BILLY GIBBONS - Interview about the new album "Perfectamundo"

eclipsed: What is so special about "Perfectamundo" that you couldn't have done it with ZZ Top?

Billy Gibbons: Everything that ZZ Top have ever produced for me is blues rock, sometimes more modern, sometimes more traditional. "Perfectamundo," on the other hand, is broader. The new album is about percussions, percussions, percussions. That's what I couldn't have done with ZZ Top.

eclipsed: The percussions are already conspicuous, they dominate many a song.

Gibbons: That's absolutely right, because on the album I was only secondarily about the songs. It's a sound album. I wanted to sing some songs in Spanish and so I invited Cuban percussionists who were allowed to drum wildly. Singing songs in Spanish was an exciting experience: First, I don't know Spanish very well, and second, I listened to a lot of South American songs, and they tell stories rather than alternating verse and chorus ...

eclipsed: But I can't quite leave aside the objection that you couldn't have done it with ZZ Top. On "XXX" (1999) or "Mescalero" (2003) there are hip-hop echoes, song passages in Spanish and an unusual set of instruments. Among other things plenty of percussions.

Gibbons: I have to give some reason why I made an album with the BFGs and want to go on tour. So far I've gotten away with it in all the interviews. (laughs) But "Perfectamundo" has been a processual album. Whether I could not have gone this way with ZZ Top in such a way, I do not know in the long run with certainty to say. As I said before, it wasn't about going in a certain direction with some good songs. I wanted to try something out and was surprised myself at the end where we ended up. You're completely right, with ZZ Top we always had our phases where we tried things out. "Mescalero", the title song, with this percussion middle section, is a good example of this. We were just recording this song and had a dinner break at a Mexican restaurant nearby. Around us different musicians played for the guests. We immediately asked them if they could do it to rock music. That's how they landed on the plate.

eclipsed: You couldn't have done that with Rick Rubin, who produced your last album "La Futura" in 2012, could you?

Gibbons: Privately, I've known him for several decades. Rick and ZZ Top, you just had to try it out. He's known for putting a band back to their basics. In that sense, it was a simple album for us.

eclipsed: But didn't he deprive the band of their wit and spontaneity with his eternally long recording sessions?

Gibbons: Don't you like "La Futura"? I also find "XXX" or "Mescalero" more exciting, but most ZZ fans tell us that "La Futura" is the best ZZ album in ages.

eclipsed: "La Futura" has a lot of songs in a nutshell and that's why I like it.

Gibbons: And that's why I wanted to work with Rick. He lets you play a song over and over again until the magic moment comes.

eclipsed: And that was easy?

Gibbons: Simply because we had agreed on the songs and just had to play - and then Rick took care of everything else. And you can be sure that this will lead to a proper result. But I also had the advantage of being friends with Rick and trusting him. I think Dusty and Frank would have liked to fire him in between. But of course they are very satisfied with the final result.

eclipsed: What do your ZZ top buddies, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard, say about "Perfectamundo"? Do you know the album?

Gibbons: Yes, they were very excited about how the project would turn out. And they commented benevolently.

eclipsed: Because then ZZ Top will take a tour break, because you go on tour as Billy Gibbons & The BFGs?

Gibbons: That's right, I'm the one who keeps bringing ZZ Top back on tour. It's just fun to tour with the guys, but now I leave them alone for a while because I'm doing some gigs with the solo band.

eclipsed: Does that mean you're going to double-track from now on?

Gibbons: I can't say that yet, it's neither firmly planned, nor do I want to rule it out.

eclipsed: But ZZ Top will stay on your agenda?

Gibbons: Our longevity has one main reason: The three of us still have a lot of fun playing together, so it's only a matter of time until we have some good songs in stock again for a new album.

eclipsed: We talked about the fact that "XXX" and "Mescalero" are more like insider ZZ top albums ...

Gibbons: ... good, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to tell the other journalists the story that I once wanted to get away from pure blues rock.

eclipsed: What is ZZ Top's favourite album for you personally?

Gibbons: I think our worst selling album in 1996 was "Rhythmeen". This is my favorite album. Even if it sounds a little contradictory to my other statements. It's a pure trio work with pure blues rock. You'd think Rick produced it. In that sense, I should plan on two tracks soon: Bluesrock with ZZ Top and sound experiments with the BFGs.

eclipsed: And your guitar style and your voice are the common denominator?

Gibbons: My credo is still what B.B. King once told me: Play hard and make it easy! Take the hardest plectrums and use the thinnest strings. I've come a long way with this tip.

More information:
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Interview: Michael Lorant