Eliminator
Encyclopedia
Eliminator is the eighth studio album
by American
rock
band ZZ Top
. It was released on March 23, 1983 by Warner Bros. Records
. Recorded in Tennessee
during 1982, the album was produced by the band's manager
Bill Ham
and peaked at the top of the charts
worldwide. "Gimme All Your Lovin'
", "Got Me Under Pressure
", "Sharp Dressed Man
", "TV Dinners", and "Legs
" were released as singles
. A Diamond award winner, Eliminator is ZZ Top's most successful release with sales of over 10 million copies in the United States.
The band wanted to expand on the synthesizer
sound of their 1981 record El Loco
. Influenced by pop music
, Eliminator′s tracks were recorded with a combination of the synthesizer, drum machine
, and sequencer
. The album used music videos
as successful promotional tools—the videos for "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs" all received regular rotation on MTV
. A customized 1930s Ford coupe
, depicted on the album cover, could be seen in the videos. Following Eliminator′s release, ZZ Top embarked on a worldwide concert tour
.
Eliminator garnered widespread critical acclaim. Praise centered on its songwriting
and use of synthesizers
. Often considered ZZ Top's most popular release, the record has been featured in several publications' best albums lists. It ranked number 396 on Rolling Stone
magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
and was listed at number 39 in The 100 Greatest Albums of the 80's. In 2008, Eliminator was remastered
and reissued, with the addition of bonus tracks and a DVD
containing live performances.
to build a customized 1933 Ford coupe
. The car was built with a Corvette
-style engine fabricated by the So-Cal Speed Shop
. It was finished in 1983 and called the Eliminator. The car has become recognizable for its red finish and graphics, which can be seen in several of the band's music videos
. The Eliminator has also made worldwide appearances in television, movies, auto shows
, and charity
events.
In 1979, ZZ Top reunited after a two-year break from touring and signed a new record deal
, switching from London Records
to Warner Bros.
Frontman
Billy Gibbons
and bassist
Dusty Hill
also grew out chest-length beards
. The beards, along with black sunglasses
, have become distinctive aspects of the band's image. ZZ Top's sixth studio album Degüello
was released in August 1979. The album went platinum and sold over a million units in the United States
. El Loco
(1981) experimented with the sounds of synthesizers
. It went gold and initially sold over half-a-million copies. "Tube Snake Boogie
" went to number four on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
in Memphis, Tennessee
. Ardent had become the group's premier recording studio
since 1973. Production
was handled by the band's manager
Bill Ham
, while Terry Manning
was responsible for most of the engineering
. Recording occurred in Studio B and included an Auditronics mixing console
that was a permanent fixture until 1985. Both Billy Gibbons and Manning took charge of the studio sessions to make an album with various electronic instruments
. Despite the credits
on the album, Dusty Hill
and Frank Beard
did not attend most of the sessions.
Billy Gibbons used a Dean Z
electric guitar
that had DiMarzio
Super Distortion humbuckers
. Manning recalled that the guitar was "very resonant", always on the verge of feedback
, and difficult to keep in tune. He would often edit Gibbons' guitar parts to eliminate extra noise. Gibbons used a Legend Rock 'n' Roll combo amplifier
, a 50-watt hybrid amp with a single 12-inch Celestion
speaker
. According to Manning, an AKG
C414 B-ULS condenser microphone captured the amp and was placed about five inches from the speaker cone
, slightly off-axis.
. The front cover is an illustration of the Eliminator coupe by Tom Hunnicutt. Three of Eliminators five singles appeared in the top 10 on the Billboard
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "Gimme All Your Lovin'", released in April 1983, went to the number two position.
In 1983, ZZ Top made several music videos
in California
. "Gimme All Your Lovin'" was filmed at a gas station
in Littlerock
, while "Sharp Dressed Man" was filmed at night on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles
. "Legs" took place at a restaurant
and shoe salon in Newhall
; Gibbons and Dusty Hill had custom Dean Z
guitars made with authentic sheepskin covering the body and tuners
, as well as a unit to make the guitars spin in a complete circle. With Tim Newman as director
, the "Legs" video won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video
in 1984. The Eliminator coupe
, along with three Playboy
models, made an appearance in the videos.
, Dusty Hill
and Frank Beard
.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
. It was released on March 23, 1983 by Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. Recorded in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
during 1982, the album was produced by the band's manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
Bill Ham
Bill Ham
Bill Ham was the manager, producer, and image-maker of ZZ Top, from its inception in late 1969 until September 2006.-Career:...
and peaked at the top of the charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
worldwide. "Gimme All Your Lovin'
Gimme All Your Lovin'
"Gimme All Your Lovin" is a song by ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as the album's first single in 1983 ....
