ZZ Top Gets Busy On First Album Since 2003

With a live DVD, a new album and some touring on the docket, ZZ Top is revving up for a busy year.

While he was hanging out at this year's South by Southwest Music + Media Conference in Austin, Texas -- where he performed at Rachael Ray's Feedback party and psychedelic rocker Roky Erickson's annual Ice Cream Social -- the band's guitarist, Billy Gibbons, told Billboard.com that bandmates Dusty Hill and Frank Beard were back in Dallas "in the studio, preparing a new series of sessions of new material" for ZZ Top's first studio set since 2003's "Mescalero."

Gibbons said the band hopes to finish the album before the summer. "The challenge of the studio is much different than live appearances," Gibbons said. "The live experience is hundreds of distracting events. The studio is one microphone. It's one event, so it raises our level of attention to a place where we can really come together as the band we started off as. It's almost a small club environment, so it's really fun."

Before the album, however, ZZ Top plans to release a concert DVD taped November 1, 2007, at the Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas, near Dallas. No date or title has been determined yet for the Eagle Rock release, which Gibbons characterized as "untouched. It's full of mistakes, and that's the way we like it."

The band is starting to line up its 2008 road schedule. "Hopefully we'll be able to return to the road as early as June -- even, if we can pull it off, into May," said Gibbons, who recently taped a guest appearance on the May 16 season finale for the Fox TV series "Bones."

"I thought I was gonna be the blind date or the boyfriend. But, no, I have to be the dad," he lamented.

Thanks for the info to Yahoo! News.

Comments

[belavista man]

1st!
Wow. I'll look forward to this. I only got that best of collection that they released. I love the stuff like Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme All Your Lovin and Legs. Ace band. Hopefully the new album will live up to the fans' expectations?

[aig91]

I'm looking forward to hearing some new stuff from ZZ Top as well.

[seanfysco]

right on

[RobinTrower12]

Yeahh!! saw these guys live last summer and they were great

[motorbreath_445]

hell yes, i cant wait for this album. this summer is gonna be full of new albums and tours, should be a very good show season, lol

[ALLmustPAY]

Sweeeeet... They are texas blues legends, cant wait for this. Also I love that the drummers last name is beard and hes the only one without one.. HAHA

[DamageMachine]

ALLmustPAY wrote:

Sweeeeet... They are texas blues legends, cant wait for this. Also I love that the drummers last name is beard and hes the only one without one.. HAHA

HAHA cause no ones heard that one before HAHAAH

[MegaGreg]

Awesome-o!

[iksero]

Definately one of the best bands EVER!! Very excited for the album!!!

[nezv6]

My dream is to have a zz top beard!

[rush5757]

coolio

[stratdud39]

sweet

[randyaintdead82]

2008= a great flippin year for great flippin music

[SGstriker]

woot!

[captain_jack]

I can't wait!! I saw them live in the summer of '05, hopefully I might be able to catch them again this year. They're definitely one of my favorites.

Checked.

[Rigor_Mortis]

yes its bout time they released some new kick ass drinking tunes!

[David_Bowie=GOD]

Am I the only one that thinks its a little ironic that Frank Beard does not have a beard. I wonder how long it would take to grow a beard like Billy Gibbons....

[Shazazmic]

You can't trash talk or diss ZZ Top, they're just one of those bands where you just can't... they're just too awesome.

Can't wait for this!

[Lacebad]

belavista man :
I only got that best of collection that they released. I love the stuff like Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme All Your Lovin and Legs

so you bought eliminator then?

[LaLaLaLoopy]

Rancho Texicano.....is the only album you need.....atleast til the new 1 is released.

[Crashman77]

very cool, can't wait to hear it, great classic rock band.

[red157]

Hope they go back to the styles of Precious & Grace and La Grange... Never really liked 'em with their gimmicks.

[_Buxton_]

I love ZZ Top but Mescalero was HORRIBLE!!! It better not be anything like what they did with that.

[Mongoose87]

LaLaLaLoopy wrote:

Rancho Texicano.....is the only album you need.....atleast til the new 1 is released.

What about Tres Hombres?

[astrocreep71]

regardless of your personal album preferences, they are a must see for concert-goers. They rock it live. And, unlike some elderly musicians, don't charge a year's salary to see them. My advice is, see them soon, they are pretty old. I live a mile from Texas, so they come around every time, not everyone is as fortunate. Also, the usually have a kick-ass band right before they go on.

[jakeslick]

Bones is a terrible show.

[HoDG3]

I am definately looking forward to this

[jimRH7]

i gag

[pouprep]

ZZ top Rules

[DaveGilmour1189]

kick ass. I love Top

[shreddin_frets]

Saw them here in September & got autographs from all 3 of the guys. They friggin rock \m/
Blueberry Smoke opened up for them, they were pretty good too

[SchitzoJoe]

David_Bowie=GOD wrote:

Am I the only one that thinks its a little ironic that Frank Beard does not have a beard. I wonder how long it would take to grow a beard like Billy Gibbons....

Actually, you're not the only one. The guy in post #6 thinks so as well.

[Chadicus]

good old zz top. can't say im exited over new music from them as i am unlikely to pay for any of their music but it is good to see bands like zz top are still alive and kicking

[misfit_lover]

awesome