ZZ TOP- El Loco 40th Anniversary- Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard

Even forty years later, every time I hear the ZZ Top song “Tubesnake Boogie“, which was the advance single  from the El Loco  album, I’m reminded of an actual phone call in July 1981 from legendary ZZ Top manager/ producer the late Bill Ham, asking me how the ROCK 103/ Memphis audience liked their new song. “Great, Bill, it’s our most requested song,” I assured him. “But Bill, I’ve heard several of the deejays stumble over the title. I mean, isn’t the euphemism tubeSTEAK ? You know, like a hotdog?”  There was a pregnant pause on the line, then Bill Ham lowered his voice and solemnly replied, “Red, you can’t say tubeSTEAK on the radio.” Gee Bill, thanks so much for thinking of us, no one will ever guess to what “Tubesnake Boogie” is really referring! Now, about this other song on ZZ Top’s El Loco  , “Pearl Necklace“… The Three Wise Men of Rock, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, the late Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard are my guests here In the Studio  for this classic rock interview spinning Lone Star Texas tales about the many colorful songs on earlier albums leading up to El Loco , the bridge between the excellent 1979 DeGuello  and 1983’s worldwide phenomenon, Eliminator .- Redbeard