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Ultimate Classic Rock

ZZ Top’s ‘Eliminator': 40 Sharp-Dressed Facts You May Not Know

Eliminator arrived on March 23, 1983, forever changing ZZ Top 's career trajectory.

They became one of the biggest acts on the planet with a new sound that was catchy and commercially friendly, yet held to the band's riff-driven blues roots. ZZ Top's invasion of pop culture came on all fronts: There were radio hits, a massive tour and, perhaps most importantly, eye-catching videos airing around the clock on MTV.

It's all here, as UCR presents 40 facts about this landmark release.

1. The Rolling Stones Helped Inspire New Direction ZZ Top was touring Europe in 1982 when Billy Gibbons visited a local nightclub. Something sparked as he watched the crowd dance to the Rolling Stones ’ 1980 single "Emotional Rescue." "[Billy is] extremely philosophical, a deep thinker and musically very aware," long-time engineer Terry Manning explained years later. "He started to analyze why ZZ didn't get played in dance clubs and concluded that they were not up to the required rhythmic capabilities. He asked me what we could do. I started going to clubs and studying beats."

2. Depeche Mode and Ministry Also Played a Role Music's evolution wasn't lost on Gibbons, who noticed the way synthesizers and electronic instruments were influencing popular songs. “All sorts of crazy sound-making machines were coming online,” Gibbons told the Houston Chronicle . “We began following the work that both Depeche Mode and Ministry were creating, which started our own ‘lab project’ in the studio and began combining guitar-based blues rock with a modern-day feel.”

3. There’s Some Punk in There as Well Sure, the synths on Eliminator got all the attention, but another influence in its sound was punk rock. “We had been fortunately around the planet, and one of the interesting side trips were the excursions we had through London. At that moment, that punk scene at a zenith,” Gibbons told the Houston Press . One act, in particular, struck a chord. “The Clash , they were a little more along the lines of what we were pursuing. ... They were fierce, no question about it. They had a punk synergism. Their music, I think, was a little more rock-oriented.”

4. Mayhem in Memphis Demos for the album were hashed out at Frank Beard’s Houston home, then much of the LP was recorded in Memphis at Ardent Studios. The town’s vibe affected the album. “There’s a thread of music sounds that have always been part of the Memphis scene, and that was a big inspiration that kept us on track,” Gibbons later told Classic Rock . “But Memphis is also a great trouble-in-waiting town, and of course, we made the most of that, too. We would go gambling and carousing about at a dog track across the Mississippi River in West Memphis, Ark. Or else there were a couple of all-night, after-hours joints that were highly illegal, but where the dice games and good music would start to unfold.”

5. Studio History Of course, ZZ Top wasn’t the first major rock act to record at Ardent. Led Zeppelin , Joe Cocker , Leon Russell , James Taylor and Big Star were just some of the many other notable acts to record there.

6. They Stayed at a Hotel Known for Celebrities … and Ducks ZZ Top made the Peabody Hotel their home while in Memphis. Many celebrities were known to hang out at the historic location.  Frank Beard said he found Jerry Lee Lewis playing the lobby piano one night during ZZ Top’s stay. Still, the hotel’s most famous residents are ducks who parade every day through the lobby and into the water of its decorative fountain.

7. A Different Duck Story “Sharp Dressed Man” returned to pop-culture prominence in 2012 as the theme song to the hit reality TV series Duck Dynasty . The show ran for 11 seasons before ending in 2017. During the finale episode, ZZ Top performed “Sharp Dressed Man” alongside Duck Dynasty cast member Si Robertson.

8. That’s Billy Gibbons’ Car on the Cover Gibbons commissioned a California hot rod shop to build a car in 1976 that he’d later dub “The Eliminator.” Based on a 1933 Ford Coupe, the vehicle boasted a Corvette engine. It was street-ready by 1983 and became famous thanks to the Eliminator album cover, as well as its use in ZZ Top’s most famous music videos. The hot rod is now housed at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame , but Gibbons has visitation rights and takes it out for a spin whenever he passes through Cleveland.

9. The Car Served Another Purpose Custom-made hot rods don’t come cheap: Gibbons' reportedly cost around $50,000 in 1983 – or roughly $151,000 today. He was able to write the cost off by using his Eliminator car for the album’s cover and music video since it qualified as a “work-related purchase.”

10. A Comic Book Designed the Cover Tom Hunnicutt crafted the album’s cover art using Gibbons’ Eliminator car as a model. He had a long history of working for car and racing magazines, as well as classic car-centric comic books.

11. Their Drummer Was Initially Enamored With MTV "Frank Beard was in bed watching TV and saw a music video and was stoked about it," publicist Bob Merlis told the Houston Chronicle . "Then another came on so, he didn't channel surf as was his habit. This went on for hours and hours when it dawned on him that he was watching MTV and they played videos around the clock."

12. Those Famous Videos Shared a Single Director Warner Bros. record executive Jeff Ayeroff recognized MTV's influence on the changing music market. He recruited Tim Newman to helm the video for ZZ Top's "Gimme All Your Lovin,'" even though Newman was a largely unproven director who'd mainly worked in commercials. Things went so well that Newman was brought back for "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Legs," as well. “I’m not a person who talks a lot about himself but with those videos, I helped take ZZ Top from a successful regional touring band to an international superstar band,” Newman told the Boston Globe in 2020.

