Billy F Gibbons: Rock + Roll Gearhead

Billy F Gibbons: Rock + Roll Gearhead

Expanded on the occasion of ZZ Top?s 50th anniversary year, Billy F Gibbons: Rock + Roll Gearhead (first published in 2005) throws wide Gibbons? garage and studio doors for an exclusive look at the exquisite vintage and way-out custom guitars and the influential hot rods and custom cars of the Grade-A Texas gearhead. From the near-mythical ?59 Les Paul sunburst known as ?Pearly Gates? and the ?Furry One? of MTV renown to cars like the Eliminator, CadZZilla, and Kopperhed, they?re all here-more than sixty guitars andfifteen astounding vehicles, all expounded upon by BFG himself and shown incommissioned color and artistic black-and-white photography. Cars and guitars that have made their way to light since first publication are included: ?ars:Mexican Blackbird 1958 ThunderbirdQuintana?50 Ford CustomEl Camino Grocery-Getter customWhiskey Runner '34 Ford Coupe?51 Willys WagonGuitars:Party Peelers John Bolin CustomsNeiman Marcus BFG SGNacho TelecasterJohn Bolin "Think Buck" T-styleMexican Blackbird solidbodyMojo MakerTone BenderZemaitis customMarconi Lab Guitar1929 Dixie Ukelele1939 Rickenbacker Frying Pan ?and more! While BFG?s cars ?n? guitars are the stuff of legend, no less intriguing arethe tales behind his incredible music career. From teenage Houston garage rocker to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the whole story is between these covers, told in the Good Reverend Willie G?s own words and illustrated with photos and memorabilia from his personal archive. As with many rockers, Billy F Gibbons' jones for hot rods and customs is the stuff of legend. But beyond this bona fide bluesman's mastery of the six-string and unrepentant love for internal combustion is a noted collector whose own designs have manifested themselves in hundreds of mind-bending cars and guitars. This isthe definitive and official record of that genius.Review"The book is fantastic. Billy Gibbons is a car guy I would like to know. Five Stars." - Tom Stahler, The Journal at ClassicCars.comThe cars and the music are part of the same enterprise: creating a shared landscape of the mind, a fantasy land where Mr. Gibbons? music provides a soundtrack for imagined journeys. . . . Many will be happy to ride along. - New York TimesReveals the tales behind dozens of his favorite guitars, and offers the lowdown on 10 of his hottest hot rods. . . . Of course, the book also offers plenty of Gibbons? Texas-fueled pearls of wisdom. - Guitar WorldPart tome, part bio, and all definitively Billy. - Vintage GuitarAny fan of cars or guitars will welcome this hefty document . . . staring with envy at Gibbons? gorgeous axes and hipster wheels for hours on end. - Jim DeRogatis, Chicago Sun-TimesA love letter to rodded ?34 coupes, chopped Cadillacs . . . and assorted customized Gibsons, Fenders, and Magnatones. - Daily TelegraphA fascinating look at the history of a great band and Gibbons? life-long twin passions. - Peter Egan, Road & Track?Billy F Gibbons: Rock + Roll Gearhead? is a must for fans of BFG and ZZ Top; guitar collectors, car guys and those who cross over between the two.? ?- Jason Fogelson, Forbes.comAbout the AuthorBilly F Gibbons is a musician, actor, and hot rod and car customizer perhaps best known as the lead guitarist for ZZ Top.Tom Vickers is a longtime music industry pro, having worked as a journalist, manager, A&R man, publicist, and producer.A renowned photographer residing in the Bay Area, David Perry defined the modern hot rod pin-up in the early 1990s. His other books include Hot Rod Pin-Ups and Hot Rod Kings.