", "Got Me Under Pressure
Got Me Under Pressure
"Got Me Under Pressure" is song by ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was produced by band manager Bill Ham, and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning.-Album appearances:...
", "Sharp Dressed Man
Sharp Dressed Man
"Sharp Dressed Man" is a song performed by ZZ Top from their album Eliminator released in 1983. The song was produced by band manager Bill Ham, and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning....
", "TV Dinners", and "Legs
Legs (song)
"Legs" is a song performed by the band ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as a single in 1984 and reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States...
" were released as singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. A Diamond award winner, Eliminator is ZZ Top's most successful release with sales of over 10 million copies in the United States.
The band wanted to expand on the synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
sound of their 1981 record El Loco
El Loco
El Loco is the seventh studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1981 . The title means "The Crazy One" in Spanish. Guitarist/singer Billy Gibbons has stated that the recordings of this album was the first time the three members of the band were isolated from one another in the...
. Influenced by pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, Eliminator′s tracks were recorded with a combination of the synthesizer, drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
, and sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
. The album used music videos
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
as successful promotional tools—the videos for "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs" all received regular rotation on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. A customized 1930s Ford coupe
Ford Model B (1932)
The Model B was a Ford automobile with production starting with model year 1932 and ending with 1934. It was a much updated version of the Model A and was replaced by the 1935 Ford Model 48...
, depicted on the album cover, could be seen in the videos. Following Eliminator′s release, ZZ Top embarked on a worldwide concert tour
Eliminator Tour
The Eliminator Tour was a concert tour by American rock band ZZ Top. Presented by Schlitz Beer, the tour took place in the United States and Europe...
.
Eliminator garnered widespread critical acclaim. Praise centered on its songwriting
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and use of synthesizers
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
. Often considered ZZ Top's most popular release, the record has been featured in several publications' best albums lists. It ranked number 396 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
and was listed at number 39 in The 100 Greatest Albums of the 80's. In 2008, Eliminator was remastered
Remaster
Remaster is a word marketed mostly in the digital audio age, although the remastering process has existed since recording began...
and reissued, with the addition of bonus tracks and a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
containing live performances.
Background
In 1976, Billy Gibbons convened with Buffalo Motor Cars in Paramount, CaliforniaParamount, California
Paramount is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 54,098 down from 55,266 at the 2000 census...
to build a customized 1933 Ford coupe
Ford Model B (1932)
The Model B was a Ford automobile with production starting with model year 1932 and ending with 1934. It was a much updated version of the Model A and was replaced by the 1935 Ford Model 48...
. The car was built with a Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
-style engine fabricated by the So-Cal Speed Shop
So-Cal Speed Shop
The So-Cal Speed Shop is a specialty parts shop for hot rods, specializing in cars built in the 1940s. It offers parts online, as well as a number of retail stores in the western United States and one in Canada. The headquarters is located in Pomona, California....
. It was finished in 1983 and called the Eliminator. The car has become recognizable for its red finish and graphics, which can be seen in several of the band's music videos
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
. The Eliminator has also made worldwide appearances in television, movies, auto shows
Auto show
An auto show, or motor show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is commonly attended by automobile manufacturers. Most auto shows occur once or twice a year...
, and charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
events.
In 1979, ZZ Top reunited after a two-year break from touring and signed a new record deal
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
, switching from London Records
London Records
London Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
to Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
Frontman
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
Billy Gibbons
Billy Gibbons
William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
and bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Dusty Hill
Dusty Hill
Joseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
also grew out chest-length beards
Beard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
. The beards, along with black sunglasses
Sunglasses
Sunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear designed primarily to prevent bright sunlight and high-energy visible light from damaging or discomforting the eyes. They can sometimes also function as a visual aid, as variously termed spectacles or glasses exist, featuring lenses that...
, have become distinctive aspects of the band's image. ZZ Top's sixth studio album Degüello
Degüello
Degüello is the sixth studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1979 . "Degüello" means "beheading" or, idiomatically, "no quarter" in Spanish and was the title of a Moorish-origin bugle call used by the Mexican Army forces at the Battle of the Alamo, Texas, in 1836.Degüello...
was released in August 1979. The album went platinum and sold over a million units in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. El Loco
El Loco
El Loco is the seventh studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1981 . The title means "The Crazy One" in Spanish. Guitarist/singer Billy Gibbons has stated that the recordings of this album was the first time the three members of the band were isolated from one another in the...
