Let Us Praise Billy Gibbons -Tom Bukovac

Tom Bukovac shares personal stories about being around Billy Gibbons.
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[@otisgibbs]

What's your favorite ZZ Top song/album? Here's a fun video of Tom rehearsing with Billy and some other greats! kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZTIZ5Z4Zq6bhM0

[@scottkidwellmusic9175]

A friend of mine when I was in the service turned me on to early ZZ Top. Mostly the older albums. Tejas is a classic, and I ended up with the CD six pack. Deguello is also a favorite

[@toddgaines9446]

That's not a very fair question. How do you pick just one? Great stuff, Otis!

[@styrmugnsell4560]

Tejas has the best drumming and sound, especially the drums sound great! Deguello has some super-cool tracks... The guitar sound and playing is great. Rio Grande the mud and Tres hombres = Classics...

[@216Numbskull]

"Deguello"

[@JiminTennessee]

Just Got Paid - killer hook!!!

[@tonydeaton1967]

Billy Gibbons volunteered to chaperone my granddaughter on a Southwest airlines flight from Houston to Austin. When my wife picked her up from the airport, she said a gentleman with a long red beard was with her and handed my wife a business card that looked like it had been custom painted. I knew immediately whose card it was. What an over the top classy guy. My wife was clueless until I told her who it was. Hundred percent true story!

[@dpatt6175]

Cap

[@benallmark9671]

What an amazing story.

[@datcolsol]

In the mid-80s I worked on office equipment. One day, I get a call to fix a typewriter at Rice University for Mrs Gibbons. Ms. G was in her late 40s or early 50s and her office was wall to wall ZZ Top posters, album covers, and other paraphernalia. I was thinking this lady must be quite a fan. It took me another 10 minutes to put her name together with Billy's. When I asked her, she smiled and asked, "Do you know my Billy's music?" We talked and talked about Billy and ZZ Top. She was a lovely, gracious lady who was very proud of her son

[@Dannyexplosion]

I worked in an antique store in Dallas in the early nineties and Billy came in and hung out with me for about an hour while I showed him around and we talked about music and he showed me his 68 Cadillac (the gas pedal had one of those foot shaped chrome things) He was the sweetest man to an early 20s rock and roll kid with tons of stupid questions. Class act all the way.

[@shermstixx]

ZZ forever. “Tejas” is such a masterpiece... Props to Tom. Fantastic player with fantastic taste...

[@shermstixx]

I first heard it in like 2013 working an overnight shift and I just kept in on repeat for a week or two... One of my favorites front to back and just... all killer... lol and the remix is a travesty... but I might try and listen to it again at some point just to see if I missed anything... must have made it for some reason...

[@josephtravers777]

Tejas has so many different guitar tones, it's nutz & very good Blues

[@frankwebster9110]

Billy Gibbons is a national treasure. So great to hear Uncle Larry recount tales of experiences with him!

[@atomdent]

Billy Gibbons is the most supportive kindest,motivational guitarist I've meet,he made me feel like a colleague, and complemented me so highly, I was embarrassed,I have held on to and treasurwd that chance meeting for 35 years!

[@VictorRochaGaming]

I met Billy Gibbons in 1977 when I was 15yo. I'll never forget how kind and patient he & Dusty were to our little gang of ragamuffins. A true gentleman.

[@huliniswhoiam]

Okay you injected so much personality in your comment. I have to know the story. How did you meet him? What did y'all talk about?

[@chuckbouscaren3898]

Otis and Tom, one of the absolute best things I love about you both and your respective channels is you guys are always kind and positive-not that any discussion about Billy Gibbons would be otherwise-but across the board you guys both bring light, gentleness and kindness into my day every time I'm able to catch your shows. Thanks for that!

[@rylieriley]

I can't get enough of Uncle Larry. More please! And Billy G. is one awesome human being... and guitar slinger. I love that dude!

[@I-Libertine]

Amen and Amen. I visited with him at his place off Sunset after the release of Mescalero (a viciously underrated album). We spent hours taking about border radio, the Davis mountains in West Texas, Roky Erikson... incredibly interesting, interested in everyone, kind and generous. Oh yeah: what a great guitar player. B. F. G. Forever in my heart.

