Previously:
"Rock 'N Roll Comics" was a comic book series in the late 80s/early 90s that retold band origins in comic book format. They were biographies of groups like Guns & Ross, KISS, Iron Maiden and other hard rock groups from that era.
For their 25th issue they decided to tell the story of legendary Texas rock/blues band ZZ Top, tracing each member's story from a young age to rock & roll stardom.
The comic starts out by showing how the thee 'Tops" began their love of music and how they got started. As is typical in these types of stories, there are many failed attempts to get started and a lot of bands being formed, re-formed, losing members, gaining members and breaking up. There's an effort to show which other musicians influenced the boys and some of their early collaborations and successes.
Several more versions of the band come and go until Billy gets legendary manager Bill Ham involved. There's then a few more comings and goings but finally we get to what will eventually become the ZZ Top we all know and love.
More clubs dates lead to bigger venues and higher profile gigs which lands them a record deal. After recording their first album, they end up playing with bands like Deep Purple and the Doors. After their second, they tour with the Rolling Stones. They extra success means they need to keep touring and keep recording...which leads to the need to do a little "research:" for a particular song:
More albums were recorded and bigger venues played. With this success, it was time to develop ZZ Top's unique style. By embracing their roots and pushing the boundaries of showmanship, they began turning their concerts into something a little more unique...almost a stage show:
The road to fame is long and windy. After a grueling touring and recording schedule, the boys take some much needed down time to recharge their batteries and have a little fun. During this vacation, shaving didn't seem to be a top priority so when the group got back together, their signature look was born:
More albums, more touring, more success...the boys were a genuine hit! But there were still worlds to conquer. The 1980s brought about MTV and the rise of the music video. With their cool swagger and penchant for casting attractive women, ZZ Top became known for their music videos.
After a few divorces, a gunshot wound, custom cars and a run for president, the band kept on keepin' on. More albums, more tours and more fame allowed the boys to call the shots and be the group they wanted to be. The comic ends around the early 90s but as we know there was still plenty of story left to tell about that Little Ol' Band From Texas. Rock & Roll Comics may be gone but rock & roll music will never die!
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