(1981) experimented with the sounds of synthesizers
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
. It went gold and initially sold over half-a-million copies. "Tube Snake Boogie
Tube Snake Boogie
"Tube Snake Boogie" is a song by the rock band ZZ Top from their 1981 album El Loco. It was released as a single that year and reached #4 on the Mainstream Rock charts....
" went to number four on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Recording
In 1982, ZZ Top convened at Ardent StudiosArdent Studios
Ardent Studios is a recording studio located in Memphis, Tennessee. Ardent Records/Ardent Music is the in-house label.- History :Ardent Studios was founded by John Fry and was initially a studio in his family's garage, where he recorded his first Ardent Records 45's. In 1966 the operation moved...
in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. Ardent had become the group's premier recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
since 1973. Production
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
was handled by the band's manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
Bill Ham
Bill Ham
Bill Ham was the manager, producer, and image-maker of ZZ Top, from its inception in late 1969 until September 2006.-Career:...
, while Terry Manning
Terry Manning
Terry Manning is a music producer, songwriter, photographer and recording engineer known for work in rock, rhythm and blues, and pop music genres....
was responsible for most of the engineering
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
. Recording occurred in Studio B and included an Auditronics mixing console
Mixing console
In professional audio, a mixing console, or audio mixer, also called a sound board, mixing desk, or mixer is an electronic device for combining , routing, and changing the level, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. A mixer can mix analog or digital signals, depending on the type of mixer...
that was a permanent fixture until 1985. Both Billy Gibbons and Manning took charge of the studio sessions to make an album with various electronic instruments
Electronic musical instrument
An electronic musical instrument is a musical instrument that produces its sounds using electronics. Such an instrument sounds by outputting an electrical audio signal that ultimately drives a loudspeaker....
. Despite the credits
Credit (creative arts)
In general, the term credit in the artistic or intellectual sense refers to an acknowledgement of those who contributed to a work, whether through ideas or in a more direct sense.-Credit in the arts:...
on the album, Dusty Hill
Dusty Hill
Joseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
and Frank Beard
Frank Beard (musician)
Frank Lee Beard is the drummer in the rock band ZZ Top. Beard was formerly with the bands The Cellar Dwellars, who originally were a three-piece band, The Hustlers, The Warlocks, and American Blues before starting to play and record with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill as ZZ Top.Beard was born in...
did not attend most of the sessions.
Billy Gibbons used a Dean Z
Dean Guitars
Dean Guitars is an American manufacturer of guitars. It was founded in 1976 by Dean Zelinsky in Chicago, Illinois and is currently under the ownership of Armadillo Enterprises in Tampa, Florida.- History :...
electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
that had DiMarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
Super Distortion humbuckers
Humbucker
A humbucker is a type of electric guitar pickup, first patented by Seth Lover and the Gibson company, that uses two coils, both generating string signal. Humbuckers have higher output than a single coil pickup since both coils are connected in series...
. Manning recalled that the guitar was "very resonant", always on the verge of feedback
Audio feedback
Audio feedback is a special kind of positive feedback which occurs when a sound loop exists between an audio input and an audio output...
, and difficult to keep in tune. He would often edit Gibbons' guitar parts to eliminate extra noise. Gibbons used a Legend Rock 'n' Roll combo amplifier
Guitar amplifier
A guitar amplifier is an electronic amplifier designed to make the signal of an electric or acoustic guitar louder so that it will produce sound through a loudspeaker...
, a 50-watt hybrid amp with a single 12-inch Celestion
Celestion
Celestion is a British maker of loudspeakers.-History:The work of what would become Celestion started in Hampton Wick in 1924. Celestion Radio Company and Celestion Limited were formed in 1927, and two years later the company moved across the Thames to Kingston. The company grew rapidly, but was...
speaker
Guitar speaker
A guitar speaker is a loudspeaker – specifically the driver part – designed for use in or with the guitar amplifier of an electric guitar...
. According to Manning, an AKG
AKG Acoustics
AKG Acoustics is an Austrian manufacturer of microphones, headphones, wireless audio systems and related accessories for professional and consumer markets...
C414 B-ULS condenser microphone captured the amp and was placed about five inches from the speaker cone
Speaker cone
A speaker cone, loudspeaker cone or diaphram can be manufactured from various materials depending on driver implementation , desired frequency response for each driver, and cost....
, slightly off-axis.
