billy gibbons tour band

ZZ TOP's BILLY GIBBONS To Be Joined By MATT SORUM For June/July 2023 European Tour

ZZ TOP 's Billy Gibbons has announced the renewal of his livewire solo band, to appear at select European venues late spring and early summer of 2023. The trio is headed by Gibbons on guitar and vocals, with drummer Matt Sorum ( THE CULT , GUNS N' ROSES , VELVET REVOLVER ) and lefty guitarist Austin Hanks , who has worked with Gibbons previously, providing the heavy bottom and rhythm for the ensemble.

The new tour brings Billy and company to 12 countries with 20 performance dates during the four-week span starting June 10 in Sölvesborg, Sweden.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, January 27.

"The Big One – Part 1" 2023 tour dates:

June 10 - Sölvesborg, Sweden @ Sweden Rock Fest. June 12 - Tampere, Finland @ Tampere Hall June 13 - Helsinki Finland @ House of Culture June 15 - Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene June 17 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Copenhell Festival June 19 - Hamburg, Germany @ Grosse Freiheit June 20 - Frankfurt, Germany @ Batschkapp June 21 - Nurenburg, Germany @ Lowensaal June 23 - Leipzig, Germany @ Parkbuhne June 24 - Cologne, Germany @ E-Werk June 25 - Winterbach, Germany @ Salier Halle June 26 - Praha, Czech Rep.@O2 Universium June 28 - Vienna, Austria @ Gasometer June 29 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Volkshaus July 02 - London, UK @ O2 Shepard's Bush Empire July 03 - Birmingham, UK @ Birmingham O2 Institute July 05 - Albi, France @ Festival Pause Guitare July 06 - Paris, France @ Olympia July 09 - Weert, Netherlands @ Bospop Festival July 11 - Bournemouth, UK @ O2 Academy Bournemouth

When one thinks of the most influential rock musicians on the planet, Gibbons is a name that should come to the forefront of any such list. Before becoming one of rock's most recognizable figures, Billy and his first band MOVING SIDEWALKS gained recognition by opening up for THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE on their first-ever headline tour. On that tour, Jimi himself taught a 17-year-old Billy how to play the opening lick to "Foxy Lady" , a story that he recounts onstage to this very day. In 1969, Billy met bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard to form the classic lineup of boogie and blues rock mainstays ZZ TOP . ZZ TOP released "ZZ Top's First Album" in 1971. The albums that followed, "Rio Grande Mud" (1972) and "Tres Hombres" (1973),along with extensive touring, solidified the group's reputation as a hard-rocking power trio. In the 1980s, ZZ TOP released their three biggest-selling albums: "Eliminator" (1983), "Afterburner" (1985) and "Recycler" (1990). The band found great success through the ever-shifting landscape of music by embracing emerging styles of the times, incorporating elements of synth-rock, punk, and new wave into their newer material. The group not only secured six No. 1 singles, but also won countless MTV Music Video Awards for songs like "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man" . Gibbons was ranked at number 32 on the 2011 Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time". ZZ TOP was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004.

Aside from his work in ZZ TOP , Gibbons has collaborated with a slew of rock and blues heavyweights, including QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE , Buddy Guy , Jimmie Vaughan and Jack White . His latest solo album "Hardware" (2021) is out now via Concord Records .

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Billy gibbons announce 2023 solo tour dates.

The legendary ZZ Top co-founder, vocalist and guitarist Billy Gibbons announced new solo tour dates for 2023. The dates are scheduled for Europe next June and July. He will be accompanied by Matt Sorum (Drums) and Austin Hanks (Guitar).

The trio will perform in Sweden, Finland, Noway, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, United Kingdom, France and Netherlands.

Gibbons released his first solo album in 2015 called “Perfectamundo”, then in 2018 he recorded “The Big Bad Blues” and the most recent one is “Hardware” (2021).

“The recent run with ZZ was a grand time and we thought to take the energy with our alter ego to ‘get down’ all the way around. That’s THIS tour…! We’re really cooking and looking to bring the BFG experience forward to all our friends in Europe and the UK. See you soon!” Billy Gibbons said in an official statement.

Next February, April, July, August and September will be on the road with ZZ Top.

• 10 – Sölvesborg, Sweden – Sweden Rock Fest.
• 12 – Tampere, Finland – Tampere Hall
• 13 – Helsinki Finland – House of Culture
• 15 – Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
• 17 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Copenhell Festival
• 19 – Hamburg, Germany – Grosse Freiheit
• 20 – Frankfurt, Germany – Batschkapp
• 21 – Nurenburg, Germany – Lowensaal
• 23 – Leipzig, Germany – Parkbuhne
• 24 – Cologne, Germany – E-Werk
• 25 – Winterbach, Germany – Salier Halle
• 26 – Praha, Czech Rep. -O2 Universium
• 28 – Vienna, Austria – Gasometer
• 29 – Zurich, Switzerland – Volkshaus
• 2 – London, UK – O2 Shepard’s Bush Empire
• 3 – Birmingham, UK – Birmingham O2 Institute
• 5 – Albi, France – Festival Pause Guitare
• 6 – Paris, France – Olympia
• 9 – Weert, Netherlands – Bospop Festival
• 11 – Bournemouth, UK – O2 Academy Bournemouth

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

50 years of ZZ Top: Billy Gibbons on touring, new music and beard grooming tips

Even after five decades and 30 million records sold, ZZ Top is still "that little ol' band from Texas." 

"In essence, that's what we were and what we still are: just three guys from Texas," says lead singer/guitarist Billy Gibbons, who formed the band in Houston in 1969 with drummer Frank Beard and bassist/vocalist Dusty Hill. 

That modest nickname is now the title of their new documentary, "ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas," which plays in theaters nationwide throughout October and November (check zztopfilm.com for listings). Directed by Sam Dunn ("Metal: A Headbanger's Journey"), the film traces the trio's unlikely journey from blues-rock outsiders to Top 40 mainstays in the '80s and '90s, charting on Billboard with hits including "Rough Boy," "What's Up with That," "Legs" and "Gimme All Your Lovin'." 

The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and is currently touring the country with Cheap Trick. Gibbons, 69, caught up with USA TODAY from the road to chat about music and more. 

Question: How's the tour going? 

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Billy Gibbons:  It's been an absolute blast. We enjoy tiptoeing through the ZZ Top catalog this go-round. With so many acts on an evening's bill, the only limitation seems to be that of time. But we've figured out a way to dig into the catalog by changing up the set list night to night. Some nights we may squeeze in a "Cheap Sunglasses;" another might include "Party on the Patio." There's so much enjoyable material we like playing, we've got to mix it up to squeeze it all in.