13. ZZ Top Director's First Video Featured a Different Hall of Famer As the old saying goes, it's not what you know, it's who you know. In Tim Newman's case, it was cousin Randy Newman . Tim directed Randy's video for the buoyant tribute to Los Angeles, "I Love L.A." This work helped endear him to the ZZ Top team, and the rest is history.

14. The Band Helped Cast the ZZ Top Girls “Tim was a great director,” Gibbons told Classic Rock. “By which I mean to say he told us we weren’t much to look at and so we’d need some pretty girls in the mix to sweeten up the story. He brought along a picture book of models to our first meeting. I said to him: ‘Well, slow down here and let’s take this page by page.’”

15. A Random Bar Patron Inspired 'TV Dinners' Gibbons had a sweltering blues backing track for "TV Dinners," but was struggling to find lyrics that fit the groove. While in an East Memphis bar one night, “a young lady walked in wearing a painter’s white jumpsuit. As she strolled past I saw that she had the words ‘TV Dinners’ emblazoned on the back of the suit," he told Classic Rock. "I don’t know to this day why that was such a stimulus, but there the title of the song was. I went right on back to the Peabody, holed up in my room and scribbled out the words that night. Who’d have thought a rock ’n’ roll song would be about food?”

16. She Did Know How to Use Them The famous lyrics to “Legs” inspired a female motorist who was (briefly) stranded on the side of the road. "I was driving in Los Angeles, and there was this unusual downpour. And there was a real pretty girl on the side of the road," Gibbons told Spin in 1985. "I passed her, and then I thought, 'Well, I'd better pull over' or at least turn around and offer her a ride, and by the time I got back she was gone. Her legs were the first thing I noticed. Then I noticed that she had a Brooke Shields hairdo that was in danger of falling. She was not going to get wet. She had legs and she knew how to use them."

17. 'Sharp Dressed Man' Is in the Eye of the Beholder The concept of a "Sharp Dressed Man" naturally brings to mind images of expensive suits and designer shoes, but that wasn't necessarily what the band was going for. "Sharp-dressed depends on who you are," Dusty Hill told Spin . "If you're on a motorcycle, really sharp leather is great. If you're a punk rocker, you can get sharp that way. You can be sharp or not sharp in any mode. It's all in your head. If you feel sharp, you be sharp."

18. ZZ Top Took a Saw to Their Guitars “The guy who does our guitars to this day, Mr. John Bolin, told us we’d need something different for television," Gibbons told Classic Rock. "John had a lumberjack’s saw, so Dusty and I took our perfectly good instruments over to him and he cut the tops off them. Somehow, all of those elements seemed to end up making perfect sense.”

19. The Hits Weren’t as Big as You Remember ... With more than 10 million copies sold, Eliminator was an unmitigated commercial success. Yet it didn’t have the kind of chart-topping numbers you might expect. The album never climbed higher than No. 9 on the Billboard 200 chart, and none of the singles made the Hot 100 Top 5. “Gimme All Your Lovin’” made it to No. 37, “Sharp Dressed Man” stalled out at No. 56 and “Legs” fared best, peaking at No. 8.

20.  ... But the Videos Were The videos for "Sharp Dressed Man," "Gimme All Your Lovin'" and "Legs" proved groundbreaking. The mix of fast cars and beautiful women may not have been revolutionary from an artistic standpoint, but it was exactly what MTV needed. ZZ Top became unexpected superstars with a new generation of fans, while the fledgling network suddenly had proof of how powerfully they could influence an artist's career. ZZ Top delivered some of the era's most popular videos, and at the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, the band took home honors for Best Band and Best Group Video.

21. Those Spinning Guitars Were Custom-Made The founder of Dean Guitars had been friends with Gibbons for years and previously supplied him with a red Dean ML. Then Dean Zelinsky was awakened in 1983 with a new request: “One night, I received a 3 a.m. phone call; it's Gibbons," Zelinsky said, noting that ZZ Top was on tour in the U.K. at the time. "At the end of the conversation, he drops the line, 'I’m sending you some sheepskins I purchased in Scotland, I want you to put them on some guitars.'" Zelinsky obliged and got the instruments done just in time for the "Legs" video shoot.

22. And They Were Dangerous Sure, the spinning, fur-covered guitars looked cool in the "Legs" video – but they were also quite a hazard. “First time I tried it, of course, I knocked the shit out of myself upside the head,” Hill admitted to Classic Rock .

23. 'Legs' Ended Up Having … Legs Beyond its initial chart success, "Legs" had lasting popularity. The track was regularly featured in films and TV shows, including such long-running series as  Miami Vice , King of the Hill , American Dad and The Simpsons . The song was also licensed for L'eggs pantyhose commercials, and ZZ Top reportedly earned a multi-million dollar paycheck in the process.

