ZZ Top Best Served RAW: Album Of Newly Recorded Classic Tracks From GRAMMY-Nominated Documentary Finds The Legendary Band At The Core Of Its Roots
July 22, 2022
This Friday, July 22 will see the release of RAW, a new album from the original line up of ZZ Top -- Billy F Gibbons, Frank Beard and DustyHill -- created in a singular circumstance. The album, released through Shelter Records/BMG was recorded at Gruene Hall in Texas, in conjunction with the GRAMMY-nominated feature documentary ZZ Top: ThatLittle Ol’ Band from Texas. The film’s director Sam Dunn sought a means to visually convey how the band made albums at its inception with all of three members in the same room at the same time.
The classic honky-tonk setting of Gruene Hall, established back in 1878, was chosen for an unfettered, roots-oriented recording session that is chronicled in the documentary. Released by Banger Films, the feature offers insight into the history of the band’s classic Gibbons/Beard/Hill incarnation.
The new album’s liner notes by Gibbons and Beard note of the RAW sessions, “..it was, in a very real way, a return to our roots. Justus and the music, no audience of thousands, no concession stands, no parking lot social hour, no phalanx of tour busses. Just us. We knew right then it was a very special circumstance, all of us in the same place at the same time and what a time it most certainly was!”
Gibbons commented, “The Director suggested we find a way to illustrate the early style from the start of our five plus decades run. Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas, was selected as a fitting backdrop to replicate the look of the band’s very beginnings. When we arrived, we were surprised to see that all our gear had been transported there so, as cameras rolled, we picked up the instruments and commenced an unplanned jam session. Fortunately, our stage engineers were on hand with tape machines in place to capture the performances that went down. That became, in essence, the soundtrack to the film and now it’s also an audio document of ZZ Top’s early beginnings. Still going strong today.”
Gibbons continues, “Our director suggested going back to what it was like when we first started recording in our early days: the band in the studio together in a mostly unfettered way. We were quite comfortable in the raw way which can be heard with that level of intimacy on the tracks; recorded at that fabled place.”
RAW’s 12 tracks include“Certified Blues” that was originally heard on ZZ Top’s First Album as well as “La Grange,” the band’s 1973 breakthrough and “Tush,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Legs” and other eternal ZZ Top song catalog standouts. The album captured during the one day, kept the whole process simple and straightforward. A nod to the band’s early days. Billy F Gibbons served as producer, with engineering by Jake Mann and G.L. G-Mane Moon; RAW was mixed by Ryan Hewitt. It is available on 180-gram vinyl, CD and through digital platforms.
RAW Track listing:
Brown Sugar
Just Got Paid
Heard It On The X
La Grange
Tush
Thunderbird
I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide
Legs
Gimme All YourLovin’
Blue Jean Blues
Certified Blues
Tube Snake Boogie
The release of the RAW album is supported by ZZ Top’s ongoing RAW WHISKY TOUR which, when allis said and done, will have consisted of more than 100 dates across North America. The tour’s title is a hat tip to both the forthcoming album as well as the recent release of ZZ Top Tres Hombres whisky from Balcones Distilling of Waco, TX, a flavorful 100 proof mash bill of roasted blue corn, malted barley and rye.
Confirmed RAW WHISKY TOUR dates
Go to: www.zztop.com/tour to purchase tickets
Date: City/ State: Venue:
July 22 Boston, MA Leader Bank Pavilion
July 23 Watertown, NY Watertown Fairgrounds Arena
July 24 Grantville, PA Hollywood Casino
July 26 Baltimore, MD MECU Pavilion
July 27 Harrington, DE Delaware State Fairgrounds
July 2 Cuyahoga, OH Blossom Music Center
July 3 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
July 3 Burgettstown, PA The Pavilion at Star Lake
August 2 Portsmouth, VA Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion
August 3 Asheville, NC Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
August 5 Greensboro, NC White Oak Amphitheatre
August 6 Atlanta, GA Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
August 7 Simpsonville, SC CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park
August 10 Hyannis, MA Cape Cod Melody Tent
August 12 Gilford, NH Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion
August 13 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
August 14 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Theme Park Resort
August 16 Des Moines, IA Iowa State Fair
August 17 Sedalia, MO Missouri State Fairgrounds
August 18 St Louis, MO Saint Louis Music Park
August 20 Mystic Lake, MN Mystic Lake Casino
August 21 Lincoln, NE Pinewood Bowl Theater
August 23 Dubuque, IA Five Flags Center
August 24 Madison, WI The Sylvee
August 26 Indianapolis, IN TCA Amphitheater at Whiteriver State Park
August 27 Beaver Dam, KY Beaver Dam Amphitheater
August 28 Pikeville, KY Appalachian Center Arena
September 17 Catoosa, OK Hard Rock Live Tulsa
September 23 Del Valle, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater
September 24 Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion
September 25 The Woodlands, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
October 21 Atlantic City, NJ Ocean Casino Resort
December 3 Las Vegas, NV The Venetian
December 4 Las Vegas, NV The Venetian
December 7 Las Vegas, NV The Venetian
December 9 Las Vegas, NV The Venetian
December 10 Las Vegas, NV The Venetian