Q: Looking back, is there a specific moment when you realized just how big the band had become? 

Gibbons:  Yes. We had completed three videos: "Gimme All Your Lovin,'" followed by "Sharp Dressed Man" and "Legs." We were in England and the BBC announced they were doing a 24-hour broadcast of music videos, and somehow they stacked the deck with playing those three ZZ Top clips at the time the pubs were about to let out. (That helped fuel) this explosive popularity. We went from walking down the street being thought of as escapees from some Wild West motion picture or some religious nuts, to, "Oh, there's the guys from that band! They've got the red hot rod car and the pretty girls!"

Q: After more than 50 years together, what do you think ZZ Top's legacy will be? 

Gibbons:  That's a good question. There's a couple moments in this documentary that highlight ZZ Top as a band, just sitting around, jamming on new stuff and even some older stuff. And we realized just how much we enjoy it. So we've taken that as a green light to release some recently recorded material, which hopefully will come out in the not-too-distant future. We've got to strike while the iron is hot! But one of the outcomes of this documentary was creating an excitement within the band. There's kind of this renewed vigor, and we're actually experiencing the same feelings today that got us excited way back in the beginning. We haven't really changed that much, and I'm not sure we need to change that much. We just relish getting back to the basics with the same exuberance that brought us together in the first place. It's kind of crazy, but we're five decades into this and going after it like we just started.

Q: How much longer would you like to continue touring? 

Gibbons:  I don't know. We're having a blast. Muddy Waters said, "Do it until you don't want to do it," and that's the motto a lot of us seem to live by. There's something to be said about if you're having a good time, there's no reason to pull it to the curb. 

Q: Lastly, what are some of your tips for maintaining such an impressive beard? 

Gibbons:  Well, a word to the wise: It goes where one goes; it's always there. A little beard balm here and there could be something groovy. I've even had guys say, "Drink lots of beer! The barley and malt goes straight to the whiskers." Everyone has their opinion, now that beards have become somewhat fashionable. Who's to say how long that trend may last? The biggest challenge is trying to decide whether the beard goes over the covers or under the covers. 

Q: What do you usually do? 

Gibbons:  It's a little hit and miss. Depends on how strenuous the traveling is. If you remember to keep it outside the covers, fine, but some nights it might get a little chilly and you want to get some (warmth) from the whiskers. (Laughs.) 

Q: Have you taken that advice about drinking more beer? 

Gibbons:  If we had the luxury to experiment, maybe we could answer that. The call to the road is a 24-hour excursion. There's not much time to do much else. We're constantly writing and bringing all these stories back into the recording studio. Maybe if a lengthy break comes up and have time to hang out with our pals, I can come back to that question. 

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Billy Gibbons Kicks Off ‘The Big Bad Blues’ Tour: Video, Set List

Billy Gibbons kicked off his The Big Bad Blues Tour  last weekend, supporting his sophomore solo album of the same name with a brand new band featuring former Guns N' Roses drummer Matt Sorum.

As opposed to the large, Cuban-influenced group the ZZ Top frontman brought on tour with him in support of his 2015 solo debut album  Perfectamundo , most of his show last night in Columbus, Ohio, found Gibbons and the impressively powerful Sorum joined by only second guitarist and singer  Austin Hanks . Elwood Francis added harmonica on a handful of tracks.

The set list was heavily peppered with both familiar and surprising covers, including "I Thank You," the excellent version of Bo Diddley's "Bring It to Jerome" included on The Big Bad Blues and a particularly fast-paced take on "Route 66."

You can see the set list and video from the show below.

The Big Bad Blues tour continues tonight in St. Louis, Mo., and is set to conclude on Dec. 29 in Austin. You can get complete date and venue information at Gibbons' official website .

Billy Gibbons, 10/17/18, Columbus, Ohio 1. "Rollin' and Tumblin'" 2. "Treat Her Right" 3. "Missin' Yo' Kissin'" 4. "I Thank You" 5. "Jesus Just Left Chicago" 6. "I Like It Like That" 7. "Hollywood 151" 8. "Rising Water Blues" (vocals by Austin Hanks) 9. "Bring it to Jerome" 10. "Just Got Paid" 11. "I Got Love If You Want It" 12. "Blue Jean Blues" 13. "Route 66" 14. "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" 15. "Thunderbird" 16. "Sharp Dressed Man" encore: 17. "Whole Lotta Love" 18. "La Grange"

Watch Billy Gibbons Play 'Rollin' and Tumblin''

Watch Billy Gibbons Play 'Whole Lotta Love' and 'La Grange'

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Billy f gibbons announces june/july european tour dates.

Billy F Gibbons announced the renewal of his livewire solo band, to appear at select European venues late spring and early summer of 2023. The trio, headed by Gibbons on guitar and vocals, drummer Matt Sorum (The Cult, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver) and lefty guitarist, Mr. Austin Hanks , who has worked with Gibbons previously, providing the heavy bottom and rhythm for the ensemble.

The new tour brings Billy G and company to 12 countries with 20 performance dates during the four-week span starting June 10 in Solvesborg, Sweden.

Tickets to go on-sale Friday. Stay tuned for times and ticket links.

Billy F Gibbons: The Big One – Part 1 – ’23 Tour dates:

June 10 Solvesborg, Sweden / Sweden Rock Fest. June 12 Tampere, Finland / Tampere Hall June 13 Helsinki Finland / House of Culture June 15 Oslo, Norway / Sentrum Scene June 17 Copenhagen, Denmark / Copenhall Festival June 19 Hamburg, GER / Grosse Freiheit June 20 Frankfurt, GER / Batschkapp June 21 Nurenburg, GER / Lowensaal June 23 Leipzig, GER / Parkbuhne June 24 Bonn, GER / Kuntrasen June 25 Winterbach, GER / Salier Halle June 26 Praha, Czech Rep./O2 Universium June 28 Vienna, Austria / Gasometer June 29 Zurch, Switzerland / Volkshaus July 2 London, UK / O2 Shepard’s Bush Empire July 3 Birmingham, UK / Birmingham O2 Institute July 5 Albi, France / Festival Pause Guitare July 6 Paris, France / Olympia July 9 Wert, Netherlands / Bospop Festival July 11 Bournemouth, UK / O2 Academy Bournemouth

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Billy Gibbons has an unfinished song he wrote with Jeff Beck called Chocolate Meatballs

Billy Gibbons reflects on his solo shows, life without Dusty Hill, and new life with Elwood Francis

ZZ Top ’s perennially bearded vocalist and guitarist Billy Gibbons is currently treading the boards in Europe as part of The Big One, Part 1, a series of solo dates in promotion of his third and latest extracurricular release, 2021’s Hardware . 