24. ZZ Top’s Trademark Gesture Was Improvised One of the many famous elements of the band’s Eliminator videos was a hand gesture. In it, the three band members start with two fingers pointing out, then wheel their arms in an exaggerated pointing motion. The signature move wasn’t planned. In the video for “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” ZZ Top had to do several takes while the car drove by. Boredom between takes led to the now-famous motion.

25. 'Eliminator' Featured More Than the Trio Though the three members of ZZ Top were the only musicians to be officially credited, several others contributed to Eliminator . Linden Hudson played synthesizer and helped with the album’s production and arrangements. Terry Manning handled an array of electronic elements, including drum machines and keyboard bass. Jimi Jamison, who later fronted Survivor , delivered backing vocals.

26. Cranking it Up to 120 Following Linden Hudson's advice, the band determined that the optimum dance-rock tempo was 120 beats per minute. Though there were occasional variations – “Sharped Dressed Man,” for instance, is 125 BPM – the band more or less stuck with this rhythm on their drum machines. “A sense of importance was placed on timing and tuning,” Gibbons told Classic Rock, “and we spent a lot of productive hours making the most of keeping that record on a good tempo.”

27. The Album Led to a Lawsuit Hudson wasn’t thrilled that his contributions went uncredited. He’d been a friend of Beard’s and even helped build the drummer’s home studio in exchange for free rent. The engineer and producer helped with demos in the album’s early stages, then aided in bringing synthesizer elements into the band’s music. "Linden Hudson in a fair world should have had his name all over Eliminator and gotten the just compensation he deserved,” stage manager David Blayney wrote in his 1994 book Sharp Dressed Men . Hudson took legal action when his name didn’t appear on the Eliminator credits, claiming he was involved in both production and songwriting. The case was settled in 1986 as the band paid Hudson $600,000. He was also given songwriting credit on one of  Eliminator ’s 11 songs, “Thug.”

28. It Turned Off a Faction of the Band’s Fanbase The album marked a sharp stylistic change, as ZZ Top moved away from their tried-and-true blues-rock roots. The decision was commercially successful, but it wasn't without problems. They won over many new fans with this more accessible sound, while some blues loyalists were outraged. Criticism came from those close to the band, as well. “It seems funny now, but the few who did get to hear 'Legs' when we were recording were kind of shocked," Hill told Classic Rock. "To put it bluntly, we got a little shit for abandoning our basic sound.”

29. Long and Winding Road Trip ZZ Top’s Eliminator tour kicked off May 6, 1983, in Jackson, Miss. The trek lasted through 1984, with a total of 151 performances in 11 different countries. Following the final stop, on April 16, 1984, in Sweden, the group then took a much-deserved break from the road. ZZ Top did not return to touring until December 1985.

30. It Was Challenging to Recreate the Songs Live With a broader expanse of sounds on Eliminator , ZZ Top had to find a way to deliver the material on stage. Manning would be tasked with playing some parts back through a tape recorder during the shows. “It was a tough process because the band didn’t really play natively in the way Eliminator had turned out," he told Classic Rock. "They would come up with a set list, and I would go through and get sounds and beats to fit the songs taken from the actual four-track master tapes. I edited them as required, for instance, if they wanted to extend a particular song live. On the tour, I actually cued the band live with those things. One of my eight tracks was a stage cue where I would have a mic and yell out: ‘Bridge!’ which the band would hear in the stage monitors only. There were also lighting and stage automation cues. It was quite a thing to pull off – and I’m not sure that it always worked.”

31. The Hod Rod Came on Tour … Kind Of ZZ top didn't bring the actual 1933 Ford hot rod on tour with them, but they found a way to make sure the distinctive car was integrated into their live show. The stage design during their Eliminator tour included a gigantic replica of the dashboard of the classic red roadster.

32. Some 'Eliminator' Tracks Have Never Been Performed According to Setlist.fm , “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Legs” respectively rank as the band’s fifth, sixth and seventh most-played songs in concert. The site also notes that three Eliminator tracks have gone unperformed by ZZ Top: “Thug,” “Dirty Dog” and “If I Could Flag Her Down.”

33. The Synths Were New, but So Were the Guitar Sounds There was more to ZZ Top's sound on Eliminator than newly added electronics. “There was a lot of attention aimed toward developing a fierce guitar tone, where before some of the guitar sounds were a little cleaner,” Gibbons later told Goldmine . “This record, top to bottom, is absolutely fierce in the guitar department. Those guitar sounds were raging. ... Not only was the guitar taking on this ferocious character, Dusty fell in line and cranked up the wattage on the bottom end, as well. By and large, the collective work was really a great moment of exchange between the three of us.”

34. Keychain Gang Like the Eliminator hot rod, the distinctive ZZ Top keychain was prominently featured in the music videos for “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Legs.” The keychain became a popular collectible among fans and was still available for purchase on the ZZ Top web store decades later.

35. A Mini-'Eliminator' ZZ Top’s iconic Eliminator hot rod became so popular that an official model car kit of the vehicle was released. At 1/24 scale, the replica wasn’t big enough for owners to drive on the streets, but it at least looked good on display in the home or office. Unfortunately, the model car didn’t come with action figure-sized versions of the band.

