ZZ Top delivers the fireworks on July 4 with From The Top (1979–1990), a limited-edition collection from Rhino High Fidelity (Rhino Hi-Fi) that trails the Texas trio on the road to worldwide fame. Following the first volume’s sellout last year, the sequel features five albums from the height of the band’s mainstream success.
From The Top (1979–1990) includes Degüello (1979), El Loco (1981), Eliminator (1983), Afterburner (1985), and Recycler (1990). Lacquers for each album were AAA cut from the original stereo master tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl at Optimal. The albums are housed in a faux-leather slipcase, and the collection is limited to 3,000 individually numbered copies. The collection is available today for pre-order exclusively at Rhino.com.
ZZ Top came together in Houston with vocalist and guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard behind the drums. Blending electric blues, boogie, and humor, the trio steadily built a following through relentless touring and a streak of increasingly confident records. From The Top (1979–1990) picks up as the band entered a new decade—one where their sound expanded, their videos took over MTV, and their beards grew right along with their fanbase.
After a brief hiatus, ZZ Top returned in 1979 with Degüello, a looser record built around funkier grooves like “Cheap Sunglasses,” with its staccato backbeat and crescendo of “oh yeahs.” Their version of Sam and Dave’s “I Thank You” became a fan favorite, Gibbons says in the album’s new liners notes by James Austin. “Our cover emerged unabashedly with a one-take stab onto the tape machine, and the tale was told and remains a recurrent requested number on stage and over radio stations everywhere.”
They scored a Top 20 hit in 1981 with El Loco, which introduced classics like “Tube Snake Boogie” and “Pearl Necklace.” The trio kept one foot in the blues while experimenting with new sounds, telegraphing their next move with synths on “Groovy Little Hippie Pad” and processed drums on “Party On The Patio.”
Released in 1983, Eliminator marked a seismic shift for ZZ Top, blending their blues-rock foundation with driving tempos, synthesizers, and airtight songwriting. The album became a phenomenon—Diamond-certified, spending over two years on the charts and delivering a trio of massive hits: “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs.” Backed by a striking run of MTV videos, the band reached a new generation of fans and became unexpected pop culture icons.
Afterburner followed in 1985, pushing the synth-driven sound even further. Tracks like “Sleeping Bag,” “Velcro Fly,” and “Rough Boy” kept the band on heavy radio rotation, while the album climbed to #4 on the charts and was certified five times platinum in the U.S. alone. “So many wacky gadgets suddenly seemed to appear in the studio,” Gibbons recalls. “The temptation of experimentation took us all in… and some satisfying mayhem unfolded. And that’s defiantly rock ’n’ roll.”
Recycler arrived in 1990, opening a new decade with a Top 10, platinum-certified exclamation point. Tracks like “My Head’s In Mississippi” and “2000 Blues” leaned into their blues roots, while “Doubleback”—featured in Back to the Future Part III —g ave them another high-profile hit. It was the final album in a remarkable trilogy that defined ZZ Top’s sound — and look — for years to come.
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