The tour visits the UK twice, with dates in London and Birmingham lined up for the first week of July, and a final show in the blues hotbed of Bournemouth on July 11. 

Below, Billy Gibbons reflects on these solo shows, life without Dusty Hill, and his memories of his great friend, the late guitarist and chocoholic Jeff Beck.  

How recently did you begin performing solo gigs away from ZZ Top? 

It all started with an invitation to play at the famous Havana Jazz Festival [in 2015]. I said: “Gee, I don’t want to crash a jazz festival with a rock’n’roll party.” We were so curious, it led us to recording a few songs in that style as an experiment, and then down a path to the Afro-Cuban-inspired [solo debut] Perfectamundo [released that same year by Gibbons and his band the BFGs]. We might have never gone in that direction had I not received the phone call. 

After more than fifty years of working with the same two guys in ZZ Top – drummer Frank Beard and bassist/vocalist Dusty Hill – stepping away must bring some sense of liberation. 

Oh yeah, it was quite a reward. [Drummer] Matt Sorum is famous for playing with Guns N’ Roses , Velvet Revolver and The Cult , and we’ve also got our good buddy Mr Austin Hanks, who plays [his bass guitar] upside down, backwards and left-handed. Watching him, he’s like Jimi Hendrix and Albert King on acid. 

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Back in the nineties, Austin Hanks was a member of the great but sadly overlooked band Slick Lilly. 

Yes indeed, Slick Lilly. That was a good one. 

The reviews of your three solo records were all very positive. Given that you are doing precisely what you want, that must double the reward?  

That’s the high card, the big twist; we don’t have to do anything, but we get to do things. In fact, I’m meeting Matt and Austin later this evening and chances are we’ll have a couple of new tracks ready for release, maybe even before we come to see you in the summer. I really like working with those guys. What I’m doing will always be blues, but they help me to paint a picture towards a new direction.

On this tour should we expect mainly solo albums tunes, plus some ZZ and a few covers?  

It’ll be a little bit of this and a little bit of that… something old, something new and a lot that’s blues. 

When your long-time ZZ Top bandmate Dusty Hill passed away in 2021 it must have been like losing a member of the family . 

Oh yeah. Dusty was a great guy, a swell singer. He provided a solid platform for me to solo without having to look back. He was always on it. Dusty used to say: “If I’m late to the stage, be sure to give my guitar to Elwood [Francis, Hill’s roadie].” Elwood is a family member; he’s been with us for three decades. 

And sure enough, Elwood picked up the parts and pieces [to replace Hill in ZZ Top]. But whereas Dusty played with his fingers, Elwood uses a pick. It’s a little sharper. He brings a little more finesse. And at the first rehearsal he showed up with a full beard longer than mine. 

ZZ Top, with Elwood on board, performed just days after Dusty’s passing. Do you understand why some people found it hard to get their head around that? 

Well, there was a lot of curiosity: “What’s this going to be like?” “Can this guy hold up the bottom of The Top?” In a trio it’s a big challenge. Everything has to be working at a hundred and ten per cent. But Elwood was ready, having been a part of it for so long.

And Dusty had made it clear that he wanted the band should continue without him if necessary.  

Yes he did. He said: “The show must go on.” That was his wish, and we granted it. 

By the time this story is online you will have played at the two tribute shows to your late friend Jeff Beck. Do you have a favourite anecdote about Jeff? 

\We played with Jeff last November. Jeff is a chocoholic, and while out grocery shopping the lovely Gilligan Gibbons [Billy’s wife] spotted a box of chocolate malt balls which we bought for Jeff, who mistook them for chocolate meatballs. We had a big laugh, and I suggested we write a song called Chocolate Meatballs. We got a half of it done. You’ve reminded me that it needs to be finished. Maybe tonight in the studio with Matt and Austin. 

Two years ago you said things were “getting pretty warmed up” for a new ZZ Top album. 

Are things coming to the boil yet? Yeah, in fact we are currently reviewing the tracks that deserve completion. Dusty is on some of those, so is Elwood. What’s fascinating is that we have three or four tracks with them both, they’re trading off. The only tell-tale difference is that Dusty, playing with his fingers, sounds a little warmer. 

Might it be released this year?  

I would hope so, but we’ve got lots of road work ahead, including a summer [US] tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd , who despite the recent passing of Mr Rossington are ready to carry on. That will be a tribute to Gary.

Billy Gibbons: The Big One Tour 2023

Jun 28: Vienna Gasometer, Austria Jun 29: Zurich Volkshaus, Switzerland Jul 02: London O2 Shepard's Bush Empire, UK Jul 03: Birmingham O2 Institute Birmingham, UK Jul 05: Albi Festival Pause Guitare, France Jul 06: Paris Olympia, France Jul 08: Brussels Cirque Royal, Belgium Jul 09: Weert Bospop Festival, Netherlands Jul 11: Bournemouth O2 Academy Bournemouth, UK

Tickets are on sale now .

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.

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The Moving Sidewalks: Where The British Invasion Met Texas Blues

Before ZZ Top, Billy Gibbons (second from right) was in the more psychedelic Moving Sidewalks. Rancho Deluxe Productions hide caption

Before ZZ Top, Billy Gibbons (second from right) was in the more psychedelic Moving Sidewalks.

There must be something in the water — or the beer — in Texas that caused the huge eruption of garage bands and psychedelic bands in the mid-1960s, because there sure were a lot of them, and their records on obscure labels have kept collectors busy for decades. Most of them were amateurs, but the Coachmen, who came together around 1964, were different.

Billy Gibbons had grown up in Houston as the son of top society orchestra leader Fred Gibbons, and had watched his father deal with getting and playing jobs, and with musicians. By the time Billy was 14, he'd put together a band, the Saints, to try to play the blues he heard on Houston's black station, KCOH.

From there it was Billy G and the Ten Blue Flames, and then came the Coachmen. They were no different from a lot of bands of the day, playing parties, school dances and the occasional teen club, and their repertoire moved between hits of the day and the blues Billy was so intent on exploring. In April 1966, they recorded a couple of tunes, originals that went over well at their gigs.