36. 'Eliminator' Reissue An expanded edition of Eliminator was released in 2008. In addition to the original album tracks, it included a dance mix of “Legs,” plus live renditions of "Gimme All Your Lovin,’” “Sharp Dressed Man,” "I Got the Six,” "TV Dinners” and "Got Me Under Pressure.”

37. Gimme All Your Dance Moves Martay scored a minor hit in 1999 with "Gimme All Your Lovin' 2000," a dance club-ready tune that sampled the ZZ Top classic. The English pop singer reached No. 28 in the U.K. and also charted in several other European countries. Martay’s future singles didn’t continue that success, but she carved out an impressive career writing songs for other artists and performing in the theater – including the London run of The Lion King .

38. Notable Covers Songs from Eliminator have been covered by a wide range of artists over the years, including Kid Rock , Ministry and "Weird Al" Yankovic . The most star-studded tribute arrived as part of 2011's ZZ Top: A Tribute from Friends . The LP found Fleetwood Mac members Mick Fleetwood , John McVie , and touring keyboardist Brett Tuggle teamed with blues singer Jonny Lang and Aerosmith ’s Steven Tyler on a rendition of “Sharp Dressed Man.”

39. The Album Never Hit No. 1 Eliminator never really came close to hitting No. 1 on the Billboard chart, despite its huge hit songs, massively popular videos and sales of more than 10 million copies. Michael Jackson 's Thriller and the Police 's Synchronicity combined to hold the top spot for 39 of 1983's 52 weeks. Eliminator could never get higher than No. 9, though it did stay in the Billboard 200 for an impressive 185 weeks.

40. LP's Influence Was Felt on ZZ Top's Follow-Up The success of Eliminator kept ZZ Top going down their newly forged, synth-lined path. The band’s follow-up, 1985’s Afterburner , featured even more electronic effects. The LP did well, going multi-platinum and reaching No. 4 on the Billboard 200, but critical response was generally mixed. Only “Sleeping Bag” was able to match the success of their Eliminator singles.

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Eliminator Tour

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The Eliminator Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top . Presented by Schlitz Beer , the tour took place in the North America and Europe . The set list featured material from the band's past studio albums.

  • 1 Itinerary
  • 2 Personnel
  • 4 Tour dates
  • 5 References

The tour followed the March 1983 release of the band's album Eliminator and began on May 12, 1983 in Jackson, Mississippi .

Quiet Riot was the opening act in June 1983 and was booed in Kansas City. Jon Bon Jovi opened in St. Louis in June of 1983 perhaps due to the unfavorable response in Kansas City earlier that same month.

Sammy Hagar was the opening act in July and August, one of the highlights was being joined on stage by Brad Delp from the band Boston at the Worcester Centrum show (they performed Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love"). Quiet Riot again joined the tour for the Canadian leg in September.

  • Billy Gibbons - Guitar , vocals
  • Dusty Hill - Bass , vocals
  • Frank Beard - Drums , percussion
  • " Got Me Under Pressure "
  • "I Got the Six"
  • "Waitin' for the Bus"
  • " Sharp Dressed Man "
  • "Ten Foot Pole"
  • " TV Dinners "
  • "Manic Mechanic"
  • "A Fool for Your Stockings"
  • " Dust My Broom "
  • " Pearl Necklace "
  • " Cheap Sunglasses "
  • " Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers "
  • "Just Got Paid"
  • "Arrested for Driving While Blind"
  • "Party on the Patio"
  • " Tube Snake Boogie "
  • " Jailhouse Rock "
  • " La Grange "
  • Pages with broken file links
  • ZZ Top concert tours
  • 1983 concert tours
  • Pages with script errors

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zz top tour 1984

At concerts

Sixteen ZZ Top shows and two Gibbons shows behind and unforgettable trips.

Concerts 2009

Concerts 2010, concerts 2012, concerts 2013, concerts 2014, concerts 2015, concerts 2016, concerts 2019, concerts 2023.

ZZ Top back in Abilene 50 years after first show here at high school auditorium

zz top tour 1984

There's this about ZZ Top.:

At their concerts, there is no time to Zzzzzzzzz.

The boys are back in town Tuesday, though it's Elwood Francis now on bass following the death of Dusty Hill on July 28. Hill was 72.

More: ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill dies; band scheduled for December show in Abilene

For those who first saw and heard ZZ Top in Abilene 50 years ago, it's hard to fast forward to 2021 and realize the band logged 52 years before Hill's death and is legend. They already are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

What fan hasn't imitated Gibbons singing their signature hit, "La Grange?"

ZZ Top is back at the Taylor County Coliseum, where they have played three times since first performing at Abilene High School in 1971. The stories vary but a consistent one is that tickets cost 50 cents for the AHS show.

Consider that tickets to this week's show, which began during the summer and before Hill's death, can cost $100 or even $200, if you really want to get close.

On that fact alone, ZZ Top has been a huge success.

When they first came to Abilene, they were not clean shaven. But the signature beards of Hill and guitarist Billy Gibbons came later.

One early song performed at Abilene High made the group's first greatest hits album (1977's "The Best of ZZ Top"), "Backdoor Love Affair."

