''ZZ Top's First Album'' is the debut studio album by American rock band

ZZ Top ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. For almost 56 years, it consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard (musician), Frank Beard, and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill prior to his death in 2021. ZZ ...

, produced by Bill Ham and released in January 1971 by

London Records London Recordings (or London Records and London Music Stream) is a British record label that marketed records in the United States, Canada, and Latin America for Decca Records from 1947 to 1980 before becoming semi-independent. The London nam ...

. Establishing ZZ Top's attitude and humor, the album incorporates styles such as

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

boogie Boogie is a repetition (music), repetitive, swung note, swung note or shuffle rhythm,Burrows, Terry (1995). ''Play Country Guitar'', p.42. Dorling Kindersley Limited, London. . groove (music), "groove" or pattern used in blues which was origina ...

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...

, and

Southern rock Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music and a genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitars and vocals. History 1950s and 1960s: origin ...

influences. "(Somebody Else Been) Shakin' Your Tree" was the only single released from the album.

Background, recording and release

The album was recorded at Robin Hood Studios in

Tyler, Texas Tyler, officially the City of Tyler, is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, United States. As of 2020, the population is 105,995. Tyler was the List of municipalities in Texas, 38th most populous city in Texas (as well as the m ...

. ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons said:

We called the record ''ZZ Top's First Album'' because we wanted everyone to know that there would be more. We weren't certain if we'd get another chance in the studio, but we had high hopes.

The only single released from the album was "(Somebody Else Been) Shakin' Your Tree" (backed with "Neighbor, Neighbor") on London Records (release number 45-138). It failed to appear on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' charts. In 1987, the album was remixed for CD release. In 2013, the original vinyl mix was released on HD Tracks in high-resolution digital download formats. The original mix of the album was released on CD in June 2013 as part of the box set ''The Complete Studio Albums (1970–1990)''. In October 2017 a 180 gram vinyl edition of the album was released, using the original mix. In August 2024, the original stereo master tapes were used by Kevin Gray to cut lacquers for another 180 gram vinyl release.

Reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

retrospectively gave it 3 stars, stating: "''ZZ Top's First Album'' may not be perfectly polished, but it does establish their sound, attitude, and quirks."

Track listing

Personnel

ZZ Top

* Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals * Dusty Hill – bass, backing vocals, lead vocal on "Goin' Down to Mexico", co-lead vocal on "Squank" * Frank Beard – drums, percussion (credited as "Rube Beard")

Production

* Bill Ham – producer * Bill Narum – album design * Frank Jaubert – photography

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zz Top's First Album London Records albums ZZ Top albums 1971 debut albums Albums produced by Bill Ham