[@otisgibbs]

Subscribe to Tom's channel and tell him Otis sent ya. It's one of the best things on the internet. www.youtube.com/@501chorusecho

[@muffinman4353]

Long live the music of Billy gibbons and ZZ top!!!

[@docjeffry]

Blue Jean Blues is why I bought my first guitar in 1987. It is also my introductory song to the blues and what blues music is. It took me 18 years to discover blues which is a crime against humanity. Better late than never.😉

[@TheSixfinger1]

I met Billy briefly outside the Apollo in Manchester! I told him I named my son, ZZ Dusty Billy Frank John Lee BB Muddy Hank! His friends call him Z! Tres Hombres! Changed everything! Love the man! ❤

[@shepherd8203]

I thing I love about Uncle Larry is he loves very min of his job and life.

[@normandodson5079]

Great story. Billy must be a really cool guy to sit and pass the time with his kids.

[@tomstiel7576]

I met Billy at the Underdog in Nashville the night before he was inducted into the MHOF,he came in to listen to Guthrie jam,,,he acted as though we had been friends forever,,,real classy guy,,,what a thrill for me !!!

[@davenewton4862]

When I got ZZ Top's Greatest Hits on cd that gated reverb on some of the drums really drove me crazy! Glad to know it wasn't just me.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

Yeah every time I hear it I get a little ticked. LOL!

[@markdouglas6375]

The Revs' favorite candy? The Fender Custom Shop visit when he brought in a case of Abba Zabba!

[@highsocietyskate]

Tom is the man! Wait, did I catch that? The boys are Marshall and Leo?! You got style brother!

[@robertspence831]

Yep. Love that.....

[@huliniswhoiam]

For having such an iconic riff, I was not expecting him to say what he did about LaGrange. I never noticed the reverb. I guess I'll have to listen to it again! I guess I'll have to listen to the classic stuff and see what it's like without the reverb.

[@jammininthepast]

Back in about the "Tres Hombre" days Billy came out to play in this greasy tile floored barn about three quarters full in Denver and I was right up at the stage and in a Texas drawl I heard "how you doing man"? I was in awe and speechless, I just handed him this big fatty I was roasting, he politely took it, took a pull on it and said "thanks man"....I love that man and his band too. Need I say they smoked that place...kick ass. Thanks cousin.

[@wittry2]

Had never heard of Tom until you introduced us here. That’s what I love about your gig, so many behind the scenes or role players who are really significant.

[@MrYatesj1]

Uncle Larry is one of the best session men around.

[@cosmonaut9942]

Don Was is a true musician through and through. I recently saw him play with Bob Weir and Wolf Pack, and a few years ago I saw him play with Blake Mills. Those two artists couldn't be more different. It didn't phase Don Was. He's at home with any genre. Kind of reminds me of Uncle Larry. A true musician.

[@curtisprincemusic]

Tejas man,... Yes! In 76 they did a huge tour, with a Bison, a longhorn, and rattle snakes. I remember they came to Pgh and a bunch of people were injured, like hundreds I think, and a huge mount of people showed up that couldn't even get in the show. I was 13 but I remember it well. Thanks for the interview of Tom!

[@johnsears4197]

Mr. Gibbons has got the corner on COOL amazing guitarist Love Tom great show thanks Tom's no slacker neither

[@jezmez68]

I got to ZZ Top late and when I did, that SixPack CD set was too good of a bargain to pass up. I told a friend of mine about it and he complained about the remixes as well. I have since sold my record player, but I would buy one again and try and find all the old versions on vinyl. My favorite ZZ album is DeGüello. I love the compression on those single coils (or at least that's what I think I'm hearing). The tone and fretwork on the solo of "Fool for Your Stockings" leaves me in a heap in the corner every time with drool coming out the side of my mouth.

[@mrpbody44]

I have know Billy for 30 years and Elwood for 40. Billy is like the brother I never had and one of the best humans on the planet. I used to live a block away from the Discord house in Arlington VA. Billy was over my house and we decided to knock on Ian's ( Fugazi)door but it was one of the few times he was not home. Fun times driving around DC with Billy in my olde Pontiac blasting punk rock tunes and going to weird restaurants.

