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Post subject: Book review: Billy Gibbons Rock+Roll gearhead (Thumbs down)
Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:24 am
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Aspiring Musician
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I read the Billy Gibbons book and regret to say that this is what happens when a book is produced without an editor. Meandering text, non-sequiturs, stream-of-conciousness writing, abrupt and confusing changes of subject or topic.

It's an attractively layed out book with good production values and good illustrations, and the text is somewhat worth reading.

About the only value in it is the pictures and the captions, which are early pictures of ZZ top and its predecessors, and selected pictures of Mr Gibbons' cars and guitars. The illustrations are very well done.

This could have been a first rate coffee table book, but the quality of the text is poor enough so that I'd score it as 2 on a scale of 1 to 5. Literally a day's work by a good copy editor would have brought it up to a 4.


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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:30 am
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Thats too bad. I think he is an underrated inovater of rock/blues type music of his era. Maybe I'll just look through the book in the store. Thanks for the review.


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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:48 am
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I completely agree with you. He is underrated. That's too bad!!! I got interested in ZZ Top after it was recommended and I listened to a "best of" album. Super good work. In the case of the book, I think Mr. Gibbons did his part, but somebody in the production of the book didn't do theirs.


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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:00 am
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I remember they used to pass through town here in the early 70s and they played at a small club by the lakes of L.S.U. They were just three skinny kids wanting to be heard of, boy how time flies!


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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:48 pm
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Lately I've been looking for some good musician autobiography books to read. I guess I'll hold off on this one, but thanks for the review. I just picked up Jeff Beck's "Crazy Fingers" which I'll be starting soon.

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:31 pm
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Miami Mike wrote:
Lately I've been looking for some good musician autobiography books to read. I guess I'll hold off on this one, but thanks for the review. I just picked up Jeff Beck's "Crazy Fingers" which I'll be starting soon.
Try Levon Helms autiobiography "This Wheel's On Fire:Levon Helm And The Story Of The Band" its a great book and it talks about his years of playin with Ronnie Hawkins to his days in Woodstock later in his career

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Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:38 pm
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I thought the book was pretty cool myself

As far as Billy being underrated, my question is, who is underrating him? Any serious guitar player has to automatically put Billy at the top of the list as "badass!!!" He may not get the notoriety as some of the other "popular" guitar players, but in my opinion, he doesnt need it! Billy Gibbons is just plain great! He makes it look easy! I have been listening to ZZ Top for years and finally got to see them back in October - I was in the 9th row and it was a great show! I actually went home a better guitar player after watching Billy play live

If ya bought the book, drop another 15 bucks and pick up the new DVD they just put out, Live from Texas - its well worth the cash!

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