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The Return of The Moving Sidewalks (Billy Gibbons returns to his first band)
New York Times ^ | January 1, 2013 | ALLAN KOZINN

Posted on 01/01/2013 5:37:18 PM PST by a fool in paradise

Before ZZ Top became a blues-rock band known for gritty, boogie-based rhythms, sizzling guitar flights, humorous lyrics and luxuriously long beards, it was a Houston-based psychedelic proto-punk garage band called the Moving Sidewalks. And though its following was decidedly regional at the time – its biggest hit, “99th Floor,” was a chart-topper in Houston for six weeks in 1967 – the group’s recordings can be found on more than half a dozen compilations of 1960s garage band tracks, not to mention the ZZ Top anthology “Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box.”

... with ZZ Top between tours, Billy Gibbons, the guitarist and founder of both bands, has reconvened the Moving Sidewalks for a gig – its first in 44 years – at B.B. King Blues Club and Grill in Manhattan on March 30.

For Mr. Gibbons, the transition from the Moving Sidewalks to ZZ Top occurred fairly smoothly.

“The Vietnam War was in full swing,” Mr. Gibbons said in a telephone conversation, “and it captured our bass player, Don Summers, and our keyboardist, Tom Moore. That left me and the drummer, Dan Mitchell, trying to figure out how in the world we were going to keep this together. We played with other people, and then the drummer twisted off, and the result was what you know as ZZ Top.

“But we all kept in touch, we kept up the correspondence, and it was quite a robust exchange. And remarkably, although I’d gone to a different planet and the other three had their day gigs, they were all weekend warriors, playing in bands here and there. So by a stroke of good fortune, when the opportunity came along, they had the interest, and had kept up their chops.”

(Excerpt) Read more at artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Music/Entertainment
KEYWORDS: billygibbons; blues; reverend; rockandroll; zztop
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1 posted on 01/01/2013 5:37:32 PM PST by a fool in paradise
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To: a fool in paradise

This ought to be interesting.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTa0TGJ8J74
The Moving Sidewalks - 99th Floor


2 posted on 01/01/2013 5:41:23 PM PST by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: Liberty Valance

You neve hear music that that anymore.


3 posted on 01/01/2013 6:01:05 PM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: Liberty Valance

Sounds like the “Shadows of Night.”
G-L-O-R-I-A....


4 posted on 01/01/2013 6:04:31 PM PST by Eric in the Ozarks (In the game of life, there are no betting limits)
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To: Slings and Arrows; Revolting cat!; 537cant be wrong; Aeronaut; ßuddaßudd; bassmaner; Bella_Bru; ..
Rock and Roll / Houston PING


5 posted on 01/01/2013 6:05:00 PM PST by a fool in paradise (America 2013 - STUCK ON STUPID)
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To: Slings and Arrows; Revolting cat!; 537cant be wrong; Aeronaut; ßuddaßudd; bassmaner; Bella_Bru; ..
Rock and Roll / Houston PING


6 posted on 01/01/2013 6:05:00 PM PST by a fool in paradise (America 2013 - STUCK ON STUPID)
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To: Slings and Arrows; Revolting cat!; 537cant be wrong; Aeronaut; ßuddaßudd; bassmaner; Bella_Bru; ..
Rock and Roll / Houston PING


7 posted on 01/01/2013 6:05:47 PM PST by a fool in paradise (America 2013 - STUCK ON STUPID)
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To: a fool in paradise

Billy thought he was Jimmy...Moving Sidewalks - Pluto - Sept 31st (1968)... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-zr60cvBWw


8 posted on 01/01/2013 6:12:20 PM PST by BenLurkin (This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
Now local bands aren't played on commercial radio and aren't hired as opening acts for station sponsored events.


9 posted on 01/01/2013 6:15:55 PM PST by a fool in paradise (America 2013 - STUCK ON STUPID)
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To: a fool in paradise

I recognize Jimi Hendrix, but which one is Gibbons and who are the rest of them?


10 posted on 01/01/2013 6:19:15 PM PST by Huntress ("Politicians exploit economic illiteracy." --Walter Williams)
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To: Huntress
I recall reading somewhere that Billy Gibbons was Jimi Hendrix's favorite guitarist.

Mark

11 posted on 01/01/2013 6:31:59 PM PST by MarkL (Do I really look like a guy with a plan?)
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To: Liberty Valance
Great stuff from Kent Ohio...15.60.75 Jimmy Bell's In Town
12 posted on 01/01/2013 7:06:10 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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Jack Bruce and The Golden Palomino's cover of 15-60-75's Animal Speaks

The Original Animal Speaks

13 posted on 01/01/2013 7:34:18 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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A direct link to the Jack Bruce Ver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfRIGQGR2T0

Johnny Rotten covered it too.


14 posted on 01/01/2013 7:47:00 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Liberty Valance

I can see where the Doors got some of their inspiration. It also sounds a lot like the Kinks -”All Day & All of the Night”


15 posted on 01/01/2013 9:18:50 PM PST by Baynative (Those that work for a living are now outnumbered by those that vote for a living.)
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To: Huntress

Billy’s in the middle.


16 posted on 01/01/2013 10:33:26 PM PST by Daaave ("The ship will self-destruct in t-minus, ten minutes.")
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To: Huntress
The Moving Sidewalks With Jimi Hendrix

(L-R) Tom Moore, Hendrix, Don Summers, Gibbons, Dan Mitchell

17 posted on 01/01/2013 10:44:23 PM PST by Daaave ("The ship will self-destruct in t-minus, ten minutes.")
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To: MarkL
I recall reading somewhere that Billy Gibbons was Jimi Hendrix's favorite guitarist.

I probably own every Hendrix biography in print, so I know a few trivial things about his life and career. Billy Gibbons was one of Hendrix' favoring up-and-coming players. Jimi was so impressed with him, that he gifted him with a pink Fender Stratocaster, which Billy still owns.

Jimi never said who his all-time favorite guitarist was, but there's no question that he idolized all of the old blues greats like they were gods. They were his spiritual/artistic mentors.

18 posted on 01/01/2013 10:46:14 PM PST by Windflier (To anger a conservative, tell him a lie. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: a fool in paradise
Yes... it definitely was different as to where the big groups played in the 60’s.

http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=23566&d=1320887314

This link is a short article in the Liverpool University student newspaper (Feb 1966) listing the groups scheduled for their charity week. The Hollies, The Fortunes, Gerry and the Pacemakers. All for a local university do at ticket prices a student could afford...:^)

19 posted on 01/01/2013 11:07:35 PM PST by az_gila
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To: a fool in paradise

My daughter was on tour with a film crew last summer and she needed her guitar repaired while they were in Austin. She found a little one-man guitar shop down some side street and walked in and the guy fixed her guitar. So she’s looking around at the walls and sees gold records and pictures of ZZ Top and Billy Gibbons and other people who looked like rock and rollers.

It turned out that the guitar shop guy had recorded with ZZ Top and did some gigs with them back in their early days. His name is Mark Erlewine, and he designed and built guitars with Billy Gibbons and Johnny Winter. Other clients who have walked into his shop over the years include Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Dusty Hill, and Eric Johnson.

Apparently, Mark decided long ago that the touring life wasn’t for him. He is happy as a clam running his guitar shop and being free to do whatever he feels like whenever he feels like it.


20 posted on 01/01/2013 11:31:19 PM PST by Lancey Howard
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