Written By Braddon S. Williams

ZZ Top: Degüello

Degüello (1979) was a bridge between ZZ Top’s hard rocking blues roots and their increasing experimentation into the sounds of the digital age. It eventually went platinum in sales, yielding a slew of FM radio staples, including Cheap Sunglasses, I Thank You, Manic Mechanic, A Fool For Your Stockings, and I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide.

Prior to the recording of Degüello, the band took a break that was originally supposed to be a couple of months that wound up stretching over 2 years. When they regrouped, Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill had grown the signature beards that remain their trademark to this day.

Drummer Frank Beard did not participate (perhaps feeling that having “Beard” as a name was good enough for him!).

Another interesting item of information: the guys all played saxophone on Hi-Fi Mama (Gibbons on baritone, Hill on tenor, and Beard on alto).

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