Lets Discuss..ZZ Top..1971-81..Guest Martin Popoff...Album Ranking, Favorite Songs and More.

[@speedwaytag3321]

Best episode for the whole year. Just a pleasure to watch. Pan Am Highway Blues my fave track of ZZ ever. Fave album Tejas, then Rio Grande.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks!!!

[@jonrhythm3686]

Love ZZ Top. The coolest cats in rock for my money.

[@alessandroneri8929]

Awesome guest for an awesome Band! Great video Lair.

[@eliasandrinopoulos8746]

Loved your podcast on the 80’s ZZ Top, and the 70’s...? Whooo-eeee, this is some low down, head nodding goodness. Their pocket was unmatched! 🎸 🥁 😎 💥

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks!

[@peterhaeberle4091]

Great topic, great guest!

[@ronnelson7828]

A friend (RIP) claimed he saw Pink Floyd in Seattle at Hec Edmondson Pavillion on the tour for Meddle(1972) and the opening act was ZZ Top. They got booed off the stage!?

[@brucybabyy7355]

great stuff guys! my intro to them was tres hombres in 73. my 1st live was in 75 with heart opening at the corral in Calgary.

[@patriotpizzaman]

I really appreciate how you and Martin bounce off each other when you do videos together. You're both well prepared for the subject matter and you're both invested in making the content viable. I can't stress this enough, you guys work well together.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks a lot, it’s easy and fun to talk with Martin.

[@tommymaier3017]

great show thank you

[@marclahn7072]

One of my all time favorite bands, specifically of this era. 1970's ZZ Top is just sublime to me in every way. Couple of detail points: I'm going to have FANDANGO! higher, not b/c I don't agree about the live side (I do), but "Side 2" is simply one of the greatest album sides of all time. The outright strength of that fact will not allow me to rank it low. To wit... "NASTY DOGS AND FUNKY KINGS" is a flat out monster of a great song (top 3 ZZ for me) "BLUE JEAN BLUES" is one of the slyest, wittiest & coolest blues songs ever written. And Billy's solos are exquisitely incredible. Both the killer "HEARD IT ON THE X" and the laid back, party-ready "BALINESE" are total classics as well. Finally, I totally disagree with you guys about "TUSH" While I completely get being put off by over heralded songs, I feel that "Tush" is an exception... nothing but a brilliant, ultra-catchy single and album closer, replete with fantasticly phrased guitar! *Just as "Cheap Sunglasses" is so damn good because of Billy G's meaty, funky, highly involving solos, "Tush" is just one of the major songs that doesn't really get old on me. *And I'm a guitarist since the age of 10, been around all that annoying cover band BS. Doesn't change the fact that TUSH is a killer track. And hey, it's only 2:14. She's brief, concise & succinctly effective. Not like they're Free Birdin' ya. -- I will say that I avoid "classic rock radio" like the plague, so I might not be quite as bludgeoned, due to my serpentine approach with overplayed numbers. *Love what Martin said about "Precious and Grace" and "Master of Sparks" ('Sheik' to an extent as well) being cool, smart and involving songs. I personally feel that "P&G" is one of their best ever! ⚡ First album will be at the bottom, but "BACK DOOR LOVE AFFAIR" is, to me, their first great song. One that fits in more with the subsequent LPs. "JUST GOT PAID" is forever badass! Another true all-timer. And "EL DIABLO" is one that really foreshadowed the great "Deugello" So after all that, my rankings. *This is tough b/c with ZZ Top, I honestly like to cherry pick all the best numbers and put 'em in a pot. And what scues this a bit for me, is that genuine, nostalgic connection to FANDANGO! (i.e. my fave ZZ Top "album cover" matched to my all time favorite ZZ "album side" - obviously 'B') But here goes anyway: 1. TEJAS (as the overall most cohesive, daring and unique, I must agree) 2. DEUGELLO (diverse, engaging and delicious throughout. True classic) 3. TRES HOMBRES (would be #1 if not for just a couple of lesser tracks. And to me, the production is awesome) "Waitin' for The Bus" with it's infectious, undeniable riff, was a Godsend to a young guitar freak like me in the mid 70s! 4. FANDANGO! (See above) 5. RIO GRANDE MUD (for the record, I pronounce it "Grand," like Grand Funk. Here, the hits are the strength... "Francine" and "JGP" make it! 6. EL LOCO (really love that cheeky, salacious "Pearl Necklace" - such a great song. And about half of the rest too. I dig it's almost irreverent production style) 7. ZZ TOP'S FIRST ALBUM (other than the exquisite "Back Door Love Affair," this one 'is' a bit too boxy and dry. I like it, but they weren't the real "ZZ Top" just yet. Marc ✨

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Awesome post! Thanks for sharing all your thoughts.

