ZZ Top ZZ Top ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas. The band has, since 1970, consisted of vocalist/guitarist Billy Gibbons (the band's leader, main lyricist and musical arranger), bassist/vocalist Dusty Hill, and drummer Frank Beard. "As genuine roots musicians, they have few peers", according to critic Michael "Cub" Koda. "Gibbons is one of America's finest blues guitarists working in the arena rock idiom [...] while Hill and Beard provide the ultimate rhythm section support." The band released its first album—called "ZZ Top's First Album"—in 1971. Beginning with blues-inspired rock, the trio later incorporated new wave,
Tribute to a Bus Burgess, and the band themselves, respectively. In comparison, "Tribute To A Bus" has a nosier, more melodic and distinctive sound, which may be attributed to Albini's input and production values. Critic Jason Ferguson described it as a "far more complicated album", composed of "straightforward pop songs countered by structurally deprived numbers like the vast "Go! Song" and the sprawling, "Bad Moon Rising"-esque "No Time/11 (Spectators)"." The album's stark sound, minimalist approach and complex song structures has led to comparisons with the work of both modern classical composers such as Philip Glass and Glenn Branca, and rock bands including Sonic Youth