ZZ Top from public appearances. Gibbons traveled to Europe, Beard went to Jamaica, and Hill went to Mexico. The break extended to two years, during which Gibbons and Hill grew chest-length beards. In 1979, ZZ Top signed with Warner Bros. Records and released the album "Degüello". While the album went platinum, it only reached number 24 on the "Billboard" chart. The album produced two popular singles: "I Thank You", a cover of a song recorded by Sam & Dave, and "Cheap Sunglasses". The band remained a popular concert attraction and toured in support of "Degüello". In April 1980, ZZ Top made their
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