Billy Gibbons Sounds Off On The Albums That Rock His World, And A Few Might Just Surprise you

What’s Billy Gibbons Listening To These Days?

It’s no secret that ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons has been rocking us left, right, and center for decades – in fact, I’m pretty sure that at this point, rock and rollers everywhere are hardwired to drop everything and tap out the intro to “La Grange” every time we hear it. So if Billy, a man of many influences and flavors when it comes to crafting music to last a lifetime, has kept us rocking for decades, then who’s keeping him rocking and rolling?

Currently on tour in support of ZZ Top’s brand new live album Live – Greatest Hits From Around The World, Billy sat down with The Quietus and was more than happy to walk them and us through a few of the albums currently on rotation for the 66-year-old rock legend; he does, however, warn fans with the following:

“It’s prudent to precede my list with a disclaimer,” he explained. “My choices are a little more recent than what might have been anticipated. People often ask about Jimmy Reed and Muddy Waters or even Howlin’ Wolf, but it’s safe to say that the list of great bluesmen, and the beautiful period of recording between 1949 and 1959, is already on the books.”

Y’know what, recent-schmecent – good music is good music and as far as Billy’s taste goes, we trust him 100% when he says that the albums he’s listed are rock solid (especially Charles Bradley’s Changes – that’s the soul and blues album the world needs right now, let me tell you). Check ’em out below and read Billy’s commentary on each album here.

Surprise Vacation, Stealing Office Supplies
Charles Bradley, Changes
Dâm-Funk, Invite the Light
Erick Sermon, E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception)
Chromeo, White Women
Michael Kiwanuka, Love & Hate
Quinn Sullivan, Midnight Highway
Carlene Carter, Carter Girl
Shemekia Copeland, Outskirts of Love
Lecherous Gaze, Zeta Reticuli Blues
Dinosaur Jr., Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
Isaac Rother and the Phantoms, The Unspeakable Horror Of …
Motörhead, Bad Magic