Folks Of Interest Billy F. Gibbons - ZZ TOP

Just sayin'
The man knows which end of a wrench fits!

 

Who are the beatles?

 

Billy Gibbons is one of those guys I'd like to say hi to someday just because. Some of the hot rodding celebs have been as nice of guys as I imagined, like Dan Gurney and Jay Leno, while others, not so much. I'd bet Billy F Gibbons would be a great guy to BS with. So far the closest I've come is the SF Cow Palace in '84 with about 20,000 of my buddies. One hell of a show...

 

Yes sir hence the last name Choke

 

"I usually don't care for the worshiping of celebrities, but the dude can wear an artichoke like nobody else. "


hahahahahaha i just laughed out loud. and my wife gave me that look

 

I dont know him , but have been to hotrod events where he was out w all of us injoying hotrods like a normal guy . He did however make me notice hotrods back in the early 80's w his 34 and the girls in the first music vidio I was about 17 and knew then I needed a hotrod. Scott

 

look for the ZZ top six pack album, it's all of the original first six albums in one set, it's easy to find online, they are hard to find by themselves hence the set, I've had it for years it's like the HAMB soundtrack, I never get tired of it, some pretty neat weird stuff on it too, also look for Duegello it's a great great hot rod album, it's the one with Manic Mechanic and she loves my automobile

 

I don't know him either. But my dad told me many stories of his younger experiences with him when we lived in Houston during the early 70s. I was very young at the time being born in '67 so I don't remember much more than our house, dog and the '34 sedan.

Dad said Billy hung out at the Barrett brothers shop (George & Bobby) along with a half dozen other early rodder's. I caught up with Bobby this past spring at The Round Up and he hasn't changed a bit...still enjoying old cars. Dad said Billy would show up with orange juice & beer in the AM and Whiskey & Dr Pepper in the PM (my dad didn't drink). He always had nothing but nice things to say about BG mainly because he was a real person and didn't get lost in fame...not to mention he was a real car guy who appreciated hot rods like he loves music.

I will never forget him telling me about a time when BG was traveling down the freeway with a couple of chicks when he noticed my dad going the other direction in the '34 Tudor. The next week (no cell phones in those days) he told my dad he quickly whipped it around and did his best to catch the sedan because the girls wanted to take a ride in a hot rod. My dad said he always drove a little slower after that missed experience.

A little more than a decade later, ZZTop releases the Eliminator album and their tour is sold out at every venue. Somehow my dad knew their record producer (I don't remember his name but I do remember him being a really nice guy with a beautiful model for a wife when he would come to town and stop by for a visit before the show). My dad didn't like crowds so he always turned down tickets. He and Billy would call our house after the concerts asking my dad to come hang with them at the hotel. My dad always responded, "y'all have fun and stop by tomorrow if you can". They never did but probably due to them sleeping in to recover from the night before.

Fast forward to Sunday morning 1992...I think (the year of the Louisville Nats flood if I remember correctly) and I'm in the sedan with my soon-to-be wife and my in-laws who followed us in their late model. My future father-in-law almost rear-ended us several times on the trip there because he couldn't see my brake lights...so I'm outside in the host hotel at 2:00 or 3:00 AM installing new bright halogen taillights (latest invention since sliced bread at the time) on the sedan readying for the return trip back to Texas in a few hours. This guy walks up behind me and says "nice car". I return a "thanks" and can't really see him due to the bright yellow parking lot lights behind his face. So I continue with my installation while he walks to the side of the car when the next thing I know a lady walks up and asks "are you Billy Gibbons?". He responds quietly..."yes" but don't tell anyone. While she hurries away, I notice he has his beard zipped under his satin jacket so as not to be recognized and I begin to explain how I've heard about him all my life. He starts to smile when he realizes this is the same car he knew 20 years before. Seconds later, the lady shows back up with everyone she could find in the parking lot...and I thought I was all alone past 1:30. Next thing I know, BG looks at me and says "catch you later" and he disappears into the dark.

I wish I did know him. I'm sure I could learn a lot from him. I wouldn't doubt he participates on this site due to the same love for these hot rods as the rest of us (who else admires cars at 2-3 AM? I do know I like his taste in music, girls and hot rods (the important stuff in life). He is way cool in my book, and I say long live BillyG!

Best regards,

Troy

Sent from my iPad using TJJ app

 

Cool stories Troy. Thanks for sharing.

 

I'm at the Pomona NHRA Museum Wed Night Cruise a few years ago, and checking out Billy's R*t R*d pick-up that was on display outside. From behind me, a guys says "what do you think of her", and I said pretty cool, but not really my style. Turned around, and it was Billy Gibbons smiling at me. He says, check it out - get in and see what you think. So I get in the driver side, him in the passenger side. He reaches over to fire it up, and says "Damn, the bastards took the key, I wanted you to hear it run.

So he proceeds to show me a few things, tells me about the guys that built it back East. Then someone sticks their head in the passenger window and says "Mr Gibbons, the guitar raffle is about to start, and we're going to need you now" He says "Damn, gotta get back to work, but thanks for letting me show you my truck". I stumbled off in awe of how cool he was.

 

been arrested for driving while blind................does that count?

 

hahaha, goofy hat but a cool dude ......

 

Twice in one thread that I've choked on my rum and coke...

I have all of their early albums on vinyl, all bought new as they came out. Until Eliminator that is, didn't care for it or anything subsequent to it. I thought it all went mainstream at that point, lost it's blues roots. I still play those same records regularly and love the hell out of the old bluesy numbers.

I did see them in concert in London in 1983 at the Hammersmith Odeon.

 

I knew something didn't look right with that.

 

Lets drive that ol chrysler to mexico boys

 

Thanks for the link! lots more ZZ Top stuff there too! Had never seen this one: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6vkep_zz-top-burger-man_music

 

Billy has been out here to a few hotrod events in New Zealand, good guy for travelling half way across the world to visit fellow hotrodders.

 

I met him here in NZ, he signed my geetar, so yeah we're mates.

Scotty

 

I have never met him but I believe he is another Car Crazy person just like most of us on this site.

It's a rare disease with no known cure!!!

Jimbo

 

What the hell is an "album"

 

zz top came to maine in the early 90 s, dont know him but i know his twin brother

 

I know a girl that jacked him off before a show in Houston, if that counts..

 

LOL...........Good one !

 

I have a stocking cap that kind of looks like the thing he wears but not exactly.

 

nice

 

Gibbons changed his guitar sound,and they went to shit after the Tejas album,IMHO.

this video shows the difference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1-q6WHxA4E

 

I don't know if it's true, a long time ago I read that they used old Fender tube amps for their sound.

 

I was talking to one of my cop friends that was working the Rosemont Horizon back door. I watched Billy and the boys walk in with 3 tall blondes on their arms! That's my "brush with Billy!"

 

If the sauce is not too blue?...................