ZZ Top is a power trio from Texas, the antithesis to Rush. While Rush meanders in the realm of fairies and Tom Sawyer with intricate arrangements of music (sic), ZZ Top boogies hard truth using mucky Texan swamp blues, at least they did in the 1970s.

To the credit of ZZ Top’s management, the ‘80s would prove to be their decade of commercial success. MTV loved their wacky hippy hillbilly look, and their magical car with the trademark ZZ Top keychain. If that wasn’t enough, they had synchronized moves with swirling fuzzy guitars. Add some catchy hooks and you’ve got “Legs”, and “Sharp Dressed Man”. Oh yeah, they used a lot of t & a.

ZZ Top formed in 1969. By 1971, the final line-up was Billy Gibbons, guitarist, vocalist, and brainchild (basically the Moe of the group, in that he would openly smack the other members in the back of the head and say things like, “Spread out,” and “What’s the idea?”), Dusty Hill, bass and vocalist, and Frank Beard, drummer and beardless.

In 2012, ZZ Top hooked up with Rick Rubin to release the album “La Futura”. This troubled me, for Rick Rubin seems to be a grave chaser, trying to put his production flourishes on bands and artists on the verge of death’s door. Rubin is known for Johnny Cash’s final recordings.

ZZ Top Hat

/zē/ /zē/ /täp/ /hat/

noun

uncommon and rare gravity defying hairstyle that looks like a beard sprouting upwards from the scalp, derived from the English words top and hat

synonyms: pointier Kid ‘N Play do, upside-down face in anti-gravity, off-putting

“I could not see the movie screen anymore after the dude with the ZZ Top Hat sat in front of me.”

“The static in his ZZ Top Hat attracted balloons, saran wrap, dust bunnies and stray socks like Pigpen from Peanuts attracted dirt.”

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