Music Flashback: ZZ Top

ZZ Top is a Houston, Texas based Rock Band first formed in 1969.

The band’s distinctive sound is heavily influenced by the Blues and Southern Rock.

The first incarnation of the band included Billy Gibbons, Dan Mitchell, and Lanier Greig. Greig and Mitchell were quickly replaced in 1969 and the classic lineup since that time has been:

Billy Gibbons – Vocals, Guitar
Dusty Hill – Bass, Keyboards
Frank Beard – Drums

Their debut album was released in 1971.

The group is instantly recognizable thanks to Gibbon’s and Hill’s distinctive chest-length beards. The two have not always had the trademark looooong beards…. The group gained popularity and became very successful during much of the 1970′s….minus the full-length beards. In 1977, the group took a 2-year break from touring, at which time Gibbons and Hill each grew their now trademark chest-length beards.

The group has sold over 50 Million Albums worldwide during their career.

The group has placed 8 singles into the Billboard Top-40 charts here in the US and countless other singles onto the Billboard Rock Charts.

The group’s music videos were staples on MTV through much of the 1980′s.

Their many hits have included:

LaGrange
Tush
I Thank You
Cheap Sunglasses
Gimme All Your Lovin
Legs
Sharp Dressed Man
Sleeping Bag
Stages
Rough Boy
Got Me under Pressure
Velcro Fly
Doubleback
Concrete and Steel
My Head’s in Mississippi

and many others…

Their highest charting hits on the Billboard Top-40 Charts were “Legs” and “Sleeping Bag” which reached #8 on the charts.

Six of their singles have reached #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts.

They are one of the few groups I have seen more than once in concert. I saw them in London in the mid 1980′s and then again in Salt Lake City in 1991. My wife was deaf for a month after the SLC show.

The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

After over 40 years together, the group is still very active and can still be found frequently touring the globe.