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

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Grim177, Apr 7, 2008.

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  1. rinso white

    rinso white Pale Fire

    Location:
    Kingston, NY
    To get back to a more acceptable--if not the original-path...it strikes me as incredible that a band that was known as a smokin' live act (that even made half of the follow-up to their breakthrough album a live set) doesn't have at least decent recordings of their shows from what I consider their heyday.

    I was watching some youtube clips last night, and even by the early 90s they seemed to be a lot less energetic. I'd still like to see them if they are indeed touring, but I sure would like to hear more live stuff from way back when. Oh well...
     
  2. HarrySmith

    HarrySmith Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent, England
    This is the major frustration of being a ZZ Top fan - we just don't know what the true situation is. Everybody involved seems extremely tight lipped, positively evasive. About the only archive gossip I've come across in 20 years is that there are a fair few blues covers in the vault - stuff they used to play as warm-ups in the studio before takes. Dust My Broom on Deguello is the only one released so far...
     
  3. metalbob

    metalbob Senior Member

    Location:
    New Jersey
    This Terry Manning stuff is pretty interesting. I had heard years ago that some of ZZ Top's stuff was essentially all Billy Gibbons. It was mentioned by some guitarist in an interview in either Guitar World or Guitar For the Practicing Musician. Can't recall which. Glad to see I didn't imagine reading it.
     
  4. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    they did Barefootin' once in 1980 (Pine Knob) Man, I'd kill for an official release of a show form the 1976-77 Worldwide Texas Tour, I even started a thread on it:
    http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=111878&highlight=worldwide+texas+tour+top
     
  5. tcj

    tcj Senior Member

    Location:
    Phoenix
    I would take this with a grain of salt - the mastering on the box and on the Tres Hombres remaster appears to be the same, and that, as we know, is widely praised around here. I think both sound pretty great.

    It is interesting for information, however, like this fascinating bit:

     
  6. HarrySmith

    HarrySmith Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent, England
    Wonderful stuff that post, isn't it? I lost and found that forum a few years ago, and in trying to find it again ended up here! I've gone full circle...

    Anyway... it's no wonder Eliminator sounds nothing like the preceding albums :laugh: I wonder what the original Gibbons/Hill/Beard version of that album was like??
     
  7. Tim H.

    Tim H. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cottonwood AZ
    I don't have the box, but I do have Rancho Texacano and Hombres and I like their sound but I think others had commented on them being a bit too bright for their taste. I understand that Terry, being so intricately involved with the old albums would have criticism with the latest masterings. I was just correcting my initial post. :)

    I remember hearing Tush and La Grange growing up, but I became a fan with Eliminator - then stopped following them when Afterburner came out. With the great drumming on their early stuff, I couldn't understand why they went with such an obvious Drum Machine on, it seems like, almost everything from Eliminator on... Does Mr. Beard actually play on any of their last few records?
     
  8. HarrySmith

    HarrySmith Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent, England
    A very good question. If memory serves, the above quoted thread (or maybe another on that board) does make some allusions with regard to the Rhythmeen disc.
     
  9. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    I don't remember the box set sounding too bright. I'll have go go back and see. I remember when it came out, it seemed like a lot of people (not on this forum, I hadn't found this place then) thought the sound was disappointing, because it seemed muted and not as detailed as modern cd's. It wasn't overly loud. I thought the fact that people found the sound underwhelming was a good initial sign.
     
  10. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    I have been listening to Z.Z. Top since the first album. I like the early stuff
    (pre-beard bull****) The original vinyl is the way to go as far as sound,
    but the C.S.& BBQ box, the recent Tres Hombres and Fandango reissues are
    pretty good. They need to reissue the rest of the catalog likewise.
    - Tejas is an incredible album - if I had to choose one, this would be it.
     
  11. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Tejas is great. But the songs on the First Album and Rio Grande Mud are the ones that were most negatively affected by the Six Pack mixes. Tejas is definitely re-mixed, but its a bit more subtle than what was done to those early tracks.
     
  12. HarrySmith

    HarrySmith Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent, England
    Ya really think so? I love the remixed sound of those two, IMHO it's only from Tres Hombres onwards that the remixing gives diminishing returns. My guess is that they 'set the levels' for the first album and applied them to all of the others whether they were suitable or not... I gather they were extremely rushed productions. Still, looking forward to the eventual original mix remasters. Wasn't there supposed to be an anniversary re-release of Eliminator out by now, complete with a ton of bonus stuff?
     
