Billy Gibbons
Billy Gibbons
William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and actor, best known as the guitarist and lead vocalist of the American rock band ZZ Top. He began his career in the Moving Sidewalks, who recorded Flashand opened four dates for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Gibbons formed ZZ Top in late 1969 and released ZZ Top's First Album in 1971. The albums that followed, Rio Grande Mudand Tres Hombres, along with extensive touring, solidified the group's reputation as...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionGuitarist
Date of Birth16 December 1949
CityHouston, TX
CountryUnited States of America
Lightnin' Hopkins was something of a fixture on the Houston coffee house scene so we were witness to eccentric blues brilliance close up. Then, believe it or not, along came the wave of the English cats like John Mayall, Eric Clapton and the Stones embracing the great American art form - the blues.
White people get nervous and speed things up. You don't have to be in a hurry because you ain't got nothing to gain and you ain't got nothin' to lose. And that's where the groove lies.
It doesn't take much to be good, but it takes a lot to be real good.
If you're really looking for something in particular, it helps to take your time.
Can't do it, simply cause underneath 'em is too ugly.
Turn on, tune up, rock out.
My discussion with Keith Richards about the creative process led me to believe that there's an invisible presence of a stream of ever-flowing creativity that we overhear-all you have to do is pull up the antenna and dial it in. This presence allows you to maintain your sense of origin and move forward.
Each guitar has its own character and personality, which can be magnified once the player engages in beatin' it up
The blues is a mighty long road. Or it could be a river, one that twists and turns and flows into a sea of limitless musical potential.
Every once in awhile I'll call up Eddie (Van Halen) and ask, Found that fourth chord yet?
... Lightnin' Hopkins taught us, "the rubber on a wheel is faster than the rubber on a heel" and Muddy Waters taught us "you don't have to be the best one; just be a good 'un" .. that just about says it all, always strive to be a good 'un...
Well, everybody faces the fact there really aren't many records stores around to just go and browse. Maybe browse online, yet that tactile feel of flipping through a stack of vinyl remains one of life's simple pleasures.
Same three guys, right here. Same three chords right here. And we've been doing this for 35 years.
The rawness and the richness of music on vinyl almost went away, but it still seems to be on a lot of people's radar, and for good reason. It does something different than more accessible means of music playing, like MP3 players and downloads and whatnot. You get in front of these archaic contraptions that go 'round and 'round.