I'm currently working on my post-rodeo post over at HLAC, in the meantime, enjoy a sample of the awesomeness I witnessed last night.
When they first started playing last night, my husband asked me, "Where is the rest of the band? That can't be just the three of them sounding like that." EXACTLY -- they are the Awesome Cat of Rock and Roll; and hometown boys to boot!
Ghastly Roommates
1 year ago
28 comments:
Really? The coolest band EVER?? I like ZZ Top and all, but I dunno about that...
I am impressed when 2 or 3 people put out some mega sound. Just make sure they're not playing with pre-recorded tracks before you think they're too awesome...I've been fooled by that before. Not saying ZZ Top does, but many do. Frank can tell almost immediately when bands do that....ears of gold, I tell you. He hears things that no one else does.
Who are they? Just kidding. I read Beth's comment. The awesome cat of rock and roll, huh?
"He hears things that no one else does."
Beth, should you be concerned about that? Just sayin'.
Oh...I've been concerned for quite a long time.
Unfortunately, all it has done is encouraged Frank to share his super-sense with me so that I hear things, too...
zz top is an impressive sound. I imagine the guitars run through a synthesizer offstage so they don't have to adjust anything while they are playing. Electric guitars can create a pretty huge variety of sounds without any extra equipment, but they would be messing with those knobs the whole time.
My pastor has a foot board he uses with his acoustic that will let him create a very impressive amount of variance in the instrument.
Now you want to hear some of the unreal stuff that guitars can do you need to listen to B.B. king and Jimmy Hendrix. Both of them explore the guitar in very different ways.
They were on a rotating stage. The only other person present was a guy tuning the guitar and bass set. (They played 5 different sets during the concert.)
Growing up me in the late 70's and early to mid 80's, there were 3 things that you did not question:
1) that Elvis was indeed, dead
2) that disco sucks, and
3) the awesomeness of ZZ Top
They are pretty much royalty around here. My childhood friend is Frank Beard's niece, and I have seen him, Dusty Hill and Billy Gibbons around Houston on several occassions. Not only are they awesome, but they are completely approachable. Long live ZZ Top!
Let's not forget Peter Frampton!
And gotta love the foot board. It's really fun to plug a little mandolin into it and wail away on mega distortion...
And alas, all we had in ye olde early 90's were likes of Kurt Cobain....
With all due respect to Peter Frampton, even though I was a huge fan of his, to mention him in the same breath as ZZ Top is, for me, unthinkable.
I suppose part of it is being a Texan. I am immensely proud to claim Texas as my home with the likes of them and the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughn. Janis Joplin was a bit of a train wreck, but also an incredible artist. As was Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison. Okay, sure - Mary Kay is also from Texas. But Dallas doesn't really count...
And just in case Marni reads that last comment, I was only kidding about Dallas (sort of)(not really).
Peter Frampton was mostly a joke- don't get your beard in a knot. :)
But playing with the talk box thing IS fun...and very annoying....which makes it more fun...
Beth- Don't be mouthin' Framptom! There's lots of us fans still out here.
I also love the music of Janis Joplin, I know her life was pretty messed up but I think her music was genious.
ZZ Top is pretty good but not my favorite.
I would enjoy seeing them in concert, though.
Englebert Humperdink is pretty awesome too!
Are those guys still alive??!!!
Just kidding...I know they're not Social Security age yet...but close.
Gotta love a guy who plays two 22" bass drums, three floor toms and two snares. Beard knows the skins.
Marni is not offended about said Dallas comment because Marni only lives NEAR Dallas, not in it. So...we're cool Kat. And since we're braggin on Texas singers, don't forget Kelly Clarkson, The Butthole Surfers and of course, Buck Owens. Why would anyone want to live anywhere else?...
Did someone say Butthole Surfers?
Oh my. I thought I'd forgotten them. Thanks, Marni.
Um...let's see. Who came from Indiana? John Mellencamp. Michael Jackson. Axl Rose. David Lee Roth. The Gaithers. But most importantly...
RICH MULLINS!
'Scuse me but Illinois has the INfamous Gov. Blagojavich who, I'm told, sings like a bird!I think we'll all get to hear his "songs" real soon.
Also,One of my favorites, ALISON KRAUSS, Gretchin Wilson (not my fav.)KANYE WEST, 70s/early 80s bands STYX, Cheap Trick and REO Speedwagon,Benny Goodman (Best Zazzman who ever lived) Burl Ives (Have you seen Frosty the Snowman?)and Chicago area does boast the POLKA HALL OF FAME.
Yeah, I guess you can say we're the music capital of the WORLD!
I know you are all jealous.
Oh, I how can I forget?
THE BLACK FORTYS!!!!!
Sherri, I love REO Speedwagon. I didn't know we owned Styx. I should have thought of the Polka Hall of Fame. And Chicago has a band named after it.
Let me know when the Black Fortys are near Chicago. I'll hire a sitter for mom and go see them.
Helen- I'll have to make you a mix tape of all these bands we love.
THE BLACK FORTYS will be in Chicago on April 2, playing at THE EMPTY BOTTLE ( sounds lovely )at 9:00 pm. Are you a night owl?
I have a new post about them up on my site with a new video.
REO Speedwagon fun fact:
One of the bars/clubs that they got their start in, located in Charleston, IL, was purchased by a church and made into a hang out/ministry places for youth. Frank knows the youth pastor there.
Here's the website.
Oh, Marni! How could I forget the Butthole Surfers! From Houston, no less!
Props to Illinois for musical greatness, especially Rich Mullins and Allison Krause.
How do y'all put those links on the bottom of the post? When I try to do it, it comes up as this site.
Indiana claims Rich Mullins....Indiana, I say!!!
Beth, that is pretty cool information on REO Speedwagon.
Coming out of lurkdom to post that 1)katdish, you need an itty bitty html (Seek the Geek) and 2) Buddy Holly's last concert was in Iowa where his plane crashed. So yes, we are all Idiots Out Walking Around....looking for Buddy Holly memorabilia.
Oh, Beth! Scuse me...my bad.
What is an itty bitty html? Nick? Haallooo!
That lil ol' band from Texas can throw down like no other. The Rev. Billy G. Gibbons is one of the most underrated geetar players out there. If you really like them, Billy G. wrote a book called "Rock-n-Roll Gearhead" in which he gives a very complete history of the band, covers his cars, and shows off some of his guitars. It's very, very cool.
Oh, man! I'm headed over to Amazon! Thanks, Timbo.
I can't remember if it was Billy or Dusty who bought a house in the neighborhood where I grew up, but it was so typical of those guys. Rather than buying a big house in some fancy-shmasy neighborhood, they bought two, two-story houses side by side and HAD THEM CONNECTED! How ZZ Top is that?
Incidentally, you name checked "Jesus just left Chicago" in your other blog, a song I plan on being played at my funeral. That and "Turn Up The Radio" by Autograph, I guess.
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