On Tuesday, September 25th, at HMV in Oxford Street, London, fans of Texan rock icons ZZ Top will get the chance to attend a live Q&A and record signing with fabled guitarist and vocalist Billy F Gibbons. Set to commence at 6pm (doors open at 5.30pm), there will be a short live Q&A session hosted by DJ Matt Stocks, after which Billy will sign copies of his new solo album, ‘The Big Bad Blues’, released September 21st via Snakefarm Records on CD and ltd edition red vinyl (an HMV exclusive).
This will be a wrist-banded event with entry allocated in advance on a first-come basis.
Application and information available here:
As part of the album pre-order, ‘Standing Around Crying’ – the early Muddy Waters song – is available now; slow and brooding, Billy’s take breathes new life into this blues classic.
Co-produced by Gibbons and Joe Hardy, ‘The Big Bad Blues’ – as the title suggests – represents a return to Gibbons’ blues roots, featuring BFG-ified renditions of songs associated with some of his heroes: the aforementioned ‘Standing Around Crying’ and ‘Rollin’ & Tumblin’’ by Muddy Waters, and ‘Crackin’ Up’ and ‘Bring It To Jerome’ from the Bo Diddley canon. These are joined by nine originals recorded in Billy’s hometown of Houston at Foam Box Recordings.
The album features Hardy on bass, drums by Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver/The Cult veteran Matt Sorum as well as Nashville session great Greg Morrow, plus Austin stalwart Mike ‘The Drifter’ Flanigin on keyboards. Blues harp (harmonica) duties are handled by James Harmon as well as Billy who, of course, is the album’s vocalist and guitar slinger nonpareil.
A musician’s musician, Billy F Gibbons is a wellspring of what he likes to refer to as the “three T’s”: tone, taste, tenacity. His transcendent creativity in a broad variety of artistic and intellectual endeavours has stood him in good stead over the years, underscoring his undisputed status as music’s most highly regarded Renaissance man.
ALBUM TRACK-LISTING:
Missin’ Yo’ Kissin’
My Baby She Rocks
Second Line
Standing Around Crying
Let The Left Hand Know…
Bring It To Jerome
That’s What She Said
Mo’ Slower Blues
Hollywood 151
Rollin’ and Tumblin’
Crackin’ Up