ZZ Top’s First Album – Original Mix on CD?

Hi everyone

Does anyone know if this was ever released?

My only basis for its existence is this solitary review on Amazon so I was just wondering if anybody else has ever come across this fabled version?

http://www.amazon.com/review/produc...tBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R1SX0O3FKR493V

I doubt it personally but the guy seems so damn sure

Cheers

 

I have this album on c.d.. It has been "remixed" for c.d. like the other albums
(although it doesn't sound as bad as the other c.d.s) - as far as I know, the
only albums on c.d. that are the "original mix" are the ones released released
recently: "Tres Hombres" and "Fandango" (and they sound pretty good)
I have all Z.Z. Top's original albums on vinyl, and they are great. The box
set "Chrome, Smoke & B.B.Q." has the original mixes, and is a nice set.
They need to release the rest of their catalog on c.d. with the original
album mixes (hopefully soon) - Z.Z. Top are still playing some awesome
live shows, so maybe they will get around to getting more stuff out when
they take a break.

 

Deguello and El Loco (contrary to what some say) are fine on CD to.

I know they have a live DVD coming out soon and are working on a new album although I don't believe they have a label at the moment which is a sad state of affairs. As is the state of their early catalogue on CD

 

I spin this puppy a LOT!

 

I like that box set!

 

Most bands of their stature would be HAPPY to not be "on a label." These days it isn't about getting that elusive record deal to gain credibility from the fans. Just a few short years ago, a friend would ask what label some artist's new record was on when we would discuss it. If it was on a major, somehow it lent it credibility. If it was on CMC/Sanctuary, or Deadline, it was automatically deemed substandard without even hearing it. In the last few years things have changed and the Eagles putting out their own record exclusively through Wal-Mart on their own label is an example of this. It was one of the biggest selling records of 2007. Radiohead selling their record online months before it hits stores is another. Nine Inch Nails making $750k simply on just the vinyl pressing of an all-instrumental one-off (not even including CD) is yet another.

 

It has not been released, only place you can find the original mixes are on LP and:
- 1977: The Best of ZZ Top CD (has Backdoor Love Affair)
- 2003: Chrome Smoke and BBQ
- 2004: Rancho Texicano
- 2006 remasters of 1973's Tres Hombres and 1975's Fandango! (shame they didn't put the whole Werehouse show on there )

I have all of their 70s albums on vinyl. I have a reissue blue label London of the first album and a 1980 WB German press that sounds nice and quiet.

What we need desperately is live video/audio from the 70s , their best period!

 

There was also an Lp released BEFORE they were ZZ Top-it was recorded back in the '60's,and the producer was ,I think,none other than Jimi Hendrix! (I think he played guitar on it,too!)...however,I don't know what the band was called at the time,nor the title of the Lp...anyone's got the answer? Michael Boyce

 

The Moving Sidewalks, right?

Jimi Hendrix did not produce their first album, I'm pretty sure about that.

 

You're thinking of the Moving Sidewalk's (Billy's first band). Hendrix didn't produce or play anything with them but did endorse Billy Gibbons as a guitarist in this time frame.

 

And it's not ZZ Top either--only Billy Gibbons.

 

Yeah, I think Hendrix called him Billy Gibson (?!?) and did say he rated.

 

I've held off on getting Chrome, Smoke and BB-Q in the hope that the other three London albums will get a decent CD release and also (to a lesser extent) because I've read Terry Manning (Their engineer Fandango through Eliminator) bashing the mastering. Any thoughts on that? Here's the thread. Good read actually. Sorry if it's already been posted

http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/t/3849/0/

I'd imagine Rancho Texicano has the same mastering which I think sounds good, if a little bright and maximized. Albeit gently by some standards!

 

I have a horrible feeling nothing exists pre-'80. Maybe the rest of the Fandango! live set is hidden away somewhere - but if so, why not release it on the original mix remaster disc? All they slapped on there were a few live tracks from 80/82. Licensing problems, possibly? It's so damn hard to get any straight answers about ZZ Top and their archive status.

But anyway, back on topic, no the original mix of the 1st album has not been released in it's entirety on CD - although I actually like the sound of that one and Rio Grande Mud in their 'mutilated' states. Still dying to get original mix remasters though, obviously...

 

I didn't read all the pages of the thread linked above, but it appears he's bashing the "ZZ TOP 6 Pack" with the "modern" remixes. He only states that the mastering on the Chrome, Smoke & BBQ was a little brighter than the original Ludwig masterings.

 

He's quite mistaken unless he was slipped a needledrop.

 

I was just listening to Fandango! last night thinking, "Where is the rest of this live show? Why is there no great vintage live ZZ Top out there?"

Anyone know of any live stuff from the 70s that, er, might not, um, be on London or Warners?

 

Yeah there's a few bits around but it mostly sounds awful. Mainly distant recordings with crappy gear unfortunately, making the lack of official stuff even more exasperating.

 

There's 2 or 3 from '79 that sound great. Rockpalast (great dvd to) probably being the best known. But as Harry said, sound quality wise anything before that, that I've heard are pretty poor to fair audience recordings.

 

[pedantic mode] Those are probably from '80, even the dvd you mention. [/pedantic mode]

 

Well, I should've read more of the link above as a couple pages later he does say the mastering of the C,S&BBQ is horrible.

A very interesting read, thanks for posting the link Grim.

 

the only good high qual live recording are Rockpalast, Essen 4-19-80 and Passaic, NJ 5-30-80...the bonus tracks on the remasters are from one of these shows, which would infer that even the band don't have any high qual earlier stuff (?) Another pre-ZZ band worth checking out it American Blues who released 2 LPs in '68 Do Their Thing and Is Here and had Dusty Hill and Frank Beard...you can hear the similarities to ZZ Top...

 

Correct you are sir "pedantic mode" or not.

I think Rockpalast is amazing though and since the setlist is all 70's songs (bar one) you could be forgiven for forgetting it wasn't actually recorded during them.

 

You're welcome Tim

 

1. There are 1 or 2 more soundboard/FMs from '80.

2. Only 4 of the 6 live tracks on the remasters are from Passaic, the other 2 are probably from European TV broadcasts in '82. I'll get around to checking one day.

3. That's one inference - another being that too high a price is being asked to licence earlier material.

We're straying from the path here and probably heading for a gortslap...