freddie and a longhorn cow named Bill…a room for my boots…and oh yeah, my wife can do whatever she wants in the main house, decor-wise, because we’d finally be able to afford it.

But something about Morello & his various associates gets under my skin…they're High End Shopping Mall Revolutionaries at their most hypocritical and ridiculous.

 

[fjblair]

Always like their music/songs and act.
A** kicking rock and blues, but...
Caught a video, Sharp Dressed Man, great riff and curiosity got the best of me.
Went and checked Gibbons and the band's wikis.
Gibbons is just another groomed Miley Cyrus or grown up Mouseketer.
Was expecting a rough and tumble guitar slinger from a Texas barrio.
Far from it, really removes the aura.

Brilliant insight.

 

[4pickupguy]

I feel the need to invoke the pancake blues/boogie bunny.

 

[boris bubbanov]

Always like their music/songs and act.
A** kicking rock and blues, but...
Caught a video, Sharp Dressed Man, great riff and curiosity got the best of me.
Went and checked Gibbons and the band's wikis.
Gibbons is just another groomed Miley Cyrus or grown up Mouseketer.
Was expecting a rough and tumble guitar slinger from a Texas barrio.
Far from it, really removes the aura.

This is simple.

Remember the legend about the Real Paul McCartney dying, and being replaced with an impostor? That story is obviously fake.

But the one I'm not sure about, is the one about the Real Rev. Billy Gibbons dying after the 3rd LP and being replaced by a lightweight. Sure seems like it, given the loss of that rough and tumble aspect you are speaking to.

Just a thought.........

 

[Telenator]

I feel the need to invoke the pancake blues/boogie bunny.
View attachment 1248634

The original! LOL!

 

[Censport]

In other news, many rappers are from middle-class families (or better), and the guys in Rage Against the Machine are offspring of very, very successful capitalists.

I've met Billy. I liked him. I like his music. I like his cars. I especially like his casting agent for the music videos. His stage guitars may be hollowed out and he might mime to tracks, but that's entertainment. At least the boogie is still there.

 

[Mike Eskimo]

That’s just the thing—I’m kinda unique for my time and location in the fact that I don’t really have an ideological stance, outside of “Think through what you’re saying, and if you’re promoting it—loudly or otherwise—you need to *live it*…otherwise, you’re a hypocrite.”

I’m neither left nor right.
I’m a Pedestrian—if somebody wants to argue, I walk away.

So many of Morello’s statements seem like he’s pandering to a particular audience that (if you scratch the surface) he’s really not a part of…he says something shocking and radical and extreme, but doesn’t back it up with his actions or lifestyle. He hates “Tha Man” yet he takes endorsement money and instruments from Gibson (in the past) and Fender (recently), playing guitars that common folk usually can’t afford or only afford if they save up for a long time.

I don’t expect Bruce to live in my (blue collar) neighborhood. I don’t expect that of Billy Gibbons or Bob Dylan or anybody else, either.

If I had their money, I wouldn’t be living in my neighborhood, either (as nice as it is and as much as I love it and most of my neighbors)…I’d have a ten-car garage full of vintage cars and a theater-sized rehearsal/recording/performance venue full of guitars, amps and other musical stuff in my back yard, with about ten acres near Gruene, Texas…with bee hives and a longhorn cow named Bill…a room for my boots…and oh yeah, my wife can do whatever she wants in the main house, decor-wise, because we’d finally be able to afford it.

But something about Morello & his various associates gets under my skin…they're High End Shopping Mall Revolutionaries at their most hypocritical and ridiculous.

I just saw this yesterday and it jibes with your second paragraph and I think I’m finally getting there with you and Keanu - at least I hope I am

 

[HoodieMcFoodie]

Yeah, and CCR are from California. Who cares and so what.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I love TEJAS!

When I met my future wife ( in College '79), I quickly moved into her apartment- she had an 8-track stereo ( no turntable!) and a milk crate full of 8-track tapes.

Tejas & Fandango were in high rotation (literally, you could play the same tape for hours!)

 

[Theiglupickin]

Who gives a crap about what's written on Wiki about anybody?? Seriously!! If the music works, that's all you need!

 

[4pickupguy]

A song about this thread:

Trust Fund Blues by @cromulentengineer682 | Suno

70s style texas boogie electric guitar groovy song. Listen and make your own with Suno.

suno.com

 

[sax4blues]

I listen to a lot of interviews with well known musicians. The majority talk about how supportive their parents were, had music lessons, school band, were bought instruments

 

[Modman68]

Posers…. Every last one of them.

 

[24 track]

Note to self, never, ever, diss ZZ Top on this forum.

hey, not every one is going to like all bands, I use a different scale for artists I can't stand , there is no right or wrong , like who you do , you don't have to justify it to any one !