ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons has announced he’ll release his debut solo album on October 23 via Concord Records.
Entitled Perfectamundo, it was inspired by Cuban music, with the guitarist revealing earlier this year that he took advice from Foo Fighters’ mainman Dave Grohl before committing to the recording process.
The ZZ Top man also sought guidance from friend Martin Guigui and Cuban musician Chino Pons, who fronts his own New York-based quartet.
Gibbons says: “Chino sprinkled holy water on our efforts and expressed confidence that we were headed in the right direction. That bit of affirmation gave us the impetus for more forward motion.”
He’s backed on the album by his hand-picked group called the BFG’s. They feature Guigui on piano, keyboardist Mike Flanigan, vocalist/bassist Alex Garza, drummer Greg Morrow and guitarist Gary Moon.
Producer Joe Hardy chips in with additional guitar, keyboards, bass and vocals, while Pons appears with the Cubano Nationale Beat Generator percussion ensemble.
Further details will be revealed in due course.
ZZ Top played London’s Wembley SSE Arena in June but had been forced to cancel a handful of dates last year when Dusty Hill was injured in a tour bus accident.
They head out on a North American tour later this month.
ZZ Top tour dates
Aug 12: Bethlehem Sand Steel Stage, PA Aug 13: Snagajob.com Pavilion, VA Aug 15: Memphis Live At The Garden, TN Aug 18: Vienna Wolf Trap National Park For The Performing Arts, VA Aug 20: Niagara Falls The Avalon Ballroom, ON Aug 21: Trois Rivieres Amphitheatre Cogeco, QC Aug 22: Pownal Green Mountain Live, VT Aug 25: Northfield Park Hard Rock Live, OH Aug 26: Toledo Zoo Amphitheare, OH Aug 27: Chicago Riviera Theatre, IL Aug 28: Mount Pleasant Soaring Eagle Casino, MI Aug 30: Windsor Colosseum, ON Sep 01: Nashville Ascend Amphitheatre, TN Sep 03: New Orleans Bold Sphere Music At Champions Square, LA Sep 04: Dallas Music Hall At Fair Park, TX Sep 10: Lincoln Thunder Valley Casino Resort, CA Sep 11: Saratoga The Mountain Winery, CA Sep 12: Pomona Los Angeles County Fair, CA Sep 13: San Diego Humphreys Concerts By The Bay, CA Sep 16: Nampa Idaho Center Amphitheatre, ID Sep 20: Gillette Cam-Plex, WY Sep 22: Bismarck Event Center, ND Sep 23: Brookings Swiftel Center, SD Sep 25: Lincoln Pinewood Bowl Theater, NE Sep 26: Cedar Rapids McGrath Amphitheatre, IA Oct 02: Atlantic City Caesars, NJ Oct 03: Louisville Louder Than Life Festival Oct 04: Louisville Louder Than Life Festival
