ZZ Top still nationwide
After five decades and the loss of its bassist, the band keeps putting out records and touring, with a Pomona stop Saturday
ZZ Top’s “Raw” is as close to being an accidental album as it gets.
The album, which is set for release this summer, is drawn from a session at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas, in which singer/ guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard set up and played versions of such familiar songs as “La Grange,” “Tush,” “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’ ” and “Legs” in the most live, spontaneous and basic setting possible.
The performances were filmed for use in the recent ZZ Top documentary celebrating the band’s 50-year history with its original lineup, “That Little Ol’ Band From Texas.” When the trio unplugged and left Gruene Hall that day, they thought it was mission accomplished. The footage was shot and recorded, end of story.
“The tunes on that occasion unfolded quite in the moment,” Gibbons said, recalling the session in a new interview via email ahead of the band bringing its Raw Whiskey Tour to Humphreys Concerts by the Bay in San Diego tonight, which is sold out, and the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona on Saturday.
“Our director, Sam [Dunn], wanted a sequence where we played in the present day as a balance to the film’s historical narrative,” he continued. “We got in there and did what we did and later, much later, realized we had an album.”
As Gibbons indicated, upon further review, the performances captured something that was worth hearing in its entirety — the unmistakable Texas blues-rock boogie of ZZ Top in its most authentic state. And the “Raw” album became a reality.
The album figures to take on some significance as one of the last live documents of ZZ Top with Hill, who died in July. A hip injury had prevented Hill from joining Gibbons and Beard for last summer’s tour, and longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis had stepped in on bass. When Hill died, the band barely took time off before resuming the tour, knowing that’s what Hill would have wanted.
Nevertheless, Hill’s death came as a shock.
“It was quite sudden and we remained under the assumption he’d rally, recover and rejoin us,” Gibbons said. “There was no anticipation, mental or otherwise. We just had to deal with the reality of departure, and the quick turnaround helped reinforce the ‘show must go on’ ethos. Our crew, our friends, fans and followers have been a huge source of comfort.”
Now ZZ Top, with Francis considered a long-term third member, is back on tour this summer promoting the “Raw” album with what promises to be a show that touches on all 50-plus years of the band’s history.
“We know we’ll go as far back as possible … perhaps ‘Brown Sugar’ or ‘Just Got Back From Baby’s’ from the cleverly titled ‘ZZ Top’s First Album’ or even Willie Brown’s ‘Future Blues’ that predates us by 40 plus years,” Gibbons said. “Of course, a few of the ones well known, like ‘La Grange’ and ‘Legs.’ What’s certain is the famed adage of ‘something old, something borrowed and most definitely something blue.’ ”
ZZ Top’s longevity is notable enough, but the fact that the classic lineup remained intact for 50-plus years makes ZZ Top a rare example of stability and sustained creativity and quality in what is often a volatile reality of being a rock band.
The sound and personal chemistry are something Gibbons, Hill and Beard experienced literally from the first notes they played together.
“Funny thing, our first, I’ll call it a jam session together, Dusty was in line to pick up the bass guitar and throw his hat into the ring. And what was going to start up as a three-minute shuffle in C turned out to be a three-hour jam session,” Gibbons recalled. “We knew something was cooking.”
And Francis is making his presence felt in the live shows.
“Elwood’s instrumental presentation is solid. The Elwood sound has it down,” Gibbons said. “Vocally, of course, it’s surprisingly different. Elwood is great with harmonies and backup stuff, so we’ll just leave it at that.”
And with Francis aboard, Gibbons considers ZZ Top a band that still has plenty to say musically. Speaking of which, before Hill died, the trio had been in the studio working on some songs Gibbons had brought in from sessions for his 2021 solo album, “Hardware,” as well as other material with the thought it might develop into a ZZ Top album of new material.
“Elwood is certainly in with us for the long haul,” Gibbons said. “It’s still ZZ Top, not ZZ Top 2 or ZZ Top with an asterisk. The genuine article abides!”