Promotion and release
Eliminator was released worldwide on March 23, 1983. The name of the album derives from a term for winning a drag raceDrag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
. The front cover is an illustration of the Eliminator coupe by Tom Hunnicutt. Three of Eliminators five singles appeared in the top 10 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "Gimme All Your Lovin'", released in April 1983, went to the number two position.
In 1983, ZZ Top made several music videos
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. "Gimme All Your Lovin'" was filmed at a gas station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
in Littlerock
Littlerock, California
Littlerock is a census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 1,377 at the 2010 census, down from 1,402 at the 2000 census...
, while "Sharp Dressed Man" was filmed at night on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
. "Legs" took place at a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
and shoe salon in Newhall
Newhall, California
Newhall is the southernmost and oldest district of Santa Clarita, California. Prior to the 1987 consolidation of Valencia, Canyon Country, Saugus, Newhall, and other geographically proximate settlements into the conglomerate city of Santa Clarita, it was an independent but unincorporated town...
; Gibbons and Dusty Hill had custom Dean Z
Dean Z
The Dean Z Guitar is an electric guitar made by Dean Guitars in 1977 along with its counterparts, the Dean ML, Dean V and Dean Cadillac. It has the recognizable Dean headstock and the V shaped tailpiece...
guitars made with authentic sheepskin covering the body and tuners
Machine head
A machine head is part of a string instrument ranging from guitars to double basses, a geared apparatus for applying tension and thereby tuning a string, usually located at the headstock. A headstock has several machine heads, one per string...
, as well as a unit to make the guitars spin in a complete circle. With Tim Newman as director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, the "Legs" video won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video
MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video was first given out at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards; and in 2007, going along with how the VMAs were revamped that year, the award was renamed Best Group, as it awarded the artist's body of work for the full year rather than a specific video...
in 1984. The Eliminator coupe
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
, along with three Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
models, made an appearance in the videos.
Track listing
All songs written by Billy GibbonsBilly Gibbons
William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
, Dusty Hill
Dusty Hill
Joseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
and Frank Beard
Frank Beard (musician)
Frank Lee Beard is the drummer in the rock band ZZ Top. Beard was formerly with the bands The Cellar Dwellars, who originally were a three-piece band, The Hustlers, The Warlocks, and American Blues before starting to play and record with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill as ZZ Top.Beard was born in...
.
Collector's Edition
Album
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The Billboard 200 | 9 |
Singles
Singles - Billboard (North America)| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "Gimme All Your Lovin" | Mainstream Rock | 2 |
| 1983 | "Gimme All Your Lovin" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 37 |
| 1983 | "Got Me Under Pressure" | Mainstream Rock | 18 |
| 1983 | "Sharp Dressed Man" | Mainstream Rock | 8 |
| 1983 | "Sharp Dressed Man" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 56 |
| 1983 | "TV Dinners" | Mainstream Rock | 38 |
| 1984 | "Legs" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 13 |
| 1984 | "Legs" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 8 |
| 1984 | "Legs" | Mainstream Rock | 3 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA | Gold | June 21, 1983 |
| RIAA | Platinum | September 14, 1983 |
| RIAA | 4x Platinum | October 22, 1984 |
| RIAA | 5x Platinum | July 22, 1986 |
| RIAA | 6x Platinum | July 1, 1987 |
| RIAA | 7x Platinum | September 19, 1990 |
| RIAA | 8x Platinum | May 1, 1996 |
| RIAA | Diamond | August 7, 1996 |
ZZ Top
- Billy GibbonsBilly GibbonsWilliam Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Dusty HillDusty HillJoseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Frank BeardFrank Beard (musician)Frank Lee Beard is the drummer in the rock band ZZ Top. Beard was formerly with the bands The Cellar Dwellars, who originally were a three-piece band, The Hustlers, The Warlocks, and American Blues before starting to play and record with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill as ZZ Top.Beard was born in...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Production
- Bill HamBill HamBill Ham was the manager, producer, and image-maker of ZZ Top, from its inception in late 1969 until September 2006.-Career:...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Terry ManningTerry ManningTerry Manning is a music producer, songwriter, photographer and recording engineer known for work in rock, rhythm and blues, and pop music genres....
– engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Bob LudwigBob LudwigBob Ludwig is an American mastering engineer.He is a well known and respected figure within the music industry. His name is credited on the covers of albums released across the world, and he has won numerous awards....
– masteringMastering engineerA mastering engineer is one skilled in the practice of taking audio that has been previously mixed in either the analog or digital domain as mono, stereo, or multichannel formats and preparing it for use in distribution, whether by physical media such as a CD, vinyl record, or as some method of... - Bob Alford – art directorArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....