Billy Gibbons - guitar geek supreme

This is a great little piece from the New Yorker about hanging out with Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, in which he pays a visit to Telecaster prototype #0009 and drinks beer through a straw (to keep his beard dry). Billy's book: Rock'n'Roll Gearhead looks very cool (Does that link work? Hmm...) And yes, that guy on the left looking like a composite of all the members of Supergrass was Billy in the early '70s. (via Rock Star Photos). While we're on the subject, check out this page which has a picture of a very young Billy with Jimi Hendrix.

Posted by Tom Whitwell.

Comments:

Billy is a cool guy. I was lucky enough to sell him some stuff on multiple occasions when he shopped at the music gear store where I worked a while back in Houston, TX.

He's also totally into grooveboxes, phrase samplers, drum machines, etc. Back then (6-7 years ago), he had even been hanging at some Raves, believe it or not.

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:57 pm

he is from my home area too, Beaumont, tx. a real craphole, but they are trying. definately some rocking going on from time to time (HIWIRE!). Billy is nothing short of a legend there, but still not quite as popular as Skynyrd or Kid Rock. ZZtop had some crazy-ass tours in the 80's with live animals and shit, but nothing rocks harder than that early shit, so the story always goes (almost).
Felix, did you work at Rockin Robins? Are the house strat pickups there really where it's at?

# posted by

Anonymous : 4:22 pm

Here are those Turbo Diddley guitars he mentions in the article: http://www.schoenguitars.com/id1.html

# posted by

Gavin Lloyd Wilson : 4:28 pm

yeh, believe it or not ZZtop were one of the first to own a Sidstation

no joke!!

# posted by

Awakened Yeti : 8:18 am

Does anyone know, what is that guitar in the picture on the right?

# posted by

Gavin Lloyd Wilson : 12:55 pm

Gibson Les Paul 50th Anniversary Corvette

# posted by

Anonymous : 11:44 pm

If I could ask Billy one question is why doesn't he ever mention the Coyote guitar he designed with Austin Texas guitar luthier Mark Erlewine. Does any one know?

# posted by

Anonymous : 2:50 am