Their next concert here was in January 1973, at the new Civic Center.

The ticket price was noticeably inflated, now costing $4 in advance. The show was ahead of the release of their third album. 

In a Reporter-News story, the title was given as "Dusty, Frank and Billy" and due in February 1973. The third album became "Tres Hombres," and arrived that summer.

Their hits at the time included "Francine," "Just Got Paid" and "Whiskey 'n Mama."

The opening act was Jay Boy Adams.

The band was on stage here in 1977, apparently back in Texas after a tour out yonder.

"Boy, after playing for all those Yankees," Gibbons told the crowd of 6,300 at the Coliseum, "it sure feels good to be home."

This was before Abilene went "wet," and Gibbons introduced the song "Driving While Blind" by inviting fans to join him on a quick trip to Impact. At the time, that was go-to destination for alcohol purchases.

The show went two hours and the highlights include "La Grange," "Tush," "Heard It on the X" and "Blue Jean Blues."

Adams again opened, joined by Muddy Waters. For fans who got to hear the blues legend, the ticket price of $7.50 in advance - a buck more at the door - was some of the best money ever spent.

It would be seven years before That Little Ol' Band from Texas returned. And with a different vibe and even wider audience. Fans poured in for the "Eliminator" tour in 1984. Night Ranger opened.

The crowd topped 8,000 and the Coliseum rocked for three hours. 

Their gritty blues-rock had given way to a bigger sound and a string of national hits such as "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Legs" and "Got Me Under Pressure."

And while their first shows here were performed on a stage bare of extras, their 1980s shows were filled with all sorts of props - fuzzy guitars that spun and the headlights of the now trademark Ford Coupe. The guys had become sharp-dressed men.

And they worked that cool hand motion. 

Cruising down the rock 'n' roll road in style.

Local fans waited years for the band's return. Actually, decades. It took from 1984 to 2015 for ZZ to get back to Abilene.

On ZZ Top's 25th anniversary, the band skipped Abilene but played Odessa's Ector County Coliseum in October 1994.

Abilene fans turned out in big numbers to see and hear their heroes six years ago. 

The guys in the band were much older, and so were the fans. But the enthusiasm for a band first seen here in the early 1970s was unchanged.

Tuesday's show will bring sadness. Hill won't be on stage, a reminder that the years have flowed since the band was founded in Houston in 1969.

Francis, the group's guitar tech guy for 30 years, will be more than capable.

“He can really dig in. He adds a propulsion to the songs that is really enjoyable," Gibbons told the Las Vegas Review Journal in October.

Again, it's a reminder to music fans to see their favorite acts when you can. You never know.

The world had its Fab Four. Texas had its Tres Hombres, who were so genuinely Texas that they opened for the likes of the Rolling Stones, along with the Fabulous Thunderbirds.

They've put out 15 albums excluding live projects.

Ahead of this week's show, Gibbons took time to answer a few questions from the Reporter-News.

Six questions for Billy Gibbons

ARN: The story goes that ZZ Top first played Abilene in 1971, performing in Abilene High School’s auditorium. We hear it cost 50 cents. Do you remember that early day concert? That was the year of your first album and some notoriety. How was the trio received back then?

GIBBONS: "Yes, we remember that show and it was fairly well attended, which was notable since we’d actually played to an audience of one around that time. Not sure about the ticket price but 50 cents in 1971 is the equivalent of $3.42 today, so that’s still a pretty good deal.  

"I’m guessing the three of us came away from that show with at least five more dollars then when we walked into the auditorium. Audiences didn’t exactly know what to make of us back then, but we played loud and crazed, and that usually got a good response.  Still does."

ARN: Did you have any inkling of becoming iconic rock stars in the early days, still playing Texas blues-rock 50 years later?

GIBBONS: "None whatsoever. Our aim was just to get out there and play for an audience ... any audience ...  and to make records but we didn’t have delusions of grandeur at all.  

"We were just glad to have a outlet where we could bash and thrash. We certainly had hope that we’d succeed, yet we didn’t look five decades into the future. Back then, it was rare for us to look five hours into the future."

ARN: There always has been sexual references/tension in your songs. How did that develop – all three of you or one guy? It just seems too natural.

GIBBONS: " Are you accusing us of having a (collective) dirty mind?  

"You know, what we do is based on the blues. and the blues is based, in large part, on sensuous innuendo. So we plead guilty as charged, but I think the inspiration and motivation for that was very much a group effort.

"We didn’t have to think much about it since that kind of thing is usually front of mind ... especially when you’re in your very early 20s."

ARN:  You guys are so cool in concert that it’s hard to tell how much you enjoy a show – has it ever become just a job? Fans hope not.

GIBBONS: "Well, it’s a job we enjoy doing but we don’t think of it as 'work' per se, because our work is to play ... literally. It’s still fine to get out on deck and let it rip."

ARN:  Is it more special playing in Texas for Texans or going to, say, Iowa, and showing them how it’s done?

GIBBONS:  "No knock on Iowa but of course Texas is special to us who are, after all, 'that little ol’ band from Texas.' It’s home where our roots lie and where we first encountered any kind of enthusiasm for what we do.  