[@Epoxydog]

The Rev is a cool dude. He was here in Hawaii last week and was at Dan's Guitars in Honolulu to pick up a custom guitar we made for him.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

He seems like a walking contradiction in that he's larger than life but also seems really humble. That's a rare combination indeed. I always thought of Levon Helm that way as well.

[@davidpepper442]

ZZ Top's First Album is my favorite. I was lucky enough to be on the 2nd row of the show that Ann Wilson opened in Austin (they were fantastic). Later, after ZZ Top started their set I looked over to the wings of the stage and Tom was indeed standing there watching Billy.

[@aaronbcole]

It’s only love- such a great song

[@paullittle2037]

Tres Hombres is one of the best rock and roll albums ever made

[@kipmarchetti6123]

This series of videos with uncle Larry is great. You all are like two peas in a pod and I just wanted to thank you for continuing to turn out classic and entertaining content.

[@michaelgregory2231]

Lov seeing Buk on your channel, Otis

[@otisgibbs]

I appreciate you watching these, Michael! : )

[@michaelgregory2231]

@@otisgibbs ❤️

[@jimmysapien9961]

Billy Is Alright in my Book 👍🏻

[@hakanaxlund4316]

Thanks Tom, you come through as a very sympathetic guy. Love your talks and most certainly your playing. Thank you for sharing, you’re great.

[@JosiahWhitley]

YES!!! I hate the remasters so much! Good lord what were they thinking

[@jakeryanshepard]

Just met Billy recently after her performed at the sand dollar in Las Vegas. He was as cool and sweet as I’d ever heard he was!

[@25bikertrash]

If you recognize Billy, he will recognize you.

[@fishheds]

The way he described Tejas, I'm thinking that room smells real nice .

[@scapegoat762]

About 12 years ago, I was sitting' in Joe T Garcia's in FW, mindin' my business, eating my dinner. So I looked around, scanning the place and I see one of the head honchos, a large individual, sitting at a table about ten feet away from me with this little guy. I got to analyzing the situation, and I was thinking "wow, that little guy sure is tryin' hard to look like Billy Gibbons". Then it dawned on me- that IS Billy Gibbons. He was wearing clear lensed glasses instead of the shades I'd always seen him wear in photos, and I'd always pictured him as being a bigger guy, so I guess that's what had thrown me off. Well, I didn't want to be a jerk by intruding, and cause a commotion by drawing attention to him, but I was just itching to do something. So I flagged down my waiter, and told him "I'd like to pay for that guy's dinner", pointing at Billy. I figured that if nothing else, it might make a dent in paying him back for all the joy he'd given me with his music...AND I'd always get to ask people "Hey, yeah, that's great and everything, but have YOU ever bought Billy Gibbons dinner?". The waiter said he'd check, then came back and informed me that the bill had already been taken care of. I couldn't think of anything else, so I just went back to my guacamole. Then a guy who had been sitting caddy-corner to me jumps up and low-key yells "Billy! Lemmee get a selfie wich ya!" Billie stands up, lets the guy get the selfie, says "Thanks", or "Texas Fatback Monkey Groovin'" or whatever, and walks out the back door. Fav ZZTop song- "She's a Heartbreaker" off Tejas.

[@cosmossunshine9120]

Deguello is a KILLER album

[@nickangelo3283]

The crazy thing about those ZZ Too remixes is they were the first ZZ Top CDs I ever owned. I thought that’s what they were supposed to sound like. Then, when a friend played me the original master of ZZ Top’s First Record I couldn’t believe it. Now I can’t listen to those remixes at all. They remind of how I was robbed of the great sound of those early records for several years.

[@MachineManMusic]

Lately I've been really digging Asleep in the Desert. Also Arrested for Driving While Blind and Brown Sugar are favorites. But all their music is killer!! Great to hear these stories. Thank you.

[@tacoscamp]

There's cool, and then there's Buko cool, which is a level that very few will ever attain.

