Recycler
Encyclopedia
Recycler is the tenth studio album
by American
blues rock band ZZ Top
, released in 1990
.
The band had a cameo in the 1990 movie Back to the Future Part III
playing an "old west" version of "Doubleback" along with some local musicians. (The regular version of the song plays over the credits). The music video for "Doubleback" also had clips from the movie and was included on the DVD. The album spawned three hits in the form of "Doubleback" (#1 on the Album Rock Tracks for 5 weeks), "Concrete And Steel" (#1 on the Album Rock Tracks for 4 weeks), and "My Head's In Mississippi" (#1 on the Album Rock Tracks for 6 weeks).
Music videos were also made for "My Head's in Mississippi", "Burger Man" and "Give it Up".
In the UK, it was the band's third album to be certified by the British Phonographic Industry
, attaining Silver (60,000 units) in 1990. To date, this is the last studio album to achieve UK certification.
The song "Tell It" marks the first instance of a song in a which a sampled clip of a distinctively-toned saying of the word "fine" is used, which was later featured again on the song "Lizard Life", off Antenna, the band's next album, and even in a performance of the song "Cheap Sunglasses
" on the Live from Texas
album.
made sense on Afterburner
, after it arrived two years since its predecessor. ZZ Top's choice to pursue that direction on Recycler is puzzling, since a full five years separates this from Afterburner."
The album peaked at number 6 on the Billboard 200
, number 8 on the UK Albums Chart
and number 27 on the Australian Albums chart.
, Dusty Hill
and Frank Beard
.
Singles – Billboard (North America)
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
blues rock 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...
, released in 1990
1990 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1990.-Events:*January 21 – MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with British band Squeeze...
.
The band had a cameo in the 1990 movie Back to the Future Part III
Back to the Future Part III
Back to the Future Part III is a 1990 American science fiction comedy Western film. It is the third installment of the Back to the Future trilogy. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson and Lea Thompson. The film...
playing an "old west" version of "Doubleback" along with some local musicians. (The regular version of the song plays over the credits). The music video for "Doubleback" also had clips from the movie and was included on the DVD. The album spawned three hits in the form of "Doubleback" (#1 on the Album Rock Tracks for 5 weeks), "Concrete And Steel" (#1 on the Album Rock Tracks for 4 weeks), and "My Head's In Mississippi" (#1 on the Album Rock Tracks for 6 weeks).
Music videos were also made for "My Head's in Mississippi", "Burger Man" and "Give it Up".
In the UK, it was the band's third album to be certified by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
, attaining Silver (60,000 units) in 1990. To date, this is the last studio album to achieve UK certification.
The song "Tell It" marks the first instance of a song in a which a sampled clip of a distinctively-toned saying of the word "fine" is used, which was later featured again on the song "Lizard Life", off Antenna, the band's next album, and even in a performance of the song "Cheap Sunglasses
Cheap Sunglasses
"Cheap Sunglasses" is a 1980 single by ZZ Top from their 1979 album Degüello. It is one of their most famous songs and includes the use of some odd instruments. The song captures many of the sounds and beats that ZZ Top is famous for. It is also featured on the greatest hits collections ZZ Top's...
" on the Live from Texas
Live From Texas
Live from Texas is a live DVD/Blu-ray by ZZ Top. It was recorded on November 1st, 2007 at the Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas and released on June 24, 2008 via Eagle Rock Records...
album.
Reception
Allmusic gave it 2 stars, by stating: "The continuation of Eliminator's synthesized bluesBlues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
made sense on Afterburner
Afterburner (album)
Afterburner is the ninth studio album by American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1985 . Afterburner was a financial success, going several times platinum and launching several hit singles. The most successful single released from this album was "Sleeping Bag", which peaked at No. 1 on the...
, after it arrived two years since its predecessor. ZZ Top's choice to pursue that direction on Recycler is puzzling, since a full five years separates this from Afterburner."
The album peaked at number 6 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, number 8 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
and number 27 on the Australian Albums chart.
Track listing
All songs 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...
.
- "Concrete and Steel" – 3:45
- "Lovething" – 3:20
- "Penthouse Eyes" – 3:49
- "Tell It" – 4:39
- "My Head's in Mississippi" – 4:25
- "Decision or Collision" – 3:59
- "Give it Up" – 3:24
- "2000 Blues" – 4:37
- "Burger Man" – 3:18
- "DoublebackDoubleback"Doubleback" is a song by ZZ Top from their album Recycler, which was featured in the film Back to the Future Part III. The band had a cameo in the movie playing an "Old West" version of the song along with some local musicians. The regular version of the song plays over the credits."Doubleback"...
" – 3:53
Personnel
- 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
- Producer – Bill HamBill HamBill Ham was the manager, producer, and image-maker of ZZ Top, from its inception in late 1969 until September 2006.-Career:...
- Engineer – 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....
- Artwork - Barry E. JacksonBarry E. JacksonBarry Edward Jackson is an American production designer and writer.Although he grew up in Lompoc, California, he was born in Omaha, Nebraska....
Charts
Album – Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | The Billboard 200 | 6 |
Singles – Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "Concrete and Steel" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| 1990 | "Doubleback" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| 1990 | "Give It Up" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 2 |
| 1990 | "My Head's in Mississippi" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| 1991 | "Decision or Collision" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 14 |
| 1991 | "Give It Up" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 79 |