"Loyalty goes both ways."

ARN: Will there be a new album?

GIBBONS: "Yes, there will be a new album, which we’ve already started to record. The question is when but our expectation that it will show up in the next calendar year."

Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com . 

What: ZZ Top, with opening act Tim Montana (his song "This Beard Came Here to Party" was a theme song for the Boston Red Sox during their 2013 postseason run)

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Taylor County Coliseum

Tickets: Still a few balcony seats at $39.50, plus service charge, and $69.50, plus fees, for floor seats still left. Special packages also available. Go to taylorcountyexpocenter.com.

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zz top tour 1984

ZZ TOP ANNOUNCE ADDITIONAL SHOWS FOR 2022 CANADIAN TOUR DATES

Upcoming shows, florida theatre, king center for the performing arts, enmarket arena, hertz arena, seminole hard rock hotel & casino, bon secours wellness arena, thompson-boling arena, university of south carolina - colonial life arena, brandon amphitheatre, brookshire grocery arena, landers center, atrium health amphitheater, stranahan theatre, greensboro coliseum complex, charleston coliseum & convention center, martin center for the arts, mississippi coast coliseum, donald l. tucker county civic center, von braun center - propst arena, tulsa theater, ford center, vibrant arena at the mark, resch center, surf ballroom, simmons bank arena, american bank center, abraham chavez theater, findley toyota center, harrah's resort socal - the events center, vina robles amphitheatre, silver legacy resort casino, thunder valley casino resort, pearl concert theater at palms casino resort, beachlife festival, dalhalla festival, tons of rock festival, peissnitzinsel, kunstrasen, le zenith paris - la vitelle, ovo arena wembley, tollwood festival, sion festival, soaring eagle casino & resort, noen nights festival, wind creek steel stage at pnc plaza, empower federal credit union amphitheater at lakeview, bethel woods center for the arts, xfinity center, northwell health at jones beach theater, banknh pavilion, the xfinity theatre, treasure island amphitheater, spirit lake casino & resort.

Tres Hombres Presale: 1/31 at 10am local

Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

Veterans united home loans amphitheater, jiffy lube live, darien lake amphitheater, pine knob music theatre, ruoff music center, toyota pavilion at concord, white river amphitheatre, rv inn style resorts amphitheater, featured products.

Alt

ZZ Top's First Album

Rio Grande Mud

Rio Grande Mud

Tres Hombres

Tres Hombres

Fandango!

Afterburner

The ZZ Top Six Pack

The ZZ Top Six Pack

Recycler

Greatest Hits

Antenna

One Foot in the Blues

Rhythmeen

Live in Germany 1980

Mescalero

Chrome, Smoke & BBQ

Live from Texas

Live from Texas

La Futura

Complete Studio Albums

The Very Baddest

The Very Baddest

Florida Today

ZZ Top comes to Melbourne: 'You can't lose with the blues'

W ith over 50 years in music under their belt, legendary rock/blues/boogie band ZZ Top brings their iconic sound to the King Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, March 6 in a concert presented by AEG. With an extensive catalog of music that includes hits like "La Grange," "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man," "Legs," "Cheap Sunglasses" and many more, ZZ Top delivers an unforgettable live rock experience.

I interviewed legendary vocalist and guitarist Billy Gibbons about the band’s longevity, his approach to music and the band's future. Let’s “Shake, Rattle & Know”:  ZZ Top.

Question: Not many bands have had the combination of longevity and success of ZZ Top. What do you feel it is about your sound that has allowed the band to have that kind of multi-generational career?

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Answer: The root of it all seems to remain with that great American art form which is stridently, "blue." It’s a sound of heartbeat biorhythms which humankind inherited in common. Makes accessing what ZZ does a function of nature. We’ve long said, “You can’t lose with the blues.” Plus, we play pretty loud.

Looking for more to do? 60+ fun things to do in Brevard in March, from outdoor festivals to St. Patrick's Day

Q: You have worked with some of the most legendary musicians of all time including Tito Puente, Les Paul, Jimi Hendrix and more. What is the best piece of advice another musician ever gave you throughout your musical journey?

A: " Play what you want to hear." That’s it. First and foremost is pleasing one’s inner and outer self. Doing just that, chances are pretty good others will dig what’s going down.

Q : If you had to pay to see a concert, who would you choose to see and why?

A: Something from the past, I’d see Jimi Hendrix again. Jimi was an enthralling innovator and a really nice guy. Today? Why not the Rolling Stones? Seeing Keith and Mick mixing it up is always a good time.

Q : You had been with Dusty Hill for so long, how hard was it to continue after his passing? Was there ever a time that you considered ending the band with his passing?

A : The gift is our main man, Elwood Francis, whom Dusty was very fond of, accepting taking up the bottom of the top. It’s a sonic blast and the show rocks on.

Q : What is your typical approach to songwriting? Does it start with the lyrics, the melody, the music or what is the process for you?

A: Rarely typical from the start, yet from that entry, anything goes! With a pickup phrase or chance title line in mind, gimme a backbeat and together it just might make it while the clock strikes twelve. 

