Product Description

Imagine stepping out of an air-conditioned Kwik-E-Mart and into the hot summer sun, cold soda in hand, when a long-and-low baby blue '62 Chevy Impala slowly trolls into the parking lot. How about rolling to a stoplight in West Hollywood and spying a bearded motorist with an 8-ball logo on the louvered and striped hood of his BMW? There's no mistaking the common thread in these remarkable scenarios - Billy F Gibbons, be-shaded axe-man extraordinaire from ZZ TOP and certified Texas Grade-A gearhead. As with many rockers, Gibbons' jones for hot rods is the stuff of legend. But beyond this bonafide bluesman's mastery of the six-string and unrepentant love for internal combustion is a noted collector whose own designs have manifested themselves in his cars and in hundreds of mind-bending custom guitars. In "Billy F Gibbons: Rock + Roll Gearhead", Gibbons riffs on his Texas youth, four-decade recording career, and life on the road, but also reveals the history behind dozens of guitars, including the Famed Pearly Gates, the red Gretsch given to him by Bo Diddley, and the Muddywood guitar commissioned as a fundraiser for the Delta Blues Museum. Also profiled are 10 of Gibbons' outstanding rods and customs, including Kopperhed, CadZZilla, and the Eliminator coupe. In addition to exclusive photography by Bay Area shooter David Perry, this book is illustrated with dozens of images from Gibbons' personal archive.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41599 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-28
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Review
It's a hell of a lot of boook for £18.99, and if you have the slightest interest in ZZ Top, hopped up old cars or guitars you'll get more than your money's worth here --Classic Cars--Mr Gibbons has a celebrated stable of hot rods and custom cars...Both collections are chronicled in Rock & Roll Gearhead. It's a combination memoir, band scrapbook, and catalog of his favourite autos ( including the CadZZilla and the Slampala) and the six-strings ( like the cowhide-covereds fendr and the Gibson the shape of Texas)...Rock n roll and automobiles have always had this synergistic connection... --New York Times--Gibbons is a noted collector of custom cars anf guitars, and his book tells the tales behind dozens of well-known guitars. It also gives the low-down on ten of Gibbon's rare and souped-up cars. Photography by Dave Perry is supplemented by a number of photos from Gibbons personal collection --Texas Driver

The amn, the cars, the guitars...and excellent insight to Billy Gibbons, the bearded and shadede axe-man form that 'Lil Ol' band ZZ Top. The book is divided into three distinct chapters all of which are as enthralling and as anecdotal as the other. Whether you're a fan of the band or not this is a brilliant read accompanied by some fantastic photographs. it's large format will take pride and place on any discerning coffee table viewed and used by all. I really like the way it's written in a friendly chatty way, often I found myself reading it in a really bad American accent...oh well...whatever floats your boat....Apart from perhaps the most famous red '33 Coupe 'The Eliminator', Gibbons also gives the lowdown of nine of his most outstanding rods and customs including Kopperhead and Cadzilla he also revelas the tales behind dozens of guitars as well as featring 'Pearly Gates' the 1959 Sunburst Les Paul tone monster he found under a bed. A fantastic read and reference book, you'll soon be digging out your early ZZ Top and crusin' the mental highways in your own bright red rod. --Pinstriping UK, May 2009

gibbons is a noted collector of custom cars anf guitars, and his book tells the tales behind dozens of well-known guitars. It also gives the low-down on ten of Gibbon's rare and souped-up cars. Photography by Dave Perry is supplemented by a number of photos from Gibbons personal collection --Texas Driver

About the Author
Billy F Gibbons is known worldwide as the lead guitarist in ZZ TOP, a band that has sold millions of albums and CDs globally in its long career. He is regarded as a cherished institution in his home state of Texas and has been honored for his work on behalf of charities in Houston, his hometown. Tom Vickers has worked in the music business for 30-plus years as an A&R man, journalist, and producer. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Customer Reviews

This is a beautiful, lush book
This is a beautiful, lush book - and I haven't even read it yet, just looked through the pictures which are so, so fabulous. It's a big book, about a foot square, 192 pages, so it weighs some with content to match. Basically three sections, Billy's music history, some of his hotrods and lots of his guitars. The photography is great. The cars are stunning. His guitars look great. I'm sure he won't give up the story behind the name ZZTop but there's a reasonable section on the bands history. I'm not sure if the guitar made from Muddy Waters shack is in here yet. But....

At Brixton on their last tour in the UK Billy asked the crowd "Do you like my new guitar ?" Everyone roared yup. "Bo Diddley gave me this guitar" Massive cheer. "And Bo said what you gonna do with that guitar boy ? I said, I'm gonna tear this sucker down." And they did. Big time. There's some lovely pics of that guitar here. I wish I had that magic moment in Brixton on DVD. Legend has it Hendrix gave him a guitar when in Texas cos he thought Billy's playing was so good. Gifted guitars from Hendrix and Bo Diddley - who's CV reads so fine anywhere ?

I'll have to read the text in the book now.

Clearly for fans of ZZTop, hot rods and guitars but anyone picking this up off the coffee table would be impressed.

What it says on the cover!
Had this book a few years now and still pull it off the shelf for a flip through every now and then. All that follows really aims at a ZZ Top fan by the way... There is a fairly straight 50/50 split between cars and guitars so if you've no interest in one of those is it still worth it? Guitar-wise I'd say yes, there's lots of great pics and some background info about Billy's most iconic instruments; if anything got left out I'd be surprised! Arguably there's more to a custom car (especially if it's been radically chopped like some of his) so the details are more sketchy but the pics are just as good if not better, all the cars being featured in outdoor settings the like of which I don't see out my window!

EVERYTHING IT SAYS ON THE COVER
I had been considering buying this book for some time being as I'm a Z.Z. fan and a guitar lover but the price put me off a little. But I finally took the plunge..What a Book this is. First it is a BIG book, you will not carry this around in your pocket to read on the train. Like the other reveiws state this book is split into 3 parts B.G'S story , Cars and Guitars and as he got some guitars. Great pictures on semi glossy paper. I was interested in Billy and his guitars foremost but the Chapter and pictures of his cars is as equally interesting. If you are a Z.Z.Top fan this book is a must. If you are also interested in guitars and cars, well then that's a bonus.....Let the Reverend WILLIE G educate you.