ZZ TOP – dvd

ZZ TOP – Wrecks Us In Texas!



Special report from Martin Popoff

June 24th marks the release of ZZ TOP’s first-ever live DVD, a hot-clockin’ collection of 17 classics called Live In Texas. Guitarist and vocalist Billy Gibbons spoke to BW&BK about the package, which includes a hilarious band interview around the poker table, a photo shoot, and of course, the blazing show itself…

“What you see on Live In Texas is pretty much a bare-bones production,” explains Gibbons. “Through the years we’ve gone through zero production when we played barrooms (laughs), to elaborate arena-like productions, and now, we’re actually kind of concentrating on musical value and… don’t get me wrong, we’re still supported by a great design team of theatrical designers working on lights and sound, and it all helps, but I think what you get on this package is a pretty straight-ahead musical production.”

“There are a few,” oddballs, he means, in this set, ‘Pin Cushion’ and 'Blue Jean Blues’ coming to mind. “There are a few that have become, you know, standardized, you gotta play them, kind of thing. But there were a couple of left turns where we got lucky, and actually learned them (laughs), meaning the songs were supposed to be playing. But yes, those are normally kind of off to the side presentation/performance pieces. But they worked well within this particular lineup.”

Highlight hands-down for this writer is this slamming version of proto-metal classic ‘Heard It On The X’. “Oh yeah! No question,” agrees Billy. “It’s a little slower, actually, and in so doing, we had to kind of lean into it a little bit harder. But it helps the song. It actually feels like a new presentation. Well, it IS a new presentation, just a different approach.”

“It’s different,” continues Billy hesitantly, at the assertion that ‘La Grange’ barely hangs onto its shuffle feel for dear life. “If you listen to the records, and of course, I think the interesting aspect is, a DVD, if it’s not redone in a studio, then it’s not a studio production, like a lot of the stuff you hear on record. That’s a luxury that is created behind a lot of careful planning, and the luxury of being able to go back and redo things. But straight-ahead performances are quite a bit different. You’ve got a lot of events taking place at the time of delivery.”

Finally, we asked Billy if wearing sunglasses on stage has ever caused any vision-related mishaps… “Well, they’re prescription glasses, for both Dusty and I. We can actually see better with them (laughs).”

Put on your own cheap sunglasses and see issue #111 of BW&BK for the full goods on ZZ Top in 2008.