Q : You also release music as a solo artist. Is your approach to solo work different than how you approach music for the band ZZ Top?

A:   Yes, in some stratospheric regard it is. For Billy F Gibbons and The BFGs, we kind of cast a wide net and aim for that something intriguing to deliver. For ZZ Top, we must ponder: “What would ZZ Top do?" It really is two things while sharing an element in common.

Q : I. along with most people who grew up in the '80s, grew to love ZZ Top because of their iconic music videos.  What was your favorite video to film and how much input did the band have in their concept and development?

A: Most assuredly, "Sharp Dressed Man" as it's loaded with all the fave-rave elements like that car, the girls, “the kid” and us serving as de facto Greek chorus. Plus, it takes place in a night club. Swanky!

Q : What’s next for both ZZ Top and Billy Gibbons, either collectively or independently ?

A: We’re gonna keep on keepin’ on. ZZ is on a tour tear these days and we’re having a good time playing with generations of friends, fans, and followers. BFG is thinking constantly of what recording might continue pressing the string of left field stuff that begins with, “Hit it, don’t quit it!”

ZZ Top: The Elevation Tour

When: Wednesday March 6 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m.

Where: The King Center, 3865 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne

Tickets: Start at $54.50

Info: 321-242-2219

Website: kingcenter.com or zztop.com

If you have an artist or band you’d like to recommend for review, contact Nunez at [email protected] or on X @srkmusicflorida .

Whether you're interested in music, theater, festivals or other local entertainment, FLORIDA TODAY has got you covered. Support local journalism by subscribing at  Special Offers - USAToday Network .

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: ZZ Top comes to Melbourne: 'You can't lose with the blues'

ZZ Top will perform at the King Center on March 6 at 8 p.m. The band is virtually synonymous with beards, hotrod cars and spinning guitars. Visit kingcenter.com.

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zz top tour 1984

IMAGES

  1. ZZ Top played its first show together 48 years ago in Beaumont

    zz top tour 1984

  2. Overnight: ZZ Top at the Majestic Theatre

    zz top tour 1984

  3. Vintage ZZ Top Eliminator Across The USA 1984 Tour T-Shirt L

    zz top tour 1984

  4. ZZ Top at Ironstone Amphitheatre

    zz top tour 1984

  5. ZZ Top at Ironstone Amphitheatre

    zz top tour 1984

  6. ZZ Top at Ironstone Amphitheatre

    zz top tour 1984

VIDEO

  1. ZZ Top

  2. ZZ top full concert

  3. ZZ Top

  4. ZZ Top in Sweden 1983 (3 Songs)

  5. ZZ Top Live Mountain Air Festival

  6. ZZ Top

COMMENTS

  1. ZZ Top's 1984 Concert & Tour History

    ZZ Top's 1984 Concert History. ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas. For 51 years, it was composed of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill, until Hill's death in 2021. ZZ Top had developed a signature sound based on Gibbons' blues guitar playing style and Hill and ...

  2. ZZ Top Concert Map by year: 1984

    View the concert map Statistics of ZZ Top in 1984! setlist.fm Add Setlist. Search Clear search text. follow. Setlists; Artists; Festivals; Venues; Statistics Stats; News; Forum; Show Menu Hide Menu ... Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour (14) Afterburner (198) Antenna (133) Beards 'N Beck Tour 2014 (20) Beards 'N Beck Tour 2015 (9) Beer Drinkers & Hell ...

  3. ZZ Top Tour Statistics: 1984

    View the statistics of songs played live by ZZ Top. Have a look which song was played how often in 1984! setlist.fm Add Setlist. Search Clear search ... Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour (14) Afterburner (198) Antenna (133) Beards 'N Beck Tour 2014 (20) ... 1984. Song Play Count; 1: Got Me Under Pressure Play Video stats: 7 :

  4. ZZ Top Setlist at Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi

    Get the ZZ Top Setlist of the concert at Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, MS, USA on February 12, 1984 from the Eliminator Tour and other ZZ Top Setlists for free on setlist.fm!

  5. Afterburner World Tour

    Eliminator Tour (1983-1984) Afterburner Tour (1986-1987) Recycler World Tour (1990-1991) The Afterburner Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. The tour took place in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. The set list featured material from the band's previous six studio albums. Venues were mostly arenas.

  6. ZZ Top's 'Eliminator': 40 Sharp-Dressed Facts You May Not Know

    ZZ Top delivered some of the era's most popular videos, and at the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, the band took home honors for Best Band and Best Group Video. 21. Those Spinning ...

  7. Eliminator (album)

    Eliminator is the eighth studio album by American rock band ZZ Top.It was released on March 23, 1983, by Warner Bros. Records, and rose high on the charts in many countries.Four hit singles were released—"Gimme All Your Lovin'" which reached the American Top 40, "Sharp Dressed Man", "TV Dinners" and their most successful single, "Legs". Eliminator is ZZ Top's most commercially successful ...

  8. Eliminator Tour

    5. ZZ Top concert chronology. El Loco-Motion Tour (1981-1983) Eliminator Tour (1983-1984) Afterburner World Tour (1986-1987) The Eliminator Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Presented by Schlitz Beer, the tour took place in the North America and Europe. The set list featured material from the band's past studio albums.

