ZZ Top
Latest about ZZ Top

Billy Gibbons once covered Jimi Hendrix hits while supporting Hendrix on tour
By Phil Weller published
Few players would have had the nerves to cover Hendrix while supporting him on tour, but Gibbons is made of sterner stuff – and the bold move sparked a lasting friendship

ZZ Top’s Elwood Francis was saddled with his 17-string bass after a joke appearance went viral – now he’s experimenting with a 2-string build
By Matt Parker published
The former guitar tech turned ’Top man is continuing to tinker with his live setup, with amusing results

ZZ Top’s Elwood Francis on the latest weird bass he takes on stage
By Andrew Daly published
The guitar tech-turned-band member already struggled with a 17-string monstrosity, before adding a 15-string to his arsenal – and says he can’t forget his days cleaning the band’s fuzzy guitars

Add some Texas blues sizzle to your lead playing with this lesson in Billy Gibbons' sweet soloing style
By Andy G Jones published
This lesson is the ZZ Top content you need to stay cool while bringing the heat. It will develop your sense of pacing and blues phrasing, and give you a chance to let some pinch harmonics fly off the fingerboard

Seymour Duncan supercharges two classic Billy Gibbons guitar tones with new signature Tele and Les Paul pickups
By Matt Owen published
The Pearly Gates have been beefed-up as the Hades Gates, and the ZZ Top legend's Red Devil humbucker has been turned into a hot output Telecaster pickup

Billy Gibbons talks bringing out his iconic Pearly Gates Les Paul for Slash’s all-star blues album
By Damian Fanelli published
Gibbons checks in to tell us how he and reimagined Willie Dixon's Hoochie Coochie Man for a new era, and to assure us why the blues is in safe hands with today's players

ZZ Top’s Elwood Francis on teching for Joe Perry, lying to Steve Vai – and the curse of his viral 17-string bass
By Andrew Daly published
The gear-trashing DIY enthusiast once had to choose between Vai and Joe Perry, before being fired and rehired by Guns N’ Roses – in a matter of days

Elwood Francis on the origins of his 17-string bass – and why he regrets it becoming a ZZ Top staple
By Michael Astley-Brown published
Elwood Francis reveals the origins of his preposterous 17-string bass – and why he’s disappointed it went viral

Elwood Francis replaced Dusty Hill in ZZ Top – but he still feels uncomfortable about it
By Matt Owen published
Francis originally served as ZZ Top's longtime guitar tech, but took on a completely new role at the behest of Hill's wishes after the bassist passed away

“Billy drops the line, ‘I'm sending you some sheepskins. I want you to put them on some guitars’”: Dusty Hill’s iconic fur-covered spinning bass from ZZ Top’s Legs video just sold at auction – and absolutely smashed its estimated sale price
By Matt Owen published
The Dean Zelinsky-made model went under the hammer alongside Hill's custom Hot Rod car bass – but both were outsold by the late ZZ Top bassist's vintage 1953 Fender Precision model
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