Rio Grande Mud [Original recording]

ZZ Top | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl
• Format: Original recording
• Label: London
• ASIN: B000ND5PHW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #492,191 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

TRACKS: FRANCENE, JUST GOT PAID, MUSHMOUTH SHOUTIN', KO KO BLUE, CHEVROLET, APOLOGIES TO PEARY, BAR-B-Q, SURE GOT COLD AFTER THE RAIN FELL, WHISKEY'N MAMA, DOWN BROWNIE

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars NOT THE ORIGINAL RECORDINGS!, March 31, 2007

By 

memberinkind - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rio Grande Mud (Audio CD)

I am a recording engineer and sound mixer. I grew up in Texas, listening to and watching ZZ Top. The first two ZZ Top albums were released on vinyl records. Tres Hombres was the first to be released on Compact Disc. When the inevitable popularity of the CD overtook the market, Bill Ham thought it would be a great idea to release the first six albums on CD, which they affectionately called the "six pack." While remastering this compilation, somebody (who knows, but who controlled all of ZZ Top's musical movements??) got the bright idea to re-edit, reproduce, re-arrange and remix the first three albums. At the time, there was a new device in the studios that was known as a "digital echo" device for adding reverb and delay textures to sounds. Most notably, Phil Collins was using this echo device to enhance his drum sounds. ZZ Top's producer (you know who) decided it was the way to go as well, that the new sounds would attract the day's "new audience." The echo and reverb patterns on the "six pack" were so much bigger and wetter than on the original first three albums. Then I started to notice that there were different vocal performances and different guitar riffs in a few places. Talk about re-arranging an original! At a later time, the reproduced versions released on the "six pack" were then released on individual CD's which contain the original artwork of the first three albums. However, they are definitely NOT the original recordings. This process is much like Jimi Hendrix's producer, who went into the studio after Hendrix died and actually hired a player to finish the guitar work on recordings that were incomplete when Hendrix died. Those recordings were subsequently released as "Hendrix's final unrealeased recordings." Suffice it to say, that if the world's art museums decided that certain Rembrandt or DaVinci paintings looked "faded" or weren't "up to date with today's audience," and they repainted certain brush strokes on these masterpieces, the world art community would have a cow! Don't buy these CD's, they are not ORIGINAL works. They have been repainted to fit what someone thought would be a new and "catchy" idea.

67 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Beware: The Remix Strikes Again, February 1, 2002

By 

Doomantra - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rio Grande Mud (Audio CD)

Of course the music is great, but the bozo who remixed it botched another masterpiece. It really baffles me that someone had the nerve to tamper with these albums. It's like prying open a time capsule from 1972 and putting a laptop computer and a playstation inside of it. Drum machines and slick effects weren't on the original, so what the hell? Do they want to go add drum machines and overdubs to old Robert Johnson records too? Anyway, if you want this album on CD, just contact me. I'll gladly give you mine.

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Garbage Remix With 80's Gimmickry, March 6, 2006

By 

razzorjet2 (York, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rio Grande Mud (Audio CD)

As part of an attempt to capitalize on the success of their Eliminator sound, ZZ Top decided to go back into the studio and remix and also re-record parts of their first 6 albums thinking it would make them more money and entice fans of their newer sound to go back and buy their earlier records. Well guess what, in the process their older fans who were used to the original versions on the old cassettes and albums were shocked when they listened to any of these first generation CD releases. They heard bogus reverbed drums, and entire sections of both music and vocals re-recorded. Talk about tarnishing the legacy of a great band's output. Well someone finally wised up and now at least Tres Hombres and Fandango are now available in original mix, remastered form. So stay away from this trash and wait for the entire back catalog to be released in it's original mix, remastered form on CD.