ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons Discusses The Group’s Australian Return: ‘It’s About Grinding Them Bluesy Things Loudly’
Courtesy: Tyler Jenke / TheMusic.au
As ZZ Top ready themselves to return to Australia this month, guitarist and vocalist Billy Gibbons discusses their upcoming return, kinship with George Thorogood, and the state of rock music.
When you look at the career of Texas rockers ZZ Top, it’s a little overwhelming to take in all of their accomplishments.
Since forming back in 1969, the group have managed to become one of the most iconic rock trios of all time. Famed for their bearded, bluesy take on the genre, the group – which comprised guitarist and vocalist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard, and bassist Dusty Hill for 51 years – achieved household name status thanks to classic records like Eliminator and Afterburner, with singles like Sharp Dressed Man, La Grange, Legs, and Tush still considered classics.
Sadly, Hill would pass away in 2021, with Elwood Francis stepping into take over, and currently, Beard is taking some time away from the stage due to medical issues. But regardless of how things have changed over the years, ZZ Top are still as incendiary as ever.
This month, ZZ Top return to Australia for the first time since 2013 for an extensive run of shows. In addition to performing on the Red Hot Summer Tour in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland as part of an immense rocking lineup that boasts George Thorogood & The Destroyers, The Living End, Baby Animals, Rose Tattoo, and Dallas Frasca, they’ve also nailed down four headline dates in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney with George Thorogood & The Destroyers.
Needless to say, if you’re looking for a rock’n’roll education, you won’t need to look far this month.
Ahead of their forthcoming tour, Gibbons was kind enough to chat to The Music about the group’s return to Australia, the state of new material in the wake of Hill’s passing, and how it feels to perform in the band more than five decades on.
Billy Gibbons: It’s the friends, fans, and followers enlivening that famed ZZ course. Everybody in attendance represent the most enthusiastic we’ve ever encountered keeping our vision standing long for the repeat return. The fact that it’s so damn far away from our usual avenues of asphalt complicates matters yet we’ve remained deliberate and insistent and the reward for that range of tenacity is kicking things front and centre.
TM: This tour also sees you joined by George Thorogood and The Destroyers. George once said that when he started in music, he wanted to be just like ZZ Top, and felt he’d been bested when he first heard La Grange. This isn’t the first time you’ve shared a bill together, but how does it feel performing alongside someone such as George, who not only has such fondness for your own music, but has blazed such an impressive trail himself?
BG: George is a kindred spirit. And, like us, George and Co. are disciples of our shared hero, Bo Diddley. That’s the fundament writing both our outfits. It’s always a good time whenever we're together with “The Delaware Destroyer” and we’re looking forward to wreaking havoc with Thorogood again and again.
TM: You’re also performing as part of the Red Hot Summer Tour while you’re in Australia, which features a bunch of stellar rock bands. Given your own musical history and current musical trends, what place do you feel rock music has in the musical landscape? Are there any contemporary artists you feel are keeping the genre alive?
BG: There was a time when rock was thought of as a temporary phenomenon and that begat the song Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay. The fact is that there are newcomers leaning into the art of how to play guitars and bash it out on drums and such just about everywhere. It goes to feel the energy will continue on.
Rock is solidly a creative outlet of elemental mayhem. There are some great exponents delivering out there now with the likes of ,say, Lindsay Beaver in Austin, Los Straitjackets, Suzi Chunk in Wales, and Dan Spencer in Nashville. Literally hundreds more stamping rock’s future brightly.
TM: There’s been a little bit of change in the band in recent years due to the passing of Dusty and the inclusion of Elwood. Despite this, ZZ Top seem to be performing just as strongly as ever, but how do things feel for you and the rest of the band?
BG: It's natural as we’ve been long at it together in the fast lane. We were admonished to stay the course to keep on keepin' on. It turns out the feel is right on and clearly, audiences across the board join in with enthusiasm.
TM: It’s currently nearing 13 years since ZZ Top last released an album, though there’s been talk of a new record at some point. How close are we to receiving this album? Where are things currently?
BG: That’s often asked so suffice it to say, we’re watching the stars line up to get down to gettin' down. We have some new, freshly penned numbers, along with some tried and true things out of the blue in mind. The next open date in the roadshow’s calendar will see it happen.
TM: There was also mention from yourself that the new record would include vocals that you, Dusty, Elwood, and even Mr. Beard recorded. Is that still the case?
BG: There’s a wealth of tracks in the captured file taking in a wide range of creative expressions. We’re just as curious as our legion of friends, fans, and followers to traverse that interestingly odd avenue for integrating into future releases. It’s all duly considered.
TM: It’s a little dizzying to look at not only the length of ZZ Top’s lifespan, but the amount of stellar achievements, records, and tours that have come our way over the years. What do you feel is the key to longevity and consistency for a band such as this?