The song "99th Floor" was their rave-up number, but nothing happened to the tape, and the band broke up. Drummer Dan Mitchell stuck with Billy, though, and a new band, the Moving Sidewalks, emerged. Their approach was different: They'd been listening to English bands and the few recordings leaking out of San Francisco. Then the biggest surprise of all: From Austin, virtually next door, came a band called the 13th Floor Elevators who were not only writing and performing top-quality material, but also had been playing the ballrooms in San Francisco as equals to the local bands there. That just made Billy set his sights higher for the Moving Sidewalks, and early in 1967, they recorded a new version of "99th Floor" for a local label, Tantara, and Houston radio jumped on it immediately.

More On Billy Gibbons and ZZ Top

ZZ Top: Taking The Blues Back To The Future

It was the top record in Houston almost immediately, and was selling so fast that Tantara leased it to Scepter/Wand, a New York label that had the Kingsmen, the Shirelles and Dionne Warwick . The band was touring regionally with top bands, and it was time for another single. Billy was happy to comply, with the song "Need Me." Again, this did well locally, and as 1968 dawned, the band was tapped to open four shows by an American guy who'd gone to England and become famous. Meeting Jimi Hendrix changed Billy Gibbons' life — and his music.

Hanging out with Hendrix's drummer, Mitch Mitchell, had an effect on the Sidewalks' drummer, Dan Mitchell, too. But by the time the song "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was recorded, the Moving Sidewalks had had a couple of problems. They'd been asked to go on a national tour opening for the Doors , but in Dallas, the band, which loved to set off pyrotechnics, overdid the flash powder and set the Doors' equipment on fire. There went that tour. And Scepter didn't see any reason to release a new version of an old Beatles tune, so they were back on Tantara. They'd been recording an album in bits and pieces, but for some reason, it wasn't getting released.

In fact, it didn't get released until late 2012, and, as you might guess, it's very much a period piece, albeit a very well-made one. There's a seven-minute track called "Joe Blues" on it that definitely points to the future.

The band threw their equipment in a trailer and drove out to California and hung out in Los Angeles digging the Sunset Strip scene. They didn't get any gigs out of it, and returned to Houston, where they found that Tantara still hadn't released their album. The band drifted apart and played their last gig as the Moving Sidewalks on July 4, 1969, after which they went their separate ways. As for Dan Mitchell and Billy Gibbons, they began to form a new band that would eventually become ZZ Top , less psychedelic, more bluesy. But in Houston, people of a certain age still remember the Moving Sidewalks.

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The ZZ Top frontman will be joined by bassist Austin Hanks and former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum for the dates.

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ZZ Top frontman Billy F Gibbons is coming to the UK and Europe this coming summer for a run of festival appearances and headline shows.

The gigs will see the legendary guitarist fronting a ‘power trio’ also featuring Austin Hanks and former Guns N’ Roses , The Cult and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum, who played on Gibbons’ recent solo album, Hardware . The group will visit 12 countries on their 20 shows, launching the trek on June 10 at the Sweden Rock Festival.

Gibbons is one of a long list of rock legends guesting on the forthcoming album from Ian Hunter. The star-studded Defiance Part 1 album will features appearances from Ringo Starr , Guns N’ Roses duo Slash and Duff McKagan, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, film star/Hollywood Vampires guitarist Johnny Depp, Stone Temple Pilots trio Dean DeLeo, Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, and the late Jeff Beck and Taylor Hawkins among others. Gibbons appears on a song titled “Kiss N’Make Up” alongside Hawkins and actor/musician Billy Bob Thornton.

‘(Can’t Live Without Your) Love & Affection’: Nelson’s Smash Hit

The ZZ Top maestro released his third solo album, Hardware , on June 4 last year, through Concord Records. Hardware was produced by Gibbons with Matt Sorum and Mike Fiorentino with additional production by engineer Chad Shlosser. It was the follow up to Gibbons’ second solo release for Concord, The Big Bad Blues , which came out in 2018 and won the Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Award.

Buy or stream Hardware .

Billy F Gibbons will play the following UK and European shows in 2023:

Jun 10: Sweden Rock Festival, Sölvesborg, SWE Jun 12: Tampere, Finland @ Tampere Hall, FIN Jun 13: Helsinki House of Culture, FIN Jun 15: Oslo Sentrum Scene, NOR Jun 17: Copenhell Festival, Copenhagen, DEN Jun 19: Hamburg Grosse Freiheit, GER Jun 20: Frankfurt Batschkapp, GER Jun 21: Nurenburg Lowensaal, GER Jun 23: Leipzig Parkbuhne, GER Jun 24: Cologne E-Werk, GER Jun 25: Winterbach Salier Halle, GER Jun 26: Praha O2 Universium, CZE Jun 28: Vienna Gasometer, AUS Jun 29: Zurich Volkshaus, SWI Jul 02: London O2 Shepard’s Bush Empire, UK Jul 03: Birmingham O2 Institute, UK Jul 05: Festival Pause Guitare, Albi, FRA Jul 06: Paris Olympia, FRA Jul 09: Bospop Festival, Weert, HOL Jul 11: Bournemouth, O2 Academy, UK.

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ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons on ‘the Waterworks Coming and Going’ After Dusty Hill’s Sudden Death — and Why Band Will Go On

By Chris Willman

Chris Willman

Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic

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That little ol’ band from Texas is now, sadly, littler. Dusty Hill , one-third of ZZ Top for the last 51 years, was revealed Wednesday to have died of indeterminate causes. On Thursday, remaining members Billy Gibbons announced that the tour they just began would resume Friday after a brief lull, with their guitar tech of three decades filling in. A funeral is expected to take place next week, but it’s perhaps not surprising that the survivors would work through their grief by wrapping some of their scheduled road dates around a memorial that will represent friends’ and family’s last chance to see Hill as a sharp-dressed man.

Variety caught up with Gibbons on the band’s touring coach Thursday afternoon, where he laughed as he recalled Hill and his “fierce” right hand on the bass… while also allowing, in about as sentiment-laden a fashion as ZZ Top is going to get, that “the waterworks” had set in some since they got news of Hill’s unexpected death.

Says Gibbons: “Passing through the grieving process, I can tell you it’s no less than anyone else that loses a good friend or a close associate. And at the same time, knowing that this came up so suddenly — going to bed and not waking up… That was the luck of the draw. He was in, and he was out.”

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VARIETY: Was it just the first two dates of the tour that Dusty did with you, before he had to leave?