[@marclahn7072]

@@LairoftheAlchemist Well, hey, thank "you and Martin" for such a good show to begin with. But you're quite welcome! Really, it's my pleasure to post. I mean, what self respecting, true lover of Rock n Roll wouldn't want to delve into and rank all these brilliant albums from the true Golden Age of ROCK! ⚡ Funny thing, me and long time, music loving friend (long before now) would do impromptu "album rankings" on the fly during phone conversations. Out of topics? Well, then..."Top 5 Aerosmith," Go! Haha Thing is, we still do that. Just the other day, Judas Priest. Heh. I'll even get my wife involved while we're cooking dinner or something. Keeps her sharp on the best stuff! AC/DC, DAVID BOWIE, BLACK SABBATH, 70s KISS, RUSH, QUEEN, CURE, PINK FLOYD, BUDGIE, THIN LIZZY, KATE BUSH, ZEP, UFO, etc.,....Go!! Anyway, thanks again for the excellent show. Pleasure was all mine (and everyone else's) Highly enjoyed it! Marc ✨

[@MrMojoRisin]

Great show guys. Love this era of ZZ Top. 1. Tres Hombres 2. Deguello 3. Tejas 4. Fandango! 5. Rio Grande Mud 6. El Loco 7. ZZ Top’s First Album

[@wernermoritz882]

Martin is one of the best guests you can have when discussing the Hard Rock era, especially ZZ Top, his favorite band. Great episode! Love the non metal content on lair.

[@hurdygurdyguy1]

When La Grange hit the radio I was all in!! My brother and I saw them in Spokane Washington (2 hour drive from our little farm town home), after the release of Fandango (just finished my sophomore year of college)!! ... upside, it was terrific...downside, the cigarette smoke in the Spokane Coliseum was so thick it made my throat raw and I had to retreat to an outside corridor and missed seeing the last third of the show! 😭 (at least I could hear it)...

[@danielwolski873]

Great episode. I hope there will be part 2 and 3.

[@LairoftheAlchemist]

Thanks and yes we are planning two more parts

[@turntabillist]

Awesome! Always down for some serious deep-dive, ZZ discussion. The Sam Dunn documentary on Netflix is a must watch even for casual fans.

[@g-pa-Rok-n-Tok]

Love 70's ZZ Top! My favorite era of the band. Saw em twice, Tejas and Degüello! Kick Ass Gigs! Just for the record, I like when you get Martin on. I don't always agree with that cat, but he's fun, lol. It's just cool to hear you guys talk story! Damn, I'd already commented and had to hit edit, just to say I hated El Loco!! Have a good weekend ☮️🤘🤙

[@lord_quake3540]

bought the zztop warner recorders complete albums 1970 to 1990 box set on cds i am satisfied with it.they are remastered cds reissues to

[@jimmycampbell78]

Absolutely, I know the boxset you mean- remastered but original mixes. Great set.

[@jimmycampbell78]

26:00 Terry Manning is still very much alive Martin 🤣 Happily for Terry!

[@MartinPopoff]

Whew!

[@mainzergirl9610]

Great show, John. As with several other bands (eg BOC, Aerosmith, Chicago, Yes), many people think the Top's mid-80s output is their apex. Their earlier albums are so much stronger.

[@sarge9733]

Don't know how you rated the first album so low. Considering I got into them because of Afterburner, it's crazy that ZZ Top's First Album is my favourite out of all the ones you reviewed here. It's just a brilliant honest, raw, proper band starting point that really makes you appreciate these guys for what they really were.

[@hatchfly]

Agreed on a fantastic episode. A lot of great points on all albums, not a stinker in the 70s (+81). Rio Grande, Deguello, & Fandango squeak into the tops for me. Fandango is a perfect studio side, and I’m actually a fan of the live side! I could do w/o the oldies medley, but near the end of the jam when Billy yells “Boogie Chiln’” and they tear into it, that’s a couple minutes of rock n roll church to me!

[@tommymaier3017]

ty for the reference of CLUTCH martin

[@123denz]

1. Tejas - Agreed! 2. Tres Hombres - Could be #1 3. Rio Grande Mud - Just Got Paid! 4. Fandango! - The live side let's youngsters hear what the ZZ's Wall of Marshall amps sounded like. 5. First Album - I think some of the best songs 6. Deguello - OK, went to the beginning of the DeGuello tour, saw these two guys wearing pinstripe suits and derbies playing Manic Mechanic. I thought it was a different band for a few seconds. :) 7. El Loco

[@scottnorris8071]

Billy Gibbons was in a Psychedelic Band called The Moving Sidewalks, and that’s how He met Jimi Hendrix

[@samhouston1979]

i always wondered why Dusty never put out a solo record…Billy got to put out several

[@chrisflood9205]

I think ZZ Top stayed together so long is they use to take a lot of long vacations

[@jimekberg]

ZZ Top, the 5 best albums: 1. First Album 2. Eliminator 3. Rhythmeen 4. Tres Hombres 5. Deguello

[@jeramy4698]

🅿🆁🅾🅼🅾🆂🅼