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The Latest Breaking News from ZZ Top

“We missed him and are looking forward to turning it up and rocking out with him”: ZZ Top confirm Frank Beard is back

“Welcome back, pardner” says Billy Gibbons

MusicRadar

A Judas Priest documentary co-directed by Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello is in the works

The Brummie stars have announced The Ballad Of Judas Priest – produced by Iron Maiden, Rush and ZZ Top collaborators Banger Films – but kept tight-lipped regarding a release date

Metal Hammer

“Dime is in there. I have a big Eddie Van Halen influence. The same goes for Eric Clapton. It all channels back to the blues”: Mark Morton explains why he’s jamming with Grace Bowers and Jason Isbell on his solo album – and those Gibson signature rumors

His second solo album, Without The Pain, features Troy Sanders, Jason Isbell, Jared James Nichols, Grace Bowers and a stack of guitars from his frighteningly valuable collection

Guitar World

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"We were just hanging out on the beach and sipping cool libations; Keith Richards was totally living the rock’n’roll lifestyle": Billy Gibbons’ wild tales of The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters and Ministry

Meet the only man to have played with Hendrix, the Stones and Chad Kroeger from Nickelback

Louder

“There was chicken-wire around the stage. Al Jourgensen was climbing around like a caged beast. I knew this was a guy for me”: Billy Gibbons’ wild tales of Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Muddy Waters and Ministry

Meet the only man to have played with Hendrix, the Stones and Chad Kroeger from Nickelback

Louder

ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard quits tour to address ‘health issue’

Longtime drummer will be absent from the band’s forthcoming tour, a statement said

The Independent UK

“I said, ‘The only way we can play 40 minutes is if we include Purple Haze.’ This guy grabbed me and said, ‘You got a lot of nerve!’” Billy Gibbons once covered Jimi Hendrix hits while supporting Hendrix on tour – and the guitar hero watched

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

Guitar World

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“That’s 15 less than I’m used to….” 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

The former guitar tech turned ’Top man is continuing to tinker with his live setup, with amusing results

Guitar World

“Would I play it for a whole show? Absolutely not! I’m so happy to get that thing off. It’s brutal”: ZZ Top’s Elwood Francis on his latest weird bass acquisition – the 15-string ‘High Selecta’ bass

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

Guitar World

"My first concert was The Black Crowes, but my second was ZZ Top. That would've been the cooler answer!" Brat's Liz Selfish: 10 Records That Changed My Life

From Eyehategod and A Day To Remember to 50 Cent and Dave Matthews Band, these songs have shaped Brat vocalist Liz Selfish

Metal Hammer

Las Vegas honours ZZ Top icon with special ceremony for 'Billy Gibbons Day'

Billy Gibbons' home town of Las Vegas, Nevada, rolls out the red carpet with City Hall ceremony for ZZ Top star

Louder

“We were opening for ZZ Top at Madison Square Garden. I told the guys, ‘I’ll go out there and blow for 60 seconds, then we’ll go into the first tune.’ I hit the first chord and my Marshall blew up”: Richie Sambora on Bon Jovi's nightmare arena debut

Reflecting on the experience decades later, Sambora said that – embarrassing as they are in the moment – mishaps like that are “what shape you as a pro”

Guitar World

ZZ Top announce Elevation Tour dates for 2025

The shows will hopefully give fans another chance to behold the majesty of Elwood Francis's 17-string bass

Louder

'Deadpool & Wolverine's Viral Opening Scene Was Almost Completely Different

The picture editor for 'Deadpool & Wolverine' had a hand in crafting the opening dance scene to NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye," which nearly was set to a totally different song.

Inverse

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Guitar World

“Billy Gibbons pulls out this big-ass yellow 17-string bass and he’s like, ‘Okay, we’ll play it for a song, right?’” ZZ Top’s Elwood Francis on teching for Joe Perry, lying to Steve Vai – and the curse of playing that viral 17-string bass

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

MusicRadar

“I found it late at night while surfing on one of those Chinese websites. I couldn't believe they were making something like that”: How ZZ Top acquired their 17-string bass

How ZZ Top got hold of their 17-string bass

Guitar World

“I said to Billy, ‘We should order one of these, and I’ll play it. It’ll be hilarious.’ Then it went viral. I hate playing that bass. Now I’ve got to play it every night”: Elwood Francis on why he regrets his 17-string bass becoming a ZZ Top staple

Elwood Francis reveals the origins of his preposterous 17-string bass – and why he’s disappointed it went viral

The Guardian - UK

Best podcasts of the week: Esther Perel’s love letter to romance

In this week’s newsletter: The audio superstar is back with a ‘beach read’ of a podcast, The Arc of Love. Plus: five of the best podcasts about death

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Guitar World

“Dusty is their bass player. I'm not the bass player. I shouldn't be in the band”: Elwood Francis replaced Dusty Hill in ZZ Top – but he still feels uncomfortable about it

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

Louder

"We were starting to work in the girl theme. Cars, girls, fast and loud – those elements were starting to gel": How ZZ Top reinvented themselves with Degüello to pave the way for Eliminator

With some top tunes, a vintage clavinet and a battery of effects plastered all over it, Degüello successfully updated ZZ Top’s old-school blues and pointed the way towards future superstardom

Guitar World

“I got a call from David Bowie’s people to record Let’s Dance. I became a big advocate of Stevie Ray Vaughan in the studio. Nobody else could play like him”: Session bass great Carmine Rojas shares the stories behind his awe-inspiring resume

Despite suspecting he used the wrong bass on Tina Turner’s Foreign Affair, the veteran dedicates himself to being a supporting player and learning every day with the likes of Keith Richards, Joe Bonamassa and Billy Gibbons

Louder

“To survive in this game, we had to get away from the 10-minute guitar solos”: the story of .38 Special, Blackfoot and the Southern Rock/AOR crossover

In the late 70s and early 80s, many of Southern Rock’s finest swapped twanging guitars for melodic rock magnificence

Louder

"Saucy enough to flavour a thousand barbecues": How a fabled Texan brothel inspired a ZZ Top classic

Celebrating a real-life Texan brothel, the visiting of which was in its day "a rite of passage", La Grange is still one of ZZ Top's best-loved songs and a must-play at shows

Louder

“The audience threw lighters, bottles, ice cubes and coins. We managed four songs before being booed off”: the rollercoaster story of Loverboy, Canada’s greatest AOR band

Turn Me Loose, Working For The Weekend, Loving Every Minute Of It – Loverboy raised the maple leaf flag high in the 1980s

Louder

ZZ Top announce first European tour in five years

"It's been a while since we've been able to check in with our European fans": ZZ Top's 2024 European shows will be their first on the continent with new bassist Elwood Francis

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