Live from Texas [LIVE] [EXTRA TRACKS]

ZZ Top

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 4, 2008)
• Original Release Date: November 4, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live, Extra tracks
• Label: Eagle Records
• ASIN: B001G7EGNI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #29,761 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
16 tracks of Live from Texas with ZZ Top, an American rock band formed in late 1969 in Houston, Texas. The group members are Billy Gibbons (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica), Dusty Hill (vocals, bass guitar, keyboards), and Frank Beard (drums, percussion). The band holds the distinction of being among the few rock bands still composed of its original recording members for nearly 40 years and until September 2006, the same manager/producer/image maker, Bill Ham.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is pretty good!, November 13, 2008

By	Johnny Boy "The Record Collector" (Hockessin, DE) - See all my reviews

Look, ZZ Top in 2008 is no ZZ Top in 1973, or 1983, for that matter. They've aged a ton (everybody in the band as of 2008 is 59 years of age!), and they are no longer MTV hitmakers. But these Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are back and at it with a live album recorded in their home state of Texas.

'Live from Texas' captures the essence of ZZ Top in concert. Performing their '70s, '80s and early '90s classics, and still donning those classic beards, if you can't score tickets to a show, this is the next best thing.

However, the reviewer who stated the sound quality isn't perfect is correct. It's not muddy, and it's nowhere near as bad as he made it sound, but it's still not excellent. This was released on Eagle Records, and not Warner Bros. or RCA, their two record companies.

It's a good show. 'La Grange,' 'Got Me Under Pressure' and 'Sharp Dressed Man' are all incredible live. Of course I've seen them performed live on TV over the years, but it's so cool to have it on CD!!! Billy's voice is great for a man at the age of 59, and this proves the band is still superb.

One complaint: I wish they would have played 'She Loves My Automobile' at this show. At the Willie Nelson birthday concert several years back, ZZ just played a superb version of the song (with Willie, of course!), but the song is so great played live, and it would fit in perfectly on this live album.

But the complaint is more a personal thing than anything. Other than that, it's great! If you, like me, have been waiting for Billy, Dusty and Frank to release a live album ('Fandango!' doesn't count), than you will probably be satisfied. If you can past the fact that they aren't 24 and 34 (their ages in 1973 and 1983) anymore, you should be fine.

Highly recommended for any ZZ Top collector. Casual fans who aren't really used to ZZ Top just yet are advised to buy 'One Foot In The Blues,' 'Greatest Hits' or 'The Best of ZZ Top.'

A great show from their home state of Texas!

ENJOY!!!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At Long Last, A Live Disc--And It's Dang Near Perfect!, November 11, 2008

By	Screamin' Armadillo (Fort Worth, TEXAS) - See all my reviews

I have to be honest here--I'm one of the biggest fanzz of ZZ Top in the world. I've seen the band at least a dozen times in various venues and locales. I am a bit biased; however, I can be honest when the boyzz put out a product that doesn't stand the test of time (Afterburner, anyone?).
Fortunately, the release of "Live From Texas" is not one of those lowlights.
Amazingly, this concert CD is the first complete live set ever released by the band (the only previous live releases have been side 1 of the 1975 album "Fandango!" and the second half of the 1999 CD "XXX", as well as various CD single or CD reissue bonus tracks). Their original manager/producer/empresario Bill Ham felt that releasing live material would discourage people from going to see the band live.
I was at the taping of this live CD (the DVD/BluRay version was released earlier in 2008, with extras making it worth the purchase) at the Nokia Theater in Grand Prairie, Texas in November of 2007, and as usual, the Boyzz didn't disappoint. They played well, with the rhythm section of Dusty Hill and Frank Beard displaying their usual "1+1=4" perfection and the fine fretwork of the Reverend Willy G (Billy Gibbons) in full effect.
The CD (and DVD) play to the strengths and personalities of the band very well--you'll recognize almost every song within a few seconds, even if you're only a casual fan.
The only criticism is this--the band didn't pull out more "deep tracks" or "lost gems" to document this historical occasion (The DVD does have the excellent bonus track of Hendrix's "Foxy Lady"); it also would have been nice to hear some (or even ONE) track from their RCA releases (some of which were played at the show), but for the obsessive fan/collector (such as myself) or the casual fan of the band, this is a must-buy disc.

Good Vibes To Y'all...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Hugely disappointing, April 8, 2009

By	Jo King "PhilMcKracken" (Little Old Town in Midwest) - See all my reviews

Wow, what a huge disappointment. When I put this in I had to check the settings because I could not believe how dull and flat this recording sounded. I was very disappointed how lackluster this project sounds. If there was excitement at the live gig, it sure did not translate well to the recording. One song, don't even remember which one now, Frank Beard's hi-hat was so overwhelming I just couldn't skip it fast enough. That was such a huge distraction. Avoid this at all costs. Live does not equal good.