 Few bands are as instantly recognizable as ZZ Top, with their chest-length beards, matching clothes and shades, twirling guitars, and roots-rock partying music. The self-described "Little ol' Band From Texas" became rock icons in the MTV era of the 1980's, when a series of playful, sexy videos for such songs as "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Legs," and "Sharp-Dressed Man" showcased their musical grit and sense of fun.
The trio - Billy Gibbons (guitar and lead vocals), Dusty Hill (bass and vocals), and Frank Beard (drums) - formed in Houston in 1969. Their earliest influences were John Lee Hooker, with his muddy beat, and the slicing slide guitar of Elmore James. ZZ Top's first two albums were straightforward southern blues, recorded far from the music mainstream in Tyler, Texas.
Looking to update their sound for their third album, the band and their producer/manager, Bill Ham, took their Texas-recorded tracks to Memphis to work with legendary Stax engineer Terry Manning. Manning had just finished work on "Led Zeppelin III." ZZ Top hoped to follow Led Zeppelin's course from second-generation blues into rock stardom. The move worked. The modernized sound won huge commercial airplay. Artistically, the change suited the band's writing talents, especially their lyrical lightness. The release, "Tres Hombres," went to the Top Ten.
 With their next release, "Eliminator," ZZ Top found their permanent sound, with two crucial additions to their three-man format: sequenced drumming, and synthesizers. These technologies smoothed out and filled in the music. Artistically, the sound was satisfying; commercially, it was phenomenal, as "Eliminator" reached #1 in the world. The new sound was perfect for rock arenas, and ZZ Top filled them. The blend of hooks, rhythm and humor has served the band well in a remarkable career that has now spanned four decades, with no changes in personnel.
In 2004 ZZTop was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2007, contemporary supergroup Nickelback played "Sharp Dressed Man" on the VH1 Rock Honors tribute to ZZ Top as one of the most influential bands in rock. Billy Gibbons was also a guest guitarist on three tracks recorded by another Famous Monster band, Nickelback for their #1 album, "All the Right Reasons," and Gibbons was featured on Nickelback's hit video, "Rockstar," a blend of bluster and self-effacement that owes much to the style of the Little ol' Band.
WIRED WITH MONSTER/POWERED BY MONSTER
ZZ Top's prestige has grown as they continue to tour and record in the 21st century. The band members haven't changed, but the technology ZZ Top uses to play and record has kept up to date, in part thanks to Monster Cable®.
 As seen in the photo to the right, Billy Gibbons' rig is powered by Monster Power PRO 2500 Power Center Clean Power technology, for AC line power that's completely free of noise, pops, RF and electro-magnetic interference. ZZ Top also uses Monster Instrument Cable, and other Monster Cable products to keep their sound at its peak, on tour and in-studio.
For more information, check out http://www.zztop.com
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