BG: A little dizzying is the understood ongoing order of the hour! We enjoy the mystery of what’s beyond the mirage. Meanwhile, it’s about grinding them bluesy things loudly. Tone, taste, and tenacity remain cornerstones leading onward.
TM: Keeping on that topic to close, what do you feel is the greatest accomplishment that ZZ Top have achieved across these past 56 years?
BG: Apart from our being able to keep at this for all that time? I’ll say it's an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Keith Richards. Just spending time with him would be reward enough. Rock on!
APRIL 2025 BOOGIE PEOPLE FAN OF THE MONTH
Congratulations to the Boogie People Fan of the Month for April 2025, Eugene H! Learn more about Eugene below!
Where are you from?: Little Valley, NY
How many years have you been a fan?: 45 years
What is your favorite George Thorogood song: "Crawling Kingsnake"
How many times have you seen George Thorogood live? What was your favorite show? Ten times best was 1986 Buffalo, N.Y.
What’s one thing that sets you apart from other George Thorogood fans?: I still play his records.
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George Thorogood: ‘What do Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and George Thorogood have in common?’
Courtesy: Beat - Words by Jamie Colic
“I rock ‘n’ rolled out of bed, they tell me there's good money in it!”
This strong insight is from rock n’ roll veteran George Thorogood, who’s over 50 years deep into a storied and celebrated career.
Blasting his way into the upper echelons of US rock radio with hits such as Bad To The Bone and I Drink Alone, George Thorogood And The Destroyer’s signature high-octane Blues Rock sound quickly became the soundtrack to much general badassery throughout the remainder of the 1980s.
Keep up with the latest music news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
“It’s quite a long way to go and we are looking forward to going back. Going to Australia and New Zealand and playing with ZZ Top, are you kidding? An Australian band, an American band and us right in the middle: that’s a dream come true,” he tells me.
“Except for playing the music and getting paid, touring in the ’70s and ’80s was pretty terrible. Bad equipment, bad PAs, and sometimes the rooms weren’t great. Things kept breaking down and it was always a disaster.
“But we kept plugging on and things kept getting better and better. Food got better, transportation got better. Even in the ‘60s live rock bands were still in their infancy. It’s not the sophisticated industry it is now, I mean, The Beatles quit playing because they couldn’t hear themselves.”
The conversation steamrolls into George’s expectations for the Elevation tour. The last time George Thorogood and the Destroyers were out was in 2022, so the memories are fresh. Excitedly, George further elaborates on his experience.
“In 2020 we did festivals with Anastacia, Billy Idol and Creedence Clearwater Revisited and it was brilliant. I said ‘Man, I got a taste of this and I want more, lots more!’”
Behind him, George has had his long-time band The Destroyers blazing on all cylinders. When it comes to revealing what it takes to hold a lineup with such longevity, George doesn’t offer much insight.
“I kept the same band for so long because I pay well, I don’t know about chemistry… I flunked that in school. With my band, I question only two things: loyalty and sanity.”
The storied rocker continues to reflect on some of his personal studio highlights and aspirations. “I want to do just about everything. We put out a blues record on Chess as a tribute to the artists on Chess Records. We have various live records. I might even make a country and western record one day. I want to try everything I’m interested in as long as I’m qualified to pull it off.”
This is where I take an opportunity to dive into George Thorogood’s history with the blues. After all, here is a man who is responsible for introducing a generation of ’80s kids to the long-time tradition of slide guitar. George interjects, “What do Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and George Thorogood have in common?”
I don’t know…
“The first person we saw play slide guitar was Brian Jones. I first got exposed to the blues through the Rolling Stones. I saw them on television and they brought Howling Wolf on there, who I had never heard of at the time.
“So when I got a Howling Wolf record I looked at the credits and I kept seeing names like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Butterfield Blues Band. I think still, to this day, if you want to play real rock guitar you need to study the blues because that’s what rock is based on.”
I ask George to give some insight into how he developed his slide technique and whether he experimented with closed tunings or if it was open all the way, which he was happy to divulge.
“I was shocked how naturally it fell into place for me, I was listening to a lot of Robert Johnson, and I was fooling around with the slide guitar. Then I heard Elmore James and that was it. It blew me away.”
We round out our early morning chat with a bit of gear talk, focusing first on the Gibson ES-125. A mainstay of George’s Career since the early days, with a story to back it up. “I got my first 125 because our drummer booked a gig and I didn’t have an electric guitar so he said get one,” he says.
Interestingly enough, George doesn’t know much about his current live rig, simply stating, “My amplifier, we call it the ‘mystery mutt’. It’s the combination of about 1000 other amps. It’s a creation from our tech people, like taking a car and using 100 parts to make it.”
“I wanted something that didn’t break down all the time and the guitars and amps I use, if you don’t put them on max, you don’t get the sound I need. We were playing different places and rewiring my amps, so we said ‘Let’s just get an amp with a powerful sound that doesn’t need to be so loud.’”
