History Music / ZZTop

The little old band from [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]] that could, ZZ Top is a [[LongRunner long-running]] BluesRock band from [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Houston]] with the classic lineup of guitarist/vocalist Billy Gibbons, bassist/keyboardist/vocalist [[PunnyName Dusty Hill]] and drummer Frank Beard ([[NonIndicativeName who, ironically, has the shortest beard]]) lasting over fifty years. Formed in 1969, they were the longest-running rock band with the same line-up (with Music/GoldenEarring and then Music/{{Rush}} close behind them) until Hill's death in 2021.

* TrueCompanions: The fact the band had the exact same lineup for over fifty years shows how close these guys are. The only other rock band that even comes ''close'' to them in terms of lineup longevity is Music/{{Rush}} who had the same lineup for 44 years.

** They make a blink and you'll miss it cameo in the music video for Music/{{WASP}}'s "Blind in Texas".

* LongRunnerLineUp: In rock, ''the'' longest. Fifty years, over a dozen albums, dozens of songs--one line-up. Took Dusty Hill getting sick to interrupt it, and even then he asked for the band to keep on (he died five days after his replacement debuted).

* CoolCar: The Eliminator, that customized 1933 Ford coupe with a Corvette engine.

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: In TheEighties - synthy-spacey-[[NewWaveMusic New Wave]]-BluesRock!

People most likely know them for three things. One of them would be their actual music, which is made up of EpicRiff-driven, frequently humorous BluesRock tunes in TheSeventies, EpicRiff-driven frequently humorous BluesRock tunes [[RecycledInSpace with synths and electronics]] in TheEighties, and a compromise between the two since TheNineties. The other two would be their [[ClothesMakeTheLegend distinctive appearance]] - sunglasses plus chest-length beards (except for [[IronicName Beard]], who just has a moustache and sometimes a very close cropped beard) - and their videos in TheEighties, which always involved [[FanService hot chicks]] and {{Cool Car}}s, most notably [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ZZTopEliminator.jpg the Eliminator]].

* RecycledInSpace: The cover of ''Afterburner''.

* {{Irony}}: Frank Beard is the only member of the band without a BadassBeard.

* BadassBeard: All three. Billy and Dusty (later [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Elwood]]) have [[WizardBeard very long]] beards; Frank ''is'' Beard. In the mid-1980s, the Gillette Company reportedly offered Billy and Dusty $1 million each to shave off their beards for an advert, only to [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules turn down the offer]], saying, "we're too ugly without 'em."
* BadassMustache: Beard makes up for his lack of a Gandalf Beard with one of these. At least until he managed to grow a goatee.

* BadassBeard: All three. Billy and Dusty (later [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Elwood]]) have beards; Frank ''is'' Beard. In the mid-1980s, the Gillette Company reportedly offered Billy and Dusty $1 million each to shave off their beards for an advert, only to [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules turn down the offer]], saying, "we're too ugly without 'em."

* "Mexican Blackbird" is also about a prostitute, with the narrator encouraging the listener to pay her a "visit" if they're "down in Acuna" and "ain't up to being alone".

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Amusingly, Elwood Francis, the band's guitar tech-turned-current bassist since Dusty's passing, ''also'' has [[https://img.discogs.com/1fkRnpp33k0wjmCqLfUG9IZ0GEQ=/402x612/smart/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/A-1448122-1630667329-5729.jpeg.jpg a rather impressive gray beard]] of his own. [[https://ultimateclassicrock.com/dusty-hill-replacement-zz-top-beard/ According to Billy]], he made the decision to grow it out at the onset of the [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic COVID-19 lockdowns]].

* BadassBeard: All three. Billy and Dusty (later [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute Elwood) have beards; Frank ''is'' Beard. In the mid-1980s, the Gillette Company reportedly offered Billy and Dusty $1 million each to shave off their beards for an advert, only to [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules turn down the offer]], saying, "we're too ugly without 'em."

* BadassBeard: All three. Billy and Dusty have beards; Frank ''is'' Beard. In the mid-1980s, the Gillette Company reportedly offered Billy and Dusty $1 million each to shave off their beards for an advert, only to [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules turn down the offer]], saying, "we're too ugly without 'em."

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Amusingly, Elwood Francis, the band's guitar tech-turned-current bassist since Dusty's passing, ''also'' has [[https://img.discogs.com/1fkRnpp33k0wjmCqLfUG9IZ0GEQ=/402x612/smart/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/A-1448122-1630667329-5729.jpeg.jpg a rather impressive beard]] of his own. [[https://ultimateclassicrock.com/dusty-hill-replacement-zz-top-beard/ According to Billy]], he made the decision to grow it out at the onset of the [[UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic COVID-19 lockdowns]].