He did the first two. And then he requested dismissing himself. He said, “Yeah, let me go check this out.” And of course I said, “Hey, man, health is number one. Go do your thing.” And I could tell through those first two valiant attempts, if he’s not giving it 110%, he was the first one to kind of say, “Gee whiz. Let’s go take care of this.”

So it wasn’t anything where you had partly expected it or thought, boy, he’s seriously ill, and he might have a real problem on his hands?

Well, it’s no secret that over the past few years he had a pretty rough go with a broken shoulder, followed with a broken hip. And he had some problems with some ulcers. So he’s been kind of tiptoeing through keeping himself ship-shape, best he could. But I think that this was a real challenge. And by throwing in the towel, it might’ve caught up with him. Who knows? I’m just glad he’s in a good spot.

Is there an official cause of death now, or is it just he really fell asleep and didn’t wake up, and people don’t know?

That’s about all they can determine. Let’s face it, you don’t necessarily pass away from a broken shoulder or broken hip. Although the attending physician had earlier warned him that bursitis was not uncommon, even arthritis, and they said it’s not a very comfortable place to be. And I could tell that he was moving a little slow. He said, “Boy, this shoulder and hip are really starting to become a problem.” But, as of this juncture, yeah, it was off to dreamland and beyond.

What’s it been like for you emotionally? Is it helping to know that you’re going to be out there celebrating every night regardless? Or is it pretty tough to deal with right now?

Yeah. I had a couple of moments with the waterworks coming and going, and I really felt a sense of relief. I said, “Gee whiz, maybe I am human after all,” This is coming from a very deep and glorious place, with respect to knowing that after 50 years with the guy, we were all joined at — no pun intended — joined at the hip.

But knowing that we can take his wishes forward and give him all due respect… You know, he was adamant. He said, “I’m going to go down and see what’s up. In the meantime,” he said, “the show must go on. Don’t forget it.” And he was pointing his finger and shaking it. [Laughs.]

How are you feeling about continuing on with your guitar tech filling in?

Well, it was a direct directive from Mr. Dusty Hill. When he grabbed my arm and said, “I think I’m due to go visit the physician to see if I can bounce back,” he said, “In the meantime, I want you to grab our guitar technician, Mr. Elwood” — Elwood Francis — “and take him out of that tech station and strap him up with my guitar and make him carry on with every single note.” And I said, “Well, if that’s your wishes, I’ll respect that.” And sure enough, we’ve been very, very fortunate to have a stalwart standby to fill in.

What’s really got everybody on the ropes is that Elwood had been holding down the guitar technician post for 30 years as a clean-shaven young fellow. And when the lockdown was imminent, we all gathered for a band meeting, before things got too fierce. And I said, “Dusty, it looks like we’re not going to be able to go do much or go anywhere. What do you plan to do?” And he said, “Well, I’ll tell you what I’m not going to do. And that’s cut the lawn. I’m not going to cut the grass.” And I smiled and said, “Well, I’ll join you on that.” And Elwood piped up and said, “Well, if you guys aren’t going to cut the grass, I’m not going to cut my whiskers.” And when we regathered to commence rehearsals just a week and a half ago, here came Elwood, and I said, “My gosh, you’ve got chin whiskers as long as me and Dusty!”

So when he took the stage the other night, I was looking over the front row and everybody was kind of giving each other the elbow, and they were pointing up and said, “Look, the ZZ Top circus still rolls on. There’s another freak up there.” In fact, I had to stroll over and grab him by the chin to give him a yank, just to show the audience — I said, “Folks, this is the real deal here.” [Laughs.] But he’s honoring Dusty’s wishes, and I know that, wherever Dusty may be, he’s probably smiling, just knowing that all the notes are in place and that the fierceness rolls on.

It wasn’t hard for Elwood to pick up what you needed to do?

Yeah. I don’t think it took 30 minutes with a coffee table rehearsal, and he kind of rolled his eyes. He said, “Yeah, you may remember, I’ve been on the side of the stage for 30 years. I think I know it.”

Even well prior to Dusty’s passing, people have marveled that ZZ Top was the longest-standing band with the original lineup intact. On the one hand, it seems like it shouldn’t be that impossible, if people are pros and in good health and the money is still coming in. But history shows it just doesn’t happen, even at half your tenure.

Yeah. You know, during the shutdown, we took advantage of our little studio and started laying down some new tracks. I came in early one day, and I was fussing about this band issue here and fussing about that band issue there. And the engineer turned to me, smiling, and said, “Yeah, I hear you. There’s always something to complain about if you want to go there. But look, five decades with these guys, I think you’ve done pretty good.” [Laughs.] I had to back up a little bit. I said, “Wow. You know what? I’m just going to play the gih-tar today.”

Are you resuming the tour with your Friday night show?

Yes. We’re making tracks down to southern Alabama. We did elect to postpone last night’s performance out of just respect and trying to get our wits together. I think everybody was relieved that we had a little bit of time to regroup and think things through. But at the same time, everybody was ready, standing on point. And they said, “Come on. You heard Dusty’s directive as he was bowing out to go off the deck. He turned and pointed and he said, ‘Come on. The show must go on.'” So here we are. Tomorrow night, we’ll kind of pick up sticks and carry it on. I may grab his stage hat and throw it over his microphone, and I’ll sing one for the Dust.

I’m not sure how (a tribute moment) will unfold. I’ve heard from so many folks, and it’s kind of a shame that you have to lose a band member to realize just what it means to have been an important figure for our friends, fans, followers. In my text inbox,, if there’s one (text), there’s 1500-and-one. It’s really remarkable from all over the planet. So, I think it’s worthy of giving him some special moment during (the show) as we proceed. And one up. Not only can you not forget five decades very easily, but you certainly can’t forget a character like the Dust.

Is there one overriding trait that comes to mind about him right now?

Yeah. In fact, just within the last couple of months, we were reviewing a couple of the rough tracks that were starting to come together from the sessions that we were conducting just a few months ago. I remember a night where they said, “Well, you’re the producer. You’ve got to tell Dusty to stick around or let him go. He’s delivered his parts.” And I said, “Oh yeah, hold on a sec.” I say, “Hey, Dust, thanks, man. Great job.” So off he goes, and no sooner had he left the parking lot and gotten well on his way down the freeway than we encountered a very short section that I had overlooked. It was only eight or 10 bars. And I said, “Gee whiz, that goes by in not even 30 seconds…” I said, “Bring me Dusty’s bass,” and I handed it to the engineer and said, “You’re a bass player… It’s only eight bars. Let’s just fill in.” Two hours later, we had passed the bass guitar around to every single living soul in the studio, and we still couldn’t match Dusty’s tone. He had something in that damn right hand of his that can’t be described, other than fierce.