[@woodyburkhalter1]

i love bily gibbons stories there are alot

[@randall9000]

Catching them in Laredo TX 4/19 🍻 Rest in Peace Dusty Hill

[@imreh5588]

Hello from Cleveland. I was always confused by the weird effects that showed on radio play of my favorite ZZ Top tunes. Flanger on drums. I thought maybe it was me not remembering. Thanks Tom

[@raiderjohnthemadbomber8666]

The coolest thing I ever heard BFG do is his tip of the hat to John Lee Hooker on La Grange.

[@Redeyefiddler]

Fandango “hand me another one of them brews, back there”. “Uh….keep your hands on the wheel!”

[@Tony_Leonardi.]

Tom is the best and billey rocks

[@peterpedersen1641]

Back in the mid 80's I was head of structures on a project building the North Dallas Tollway. We had to stop traffic fairly often while doing big concrete pours as to not spill on any cars while building the elevated highway there.. One day, I'm standing by one of the Dallas Police helping us out and Billy Gibbons pulls up in a Caddilac convertible and looks at me and compliments my beard... it was as long as his at the time. Of course I was wearing some cheap sunglasses at the time... LOL always a huge fan and love playing his licks on my vintage axes here in my studio in the Poconos... Always fun hearing good stories about Billy. He's always been the bomb.. In those days, in Dallas, I was often taken as Billy as we looked similar.

[@scottkidwellmusic9175]

Thank you, Otis 🙏🏻 I'm sure between you and Buk, that you could fill hours of recording stories and interviews. Good to know I have good people out there that I look up to Be good to you 🤍💛

[@privateer0561]

"Great singer, too..." Yes. Yes, he is.

[@joeboucher695]

"These are my kids Marshall and Leo." Wild guess, do you play the electric guitar? I love this guy. Seems like a total mensch.

[@gtr1952]

Billy and I share 1 thing. When I was 18 years old I was 6'5" and 300 lbs, I got tagged with the nickname "BFG". Big "F**K**G" Gary". That stuck hard, and everyone in the music biz around the area knew me as BFG. Most of the local bars too! LOL Billy's a great guy, I just love it. 8) --gary

[@ChorusArtists]

Tom is clearly one seriously awesome human being, and I love the way he tells a story.

[@gamoonbat]

Tres Hombres is my favorite Z Z Top album with a lot of high school memories associated.

[@marktait2371]

yeh same here that one and tejas was listening to indie radio other americana show dj pulls out old classics master of sparks comes on had to turn that up hahastill rocks

[@BrianVallotton]

I was 16 years old and listening to it on cassette, while driving my 1969 Pontiac Catalina in 1977. Good times! I have seen them twice and am so glad Billy is still going strong.

[@ministerofdarkness]

Totally agree with Tom on " Tejas " as the best ZZ Top album! PLAY LOUD!!

[@MacTeee]

Another Tejas fan!!! Me too Tom. Hands down my favourite ZZ album!

[@richardtoland2624]

Yesss! Tejas IS a very funky record. It’s got a cool country flavor to some of the material that makes the record unique among ZZT albums. Frank B’s drumming is aggressive and controlled. Great singing and playing by Dusty and BG. That Dusty Hill (bless his soul ) had a terrific voice. And BG capably provides a palette of guitar styles and tones.

[@kwkoch1966]

Love Uncle Larry. Great storytelling.

[@bh-zj4yt]

Great stuff……Tom is right about those remixes

[@partrickstowman8039]

Great stories! You 2 work great together!

[@SeeCSeesCC]

I ❤❤❤❤❤ZZ but Tom B, you are for me. I LOVE what you bring Mister B. I do

[@GRBAquatics]

So Very Cool, Thankyou.

[@scottdrumm4828]

Awesome interview!

[@jimmyjambon9206]

A hand me down 19 foot Dodge with an 8 track that came fed with Fandango. Unforgettable.

[@gabeatv]

Easy. First Album. Great talk with Uncle Larry. Great stories!

