Artist ZZ Top

Craig ONeal

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ZZ Top

Texan blues-rock beard-farmers ZZ Top have remained together for an astounding 40-plus years, and with the same original lineup—a commendable feat that speaks to the group’s shared love of the simpler things, like babes and bitchin’ hot rods. A long-rumored album with the similarly hirsute Rick Rubin at the helm is apparently still in the works, and a new song, “Flyin’ High,” was recently previewed—of all places—on the International Space Station. But with such a huge back catalog to pick through, there are still plenty of ways to rearrange the basic ZZ Top formula of Billy Gibbons’ hoarse crowing and deft blues-guitar boogie meeting the unbreakable straight line of Frank Beard’s and Dusty Hill’s rhythm section.

Updated 07/27/2011