The little band from [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]] that could, ZZ Top is a [[LongRunner long-running]] BluesRock band from [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Houston]] with the classic lineup of guitarist/vocalist Billy Gibbons, bassist/keyboardist/vocalist [[PunnyName Dusty Hill]] and drummer Frank Beard ([[NonIndicativeName who, ironically, has the shortest beard]]) lasting over fifty years. Formed in 1969, they were the longest-running rock band with the same line-up (with Music/GoldenEarring and then Music/{{Rush}} close behind them) until Hill's death in 2021.

* BilingualBonus: Many album titles are actually Spanish, e.g. "Tres Hombres" (meaning ''Three Men''), "Degüello" (''Beheading'') or "El Loco" (''The Crazy One''). Not all that surprising considering the band is from Texas.

* ICallItVera: Pearly Gates.

* UpdatedRerelease: The CD versions of their '70s albums feature '80s drum machines added instead of the original drumming, marketed as the ''ZZ Top Six Pack''.
** These versions were later sold as separate albums, and inexplicably remained the only versions available until the reissues of ''Tres Hombres'' and ''Fandango'' in 2006. The other albums all followed as [=HDTracks=] downloads, and then finally made their appearance on CD in 2013, as part of the box set The Complete Studio Albums 1970-1990.

* BadassMustache: Beard makes up for his lack of a Gandalf Beard with one of these.
* BawdySong

* CoolShades

* IndestructibleEdible: From "TV Dinners", which was released as a single from the Eliminator album: "Twenty-year-old turkey in a thirty-year-old tin." You have to think about it for a moment.

* LongRunnerLineUp: In rock, ''the'' longest. Fifty years, over a dozen albums, dozens of songs--one line-up.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: "Dipping Low (in the Lap of Luxury)" is a blatant rewrite of "Gimme All Your Lovin'".
** "Gimme All Your Lovin'" is itself a rewrite of "Francine".
** The riff in the solo breakdown of "I Got the Six" is very reminiscent of the coda of "Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings".
** "Planet of Women" copies the chorus riff from "Got Me Under Pressure" during its verses and has a similarly driving sound.
** "Decision or Collision" sounds like even more of a recycling of "Got Me Under Pressure" and "Bad Girl" (which already sounded similar enough in tempo and feel).
*** "Rough Boy" is arguably a rewrite of "Leila" with mid 80s production.

** All three appeared in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' that shows Hank to be Dusty's cousin, as well as being the band's favourite prank victim. At the end of the episode, they say that they go easy on Hank (relatively speaking) because they like him.

* RecycledINSPACE: The cover of ''Afterburner''.

People most likely know them for three things. One of them would be their actual music, which is made up of EpicRiff-driven, frequently humorous BluesRock tunes in TheSeventies, EpicRiff-driven frequently humorous BluesRock tunes [[RecycledInSpace with synths and electronics]] in TheEighties, and a compromise between the two since TheNineties. The other two would be their [[ClothesMakeTheLegend distinctive appearance]] - sunglasses plus chest-length beards (except for [[{{Irony}} Beard]], who just has a moustache and sometimes a very close cropped beard) - and their videos in TheEighties, which always involved [[FanService hot chicks]] and {{Cool Car}}s, most notably [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ZZTopEliminator.jpg the Eliminator]].

People most likely know them for three things. One of them would be their actual music, which is made up of EpicRiff-driven, frequently humorous BluesRock tunes in TheSeventies, EpicRiff-driven frequently humorous BluesRock tunes [[RecycledInSpace with synths and electronics]] in TheEighties, and a compromise between the two since TheNineties. The other two would be their [[ClothesMakeTheLegend distinctive appearance]] - sunglasses plus chest-length beards (except for [[{{Irony}} Beard]], who just has a moustache) - and their videos in TheEighties, which always involved [[FanService hot chicks]] and {{Cool Car}}s, most notably [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ZZTopEliminator.jpg the Eliminator]].

The little band from [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]] that could, ZZ Top is a [[LongRunner long-running]] BluesRock band from [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Houston]] composed of guitarist/vocalist Billy Gibbons, bassist/keyboardist/vocalist [[PunnyName Dusty Hill]] and drummer Frank Beard ([[NonIndicativeName who, ironically, has the shortest beard]]). Formed in 1969, they are the longest-running rock band with the same line-up (with Music/GoldenEarring and then Music/{{Rush}} close behind them).

* LongRunnerLineUp: In rock, ''the'' longest. 50 years, over a dozen albums, dozens of songs--one line-up.

* TrueCompanions: The fact the band has had the exact same lineup for over fifty years shows how close these guys are. The only other rock band that even comes ''close'' to them in terms of lineup longevity is Music/{{Rush}} who had the same lineup for 44 years.

Bass player Dusty Hill passed away on July 28, 2021 leaving the future of the band uncertain.

Bass player Dusty Hill passed away on July 27, 2021 leaving the future of the band uncertain.

* '''Dusty Hill''' - bass, lead vocals, keyboard (1969-2021, died 2021)