How far had you gotten on that album with him?

It’s gonna require some completion work. I think the luck of the draw was, I handed Dusty a couple of lyric sheets and I said, “Hey, see if you can make heads or tails out of this.” He said, “Can I sing it?” I said, “Dusty, you could sing the calendar if you wanted to — people would love it.” He goes, “Hey, that’s not a bad idea. If we ever get back to go to work, can we add the calendar into the show? I know all the words.” I said, “Get in there. Go sing.” So, yeah, we’ve got a couple of things [with Dusty singing lead] that’ll make sense.

Thank you for talking about this with us. It can’t be an easy time.

I’m trying to keep a chin up. Despite the fact that you can’t see it — the whiskers are still there —… I’m gonna embrace this exchange and it’ll keep me smiling for the rest of the afternoon.

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Buddy Guy, Kevin Cronin, Billy Gibbons, Ann Wilson and Peter Wolf Join The Jim Irsay Band for One-Night-Only Concert

The highly esteemed musicians will join The Jim Irsay Band for a special performance at the start of the new year

Buddy Guy , Kevin Cronin, Billy Gibbons , Ann Wilson and Peter Wolf are set to join The Jim Irsay Band for a one-night-only concert at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Jan. 11, 2024.

The event will take place from 6:30 – 10:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public with advance registration at jimirsaycollection.com . When guests register for advance tickets, they may donate to  Kicking the Stigma , an initiative to raise awareness about mental health.

Capacity is limited, and spots will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Guy, 87, an eight-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, will be joined by REO Speedwagon lead vocalist Cronin, 72, and ZZ Top blues-rock guitarist Gibbons, 73. Additionally, “Barracuda” songstress Wilson, 73, and The J. Geils Band lead singer Wolf, 77, will join to support the concert’s initiative to raise mental health awareness.  

Gary Miller/Getty 

The Jim Irsay Band is comprised of drummer Kenny Aronoff, harmonicist Billy Branch, guitarist Tom Bukovac, bassist and singer Mike Mills, guitarist and saxophonist Danny Nucci, keyboardist Michael Ramos, violinist Carmella Ramsey, guitarist and singer Kenny Wayne Shepherd and guitarist Mike Wanchic.

The upcoming concert is in collaboration with a free exhibition of The Jim Irsay Collection — which is a traveling museum of rock music, American history and pop culture artifacts.

Steve Jennings/Getty

Jim Irsay 's collection pieces that will be showcased include Irsay’s world-famous guitar and instrument collection and additional artifacts from the traveling museum.

Irsay, 64, transformed his collection of artifacts into a “traveling museum,” hosted free exhibitions across the country and lent the artifacts to museums, nonprofits, and other organizations for display and research around the world.

Gary Miller/Getty

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ZZ Top's Billy F Gibbons announces trio of English concerts

As part of a European tour

ZZ Top frontman Billy F Gibbons has announced a trio of English shows this summer as part of a larger European tour.

Part of a much larger European trek, Billy F Gibbons’ The Big One, Part 1 tour visits London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Sunday 2nd July, Birmingham O2 Academy on Monday 3rd July and it concludes at Bournemouth O2 Academy on Tuesday 11th July.

The 73-year-old rock legend’s band will feature guitarist Austin Hanks and former Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver and The Cult drummer Matt Sorum.

Tickets for Billy F Gibbons’ shows in London, Birmingham and Bournemouth go on sale at 9am on Friday 27th January.

Last year, ZZ Top released the album ‘Raw’ , which they dedicated to the “righteous memory of Dusty Hill ”, who died in July 2021 aged 72.

Made in connection with the band’s acclaimed 2019 Netflix documentary That Little Ol’ Band From Texas, ‘Raw’ immortalises Billy F Gibbons, Frank Beard and the late Dusty Hill’s very intimate session at Gruene Hall, “the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas.”

Billy F Gibbons’ English tour dates:

London Shepherd’s Bush Empire – Sun 2nd

Birmingham O2 Academy – Mon 3rd

Bournemouth O2 Academy – Tue 11th

The wildest guitars in rock music, including ZZ Top’s spinning furs:

Zz top’s spinning fur guitars.

Of course, we couldn't make a feature about outrageous guitars without ZZ Top's iconic Spinning Fur Guitars. Made from real sheepskin, the twirling guitar for Billy Gibbons and bass for the late-great Dusty Hill were both created by Dean Zelinsky of Dean Guitars and they famously first appeared in the music video to 'Legs' in 1983. Billy Gibbons says: "The guitars are attached to our belt buckles. It's a rotary electrical contact and strap mount. A hole is bored in the back of the guitar at the balancing point and the device is mounted there. Oh yeah, you gotta look out for that thing coming back around. Get your head and neck out of the way or else it'll say hello in an unfashionable fashion."

Bill Bailey’s Gary Hutchins Six-Neck Guitar

Comedy legend, esteemed musician and Strictly Come Dancing champion, Bill Bailey, played this six-necked guitar aptly called The Beast as part of his stand-up routine in 2011. An apparent nod to Rick Nielsen's Five Neck, the instrument was created by guitar maker Gary Hutchins, the eponymous founder of Hutchins guitars, and it once went on display at London's Albert and Victoria Museum.

Nigel Tufnel’s Marshall Stack Guitar

It's fitting that legendary Spinal Tap axeman and amp aficionado Nigel Tufnel used to play a glorious Marshall stack guitar. One of only two ever made, the guitar has a Jackson neck and Seymour Duncan pickup, with the bottom stack detachable for quieter studio work. Naturally, all the volume and tone knobs go up to 11. Commenting on why the guitar was his mainstay for many European shows, Tufnel said: "Well, it's got a very Scandinavian look about it, doesn't it?"

Michael Angelo Batio’s Double-Guitar

Famous for his technical prowess and genre-straddling playing style, American heavy metal guitarist Michael Angelo Batio personally invented the Double Guitar - a V-shaped, twin-neck guitar that Batio plays both left and right-handed.

Rick Nielsen’s Five Neck

Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen with his iconic Five Neck guitar at a concert in 2012. Tired of performing with multiple guitars at concerts, Nielsen joined forces with guitar makers Hamer way back in 1981 to combine all of his guitar playing needs into one glorious instrument. The guitar was created by fusing the bodies of five Hamer Specials together and there have been several incarnations of the Five Neck. Hamer founder Frank Untermeyer said: "Rick's out of his mind, but in a wonderful way."

