ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons is streaming a lyric video for his cover of the Muddy Waters classic, “Rollin’ And Tumblin’”, as the lead single to his forthcoming solo album, “The Big Bad Blues.”
Due September 21, the project marks the Texas blues man’s second solo effort, following the Afro-Cuban-inspired 2015 set, “Perfectamundo.”
“We successfully made our way through those uncharted waters with the Cubano flavor of Perfectamundo and completed the journey,” explains Gibbons. “The shift back to the blues is a natural. It’s something which our followers can enjoy with the satisfaction of experiencing the roots tradition and, at the same time, feeling the richness of stretching the art form.”
“The Big Bad Blues” features a mix of Gibbon’s originals and classic blues covers, including tunes written and recorded by Bo Diddley, Gilly Stillwater and Jerome Green - just a few of the blues players who inspired the ZZ Top guitarist “right from the beginning — and it’s never let up.
“I suspect Jimmy Reed did me in early on. The inventiveness of that high and lonesome sound remains solid and stridently strong to this day. We could go on to mention the lineup of usual suspects, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy, all three Kings [B.B., Albert and Freddie]. The lengthy list of champions are forever carved in stone.”
“There’s something very primordial within the art form,” he adds. “Nobody gets away from the infectious allure of those straight-ahead licks!”
The ZZ Top guitarist recorded “The Big Bad Blues” with an assortment of players, including guitarist Austin Hanks, bassist Joe Hardy, keyboardist Mike Flanigin, harmonica master James Harman, and drummers Greg Morrow and Matt Sorum.
Gibbons will announce tour dates in support of “The Big Bad Blues” soon.
ZZ Top recently completed a brief US tour with John Fogerty; Gibbons can be heard on the rocker’s new single, “Holy Grail.”
Billy Gibbons
“The Big Bad Blues”
Release date: September 21
01 - Missin’ Yo’ Kissin’ (Gilly Stillwater)
02 - My Baby She Rocks
03 - Second Line
04 - Standing Around Crying (Muddy Waters)
05 - Let The Left Hand Know…
06 - Bring It To Jerome (Jerome Green)
07 - That’s What She Said
08 - Mo’ Slower Blues
09 - Hollywood 151
10 - Rollin’ and Tumblin’ (Muddy Waters)
11 - Crackin’ Up (Bo Diddley)
(all songs by Billy F Gibbons except where noted)
See also:
John Fogerty and ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons stream new single The Holy Grail
VIDEO: John Fogerty and ZZ Top debut new song Holy Grail on summer US tour
ZZ Top to release second vintage vinyl box set
ZZ Top and John Fogerty preview summer US tour
Search ZZ Top at hennemusic
