Even after five decades and 30 million records sold, ZZ Top is still “that little ol’ band from Texas.”
“In essence, that’s what we were and what we still are: just three guys from Texas,” says lead singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons, who formed the band in Houston in 1969 with drummer Frank Beard and bassist/vocalist Dusty Hill.
That modest nickname is now the title of their new documentary, “ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas,” which plays in theaters nationwide throughout October and November (check zztopfilm.com for listings). Directed by Sam Dunn (“Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey”), the film traces the trio’s unlikely journey from blues-rock outsiders to Top 40 mainstays in the ’80s and ’90s, charting on Billboard with hits including “Rough Boy,” “What’s Up with That,” “Legs” and “Gimme All Your Lovin’.”
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and is currently touring the country with Cheap Trick. Gibbons, 69, caught up with USA TODAY from the road to chat about music and more.
Question: How’s the tour going?
Billy Gibbons: It’s been an absolute blast. We enjoy tiptoeing through the ZZ Top catalog this go-round. With so many acts on an evening’s bill, the only limitation seems to be that of time. But we’ve figured out a way to dig into the catalog by changing up the set list night to night. Some nights we may squeeze in a “Cheap Sunglasses;” another might include “Party on the Patio.” There’s so much enjoyable material we like playing, we’ve got to mix it up to squeeze it all in.
Q: Looking back, is there a specific moment when you realized just how big the band had become?
Gibbons: Yes. We had completed three videos: “Gimme All Your Lovin,'” followed by “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs.” We were in England and the BBC announced they were doing a 24-hour broadcast of music videos, and somehow they stacked the deck with playing those three ZZ Top clips at the time the pubs were about to let out. (That helped fuel) this explosive popularity. We went from walking down the street being thought of as escapees from some Wild West motion picture or some religious nuts, to, “Oh, there’s the guys from that band! They’ve got the red hot rod car and the pretty girls!”
Q: After more than 50 years together, what do you think ZZ Top’s legacy will be?
Gibbons: That’s a good question. There’s a couple moments in this documentary that highlight ZZ Top as a band, just sitting around, jamming on new stuff and even some older stuff. And we realized just how much we enjoy it. So we’ve taken that as a green light to release some recently recorded material, which hopefully will come out in the not-too-distant future. We’ve got to strike while the iron is hot! But one of the outcomes of this documentary was creating an excitement within the band. There’s kind of this renewed vigor, and we’re actually experiencing the same feelings today that got us excited way back in the beginning. We haven’t really changed that much, and I’m not sure we need to change that much. We just relish getting back to the basics with the same exuberance that brought us together in the first place. It’s kind of crazy, but we’re five decades into this and going after it like we just started.
Q: How much longer would you like to continue touring?
Gibbons: I don’t know. We’re having a blast. Muddy Waters said, “Do it until you don’t want to do it,” and that’s the motto a lot of us seem to live by. There’s something to be said about if you’re having a good time, there’s no reason to pull it to the curb.
Q: Lastly, what are some of your tips for maintaining such an impressive beard?
Gibbons: Well, a word to the wise: It goes where one goes; it’s always there. A little beard balm here and there could be something groovy. I’ve even had guys say, “Drink lots of beer! The barley and malt goes straight to the whiskers.” Everyone has their opinion, now that beards have become somewhat fashionable. Who’s to say how long that trend may last? The biggest challenge is trying to decide whether the beard goes over the covers or under the covers.
Q: What do you usually do?
Gibbons: It’s a little hit and miss. Depends on how strenuous the traveling is. If you remember to keep it outside the covers, fine, but some nights it might get a little chilly and you want to get some (warmth) from the whiskers. (Laughs.)
Q: Have you taken that advice about drinking more beer?
Gibbons: If we had the luxury to experiment, maybe we could answer that. The call to the road is a 24-hour excursion. There’s not much time to do much else. We’re constantly writing and bringing all these stories back into the recording studio. Maybe if a lengthy break comes up and have time to hang out with our pals, I can come back to that question.
