{"id":9961,"date":"2018-10-11T10:45:16","date_gmt":"2018-10-11T01:45:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.museonmuse.jp\/?p=9961"},"modified":"2018-10-11T10:45:16","modified_gmt":"2018-10-11T01:45:16","slug":"vol-90-billy-f-gibbons-october-2018-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.museonmuse.jp\/?p=9961","title":{"rendered":"Vol.90 Billy F Gibbons \/ October 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Billy F Gibbons<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\nPhoto by Andrew Stuart<\/span><\/p>\n

The legendary guitarist Billy Gibbons is best known as the guitarist and lead vocalist of the American rock band ZZ Top. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Gibbons just released his second solo album \u201cThe Big Bad Blues\u201d. Although his previous solo album \u201cPerfectamundo\u201d defied expectations of his fans in a positive way with its Afro cuban sounds, he is back to his roots Blues for this set and showed Blues legends respect. We can hear Billy Gibbons’ signature sound which are fat driven Blues Rock guitar and his vocal throughout this album. The guitar legend took some time to chat to Muse On Muse about his new piece \u201cThe Big Bad Blues\u201d<\/p>\n

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Interview \/ Text\u00a0 Mamoru Moriyama
\nTranslation\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hiroshi Takakura<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto by Andrew Stuart<\/span><\/p>\n

Muse On Muse : Your new set \u201cThe Big Bad Blues\u201d is a fantastic blues rock album filled with your personality, big-boned sound and deep feelings. Why and how did you think of making your 2nd solo album?<\/span>
\nBilly F Gibbons : After the success of \u201cPerfectamundo,\u201d our friend and Concord Records chief, John Burk, corralled me and asked about a follow up and suggested a blues-oriented project. As we like to say, \u201cyou can\u2019t lose with the blues\u201d so we immediately accepted the suggestion and got to work on it. In a way, it felt like coming home since the blues is at the root of just about everything we do.<\/p>\n

MM : Your first solo album \u201cPerfectamungo\u201d was a fusion of Afro Cuban and strong Blues Rock and it was surprising for fans of ZZ TOP. You seem you went back to roots of Blues Rock for this album. What do you care when you work as solo artist instead of ZZ TOP.<\/span>
\nBG : Taking on a solo excursion is an entirely different approach\u2026 everything is different. Different recording approach, different musical collaborators. It\u2019s, maybe, a looser sensibility in terms of the resulting work. It’s a genuine reward to take on the challenge with no real constraints.<\/p>\n

MM : How was the process of recording?<\/span>
\nBG : Initially, we just got in there and played with the other guys for a while with nothing but blues numbers to jam on. I honestly had no idea that our engineering crew was rolling tape through most of that messing around yet we\u2019re glad it rolled because a significant percentage of what was recorded actually made it onto the actual album release. The whole process was keeping an open mind and playing what felt right to play. Very empowering circumstance.<\/p>\n

MM : This album has cover tunes of legends like Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley. How did you pick those tunes from so many classics by many legendary blues artists in its history? Also how did those tunes influence and inspire you?<\/span>
\nBG : Those tunes have been enduringly inspiring since I first heard them. Muddy Waters, when he left the Mississippi Delta and went up to Chicago where he, so to speak, \u201cdiscovered electricity\u201d changed the course of western culture at that very moment. There would have been no electric blues, not to mention rock and roll had Muddy not been inspired to do that. \u201cStanding Around Crying\u201d and \u201cRollin\u2019 and Tumblin\u2019\u201d are testimony to his enduring legacy. As far as Bo (and \u201cmaraca man\u201d Jerome Green) are concerned, they were beyond hip.. Bo\u2019s music is blues-based but the base is outer space. \u201cCrackin\u2019 Up\u201d was a challenge to nail down.. that intro was quite confounding yet we finally came to figure it out. As far as \u201cBring It To Jerome\u201d is concerned, that\u2019s an order we\u2019re always sure to follow.<\/p>\n

MM : Last tunes on the album \u201cCrackin’ Up\u201d has different style from other tunes and people enjoy the contrast between it.<\/span>
\nBG : Well, here\u2019s our chance to offer more laudation for Bo. Bo Diddley was idiosyncratic, different than all others, a true iconoclastic artist. We let him know our true admiration for him while he was with us and still enjoy keeping his memory alive.<\/p>\n

MM : Please tell us about your gears which you used for this album.<\/span>
\nBG : As there are only two guitars in \u201cThe Big Bad Blues\u201d lineup. John Bolin stepped it up creating a match pair of right-handed and left-handed 6 string electrics for BFG and Austin Hanks for the frontline. Both guitars are outfitted with Andy Alt\u2019s newest version of his \u201cLittle Thunder 2\u201d pickup which adds a low-octave bass register to the guitar\u2019s output. It gives us the addition with the sound of a bass-guitar for a super solid bottom end. Twin guitars with twin low-ends! And, coupled with Marshall’s 100 watters and Magnatone’s backline amplifiers, it\u2019s serious. We still use our trusted Bixonic Expandora pedal for extra boost which is big and bad for stage presentation. Matt Sorum also brings his newest drum kit from Gretsch to pound out the backbeat. Again, it adds up to being a super-serious sonic freight train.<\/p>\n

MM : Fat, rich and emotional tone of guitar is your signature sound and it sounds outstanding on this album. I guess your technique and soul make your tone so special but how do you make your tone\/sound in terms of how to use guitars, amps and pedals.<\/span>
\nBG : It starts with the hands! It\u2019s then a question of coordinating the instrument with amps and effects.. Balance is the key in getting a sound that\u2019s appealing.<\/p>\n

MM : Please give a message to your fans.<\/span>
\nBG : “Hope you\u2019re liking \u201cThe Big Bad Blues.\u201d It\u2019s meant to be played loud so turn it up!”<\/p>\n

Billy F Gibbons official site : https:\/\/www.billygibbons.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n