Tag Archive for: ZZ Top

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ZZ TOP- drummer Frank Beard dies, 77

The all-important breakthrough third ZZ Top album, "Tres Hombres", will focus on the all-around improvements in recording quality and songwriting reflected in such perennials as "Waitin’ for the Bus”, “Jesus Just Left Chicago”, and “Lagrange” plus the introduction of "the squank" to guitar vernacular. Squankmaster Billy Gibbons, deceased drummer Frank Beard, and the dearly missed Dusty Hill tell the colorful tales of the earliest days of ZZ Top here In the Studio for  the breakthrough 1973 third album, "Tres Hombres".

ZZ Top 55th Anniversary- Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, the late Dusty Hill

ZZ Top 55th anniversary interviews with Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, and the late Dusty Hill.
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ZZ Top- Afterburner- Billy Gibbons, the late Frank Beard

In 1985 ZZ Top's"Afterburner" kicked in. But don't go looking for it in the 2019 ZZ Top rockumentary film "That Little Ol' Band from Texas" .That otherwise well-done pastiche of just some of the chapters in this colorful trio's fifty year telenovela implied that all meaningful recording by ZZ Top wrapped at the conclusion of "Eliminator" way back in 1983. Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard join me here In the Studio  for "Sleeping Bag","Stages","Woke Up with Wood", and "Planet of Women".
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ZZ Top- Fandango- Billy Gibbons, the late Dusty Hill & Frank Beard

For their 1975 "Fandango", my guests Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard in "That Little Ol' Band from Texas" ZZ Top were tellin' tall tales here In the Studio  long before Netflix or Amazon Prime were ever invented! -Redbeard

ZZ Top- Lagrange- Castle Donington, Derbyshire UK 8-17-85

One of the priceless pieces of twenty-five years of rock history at Q102 Dallas/Ft Worth  was a tape cartridge that I had dubbed from a cassette containing a live medley of ZZ Top's encore of "Lagrange" which had closed their headlining show…

ZZ Top- Cheap Sunglasses- Passaic NJ

ZZ Top really worked hard in the studio on capturing new Billy Gibbons guitar sounds on their November 1979 album Deguello. ZZ Top employed what they'd learned on the subsequent tour, which had this stop at the venerable Capital Theater in Passaic…
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ZZ Top- Deguello- Billy Gibbons, the late Dusty Hill & Frank Beard

Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard In the Studio for “Deguello”
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ZZ Top- Antenna pt2- Billy Gibbons, the late Dusty Hill & Frank Beard

This is the conclusion of the ZZ Top "Antenna" world premiere radio broadcast on January 15, 1994 with Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard live from Manhattan's Hit Factory to millions all over North America. In part two we learn that ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard had a fascinating side hustle as the owner of his own professional auto racing team, which came in second at Daytona in their first race!
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ZZ TOP- Eliminator- Billy Gibbons, the late Frank Beard & Dusty Hill

And yes, the series of clever, campy videos on the upstart MTV video channel in America undoubtedly had much to do with that staggering (15 million just in US) level of popularity for "Eliminator" (truly ironic, since manager Bill Ham had steadfastly kept ZZ Top off of U.S. television until then). But the songwriting, musicianship, modern arranging, and state-of-the-art recording on "Eliminator" which I heard that day was truly extraordinary. Billy Gibbons, Frank Bread, & the late Dusty Hill are my guests In the Studio.

ZZ Top- Sharp Dressed Man- Los Angeles

ZZ Top with the incredibly durable original tres hombres of the late bass player Dusty Hill, drummer Frank Beard, and squankmaster Billy Gibbons taking a turn on the Hollywood red carpet with "Sharp Dressed Man" in concert in the City of Angels.