ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons has released a video for Hollywood 151, taken from 2018's The Big Bad Blues album.
The track features former Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum, and Alabaman guitarist Austin Hanks, who co-wrote Flyin' High with Gibbon's on ZZ Top's La Futera album.
"Us three guys gathered for a special occasion," says Gibbons. "So we figured the next good idea was building on that happenstance and slate the video shoot immediately on site. We seized and pleased the moment and glad we did."
Hollywood 151 is a typically slick, low-slung piece of Texas shuffle, with Gibbons and Hanks trading solos, the former breaking out the beer bottle slide. The title was inspired by a musical duo who'd perform in late-night Mexican clubs in Los Angeles, turbo-charging their twin guitar sound and drum machine with 151 proof rum.
When The Big Bad Blues was released, Gibbons said, “We successfully made our way through those uncharted waters with the Cubano flavour of Perfectamundo [released in 2015] and completed the journey.
"The shift back to the blues is a natural. It’s something which our followers can enjoy with the satisfaction of experiencing the roots tradition and, at the same time, feeling the richness of stretching the art form."
“There’s something very primordial within the art form,” he added. “Nobody gets away from the infectious allure of those straight-ahead licks!"
“I suspect Jimmy Reed did me in early on. The inventiveness of that high and lonesome sound remains solid and stridently strong to this day. We could go on to mention the line-up of usual suspects, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy, all three Kings (B.B., Albert and Freddie). The lengthy list of champions is forever carved in stone."
