What hasn’t already been said about the legendary blues rocker from ZZ Top? With rippin’ guitar solos and gravely, powerful vocals—not to mention that badass beard—Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top have been crafting blues-driven rock staples for more than 50 years. After selling more than 30 million records, the band continues to tour every year, including frequent stops in the desert. The next local stop: at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21. For more information, visit fantasyspringsresort.com.
What was the first concert you attended?
Elvis Presley! My mom took my sister and me to see the performance when I was probably 6 or 7 years old, and life was never the same after that.
What was the first album you owned?
I’m Jimmy Reed. Still have it in rotation.
What bands are you listening to right now?
Stepmother from Australia. Spoon—they like us; we like them. Not a band but a great player: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
Opera. I dig the costumes and sets, but I’m not able to wrap my head around the fact that everything is sung full-bore.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
Jimi Hendrix Experience, which I, in fact, got to see perform live more than a few times. I was honored to have written the liner notes for the recently released L.A. Forum live set.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
ABBA, though I don’t really feel guilty about enjoying perfect pop music. Can’t leave without including The Modernaires, The Pied Pipers and The Mills Brothers. My former neighbor Hoagy Carmichael still gets the recurrent spin.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Antone’s in Austin, where we put on our annual Jungle Show between Christmas and New Year’s with Mike Flanigin, Chris “Whipper” Layton, Jimmie Vaughan, Sue Foley and yours truly.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“I got a black cat bone / I got a mojo, too / I got the Johnny Concheroo / I’m gonna mess with you,” Muddy Waters, “Hoochie Coochie Man.”
What band or artist changed your life? How?
B.B. King. My dad took me to a recording session with B.B., and his band came in for a session when I was 10 or 11. Right there and then, I knew what I wanted to do. No, make that what I had to do.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?
Robert Johnson: “How much did the devil pay you?”
What song would you like played at your funeral?
“Tumbling Dice,” The Rolling Stones. “You got to roll me.”
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Bobby Bland, Two Steps From the Blues.
What song should everyone listen to right now?
“Going Down” by Freddie King. You can’t lose with those Texas blues!
Wow Matt! Quite a catch for the Lucky 13!! You rock dude.