ZZ Top Appreciation Thread

[Feynman]

you guys GOTTA get "chrome smoke & BBQ", the zz box set.

besides being a textbook of THE best tones,

it has all their killer early stuff

(brown sugar, precious & grace, heartbreaker, el diablo, manic mechanic, etc)

but w/o the terrible 80's gated reverb remix of the earlier released "six pack" boxed set.

I know what I am hoping for in my stocking now. Gracias.

[carfish7]

The 'Rev was always a HUGE influence on a young and impressionable Z. Tone of the Gods, until someone slipped him a Rockman!

All hail the 'Top!

The "6 Pack" was a stunningly bad sonic move, quite surprising from the likes of BFD, and ultimately led me back to vinyl. I agree things got fuzzy for a bit, but "Rythmeen" got those old bones moving again here and Frank is a certified drumming BA. (see "Ten Dollar Man" for but one small example).

Billy likes his gear and rides vintage, too. I can relate, but never compete .

I will ALWAYS keep trying to steal his licks, though.

Z

[Frank]

I know. I always feel a little sheepish when I admit it.

My favorite band ever is Styx

You know, there really is no accounting for taste. I can't help what I like and don't like. [shrug]

styx? really?? haha

you don't need to defend what you like and dislike, i'm just busting your balls.

i can understand when folks don't like stones/zep/sabs/rush/ac dc/GnR,

as their vocalists can be an aquired taste (i can't stand most GnR because of axl's schreechy voice).

i'm always baffled when folks don't like the beatles.

i'm not a fan of their sgt pepper or earlier stuff,

but they have written some of the best songs ever.

but hey, some people don't like pizza or sex, either. go figure.

And the Rev playing through 6 Expandoras - crazy!

BG is legendary for his bullshitting people about his gear,

that's a prime example. another one is

"the amp cabin", where he said he stacked a pile of various amps

around a single mic (completely enclosing it) to get the tones on "eliminator"

(when most of it was recorded w/ a rockman).

GP magazine did an article about the Rev's gear. That was where I saw the 6 expandoras daisy chained together on a rack and the article stated that's what he used.

[hamerhead]

GP magazine did an article about the Rev's gear. That was where I saw the 6 expandoras daisy chained together on a rack and the article stated that's what he used.

Yeah - that was pretty funny. Try it if you can sometime. It's incredibly bad!

[Crwth145]

The Rev' ain't no joke. Held in high regard by most who play...

"Church", brother...

[bubs_42]

The Crates are just props. he uses

Marshall JMP-1 rackmount preamps

Marshall Valvestate rackmount amps

Peavey programable EQ's.

He actually runs from that rack straight into a Demeter isolation cab with a single 12" in it.

The cab sits under the stage about 10' from the rack.

This is cool; he takes his #1 les paul (pearly gates),

and plays an open G, and the peavey EQ records the frequency response,

and saves it as the default EQ curve.

Then it adjusts any other guitars response to fit the default EQ curve,

that way ALL his guitars have the same frequency curve as his LP.

I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED HOW AND THE HELL HE DID THAT!

[Feynman]

14yo kid got it goin' on...

[Bruiser Brody]

+ 1 for luvin' ZZ.

[gtone]

+1 Rev Billy G's got it goin' on - a tone monster for our times.