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Catching up with ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd Double trouble
By John Benson
The paths of classic rock acts ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd once again cross with the “Rebels & Bandoleros Tour,” which comes through Youngstown on Sunday at the Covelli Centre.
With the concert industry struggling these days, the package tours make the most sense. More bang for your buck. And these Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bands don’t disappoint. The two classic rock giants, which first joined forces in 1974 when ZZ Top invited then- up-and-coming Lynyrd Skynyrd to be a part of the “Outlaw Tour,” promise its Northeast Ohio audience an evening filled with hits ranging from the former’s “Tush,” “LaGrange,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs,” and “Gimme All Your Lovin’” to the latter’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Gimme Three Steps,” “What’s Your Name” and “Free Bird.”
The Vindicator talked to ZZ Top singer-guitarist Billy Gibbons and Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Rickey Medlocke (who briefly was in the band in the early ’70s before forming Blackfoot and rejoining Skynyrd in 1996) about the tour, each other’s music and cornhole.
Q. First of all, why was Youngstown so lucky to get a “Rebels & Bandoleros Tour” date?
A. Billy Gibbons: Skynyrd and ZZ’s collective brain trust embraced Youngstown as a get-down town, which is why we’re appearing together this time around. It’s rock ’n’ roll right down the middle.
Rickey Medlocke: I was glad to see the band coming to a minor market like that, man, because to me that’s the key secret in the future for bands. That is to come to markets like that to bring the music to them because it’s hard for people to go to the major cities anymore and pay the major ticket prices and maybe get a couple of beers and have to get gas at $4 a gallon. It’s hard for people. So what bands are going to have to end up doing is come to the crowds. I think it’s great.
Q. Any memories of playing Youngstown in the past?
A. Medlocke: Oh my God, we used to play the Youngstown Agora. I have great memories of that place. As a matter of fact, when I was in Blackfoot, we opened for UFO at the Youngstown Agora. It was killer. That was in 1978 or 1979.
Q. Why does the pairing of ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd on the “Rebels & Bandoleros Tour” make sense?
A. Medlocke: Well, we come out, wake everybody up and fire everybody up and ZZ Top comes out there and fires right back and lays them out dead. There ya go. We toured together back in 1999-2000 on “The Millennium Tour.” We did 103 shows together.
Gibbons: Both bands do go back a while, and we’ve been friends since we both started as touring bands. We’ve crawled from Southern rock bag with a Texas tag. I’m sure it somehow resonates within something lowdown and loud.
Q. Billy, it now appears as though you did some early “Rebels & Bandoleros Tour” promotion last year when you joined Will Ferrell to play “Free Bird” on Conan O’Brien’s “Tonight Show” finale?
A. Gibbons: Talk about advance planning. Actually this “Rebels & Bandoleros Tour” was just a dream and a gleam in the eye when it went down. Will and Conan can really thrash, so maybe we’ll wrangle ‘em out for more.
Q. Rickey, what’s your favorite ZZ Top album and song?
A. Medlocke: Man, that’s interesting. I’d say my favorite album is “Deg ºello” because I just love the feel of that record. And for song I’d say “Just Got Paid.”
Q. Billy, your favorite Lynyrd Skynyrd album and song?
A. Gibbons: As far as an album choice, that would be “[pronounced leh-nerd skin-nerd],” truly a phenomenal debut. For the song, it seems obvious, however, we’re going to say “Free Bird” because it’s both fast and slow. That’s a neat trick when you think about it. Or maybe “Gimme Three Steps.” That’s one I wish we’d thought of.
Q. Any chance the bands share the stage at the upcoming show?
A. Medlocke: You never know what happens on any given night, you know what I mean? You never know.
Q. Speaking of fun, which band would win in a game of cornhole?
A. Gibbons: Good question. However, throwin’ dice remains our game of skill and choice.
Medlocke: You got it. That makes sense.
Q. Finally, when audiences leave the “Rebels & Bandoleros Tour” Youngstown show, what do you hope they remember the most?
A. Medlocke: Man, I hope they’re elated and know they got slapped with a bunch of guitars and music.