Zz Top Biography
This sturdy American blues-rock trio from Texas consists of Billy Gibbons (guitar), Dusty Hill (bass), and Frank Beard (drums). They were formed in 1970 in and around Houston from rival bands the Moving Sidewalks (Gibbons) and American Blues (Hill and Beard). Their first two albums reflected the strong blues roots and Texas humor of the band. Their third album (Tres Hombres) gained them national attention with the hit "La Grange," a signature riff tune to this day, based on John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillen." Their success continued unabated throughout the '70s, culminating with the year-and-a-half-long Worldwide Texas Tour.
Exhausted from the overwhelming work load, they took a three-year break, then switched labels and returned to form with Deguello and El Loco, both harbingers of what was to come. By their next album, Eliminator, and its worldwide smash follow-up, Afterburner, they had successfully harnessed the potential of synthesizers to their patented grungy blues-groove, giving their material a more contemporary edge while retaining their patented Texas style. Now sporting long beards, golf hats, and boiler suits, they met the emerging video age head-on, reducing their "message" to simple iconography. Becoming even more popular in the long run, they moved with the times while simultaneously bucking every trend that crossed their path. As genuine roots musicians, they have few peers; Gibbons is one of America's finest blues guitarists working in the arena rock idiom -- both influenced by the originators of the form and British blues-rock guitarists like Peter Green -- while Hill and Beard provide the ultimate rhythm section support. The only rock & roll group that's out there with its original members still aboard after three decades (an anniversary celebrated on 1999's XXX), ZZ Top's music is always instantly recognizable, eminently powerful, profoundly soulful, and 100 percent American in derivation. They have continued to support the blues through various means, perhaps most visibly when they were given a piece of wood from Muddy Waters' shack in Clarksdale, MS. The group members had it made into a guitar, dubbed the "Muddywood," then sent it out on tour to raise money for the Delta Blues Museum. ZZ Top's support and link to the blues remains as rock solid as the music they play. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Rufio Biography: The Rancho Cucamonga, CA, pop-punk quartet Rufio is comprised of members Scott Sellers (guitar, vocals), Jon Berry (bass, vocals), Clark Domae (lead guitar), and Mike Jimenez (drums). Musically...
Tsar Biography: Hailing from Los Angeles's Silverlake district, band members Jeff Whalen, Daniel Kern (vocals, guitar); Derrick Forget (vocals, bass guitar); Chuck Byler (drums) formed the pop-punk group Tsar in...
Backdraft Biography: The long-haired headbangers who comprise Backdraft look like a southern rock outfit of the ‘70s; they look like they could be members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, the Outlaws or Molly...
Apocalyptica Biography: The Helsinki, Finland, quartet Apocalyptica comprised classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Max Lilja, Antero Manninen, and Paavo Lotjonen; formed in 1993, the group made waves internationally...
Illdisposed Biography: One of Denmark's most respected and longest lasting death metal bands, Illdisposed were formed in the town of Århus in 1991, and managed to secure a record deal on the strength of their very...
Eko Biography: The music of EKO comes from the creative mind of John O'Connor. The composer/guitarist put out five albums under the EKO name -- which means "one" in Sanskrit -- through new age label Higher Octave,...
Cherry ghost Biography: Taking his name from a line in a tune by Wilco, Cherry Ghost is the stage name for Simon Aldred, a British singer and songwriter who decided to strike out on his own as a solo act in 2005 after...
Shop boyz Biography: Classifying their sound as "hood rock," the Shop Boyz tried to separate themselves from the Atlanta crunk scene, but as their 2007 breakout single, Party Like a Rockstar, showed, the trio fit right...