ZZ Top
The Best Of ZZ Top

THE REVIEW

In the early 70s, a genre with a controlled designation of origin was born and developed in the deep south of the states (in areas like Florida, Georgia, the two Carolinas, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas): Southern Rock.

Country, Folk, and Bluegrass are fused with English blues-rock, passing through the Hendrixian psychedelic blues turn (and of the same Greatful Dead), without disdaining sudden escapes in swing or jazz key. In other words, a musical current perhaps reactionary in themes, but absolutely revolutionary from a musical point of view, both in combining different styles and in anticipating some solutions and aspects that will be picked up later by other genres. The southern rock scenario is that of the classic Urban Cowboy with all the risks that derived: not a few artists have died, so much so that it has been called, in this regard, a «cursed musical genre». In this scenario, the masters and greatest standard-bearers of southern boogie move initially: the ZZ Top.

While many southern bands have extensive line-ups (up to 7 elements), sometimes even 2 drummers (e.g., Allman Brothers) and often three axes (e.g., Lynyrd Skynyrd), in this case, there is only one axe-man, but he is worth three: his name is Billy Gibbons. The musical ground where this immense guitar-hero and excellent singer is formed is the electric and psychedelic blues of the late 60s: the lesson is unequivocally that of Elmore James and Jimi Hendrix, very popular in Texas (the land that will give birth to the musical son of Jimi and the last great hero of blues-rock: the late Stevie Ray Vaughan).

After disbanding his debut band, the Moving Sidewalks, Gibbons formed in his hometown (Houston, 1949) ZZ Top adopting the classic blues trio formula (guitar-bass-drums) that will never change: the other two peers, countrymen (Texans), and original members are (on bass and shortly thereafter also vocals) the other bearded Dusty Hill (Dallas, 1949) and (on drums) the only one without a beard Frank Beard (Frankstone, 1949). Never entirely abandoning the Hendrixian teaching, Gibbons and his group followed the path of southern rock throughout the 70s decade and imposed a sound that made them unique in the international rock scene: a real trademark faithfully displayed in The Best Of (1977).

In it, the first 4 albums (First Album, Rio Grande Mud, Tres Hombres, and Fandango) are revisited from which, respectively, are extracted: the small gem titled “Backdoor Love Affair”, the overwhelming “Just Got Paid” and the first major hit, “Francine” (which made them known to a wider audience), the amazing “Waiting For The Bus”, “Jesus Just Left Chicago” and “Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers” together with the legendary ride “La Grange”, and finally, the well-known and masterful rock'n'roll titled “Tush” (with a debut in great shape on Hill’s vocals) and the apocalyptic blues ballad titled “Blue Jeans Blues”. In short, just enough to warmly recommend it. In the following years, these eccentric Texans (with their deceptively naive and folksy image will demonstrate a surprising foresight that will justify their long career) will steer towards a more radio-friendly sound, even with rather heavy nuances, achieving great success in the mid-'80s, only to return (riding the synthesizer era and sensing the hard rock crisis in time) gradually to the basic and fiery boogie’n’blues of their beginnings, still appearing around these days, tougher than ever.

If we consider, a look, only seemingly rough and approximate, which made them an inimitable icon in the very fragmented and crowded rock circus, in addition to a name at least original, it's not so difficult to hypothesize how ZZ TOP are destined even in the distant future to close any rock encyclopedia ordered, as per rule, in alphabetical order.
Filippo Guzzardi