NEW SOLO ALBUM FROM ZZ TOP GUITARIST/VOCALIST AND ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE BILLY F GIBBONS ARRIVES FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21.
Concord Records is releasing "The Big Bad Blues," ZZ Top legend Billy F Gibbons’ second-ever solo release, on September 21, 2018. This is the follow-up to his 2015 Afro-Cuban-flavored solo album "Perfectamundo." As the title of the new album suggests, "The Big Bad Blues" focuses on Gibbons’ lifelong love of the blues and rock & roll. The album features 11 tracks balancing some classic covers like “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” and “Standing Around Crying,” along with some of Billy’s signature new blues originals.
Gibbons commented, "We successfully made our way through those uncharted waters with the Cubano flavor of 'Perfectamundo' and completed the journey,” says Gibbons in distinguishing 'The Big Bad Blues' from its predecessor. “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.”
Gibbons has long been one of the most important and influential artists to emerge from the blues traditions, carrying it forward in a career honored by his 2004 induction, with ZZ Top, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As he notes, he was blues-influenced “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.”
Gibbons assembled a hot solo band for the album including Matt Sorum of The Cult and Guns n' Roses on drums and blues-harmonica legend James Harman on the lickin' stick. Gibbon's enthused, "James is the fastidiously fierce follower of the real deal when it comes to blowing’ the harp.“ Mike Flanigin plays keyboards, including the obligatory Hammond B3 organ, Joe Hardy is on bass, and other A+ players step in on the songs.
Billy Gibbons tour crosses America in October and November with two visits to New England - Oct. 25 at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry, NH and the following evening in Beverly at the Cabot Theater.