ZZ Top producer/engineer Terry Manning

[GaryT]

I didn't know Buddy Whittington got out his own now. Have to check him out.

Caught him a couple times with the BluesBreakers in the late 90s early 2000, I believe it was. Blues for Lost Days but I can't remember the earlier CD with Mayall. Had Spinning Coin on it, that was the first time I had seen Buddy though. He carried a Vintage Strat and Les-Paul with him and was bouncing back and forth. Nice Player, Mayall was having him do his own 15min set then where he led the band and sang.

[elduave]

So, if I found some early ZZ on vinyl I'd be in business.

[Hamerica]

So, if I found some early ZZ on vinyl I'd be in business.

I purchased all of the first four albums from ebay in the past couple of years in great condition and reasonably priced.

Yep, you would be in business and don't forget the beer, chips and guacamole. Then, its a party!

[SteveB]

just thought I'd post the best version of "Teddy Bear" ever... off the XXX album. Dusty's vocals are awesome.

[Hamerica]

I didn't know Buddy Whittington got out his own now. Have to check him out.

Caught him a couple times with the BluesBreakers in the late 90s early 2000, I believe it was. Blues for Lost Days but I can't remember the earlier CD with Mayall. Had Spinning Coin on it, that was the first time I had seen Buddy though. He carried a Vintage Strat and Les-Paul with him and was bouncing back and forth. Nice Player, Mayall was having him do his own 15min set then where he led the band and sang.

Hey Gary,

Check out http://www.buddywhittington.com/ and tell him that Hamerica sent ya! Buddy plays a Lentz, some vintage guitars and those Dr. Z amp. His solo album is very good.

Mayall replaced the Bluesbreakers last year. Another Texas Tornado took Buddy's place, Dallas guitarist Rocky Athas.

I would say Buddy is a bit better than a nice player. Watch Clapton get spanked by Buddy in John Mayalls 70th Birthday Video, the song escape me but it was a regular clip on You tube.

Really anyone who played with John Mayall is a monster in their own right. One of them even played Hamers Kal David.

Back to ZZ Top, Buddy is a big fan of ZZ and vice versa.

Hamerica

[Brooks]

Nice Player, Mayall was having him do his own 15min set then where he led the band and sang.

another dallas area player i knew 20-something years ago, rocky athas, is now playing w/ mayall (saw them in a recent guitar player mag). rocky grew up in SRV's oak cliff neighborhood, and led the band lightning, a major 70's early 80's texas club draw, then went on to play w/ black oak arkansas. i worked w/ one of lightnings drummers 85-87, and hung out w/ lightning at local gigs. rocky is a good player and cool guy.

[GaryT]

Have to check out the first two LPs? I don't remember anything from before La Grange? Big in 74 though.

No kidding, I remember Black Oak, but don't remember him. I'm gonna check him. Sounds like like some new stuff to get on the CD player. Its tough now man, so much bull on the radio. Almost seems like we went backwards.

[Feynman]

ZZ Top, do you forgive me?

Even if they won't, I forgive you.

I could listen to "Just Got Paid" all day long I think.

[Brooks]

ha! mouse mayes was in & out of lightning when i hung w/ 'em. in fact, he lived nearby, and i bought my 1st 4x12 from him (he built them for lightning; i added the JD logo ).

[Hamerica]

ha! mouse mayes was in & out of lightning when i hung w/ 'em. in fact, he lived nearby, and i bought my 1st 4x12 from him (he built them for lightning; i added the JD logo ).

Now that is small world stuff right there. Nice logo!

Hamerica

[Willie G. Moseley]

1. For further details on all things ZZ, including Eliminator, read Sharp-Dressed Men by David Blayney, their former lighting director.

2. Buddy Whittington is one of the nicest guys on the planet, and a great guitarist. The fact that he's the longest-lasting lead guitarist ever for the Bluesbreakers says something.

[Stevieconlon]

I agree with the comments regarding preferred albums.

For me, it is Tres Hombres, Deguello, First Album at the top.

I also agree that Antenna is worth checking it out--I really like it.

AND Mescalero

[Armitage]

I tried a Legend back then... hated it, but then again, I wasn't trying to get an Eliminator type sound either.

[Jorge]

Watch Clapton get spanked by Buddy in John Mayalls 70th Birthday Video, the song escape me but it was a regular clip on You tube.

Yes, and Mick Taylor spanks him too, on the same concert.

[HamerHokie]

ZZ Top, do you forgive me?

Even if they won't, I forgive you.

I could listen to "Just Got Paid" all day long I think.

I feel that way about "Waiting For The Bus" and "Heard It On The X."

[marcnorth]

ZZ's first four albums are their best showing, after that they went to shit.

I have all of their catalog and I can't even finish listening to any of the ones put out after the first four.

The vinyl is the best if you really crank it up to get the full effect of the raw power. Great stuff.

[humfree]

As far as guitar tone goes, the palettes available on El Loco and Deguello are IMHO are beyond anything they did before or since. I appreciate all the others before that, (not so much afterward) but for unique, original sounding guitar tones - those two stand out for me above and beyond. They are much harder to capture in a cover band for that very reason, and by direct comparison, my vote goes to the above mentioned.

I try to avoid seeing them now after wincing through the last few live performances I've seen.. most notably that disaster on the Conan O'Brien finale. I came across this bootleg recording from somewhere in Europe where the band somehow got their wires crossed and Billy ended up like 6 bars behind everyone else. It is the most extended disorganized mess I have ever heard from a professional band ever. I could see it being an isolated monitor related problem, but since then, I haven't been at all impressed with Billy G's playing - in a live setting that is.

It's always interesting to hear about how iconic recordings came together. Eliminator was such a huge departure from the norm for them, but so was El Loco. It sometimes makes me wonder about the timing of success for a particular album. Had Deguello or even El Loco been made during the time of their new found exposure on MTV, would they have been as successful or sustaining as Eliminator? Instead of Gimme All Your Lovin', they use the same girls and release 'Tube Snake Boogie', or 'Cheap Sunglasses', or 'Party on the Patio' or 'I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide' and capture through the strength of their personalities, fame as they know it today.

My problem has always been that my most favorite album from a particular band is rarely their flagship release. Sort of a birth defect.. hehehe.. as seems to be my inability to stay on point.

Thanks for the article!

[MTM105]

Head in Mississippi recorded through Marshall Lead 12. Tranny.

Get a head for $99 on Ebay. People unload same amp recorded with 10 inch speaker frequently.

[Disturber]

Head in Mississippi recorded through Marshall Lead 12. Tranny.

Get a head for $99 on Ebay. People unload same amp recorded with 10 inch speaker frequently.

Yeah, the Lead 12 might sound good miked in certain situations. But other than that it has become a myth around this amp. It is a solid state and it sounds like a solid state, but with the right Marshall flavour.

But right now, 2010, there are many small non tube amps that sound a lot better.

The Lead 12 might be worth around 50 bucks, but when prices start to go up because of the hype, then it's getting silly.

[Bluesking]

The live side of "Fandango!" is one the finest examples of rock guitar tone - ever.

[Scottcrud]

I saw them in Austin last year at "The Backyard", can't remember which songs but they had to completely stop playing two songs after 15-20 seconds, drums were ahead of everything else. A friend was head security at the venue and told me that when they went off stage after their set, that Billy told the tour manager that no one was allowed back stage till he, dusty and Frank had a little talk... My friend said he could hear lots of yelling and little talking.