George sums it all up with a simple ideology that is easy to appreciate in this age of technology and advanced stage rigs. “Just give me the thing, make sure people hear me and make sure I’m in tune.”
Tickets for George Thorogood headline shows, as well as supporting shows with ZZ Top are on sale now. For more information, head here.
Still Bad to the Bone: George Thorogood’s 75-Year Rocking Reign
Courtesy: Gratefulweb
George Thorogood, born on February 24, 1950, has spent decades electrifying audiences with his fiery slide guitar work, gritty vocals, and boisterous stage presence. Celebrating his 75th birthday is an excellent time to reflect on the remarkable journey he has undertaken with his long-standing band, The Delaware Destroyers, and to appreciate how his unique blend of blues and rock has influenced multiple generations of musicians.
A proud native of Wilmington, Delaware, Thorogood first appeared on the music scene in the early 1970s. Enthralled by the Chicago blues style, he set out to adapt that raw energy into a dynamic rock framework. His band’s debut album, “George Thorogood and the Destroyers,” released in 1977, brought a fresh take on classic tunes while also showcasing Thorogood’s flair for slide guitar. His robust approach distinguished him from many contemporary blues and rock acts of the era.
Collaborations and high-profile tours soon followed. Thorogood’s intense live performances and unwavering dedication to roots music propelled him to nationwide recognition. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, his group remained active on the road, introducing new material while regularly reviving crowd favorites that honored the greats of old-school blues.
Thorogood’s catalog underscores his fascination with traditional blues rhythms, rockabilly excitement, and boogie-woogie grooves. He merges classic blues structures with a driving rock beat, highlighted by an aggressive, cutting slide guitar that has become one of his signatures. His voice—raw, confident, and soulful—enhances this fusion, resulting in songs that feel equally at home blasting from car radios or in packed arenas.
Known for long tours, Thorogood has performed for countless fans all over the world. Alongside his well-known original tracks, he has consistently delivered spirited renditions of blues standards, breathing modern energy into timeless songs. Over the years, his band has also seen various talented musicians contribute to its big, brassy sound, ensuring that live sets remain forceful and fresh.
In honor of his 75th birthday, here are 15 standout tracks from George Thorogood that exemplify his artistry and enduring appeal:
“Bad to the Bone”
Released in 1982, it became his signature tune, popularized by its iconic riff and rebellious spirit.
“Move It On Over”
A reimagining of the Hank Williams classic, Thorogood’s rendition injects bluesy rock energy into the country original.
“Who Do You Love?”
A rousing cover of the Bo Diddley favorite, showcasing his trademark slide guitar and driving rhythm
“One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”
A spirited medley of John Lee Hooker’s “House Rent Boogie” and the classic drinker’s anthem, featuring playful storytelling.
“I Drink Alone”
A quintessential blend of gritty guitar riffs and wry humor, capturing his rebellious edge.
“Gear Jammer”
A fast-paced, riff-driven song that highlights his knack for energizing narratives.
“Reelin’ & Rockin’”
A Chuck Berry number updated with a raucous Thorogood twist, widely praised for its pounding rhythm
“Born to Be Bad”
A title track off his 1988 album, it captures the mischievous swagger central to his musical identity.
“If You Don’t Start Drinkin’ (I’m Gonna Leave)”
A sardonic, upbeat romp that marries humor with a robust blues-rock groove.
“Get a Haircut”
Known for its tongue-in-cheek lyrics, it became a fan favorite during the 1990s.
“Willie and the Hand Jive”
His take on the Johnny Otis classic injects a heavier, guitar-driven vibe.
“Madison Blues”
An Elmore James original reworked to feature Thorogood’s powerful, chugging slide work.
“Long Gone”
A lesser-known gem that showcases his band's tight interplay and his wailing guitar runs.
“House of Blue Lights”
A dancing boogie piece that exudes his signature sonic force.
“Ride On Josephine”
Another Bo Diddley tune that Thorogood infuses with a gritty, ramped-up tempo and lively crowd interaction.
Thorogood’s unwavering dedication to a style that merges respect for traditional blues with unapologetic rock punch has solidified him as one of America’s enduring music heroes. His songs have appeared in numerous films, commercials, and TV shows, bringing swaggering riffs and blues-infused hooks to new audiences worldwide. Moreover, his philanthropic efforts—especially in support of health-related causes—reflect a commitment that extends beyond music.
As he marks his 75th birthday, George Thorogood continues to embody the spirit of honest, no-frills rock and blues. His bold guitar tone, commanding presence, and signature covers have earned him a well-deserved place among the most celebrated figures in rock music. Fans old and new can raise a glass to a man who truly brought the blues into the rock mainstream, forever stamping his attitude and style on every note he plays.