Slash’s opinion on ZZ Top and the guitarist Billy Gibbons

The Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash is one of the most influential Hard Rock musicians of all time. Many people say he is the last guitar hero of Rock and Roll music, as no guitar player with a comparable impact on the genre has emerged since.

Like Rock and Roll music, there wouldn’t be Hard Rock without the Blues. So Slash obviously is a big fan of the music genre. Over the decades he talked about many that were influenced by that style, including ZZ Top and their guitarist/vocalist Billy Gibbons.

Slash’s opinion on ZZ Top and the guitarist Billy Gibbons

As expected, Slash is a big fan of ZZ Top and Billy Gibbons. He had the chance to share the stage with the Texan guitar player multiple times during his career. In an interview with Esquire back in 2014 he listed the 12 guitarists that in his opinion were the best of all time. One of them was, of course, Billy Gibbons.

“Billy is somebody I know. But first and foremost, way, way before I ever actually met him, he was one of the tastiest sort of rhythm, blues, and electric-blues guitarists who I had ever heard,” Slash said.

When the guitarists had the opportunity to share the stage, they already performed many songs together. Some were ZZ Top’s “La Grange” and Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s “Sweet Home Alabama”.

More recently, in 2024, Slash released his Blues covers album “Orgy of The Damned”. He covered the Muddy Waters classic song “Hoochie Coochie Man” and invited Billy Gibbons to record the vocals and guitar.

Their friendship dates back to when ZZ Top’s “Afterburner” and Guns N’ Roses’ “Appetite for Destruction” were released. Gibbons recalled in an interview with Guitar World how they met.

“Backstage following a ZZ Top show in Los Angeles. I maintained residence up the Sunset Strip nearby a notorious liquor store and happened by there one day to “resupply.” Our guy was there choosing the appropriate libation, and a friendship ensued.”

Slash continued:

“He’s kind of unmistakable. I guess he figured we were connected and latched onto all things ‘six-string’ in very short order. We’ve knocked around pretty much ever since. I’d place that encounter somewhere in the late ’80s when Appetite was making some noise. Truly a sympatico cat if ever there was one,” Billy Gibbons said.

During the same conversation, Gibbons said that to record their version of “Hoochie Coochie Man”, he and Slash approached the track with a “sincere, personalized vision”. The arrangement was designed to “expand the track with some extra breathing room and sound luster”. Gibbons also noted that it is a song written by the influential songwriter Willie Dixon and although it is old still is “kickin’ in a big way”.

Slash was present at Gibbons’ birthday bash at the Troubadour in Los Angeles by the end of 2024. They performed a few tracks together, including “Hoochie Coochie Man”. The ZZ Top frontman celebrated on December 16, 2024 his 75 birthday. He was born in 1949 and by the time he started his musical career, in 1967, Slash was only a two year-old kid.

Rafael Polcaro: I'm a Brazilian journalist who always loved Classic Rock and Heavy Metal music. That passion inspired me to create Rock and Roll Garage over 6 years ago. Music has always been a part of my life, helping me through tough times and being a support to celebrate the good ones. When I became a journalist, I knew I wanted to write about my passions. After graduating in journalism from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, I pursued a postgraduate degree in digital communication at the same institution. The studies and experience in the field helped me improve the website and always bring the best of classic rock to the world! MTB: 0021377/MG