Some Things You Didn't Know About ZZ Top

 Blues has been one of the most influential music styles in the US dating back to the 20s and 30s. In the 60s and 70s, blues rock - adapting old blues standards into rock, has become popular. 
ZZ Top (from left: Dusty Hill, Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons) at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2016

In 1969, out of Houston came a popular power trio known for a combination of blues, Southern rock, and boogie. Ranging from blues numbers, the power trio went to a more pop style by the late 70s and even into the 80s. 

As such, here are few little known tidbits about ZZ Top.

They have (never?) had a lineup change

For the past five decades, ZZ Top have consisted of guitarist/vocalist Billy Gibbons, bass player/vocalist Dusty Hill, and drummer Frank Beard. Though some might consider Greg Lainer from their Moving Sidewalks days to be a member, the band have not had a lineup change under the ZZ Top name. They even retained the same manager, Bill Ham, until his 2006 retirement.

Their name is an ode to BB King

Billy Gibbons was a big fan of B.B. King. As such, he originally coined the name "ZZ King," as respect to B.B. King; however, to avoid getting in trouble by the King himself, he came up with the idea that a king would be at the top - hence the name ZZ Top.

Their drummer, Frank Beard, ironically is the only member without a beard

Despite his last name being Beard, Frank Beard is the only member of Zz Top that does not have a beard.

They have an interesting album nomenclature

Starting with 1973's Tres Hombres, ZZ Top developed a formula for naming albums each decade. Their 1970s albums were named in Spanish, Tres Hombres meaning "three men," Fandango being a dance type akin to flamenco, Tejas meaning Texas, Deguello meaning "decaptitation," or "no surrender," and El Loco meaning "the crazy." Begining with 1983's Eliminator, ZZ Top began naming albums with an -er suffix following 1985's Afterburner, 1990's Recycler, and breaking with 1994's Antenna. The band used Spanish again for 2012's La Futura "the future."

It's NOT "touch!"

Folks their 1975 hit Tush undoubtedly has a misinterpreted line. "I'm just looking for some tush. Most mistake the word "tush," for "touch," however that is not correct. Around the time were several other misinterpred words most noteably in "deuce" in Bruce Springsteen's 1973 hit Blinded by The LIght covered three years later by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

Billy Gibbons was the only member really involved on Eliminator

The truth is, the Revered Willie G was the only member that contributed most of the work on Eliminator alongside Bill Ham. Beard and Hill had minimal roles. Despite this, the record became a massive international success.

So there you have it folks!

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