Can you tell me how that developed, and whether it's something you plan to continue doing into the foreseeable future? Despite the unbelievable heat across the gridiron on that fateful day, a monumentally memorable good time was enjoyed by many.Ī couple of years ago, you started playing an annual gig at Antone's here during the holidays called The Jungle Show. Make no mistake, that field is most certainly sacred turf for the Longhorns. Do you remember much about that show? (The stadium didn't host a rock show again until the Eagles played there in 1995.) This is the 50th anniversary of the band but it's also 45 years since that legendary show ZZ Top played at Memorial Stadium in Austin in 1974. To this day, there’s a wide swath of uplifting imagination around Austin town that maintains a mystical magnetism. And nary a complaint is heard about being entertained. Rich men, poor men, lawyers, statesmen, vagrants and vagabonds mingle with intellectuals and just plain, old-fashioned good folks. It's where creative energies combine from so many differing points of origin. The band's origins have always been tied closer to Houston because of you, and Dallas since Frank and Dusty were from that area - but it's always seemed like Austin has been important to the group's history as well.Īustin has always been much like the infamous crossroads Robert Johnson’s blues song describes. Lo and behold, we got stopped out of nowhere and were about to be ticketed for grinding underspeed til the patrolman leaned in and heard the song. Although we were cruising through a desolate stretch of desert, we slowed to a crawl as to not lose the signal. Now that's connecting with the audience.Īnother fond recollection that springs to mind was hearing one of our first records, "Francine,” coming in very faintly on an AM station as we were driving to a gig out in far West Texas. “Well," we thought, "he paid to hear us so let’s give him what he paid for!” The guy was most appreciative. We played a show early on and when the curtain opened, just one paying customer stood before us. ZZ played little clubs, big clubs, middle sized clubs, just about anywhere there was space to set up a get after it. Like those early Volkswagen ads used to read, "Think Small" - and we did. Can you tell me what the shows were like in y'all's first year as a band? It is said the first 50,000 hours are the toughest yet we believe we're getting it by now. As far as performing, playing loud sound seems to be easier now as we feel we're getting good at it. Then again, we're delighted the "way back machine" has finally been perfected. Like previous years, the big challenge is finding time to binge watch "Perry Mason" reruns. The Austin show happens to be on Dusty Hill's birthday! What's harder about playing music at your ages now, and what's easier? It just seems right to kick off the big anniversary celebration "where it all began.” Was there a reason for doing the Texas shows first?īilly Gibbons: The band wanted the feel of a few "home games" before crossing the pond. We connected with Gibbons last week to mull over the 50th anniversary celebration.Īmerican-Statesman: Most of the dates on the 50th anniversary tour are this summer and into fall, but these Dallas-Houston-Austin shows are happening much earlier. Gibbons visits here frequently, and in recent years he’s employed Austin keyboardist Mike Flanigin in his band when he plays shows under his own name. Houston remains ground zero in ZZ Top world, but Austin always has been a special place for the group.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |