ZZ Top: That lil old band from Texas (Netflix)

[Greg]

Yes, I'm still trying to crack the documentary code, trying to see what works and doesn't in the big budget docs. I noticed that these docs are much more leisurely than Stro. They take the time establishing shots. They show the principles just being in their element whether it's a beach house mansion or a ranch mansion. They also do a lot of cool things showing photographs. They find many creative ways to show the photographs beyond just the Ken Burns effect. They also make the photographs 3-D in many case which I particularly like. Finally, they do their recreations using animation. The filmmakers did it in this one as well as in the Belushi doc. I like it but it must be expensive.

Like many of us, I became aware of ZZ Top from the Eliminator album. This doc cleared up how it all came together. Like most bands, there were a lot of missteps before they settle on the three performers. They caught a lot of breaks along the way. They took some chances, including having a way out there stage show. They brought out some famous talking heads like Billy Bob Thornton and Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age.

There wasn't a big inciting event for the band. Yes, Frank Beard did have to go to rehab but it didn't break the band. There didn't seem to be any rancor among the band members and they've been together for 50 years. So, there wasn't a lot of drama to the story. 

One thing they did do to set themselves apart was they filmed a couple of performances in a rehearsal space of their different songs. You come away with an appreciation of their musicianship.

It's a fine documentary.

[thatguy]

I also didn't pickup up on ZZ Top really until Eliminator. I knew "Nationwide" and "Cheap Sunglasses", but I didn't know they formed in '69 and I didn't know much about the personalities of the members, so it was interesting to see Billy's contributions vs Dusty's or Frank's.

Their road show circus thing was pretty crazy. The bit about Hendrix was funny, too.

--tg

[Greg]

Pearl Necklace.

Oddly not covered in the documentary.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

???!!!

[Drunk Monk]

I’m not sure when I dialed into ZZ. I know that hearing them live sealed it. I remember working them at the Cow Palace where I bore witness to the most brutal biker fight ever - boots the the head pro wrasslin style - and then we had to treat both patients in the annex but we had been cut off by the mob. So intense. It was just a few of us RMers and these two bloody psycho bikers locked in stink eye glares.

[Greg]

Truth.

[Drunk Monk]

Sorry got interrupted.

So the two dudes were goliath bikers and we sat them in opposite corners of our tiny annex space. There were maybe a half dozen of us RMers and either biker could have crushed us all alone. We're cleaning them up, trying to break their death glares, pleading with security for back up but they were engaged with fights all over the venue. Then suddenly the two of them get up and move towards each other. We try to stop them but there's no way any of us are stepping in between them. We all just witnessed them beating each other mercilessly into bloody pulps. They stand toe-to-toe...and embrace. Like brothers. Like fecking Lancelot and King Arthur after fighting over a bridge for three hours. They walked off arm-in-arm. It was beautiful.

I don't know how many times I've seen ZZ. Many. I always tried to make it when they came through. When they were doing big concerts, their laser shows were super fun. Basic (no match for today's EDM light shows) but great. The show for Legs was particularly graphic, first starting with some giant strutting legs, then spreading those legs lasciviously. 

They had great sets. Like Spinal Tap - caricature yet awesome. There was this junkyard one that was awesome. In the middle of the show, the boys are picked up by a giant magnet, carried up to the mouth of a giant trash compactor and crushed to a ton of steam, fire, smoke and industrial noises. Then three crushed cars roll out. The doors popped open and the boys jump out in fine shimmery suits and bust into a rippin' Sharp Dressed Man. 

My favorite set was the sphinx head. All the instruments were covered with white sheets. At the start of the show, there was a loud snort and all the sheets got sucked up the sphinx's nostril. 

I saw them play the Warfield. They were stripped down, no theatrics, just them and their instruments. And they rocked that house. Everyone on that jaded heard-everything Warfield crew was glued to the performance and that almost never happens. I've worked hundreds of Warfield shows, so many I can't even count. And that show was up in the top ten.

Such an amazing power trio. One of my all time favs.

[Greg]

Good stories.

[thatguy]

I saw them at Mountain Winery with Jeff Beck (only time I’ve seen either). Both as separate acts and then they played together. Fun stripped down show. Super tight musicians. Nothing particularly memorable tho.

mountain winery shows make me somewhat sad. It’s a career sunset, like playing residency show in Vegas or (in the other side of the spectrum) playing a county fair.

—tg

[Drunk Monk]

mountain winery shows make me somewhat sad. It’s a career sunset, like playing residency show in Vegas or (in the other side of the spectrum) playing a county fair.

I feel ya there, but at the same time, I've seen some great MW shows. It was a RM venue for a long time, and during the succession of supervisors, many were close friends who would give me carte blanche if I showed, but I seldom took advantage of it and regret that now. 

Nevertheless, I saw Roy Orbison there long before the remodel. It was a beautiful sunny day and we caught him as he was entering back stage. We waved and he waved back with a great big smile. It was just me and my buddy who came with me. We felt graced. And oh man. That range. Roy's voice was divine. His high notes were angelic.

I also saw Lou Reed there. I saw Lou many times, ate with him a few times, and he often got us backstage. For that MW show, he arranged a box for G2, her husband Thomas (their home is in Saratoga, one road from the one you take for MW), Stacy and me. Stacy seldom attends work things like this, but it was Lou. The box fridge was stocked with wine. Lou gave G2 a shout out from stage and she and Thomas were like 'that's nice' while Stacy and I were like 'Muthafeckin Lou Reed just shouted you out from stage! Do you know what an honor that is?' They didn't. I don't think they really enjoyed the show. Thomas and I drank all that liquor tho, which was good bonding with the boss. And Lou delivered a searing version of Ecstasy that brought down the house. Even he knew it was beyond the pale. He commented something about how it showed how to rule rock and roll with three chords.

I think my last interaction with the winery was after that suicide where some dude climbed the lights and jumped to his death about a decade ago. I was called in to do some post trauma counseling for staff. All the RMers who were there were seasoned and had seen death before, so it was a simple task. RM doesn't really do that anymore.