Steve Vai's Hydra guitar

Taking its name from the track 'Teeth of the Hydra', Steve Vai's new Hydra guitar was built in conjunction with the designers at Hoshino and is based on a "steampunk motif" idea of Vai's. Unveiled in December 2021, the Hydra is billed as a one-bodied, two-headstock-ed, three-neck-ed creature that encompasses, among other things: seven- and 12-string guitars; a four-string bass; sympathetic harp strings; half-fretless necks; single-coil, humbucking, piezo and sustainer pickups; floating and hardtail tremolo bridges; phase splitters; and much more. "It's an incredibly-built machine," Vai comments.

Bo Diddley’s Square Guitar

The blues rock legend made his first square guitar aged 17 as he couldn't afford to buy an electric guitar. He explained to Vintage Guitar in 1997: "(the guitar's) pickup was the part of a Victrola record player where the needle went in. I clamped it to the metal tailpiece to pick up the vibrations." The original guitar was sadly stolen, but in 1958 Gretsch later made a version with DeArmond pickups. Pictured is Bo proudly clutching it in 1959.

John Paul Jones’ Triple Neck Arch-Top Mandolin

The Led Zeppelin multi-instrumentalist's unique Triple Neck Arch-Top Mandolin was created by luthier Andy Manson in the mid-1970s and swiftly became a mainstay of Led Zep concerts. The famous electroacoustic instrument boasts 8-string mandolin, 12-string guitar, and 6-string guitar necks. Manson said decades later: "I designed and made the triple neck and took it to John's house. I said, 'Hi John I thought this might interest you.' He said, 'Wow, yes indeed, I can't wait to see Pagey's face when I walk on stage with this!' It cost £400 and I skipped off down the road feeling like a millionaire."

Prince’s Love Symbol Guitar

Pictured is Prince with a purple Love Symbol guitar in at The Grammy Awards in February 2004 where he performed his anthem 'Purple Rain'. Prince's range of Love Symbol guitars were based on the shape of the unpronounceable symbol he adopted as his moniker in 1993 in an act of rebellion against his record label, Warner Bros.

Steve Vai’s Ibanez Triple-Neck Red Heart Guitar

The virtuoso musician designed his Ibanez custom built triple neck with heart-shaped body guitar in 1988 as he wanted something "eye-catching" for the video to David Lee Roth's 'Just Like Paradise'. Steve Vai himself admits the guitar is "odd" and there have been three incarnations of the instrument – the original Red Heart, a spare called Red Heart II and a Purple Heart. Steve used the latter guitar on the Ultra Zone tour and wrote the song 'Fever Dream' with it.

Pat Metheny’s Pikasso Guitar

Canadian master luthier Linda Manzer created The Pikasso Guitar in 1984 when jazz artist Pat Metheny requested a guitar that had "as many strings as possible." The completely unique resulting instrument has 42 strings arranged in four different string sections.

Gene Simmons’ Axe Bass

Back in 1978, Gene Simmons joined forces with master luthier Steve Carr to create a unique bass guitar shaped like an axe that would suit his on-stage Demon persona perfectly. The resulting weapon-like instrument – aptly entitled The Axe Bass – is a true classic. Now a running trademark for KISS, there have been a number of incarnations of the Axe Bass including the pictured Cort GS-Axe-2 bass guitar Gene is aggressively clutching at the 2010 NAMM Show.

Michael Anthony’s Jack Daniel’s Bass

Michael Anthony's now famous Jack Daniel's Bass was created back in 1983 while Van Halen were working on their musical masterpiece '1984'. Anthony's guitar tech and good friend Kevin 'Dugie' Dugan was charged with creating the bass, which was made with the blessing of Jack Daniel's on one condition – that only three guitars were made. One is on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum, one is in storage and one is still used by Michael Anthony to this very day.

John Entwistle’s Buzzard Bass

The Ox played the iconic Buzzard Bass for the final 17 years of his career from 1985 to his untimely passing in 2002. Entwistle worked with Hans Peter Wilfer, founder of Warwick basses, on the striking bass and the pair came up with the moniker Buzzard after imbibing numerous drinks at London nightclub Maggie's – neither could remember who first suggested the name. After they picked the name, the headstock was tweaked to resemble the beak of a buzzard.

John Fogerty’s Baseball Bat Guitar

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Bumblefoot’s Vigier Flying Foot guitar

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George Lynch’s Mom

Influential Lynch Mob and ex-Dokken axeman George Lynch unveiled his skull and bones guitar – affectionately called 'Mom' – in the mid 1980s. Designed and hand-crafted by artist John 'J. Frog' Garcia, the guitar also featured an ESP Guitars decal on the headstock as Lynch was contracted with them at the time.

Andrew WK’s Taco Guitar

Hard partying rocker Andrew WK unveiled a delicious Taco Guitar to mark National Taco Day on 4th October 2017. His second foray into food-themed instruments following his Pizza Guitar a few years earlier, the custom Taco Guitar was created with ESP Guitars. WK said at the time: "I realised that since I had paid tribute to pizza, I now had to pay tribute to tacos in all their glory. I was destined to make a taco shaped guitar. This is proof that if you have the vision, no matter how outlandish or unruly, the team at ESP Guitars can turn it into a beautiful reality. And they only use the highest quality materials and they're truly master craftsmen. Absolutely mind-blowing attention to detail and playability. There's no compromise when it comes to the integrity of the instrument, or the hardness of the party."

Misa Kitara Guitar Shaped MIDI Controller

Not technically a guitar, the Misa Kitara was a short-lived digital MIDI controller and musical instrument that was developed on 2011 and discontinued just two years later. Taking its name from the Finnish word for guitar (kitara), the instrument combined touch buttons for strings and frets with an 8-inch multi-touch screen that creates a variety of sound effects. Muse bassist Chris Wolstenholme can be seen playing a modified Misa Kitara in the video to the band's 2012 song 'Madness.'

Dave Hill’s Super Yob Guitar

Famed for his outrageous costumes and hilarious haircut, it seemed only right that Slade axeman Dave Hill had a unique and eccentric guitar. Created by luthier John Birch in 1973, the Super Yob was styled after a science fiction ray gun and instantly became synonymous with Dave Hill. Guitarist and songwriter Marco Pirroni bought the original Super Yob in the early eighties, but Hill has since had a replica made.

