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Post subject: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 9:41 am
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For those who aren't aware, ZZ Top has had a problem for over 25 years.

In 1987, they released The ZZ Top Sixpack, a three-disc collection of ZZ Top's albums from 1970 to 1981, with the exception of Degüello. The albums ZZ Top's First Album, Rio Grande Mud, Tres Hombres, Fandango, Tejas and El Loco were remixed with the result that the sound of the material from the first five albums was changed to sound like they had been recorded at the same time as Afterburner. Digital delay, heavy reverb and distortion were added to the guitars and the drum mixes were changed considerably (reverb and metallic 80's delay were added). Some of the lyrics were changed, some of the songs were slightly shorter (to fit two albums on each CD), and the result was very unlike the original sound of the vinyl albums.

Degüello (their sixth album, chronologically released before El Loco) was not included in "Six Pack" (and consequently left untouched) because of some litigation with the estate of Elmore James (a cover of "Dust My Broom" was on that album).

Nobody has ever admitted who did this--Bill Ham? Warner Brothers? The Boyzz themselves? But the fact that Bill Ham always tightly controlled the image, music and PR of the band (as well as he being their main producer and sole manager until recently) says that it was probably his idea.

These mixes weren't terrible, but they weren't right, either. It's like having somebody else making your mom's lemon pie and not quite nailing it--the crust was a bit different and the filling was too sweet.

For many years, the only original vinyl mixes to be had on CD were on the CD version of the 1976 "Best of ZZ Top" album; so for a long time, you only had ten songs that were properly mixed (from approximately 60 songs). Each subsequent release of those songs (whether on cassette or CD) had the "Six Pack" treatment, so the individual discs or compilation discs like 1992's "ZZ Top's Greatest Hits" and 1996's "One Foot In The Blues" weren't quite right.

There were some efforts to fix this problem. The songs included on the (excellent) "Chrome, Smoke, and BBQ" box set and the (very good) "Rancho Texicano" compilation discs were restored to the proper mixes. Also, "Tres Hombres" and "Fandango!" were released on CD with original mixes (and live bonus tracks)...but almost half of the songs from the other four albums (First Album, Rio Grande Mud, Tejas and El Loco) were not available on CD with the original mixes...

Until now.

Warner Brothers has released a new box set called ZZ Top: The Complete Studio Albums (1970 to 1990). Ten albums, with original-style art work (meaning, if the album had a gatefold, like Tres Hombres or Tejas, it would have the same gatefold on a small cardboard CD cover), in one box, for $59.99 MSRP.

All the original London/Warner Brothers studio albums--ZZ Top's First Album, Rio Grande Mud, Tres Hombres, Fandango, Tejas, El Loco, Eliminator, Afterburner and Recycler--will be in the set.

I gotta go find some scratch and see if there's a store in the area that has it in stock.

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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 10:21 am
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I did not know that. Will be shaking this the new box set.

Thanks,


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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 10:36 am
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Thanks for the heads up Matt. I have most of the originals on cassette and the original six-pack as well. I noticed the differences on the six-pack from the originals but thought it was the boys trying to update their sound like everyone else was doing in the 80's. Ha ha ha what a huge mistake that was. Killing bands, movies, tv shows and such by dating them forever with those synthesizer soundtracks. Oh well, live and learn. I know what I want for christmas, lol.

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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 12:58 pm
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I used to know a guy that got me into jammin' on ZZTop. I used to pick his brain for hours at a time on the phone. Anyway..I hadn't heard much outside of 'Afterburner'. He wasn't too hip on the "clickie' remixes, either. Turns out he was right. I had many positive musical influences as a teen.


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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 1:18 pm
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Thanks for the heads up! Definitely going to be buying it!


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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 2:52 pm
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Dalembic wrote:
I used to know a guy that got me into jammin' on ZZTop. I used to pick his brain for hours at a time on the phone. Anyway..I hadn't heard much outside of 'Afterburner'. He wasn't too hip on the "clickie' remixes, either. Turns out he was right.

