ZZ Top Offers Four New Songs To Whet Fans’ Appetite

According to ZZ Top's offical website, next Tuesday, June 5, will see the release of Texicali, a four track digital collection from ZZ Top that offers the first new studio recordings from “That Little Ol’ Band From Texas” in nine years. The four new songs, available from iTunes and all digital retail outlets, offer a preview of the group’s full-length album, as yet untitled, that will be released on American Recordings late this summer or early fall. Those purchasing the four songs will benefit from a pro-rated discount on the purchase of the full album when it is released. All four tracks will be previewed through an audio stream at Rollingstone.com for one day only, Monday, June 4.

These four tracks that comprise Texicali, like the forthcoming album, were produced by Rick Rubin and the band’s Billy F Gibbons and include “I Gotsta Get Paid,” “Chartreuse,” “Over You” and “Consumption.” The first of these is heard in a just-launched campaign for the Jeremiah Weed line of malt beverages that has generated tremendous on-line buzz for the video (youtube.com/jeremiahweed) that depicts Billy, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard performing -- to the delight and amazement of the patrons of a convenience store -- in a walk-in cooler. “I Gotsta Get Paid,” based on the underground 1990s rap song “25 Lighters,” is also heard on the soundtrack to the international box office hit Battleship. The title of the collection is a reference to the locations where the album was recorded. founding of ZZ Top more than 42 years ago and an acknowledgement that the band’s line-up has remained constant ever since.

“Based on the visibility of the ‘Gotsta Get Paid’ song, we decided to make available more of a taste of the album than just the one song,” said American’s Rubin. “That’s the beauty of the new digital landscape; we can put out what we want when we want, in the best service of the artist.”

Notes Gibbons, “We were itching to get some new music out before the full album release; making available these four tracks seems like a good way to accomplish that most expeditiously. Dusty, Frank and I are happy with what’s been accomplished in the studio so we figured we’d provide some hot and tasty ‘hors d’oeuvres’ before the main course is served this fall.”

The band embarks this week as the headliner for a six-week “Gang of Outlaws” tour that includes bills shared with 3 Doors Down and Gretchen Wilson. Thereafter, ZZ Top departs for Europe where they will be playing concert and festival dates in Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Norway in July. Additional North American dates are planned for August and September. All of this activity underscores the fact that ZZ Top continues as a vital force in music today, more than 42 years after its founding and with its ever-enduring line up totally intact.