[@myyootube2]

Nice. A gentleman, a brand and just one shit hot guitar player. Glad you brought up those remixes because the true fans know! And did YOU know that at one point they RERECORDED the Moving Sidewalks stuff on an obscure little release? I think they may have covered a couple of 13th Floor Elevators things too but it was all really that same kind of WTF(?) sound. Kurt Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets once said that some artists accomplishments are so high that nothing they could ever do later could really tarnish them, and the two artists he exampled were ZZ Top and Elvis. That comment has stuck with me for years.

[@otisgibbs]

Ways to support this channel. www.patreon.com/otisgibbs kzbin.info/door/YX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Qjoin Tip jar for anyone who wants to help support this channel. paypal.me/otisgibbs?locale.x=... www.venmo.com/OtisGibbs Paypal: @otisgibbs Venmo: @OtisGibbs

[@rogerwilliams2629]

Otis, I don't know about you, but the main tip I got from this one, and I like to steal tips, is I need to print up a bunch of signature cards to carry,and pop one out at the perfect occasion. Watch em try to recognize me. lol

[@crazywisdom2]

Thanks Otis. Tom tells great stories.

[@brianwood7237]

Somehow I knew this was coming been on an uncle Larry binge...going back to episode 1 of homeskooling last night thank you Otis

[@Zepster77]

Just LOVE these…. THANKS Otis & Tom!! 🌠❤‍🔥🌠

[@JasonHobbsGuitarist]

Billy is King man! 👌 cool stories Tom. ✌️

[@youKnowWho3311]

GT and Billy. Great Cats. Listening to Unc talk about him is cool.

[@PastaPatate]

Cry of Love “Diamond and Debris” is a great album with Audley Freed.

[@tonypetrillo3488]

Deguello tops it for me. I love the intro tone of "A Fool For Your Stockings"... it's killer.. so natural..

[@Gratefulman1965]

Thanks Otis, Tom’s a great talent. As for Billy, well that goes without saying! I’m a big fan of all The ZZ Top albums up to Deguello. El Loco forward are what I call the paycheck years. Great stuff commercially but not my personal favorites, Give me the old stuff.

[@eivindgjengstjohansen9625]

His father Euell was an outdoorsman and early health food advocate, promoting eating wild foods. Young Billy ate nothing but nuts and berries until he was 18. “The day I turned 18 I left and I been eating nothing but cheeseburgers since” so Billy was a vegan until 18 then ate meat for many years until he became a vegetarian due to health issues wow i cant imagine how it must feel to taste meat for the first time at 18

[@richkilgallen9920]

Just plain “no”. Nothing to do with reality. Get help.

[@eivindgjengstjohansen9625]

@@richkilgallen9920 but your bs do?

[@brianmobley1720]

He definitely knows good TOP ✌️😎

[@riseupselling]

YES!!!!

[@bamgrok]

LOVE IT !!!!🤘🏽❤️🎸😁

[@leechild4655]

I remember when I heard some of the older tunes with the big drum sound and delayed a bit to give it that live room sound. I feel it helped but ya i think many re-mixes only hurt the original recording and only make you want to hear it `the right way`

[@crazywisdom2]

Zz top live from Gruene Hall !

[@mikeault]

I remember those remixes and hear what your saying!!

[@edwardz65]

I agree with Uncle Larry on the remixes. I fell in love with those albums on 8-track. Years later I made the mistake of buying the remixed CDs. 🤮

[@geraldmasters7595]

What a cool cat.

[@woodyburkhalter1]

rhythmeen is a sick album

[@Kickstart500]

Great story as usual!

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

Has anybody in the history of this earth ever looked cooler with a Les Paul than Billy Gibbons?

[@baneverything5580]

The soundtrack of Texas

[@lanehowell605]

Tres Amigos and Tejas ~☆~

[@Gator198l]

So through this series of clips. how much beer did Tom go through? 🙂

[@joeurbanowski321]

❤❤

[@muddymike10]

I think their late manager added beats to their back catelog masters to mimic the then very popular rhythms found on the 80s ZZ Top releases? Poor Frank Beard, one of the greatest American drummers, reduced to backing up a drum machine. The new CD box set of the classic ZZT albums uses the pre-f--ked with Masters.

[@rogerwilliams2629]

Tres Hombres

[@tedgay8427]

Marshall and Leo. 😂

[@castanzes]

Probably noisy kids 🤣