John 5’s Fender Telecaster Lava Lamp Guitar

John 5 has a number of eye-catching guitars in his arsenal, but the Fender Telecaster Lava Lamp Guitar is arguably the standout instrument of the lot. John 5 says: "It's heavy as hell but it's really cool because it lights up on stage… it weighs a ton! It sounds really good. There's anti-freeze in it because when I ship it abroad it might freeze and crack the guitar."

Ginger Wildheart’s Smiley Bones Guitar

Based on The Wildhearts' fearsome logo, this truly phenomenal Smiley Bones Guitar was created in 2015 by Devil & Sons Guitars. Daniel Wallis made the guitar for Ginger Wildheart to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 'P.H.U.Q.' album as a replacement for the original guitar which came out when the album was released but was later stolen. He explains to Planet Rock: "I sent some images of it to Ginger who loved it but asked if I could make a few changes so it met a perfect spec for him to play live. Instead of making the changes I just made another so there were in fact two that I made. Part of his spec was to have a particular BC Rich neck put on it, which I did, but then he decided that to play it live it would be better with a 24-fret neck, so I made that change too."

Zakk Wylde’s Epiphone Graveyard Disciple guitar

Ozzy Osbourne and Black Label Society axeman Zakk Wylde with one of this Epiphone Graveyard Disciple signature guitars on stage in 2009. Nicknamed the 'Bo Deadly' by Zakk, the Graveyard Disciple comes in a coffin shaped case and features a crucifix on the body and headstock. Nice.

Eric Bloom’s Blue Öyster Cult Logo Guitar

We couldn't do this list without including Eric Bloom's famed guitar shaped like the Blue Öyster Cult logo. The bespoke guitar was created by master luthier Ronaldo at Pastore's Music in Union City, New Jersey. In case you're wondering, the logo was created by Bill Gawlik, the artist behind BOC's first and second album covers, and it's a stylization of the astronomical symbol for the planet Saturn.

Bootsy Collins’ Star-Shaped Space Bass

The flamboyant James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic bassist's first Star-Shaped Space Bass was created in 1975 by fledgling guitar maker Larry Pless who worked at an accordon shop called Gus Zoppi Music in Warren, Michigan. Since then there have been numerous incarnations of the Star-Shaped Space Bass, including Bootsy's current signature Warwick star basses, but the basic design has stayed the same.

Brian May’s Red Special Guitar

Easily one of the most famous guitars in the history of rock music, Brian May created the Red Special with his dad Harold as a teenager in 1963 as he couldn't afford a Fender, Gibson or Höfner guitar. Designed to intentionally create feedback, the guitar has helped define Brian May's signature sound and he's performed almost exclusively with it throughout Queen's prime in the 1970s and 1980s until this present day.

Todd Rundgren's Veleno Ankh Guitar

Todd Rundgren's aluminium ankh-shaped guitar was created by metal craftsman John Veleno in the early 1970s. Highly regarded for their aesthetic appearance and also distinct playing style, a series of Velono guitars were made for a number of artists. Rundgren loved his so much, he had two made.

The Dean V Dave Mustaine Double Neck Electric Guitar

Dave Mustaine's bespoke double neck guitar, created by Dean, has been one of his main instruments for the past decade. Thanks to its jagged shape and the metal artwork emblazoned on the body, the guitar is an absolute aesthetic triumph – a behemoth of an instrument that suits Megadeth's brutal music perfectly.

Rob Davis’ Heart-Shaped Guitar

Mud guitarist Rob Davis played his famous red heart-shaped guitar during the glam rockers' commercial peak in the 1970s and he still performs with it to this very day. Here he is proudly flaunting the guitar in a promo shoot with Mud almost five decades ago.

Prince’s yellow ‘Cloud’ Guitar

Late music legend Prince had an extensive and highly flamboyant custom guitar collection consisting of more than 100 instruments. Among the standout instruments was Prince's yellow "Cloud" guitar, which sold for $225,000 under the hammer in 2018.

Rick Nielsen’s Uncle Dick

A prolific collector, Rick Nielsen has amassed over 2,000 guitars over the decades. Alongside his trademark Five Neck (also pictured here), arguably the most famous of the bunch is his Hamer 'Uncle Dick' double neck guitar from 1983, which is based on a likeness of himself.

Michael Angelo Batio’s Quad Guitar

As seen in the video to his 2020 song 'Time Traveller', Michael Angelo Batio also invented the Quad-Guitar, which features – you guessed it – two sets of twin-neck V-shaped guitars. Outrageous yet highly impressive!

Lita Ford’s B.C. Rich Monkey Train guitar

The former Runaways rocker unveiled her train-themed B.C. Rich Monkey Train guitar in her 'Playin' With Fire' official video in 1991. Lita told Guitar Afficionado a few years back: "I got into B.C. Rich. I was always over there carving out new ideas and helping to make new stuff. They would make anything I asked them to make."

James Hetfield’s Carl Guitar

In 2018, James Hetfield proudly showed off his unique new guitar – dubbed Carl – to Metallica fans. The rugged instrument is named after 3132 Carlson Boulevard in El Cerrito, California, where Metallica were based during their breakthrough years from 1983 to 1986. The garage was later demolished but James's friend Andy Anderson of the Bay Area thrash group Attitude Adjustment kept eight pieces of wood from the heavy metal landmark and gifted them to him years later. Papa Het then enlisted the services of master custom guitar maker Ken Lawrence to craft him an instrument using those planks of wood. Carl featured on Metallica's WorldWired World Tour where it was used for performances of 'Hardwired… to Self-Destruct' track 'Moth Into Flame.'

Dan Hartman’s Bass Suit

Unfortunately, we've been unable to acquire an image of the late Dan Hartman's Bass Suit but there's no way we can miss it out! The Edgar Winter Group bassist and solo musician paid a reported $5,000 for the suit in 1974 (huge money at the time), which he designed with Los Angeles couturier Bill Witten. Made from a rubbery fabric that featured the instrument in the pelvic pocket, the Bass Suit's controls are on the sleeve attached to an aluminium plate and the guitar neck ends with a crescent moon.

Stig Pederson’s iPhone Bass

Stig Pedersen, bassist/vocalist of Danish rock band D-A-D, has a number of outlandish bass creations that he performs with including a rocket shaped bass, a reverse bass where the head stock and body are swopped around, and a transparent bass. He hit the headlines in 2018 when he unveiled his latest playful creation – a bass shaped like an iPhone.

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