With all due respect to the Boyzz, Afterburner wasn't my favorite album...quite the opposite, actually...

But there were some gems on that album, too. "Stages", "Can't Stop Rockin'", "Dippin' Low (In The Lap of Luxury)" and "Delirious" were all pretty good songs--especially the former two. If these songs had been recorded/cut for an earlier album such as Deguello, with the types of guitar effects/tones Billy used in the earlier days (even what he used just eight years prior), these particular songs would be considered genius.

Even some of the songs I dislike from this disc sound considerably better live--a couple of years ago, they played "Rough Boy" at a concert I was attending. At first I inwardly grimaced, but stripped free of the synths and the "Afterburner" guitar tones, it was a dang good blues ballad.

However, it might surprise you what my favorite ZZ Top album is; Rhythmeen! :shock: Taken as a whole, that album is a great journey...I liken it to a roadtrip from New Orleans to Tijuana, staying on the seedy side of the street the whole time.

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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:01 pm
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I have the CD version of 1976's Greatest Hits Album and IMO, that was ZZ Top at their finest . I was never a fan of the MTV stuff . Too over produced and techno sounding IMO.


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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2013 8:18 pm
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Thanks for sharing that! I have the six pack. I have also purchased many of those cds separately. I don't have Tejas though, except on the six pack. The same with El Loco or whatever it was called. I saw the tour in LA back in the 80s. When I was a kid the first ZZ Top record I ever purchased was Tres Hombres. They are one of my all time faves. Thanks again!


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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 1:59 pm
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I've been a fan of Rio Grande Mud,Tres Hombres,Fandango,and Tejas since they all originally came out. It was a blues based,blues rock kinda thing back in those days.


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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 2:13 pm
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How do you beat the Rev. Billy & the Boys..??

Thanx for the HUs

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 8:08 pm
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I can't fathom why anyone would want to change or "enhance" any of ZZ Top's excellent early albums with reverb,delay etc.,it would be akin to gilding the lily.The first time I heard Tres Hombres I immediately went out and bought that and their first album.Songs like La Grange,Jesus Left Chicago and the like are just fabulous as they were originally recorded and there is absolutely no way of making them sound better because they are the heights of perfection as they were recorded and you can't improve on perfection.

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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2013 8:11 pm
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guitslinger wrote:
I can't fathom why anyone would want to change or "enhance" any of ZZ Top's excellent early albums with reverb,delay etc.,it would be akin to gilding the lily.The first time I heard Tres Hombres I immediately went out and bought that and their first album.Songs like La Grange,Jesus Left Chicago and the like are just fabulous as they were originally recorded and there is absolutely no way of making them sound better because they are the heights of perfection as they were recorded and you can't improve on perfection.

It was the 80's...everybody thought everything needed to be "improved" :roll:

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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 12:33 am
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Screamin' Armadillo wrote:
guitslinger wrote:
I can't fathom why anyone would want to change or "enhance" any of ZZ Top's excellent early albums with reverb,delay etc.,it would be akin to gilding the lily.The first time I heard Tres Hombres I immediately went out and bought that and their first album.Songs like La Grange,Jesus Left Chicago and the like are just fabulous as they were originally recorded and there is absolutely no way of making them sound better because they are the heights of perfection as they were recorded and you can't improve on perfection.

It was the 80's...everybody thought everything needed to be "improved" :roll:


And... the start of the Digital Revolution !

Remember when they were touting Compact Discs are having 'Perfect' sound..?? Now people are flocking back to Vinyl - go figure.

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2013 6:10 am
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Reinventing the wheel is one way artists stay in the market....i.e. boxed sets, greatest hits, and the like. :roll: The plus side on this is a return to what was originally recorded. Looks like I'll have to add this to my Father's Day stocking. Thanks for the heads up. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: HOT DANG--ZZ TOP RIGHTS A WRONG!!
Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 2:42 pm
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A very old photo of Zee Zee Top :

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