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ZZ Top – 1980.04.15 – Pine Knob, Clarkston, MI [SBD]

ZZ Top is a rock band formed in 1969 in Houston, Texas. The band has, since 1970, consisted of bassist and lead vocalist Dusty Hill, guitarist and lead vocalist Billy Gibbons (the band’s leader, main lyricist and musical arranger), and drummer Frank Beard. The band released its first album—called ZZ Top’s First Album—in 1971. Beginning with blues-inspired rock, the band incorporated new wave, punk rock and dance-rock by using synthesizers. The band is also known for its humorous lyrics laced with double entendres and innuendo. The original line-up was formed in Houston and consisted of Gibbons, organist Lanier Greig (died February 2013) and drummer Dan Mitchell. The name of the band was Gibbons’ idea. The band had a little apartment covered with concert posters and he noticed that many performers’ names utilized initials. Gibbons particularly noticed B.B. King and Z.Z. Hill and thought of combining the two into “ZZ King”, but considered it too similar to the original name. He then figured that “king is going at the top” which brought him to “ZZ Top”. In 1979, ZZ Top signed with Warner Bros. Records and released the album Degüello. While the album went platinum, it only reached no. 24 on the Billboard chart. The album produced two popular singles: “I Thank You“, a cover of a song recorded by Sam & Dave, and “Cheap Sunglasses“. The band remained a popular concert attraction and toured in support of Degüello. In April 1980, ZZ Top made their first appearance in Europe, performing for the German music television show Rockpalast.   It is right around that time that we catch ZZ Top in their element in Clarkston, MI.

BTO – 1984.09.24 – Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada [FM]

Bachman–Turner Overdrive, often abbreviated as BTO, is a Canadian rock group from Winnipeg, Manitoba, that had a series of hit albums and singles in the 1970s, selling over 7 million albums in that decade alone. Their 1970s catalog included five Top 40 albums and six US Top 40 singles (ten in Canada). The original lineup consisted of Randy Bachman (lead guitar, lead vocals), Fred Turner (bass guitar, lead vocals), Tim Bachman (guitar, vocals) and Robbie Bachman (drums). This lineup released two albums in 1973. The second and most commercially successful lineup featured Blair Thornton (lead guitar), in place of Tim Bachman. After leaving The Guess Who at the height of that band’s success, Randy Bachman recalled being labelled “a lunatic and a loser” and that “nobody wanted to work with me.” The exception was Chad Allan, former Guess Who lead singer/keyboardist who had left that band four years before Randy. The two agreed to explore a musical project, and Randy then turned to family. The result was the band Brave Belt, formed in Winnipeg in 1971 with the additions of Randy’s brother Robin “Robbie” Bachman on drums, and Gary Bachman acting as band manager. Brave Belt’s self-titled first album, which saw Randy playing both lead guitar and bass, did not sell particularly well. The record label still wanted Brave Belt to tour, so Randy (at the suggestion of Neil Young) hired fellow Winnipeg bassist/vocalist C.F. “Fred” Turner to perform in the band’s scheduled gigs. Turner was soon asked to be a full-time member and sing lead for the recording of Brave Belt II in 1972. After Reprise Records dropped Brave Belt from their label, Randy emptied his own bank account to finance another set of recordings, and began to shop around the next album. The band eventually landed a new record deal from Mercury Records, one which Randy Bachman proclaimed as a pure stroke of luck.  They changed their name to Bachman Turner Overdrive and rode the wave of popularity until they disbanded in 1979 and this bootleg catches them shortly after they reunited four years later.

Jeff Beck – 1999.03.21 – Oakdale Theater, Wallingford, CT [SBD]

Jeff  Beck (Geoffrey Arnold) is an English rock guitarist. He is one of the three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds (the other two being Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page). Beck also formed The Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. Much of Beck’s recorded output has been instrumental, with a focus on innovative sound, and his releases have spanned genres ranging from blues rock, hard rock, jazz fusion, and an additional blend of guitar-rock and electronica. Although he recorded two hit albums (in 1975 and 1976) as a solo act, Beck has not established or maintained the sustained commercial success of many of his contemporaries and bandmates. He was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone‘s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” and the magazine, upon whose cover Beck has appeared three times, has described him as “one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock”. He is often called a “guitarist’s guitarist”. Beck has earned wide critical praise and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times and Best Pop Instrumental Performance once. In 2014 he received the British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. Beck has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a member of the Yardbirds (1992) and as a solo artist (2009).  This soundboard bootleg catches Beck in 1999 at the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, CT.