ZZ Top’s “Raw” is as close to being an accidental album as it gets.
The album, which was released on July 22, is drawn from a session at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas in which singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill, and drummer Frank Beard played versions of such familiar songs as “La Grange,” “Tush,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’” and “Legs” in the most live, spontaneous and basic setting possible.
The performances were filmed for use in the recent ZZ Top documentary celebrating the band’s 50-year history with its classic lineup, “That Little Ol’ Band from Texas.” That was supposed to be it, end of the story.
“The tunes on that occasion unfolded quite in the moment,” Gibbons said, recalling the session in a new e-mail interview. “Our director, Sam (Dunn), wanted a sequence where we played in the present day as a balance to the film’s historical narrative. We got in there and did what we did and later, much later, realized we had an album.”
As Gibbons indicated, upon further review, the performances captured something worth hearing in its entirety – the unmistakable Texas blues-rock boogie of ZZ Top in its most authentic state. And the “Raw” album became a reality.
That authentic ZZ Top sound will be part of Sunday's Outlaw Country Festival on Sunday.
The album provides one of the last live documents of ZZ Top with Hill, who passed away in July 2021. A hip injury had prevented Hill from joining Gibbons and Beard for last summer’s tour, so long-time guitar tech Elwood Francis stepped in on bass. When Hill died, the band barely took time off before resuming the tour, knowing that’s what Hill would have wanted.
Nevertheless, Hill’s death came as a shock.
“It was quite sudden, and we remained under the assumption he’d rally, recover and rejoin us,” Gibbons said. “We just had to deal with the reality of departure, and the quick turnaround helped reinforce “the show must go on” ethos. Our crew, our friends, fans, and followers have been a huge source of comfort.”
Now with Francis considered a long-term third member, Gibbons believes ZZ Top still has plenty to say musically. He’s hinted that an album of new material could happen.
“Elwood is certainly in with us for the long haul,” Gibbons said. “It’s still ZZ Top, not ZZ Top 2 or ZZ Top with an asterisk. The genuine article abides!”
Photo courtesy of ZZ Top