  13. Raunchnroll

    Raunchnroll Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Yikes! To each his own. To me, gritty blues rock of the late 60's/early 70's should not have 1980's synthetic sounding, echo laden snare drumming!
     
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  14. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    As far as my tastes (and years of listening to the vinyl) they really made a
    bad decision when they "remixed" their music for c.d. - those original
    records are some of the most prized albums I own - they are that good.
    And as I said in a previous post Tejas is just excellent! (think I have a
    1st stamper).
     
  15. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Have you listened to the Six Pack versions of the first two lately? Ugh. What they did to Somebody Else (Been Shaking Your Tree) and Brown Sugar was criminal. They also lopped off big portions of songs, particularly Francine and Sure Got Cold After The Rain Fell. No sir. I can't stand those six-pack remixes of the first two. WAY worse than what was done to Tejas. And there is very little of the first album represented on the box set. I think only 3 tracks. So that's the one I'm most hoping gets a good cd release sometime soon.
     
  16. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    Yeah, with some bootleg sourced live tracks. But Eliminator doesn't need remastered. It already sounds very good on CD. Just be careful to get the one with the full version of Legs.
     
  17. Grim177

    Grim177 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    London, Kent, UK
    I got "First Album" on vinyl yesterday. Lovely copy and sounds awesome :righton:

    I can't actually listen to any of those remixes anymore despite the fact I knew them as the only versions for years. I'm convinced that I was distinctly underwhelmed with "Tres Hombres" (first non-compilation I heard) when I first heard it because it all sounded so synthetic. I remember thinking, I didn't think drums sounded like that in 1973 ;)

    I agree that "Eliminator" already sounds great on CD and the original version of "Legs" is essential. Those clips from "The Tube" that will be on the new version are great though. As one person commented on YouTube "Savage" :cool:
     
  18. HarrySmith

    HarrySmith Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent, England
    The six-pack versions were the first I heard, I didn't have the pleasure of hearing the original vinyl first - which probably makes a great deal of difference. But: Brown Sugar in particular and Just Got Paid sound HUGE in their six-pack form and I absolutely love 'em. Having said that, I do desperately want the original versions released ASAP. I object very strongly to them not being available.

    edit: I think probably the only track on the first 2 albums that doesn't work in it's remixed form is Mushmouth Shoutin...
     
  19. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    Be sure to get Steve's Tres Hombres, if you don't have it already!
    - its the bomb!
     
  20. Grim177

    Grim177 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    London, Kent, UK
    [pedantic mode] Those are probably from '80, even the dvd you mention. [/pedantic mode]

    [pedantic mode] Just read Rockpalast was apparently recorded on the 6th of October 1979 but wasn't broadcast until 14/9/1980 and so is frequently mislabeled as such [/pedantic mode] :)
     
  21. HarrySmith

    HarrySmith Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent, England
    I've heard that about the October date but I don't believe it for a second. As far as I can tell there's not a shread of evidence to support it, and there are several reports of the show happening the following April (actually 19/4/80).
     
  22. buddahbelly

    buddahbelly Member

    Location:
    Houston, Tx, USA
    There was no original version.....Frank And Dusty almost quit behind it....they are basically Billy's backup musicians ONSTAGE now.....althought he is using them more in the studio now though.
     
  23. pool_of_tears

    pool_of_tears Searching For Simplicity

    Location:
    Midwest
    Indeed, the cd sounds good. But if you can snag a 1st pressing w/ "RL" in the deadwax, you're set. :)
     
  24. Grim177

    Grim177 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    London, Kent, UK
    "There was no original version.....Frank And Dusty almost quit behind it...."

    :eek:

    I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to read that really but I still am. :sigh:

    I have the book Sharp Dressed Man by David Blaney in the post, have you read it and if so is there much written about what you've alluded to there?
     
  25. rcdupre

    rcdupre Flying is Trying is Dying

    I don't think so, Mitch Ryder, Southside Johnny, and Nils Lofgren played on 10/6-7/79...ZZ Top played with Ian Hunter Band and Joan Armatrading on 4/19-20/80: http://www.rockpalastarchiv.de/welcomee.html
    although this site has the '79 date:
    http://www.boomspeed.com/greg/zztop/old.htm
    I've also seen somewhere an actual tour list site but maybe that's long gone...
     
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