  9. ZZ Top on tour Eliminator

    ZZ Top performed 148 concerts on tour Eliminator, between Mississippi Coast Coliseum on February 12, 1984 and Hirsch Memorial Coliseum on May 6, 1983. 1984 12 Feb. Mississippi Coast Coliseum Eliminator.

  10. Concerts :: Jan´s ZZ Top Archive

    At concerts. Sixteen ZZ Top shows and two Gibbons shows behind and unforgettable trips.

  11. ZZ Top "Eliminator" Tour Commercial

    Concert ad for the 1/14/84 show at Albuquerque's Tingley Coliseum.

  12. ZZ Top back in Abilene 50 years after 1st show here at AHS auditorium

    It took from 1984 to 2015 for ZZ to get back to Abilene. On ZZ Top's 25th anniversary, the band skipped Abilene but played Odessa's Ector County Coliseum in October 1994.

  13. The Concert Database

    Tours > ZZ Top > Eliminator Tour Start Date: 1983-05-12: Date: Band: Roio Name: Roio Label / Taper: Venue: City: Recording: Format: 1983-05-12: ZZ Top : Mississippi ...

  14. ZZ Top Concerts 1980s

    ZZ Top Concerts 1980s. 1980. January 4, 1980 Convention Center Arena, San Antonio, TX (supported by Eric Johnson) January 5, 1980 Convention Center Arena, Dallas, TX. January 6, 1980 Tarrant County Convention Center Arena, Ft. Worth, TX. January 10, 1980 Civic Center Coliseum, Amarillo, TX. January 16, 1980 Coliseum, Knoxville, TN (supported by ...

  15. ZZ Top

    ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969.For 51 years, it consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill, until Hill's death in 2021.ZZ Top developed a signature sound based on Gibbons' blues style and Hill and Beard's rhythm section.They are known for their live performances, sly and humorous lyrics, and the matching ...

  16. ZZ Top

    Released: 1972 . Tres Hombres. Released: 1973

  17. ZZ Top Live Mountain Air Festival

    ZZ Top Live Mountain Air Festival - Angels Camp CA 1986 Afterburner Tour1. Got Me Under Pressure2. Sleeping Bag3. Waitin' For The Bus4. Jesus Just Left Chica...

  18. Tour

    ZZ Top tour date, pre-sale ticket, VIP and venue information

  19. ZZ Top Concert Map by year: 1983

    View the concert map Statistics of ZZ Top in 1983! setlist.fm Add Setlist. Search Clear search text. follow. Setlists; Artists ... ZZ Top > Tour Statistics. Song Statistics Stats; Tour Statistics Stats; Other Statistics; All Setlists. All setlist songs (3318) Years on tour ... 1984 (25) 1983 (134) 1982 (46) 1981 (103) 1980 (96) 1979 (27) 1977 ...

  20. Official Website

    ZZ TOP ROUND OUT MASSIVE 2022 TOUR, ALBUM AND BOURBON RELEASES WITH LAS VEGAS RESEDENCY AT THE VENETIAN DECEMBER 3 - 10. ... ZZ Top are readying a new album titled RAW that was recorded in connection with the band's wildly popular and critically lauded 2019 Netflix documentary That Little Ol' Band From Texas.

  21. ZZ Top comes to Melbourne: 'You can't lose with the blues'

    Legendary band ZZ Top brings "The Elevation Tour" to the King Center in Melbourne on March 6. We got the scoop from singer Billy Gibbons.

  22. ZZ Top Concert Map by year: 1982

    View the concert map Statistics of ZZ Top in 1982! setlist.fm Add Setlist. Search Clear search text. follow ... 1984 (25) 1983 (134) 1982 (46) 1981 (103) 1980 (96) 1979 (27) 1977 ... 2016 Fall Tour (42) 50th Anniversary (155) Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour (14) Afterburner (198) Antenna (133) Beards 'N Beck Tour 2014 (20) Beards 'N Beck Tour 2015 (9 ...

  23. ZZ Top Tour Statistics: 1988

    View the statistics of songs played live by ZZ Top. Have a look which song was played how often in 1988! setlist.fm Add Setlist. Search Clear search ... Tour Statistics. Song Statistics Stats; Tour Statistics Stats; Other Statistics; All Setlists. ... 1984 (25) 1983 (134) 1982 (46) 1981 (103) 1980 (96) 1979 (27) 1977 (43) 1976 (71) 1975 (87 ...

  24. ZZ Top Concert Map by year: 1987

    View the concert map Statistics of ZZ Top in 1987! setlist.fm Add Setlist. Search Clear search text. follow ... 1984 (25) 1983 (134) 1982 (46) 1981 (103) 1980 (96) 1979 (27) 1977 ... 2016 Fall Tour (42) 50th Anniversary (155) Aerosmith/ZZ Top Tour (14) Afterburner (198) Antenna (133) Beards 'N Beck Tour 2014 (20) Beards 'N Beck Tour 2015 (9 ...