After the unexpectedly flopping El Loco (1981), ZZ Top returned to the tops with the 1983 album Eliminator including the hits Sharp Dressed Man, Legs, Gimme All Your Lovin’. They came back to the studio in 1979 and released four albums in six years. Gibbons and Hill grew impressive beards, a new integral part of their stage image. The touring captivated them and made the guys forget the studio activity for three years. It started in 1976 and lasted longer than the musicians planned. It was a huge program of concerts in a number of countries notable for the Texas style of stage decorations including cactuses, snakes and other typical images of the band’s homeland. Catching the right moment, ZZ Top launched the incomparable World Wide Texas tour. Half-studio, half-live record, Fandango (1975), followed the glorious way of its predecessor and became a hit in Europe. This track lifted the album straight to Top 10 making it platinum. ZZ Top achieved the commercial success with the 1973 release of Tres Hombres, containing the smashing La Grange. Although, its singles had a good airplay, the album itself was not well promoted and had a poor charts performance. The group started their career touring the Southern states mostly, until the second long player, Rio Grande Mud (1972), earned them nationwide fame. The debut work by the rockers, called First Album (1970), featured the heavy version of country and blues which could be accepted only by the local folks of Texas. This unique sound became the trademark of ZZ Top making them recognizable and remarkable among many other rock performers. So they did, yet the Southern origin took its toll as the young men flavored their music with blues. They were headed by the producer Bill Ham who recommended the guys to play hard rock. The new lineup of ZZ Top remained the same for many years to come and included Billy Gibbons, Joe Hill and Frank Beard. With only one single released, Billy was forced to search for new musicians after the original members went to Vietnam. In 1970, Billy launched a new project involving his Moving Sidewalks partners. His majesty Jimmy Hendrix praised the works of this formation naming Gibson one of the most promising American young musicians. The legendary rock band ZZ Top was originated on the base of Billy Gibbons’ blues group Moving Sidewalks formed in Texas late in the sixties.
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