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By Jeb Wright
Classic Rock Revisited briefly caught up with the most famous bearded rock star from his generation.
We’re talking about a man who plays with a Mexican coin instead of guitar pick…a guy who no one knows for sure where he buys his clothing…a rockin’ reverend…a guy who once made hot chicks magically appear simply by waving his arm and having a cool keychain and an even cooler car.
Yes indeedy folks…I’m talking about the one and only Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.
In the short interview that follows the Bearded One reveals some information about the upcoming Blues and Bayous Tour coming to you later this year…the opening date is right around the corner…May 25th.
All dates are listed at the end of the interview.
This may just be the tour of 2018…in fact…how can it not be?
Jeb: How did this tour come to be? It is a match made in blues rock heaven! I want to know how it went down and how you decided who is going to close the shows.
Billy: The appeal…the opportunity to return to connect, collide, conspire and cook-up was something that just seemed destined to happen as the stars and planets lined up to accommodate our respective scheming. The opening and closing allows us all to enjoy co-headlining. Equality of the good time is the order of the day…and night.
Jeb: Did you ever see CCR as a young lad? Did you ever play with John?
Billy: Oh, yeah...Creedence exploded on the scene and we got to check John out in all of his famed plaid flannel glory back then. As you know, the Deep South is bisected by many bayous and we had this feeling that resonated from these parts. And, yes, John and I got to trade licks recently and it was solidly good to have two guitars on “Born on the Bayou,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Travelin' Band” and, of course, “La Grange.”
We even tipped and tripped into a killer version in Spanish of John's “Green River” with La Marisoul on the Concord record label. We stopped for a second to learn the Spanish lyrics which, of course, lured us out to grab some South of the Border cuisine. We were momentarily a quart low on hot sauce.
Jeb: Gene Simmons says rock is dead. Yet...with stuff like this you keep it alive and well. Is ZZ living proof that this music will last forever?
Billy: Well, forever is a long time, but we’re nearing a half century mark doing this crazy stuff and feel we're getting the hang of it. It's nonstop rockin’ time. The plan, in a nutshell, is keep on keepin’ on.
Jeb: I think "Sharp Dressed Man" underneath the classic ZZ Top sound....owes a LOT to John Fogerty's songwriting talents. I can hear him playing this song in a CCR manner. Have you ever thought of it?
Billy: We share common blues roots so it's a natural. John's caught the drift of a singing style influenced by Howlin’ Wolf…and who doesn’t love The Mighty Wolf? But I digress…the answer is…Who didn’t feel the impact of Creedence when they cut all those hits?
Jeb: You have often strayed away from the pure blues sound of the early albums. Will this tour see you returning to a more Les Paul and Marshall theme?
Billy: As noted, the blues is at the root of it all. If we play it through a stack of amps or through an AM car radio, it’s always there, so we do tend to emphasize that ongoing bluesy influence in whatever we do.
Jeb: What songs by ZZ would you like to hear John take a crack at? And what songs by CCR or Fogerty do you think ZZ could do justice?
Billy: We’d do well to double up on “Blue Jean Blues” and maybe “Jesus Just Left Chicago” among others. I think we’d do justice to “Centerfield” and “Born on the Bayou.” There are so many more that work both ways. We'll know five minutes before hitting the stage!
Jeb: Last one: Even though you’re a Hall of Fame member...and Keith Richards inducted you....and you're a musical icon...Does playing with the guy who wrote "Proud Mary" get you fired up? Or are you really as cool a cat as you portray....and it’s just another day at the office!
Billy: Hey…everyday “at the office” is exciting. We get to go out there and turn it up and rock it steady. And, of course, getting to saddle up aside one of our heroes, John Fogerty is just fine wit' me!
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May 25: Atlantic City Borgata Spa & Resort Event Center, NJ
May 26: Holmdel P.N.C. Bank Arts Center, NJ
May 27: Uncasville Mohegan Sun Arena, CT
May 29: Vienna Wolf Trap Center For The Performing Arts, VA
May 30: Vienna Wolf Trap Center For The Performing Arts, VA
Jun 01: Pensacola Bay Center, FL
Jun 02: Clearwater Coachman Park, FL
Jun 03: West Palm Beach Coral Sky Amphitheater, FL
Jun 05: St. Augustine St. Augustine Amphitheater, FL
Jun 06: Atlanta TBA, GA
Jun 10: Oklahoma City Zoo Amphitheater, OK
Jun 12: Chicago TBA, IL
Jun 13: Noblesville Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center, IN
Jun 14: Cincinnati Riverbend Music Center, OH
Jun 16: Southaven BankPlus Amphitheater At Snowden Grove, MS
Jun 17: Maryland Heights Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, MO
Jun 19: Youngstown Covelli Centre, OH
Jun 20: Wantagh Northwell Heath At Jones Beach Theater, NY
Jun 22: Gilford Bank Of NH Pavillion, NH
Jun 23: Canandaigua Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center, NY
Jun 24: Camden BB&T Pavilion, NJ
Jun 26: Mt. Pleasant Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort , MI (With Willie Nelson)
Jun 27: Detroit DTE Energy Music Theatre, MI
Jun 29: Welch Treasure Island Resort & Casino, MN
