Battle of the bands 1970's Round 1 Hendrix VS ZZ Top

Who wins this battle

  • The Jimi Hendrix Experience

    Votes: 11 47.8%

  • ZZ Top

    Votes: 12 52.2%
  • Total voters
    23
  • Poll closed .
Jimi Hendrix is the greatest guitarist to ever live and I will stand by that statement until the day I die. While they're are guitarists who technically are far great in terms of ability, what makes Hendrix the greatest was how far he made the guitar player leap forward. Prior to him, the masters were Clapton and Beck, who are undoubtedly some of the greatest ever. But Hendrix approached things from a wild, uninhibited standpoint and pushed the guitar to where it became limitless, showing that there is no true end to what could be accomplished. He set the standard by showing there was no standard

But as much as I hate this, because of unfortunate bracketing, I have to go with ZZ Top and here is why!

This is based upon a band itself vs one person. In that respect: The Jimi Hendrix Experience/Band of Gypsies had just four albums before his untimely death, so we'll never know the true extent of what he could have done. ZZ Top on the other hand, has a career that spans 15 albums over 50+ years.

ZZ Top is a band that not only showed what a power trio could be, much like Hendrix did, but they also reinvented themselves when they really shouldn't have been able to. The classic era to me is Rio Grande Mud to Deguello. But they changed their sound and became more popular still with Eliminator, Afterburner and Recycler, by incorporating a more accessible sound. I still prefer the gritty old ZZ top myself

So, as much as it pains me? ZZ Top for this round


 
Far Rider said:
burn-the-witch-screaming.gif
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Burning only releases the ffarts.

Your choice......
 
To get it out of the way…

I love Hendrix.
He revolutionized the way people play guitar.
A pretty good chunk of my LP/CD collection is dedicated to the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Band of Gypsies and other recordings.
His music indirectly influenced some of my instrument choices (especially pedals, like the wah and fuzz and Uni-Vibe modeler I use)
I went out of my way to visit his grave and leave a guitar pick—twice! (And I live in Texas, nowhere nearby).

Having said all that…

-ZZ Top put out more records, has played in more genres and styles and has (personally) influenced me and my playing much, much more.
-Hendrix died in September of 1970–the first year of the decade this poll is supposed to talking about; ZZ Top formed in 1969 and put out six studio albums and one compilation album in the 1970’s.
-Gibbons opened for and jammed with and was influenced by Hendrix (who wasn’t?) AND put out a very Hendrixian album with The Moving Sidewalks (“Flash”), but he also did something else Hendrix did as well—followed his own muse and developed his own style.

…and as a lifelong and avowed Texan, ZZ Top just means more to me.

If this were solely a “Who is more influential?” poll, Hendrix would get my vote…but this is Battle of the Bands 1970’s…so ZZ Top it is.
 
Just gonna say it, flame suit donned: IMO Hendrix is incredibly overrated as a guitar player. Half of what he played is just noise and he was consistently out of tune.
That out of the way he wrote great songs, but not even close to what The Rev has given us (up to Deguello, after that not so much). ZZ Top easily takes it for me.
 
gball said:
Just gonna say it, flame suit donned: IMO Hendrix is incredibly overrated as a guitar player. Half of what he played is just noise and he was consistently out of tune.
That out of the way he wrote great songs, but not even close to what The Rev has given us (up to Deguello, after that not so much). ZZ Top easily takes it for me.
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Couldn't agree more Gary!(y)
 
This solo is my fav of all time and cannot be touched:



Sadly if I HAD to sit an listen to one as a band and not a great guitar play just jammin', I'd go with ZZ. To exacerbate the riduclule that may probably come to me it would be Eliminator as well. I LOVE the sound of that production as it nearly defined the '80s.

One for ZZ from me.

:ugh:
 
gball said:
…what The Rev has given us (up to Deguello, after that not so much). ZZ Top easily takes it for me.
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I don’t know if you ever listened to it, but for latter-day ZZ Top, it’s hard to beat 1996’s “Rhythmeen”…

It’s like a soundtrack for a road trip from New Orleans to Tijuana, staying on the seedy side of town the whole way.

Also, “side 2” (the live tracks on the last half) of their album “XXX” rocks, especially “Teddy Bear”* and “Sinpusher” (a reworking of “Pincushion”) and “Belt Buckle” are worth checking out.


*I detest the original Elvis recording of “Teddy Bear”…it’s everything wrong that Elvis ever did, encapsulated into one stupid pop song…but when ZZ Top twisted it up and had Dusty singing it…GoodLawdAlmighty, that’s freakin’ cool! My band has done it a few times (ZZ Top-style) and I’ve even done it solo, and it always kills…they somehow made that song sexy and naughty…

 
Amp Mad Scientist said:
I think Hendrix opened the gates:
changed guitar playing and modern music as we know it.
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Hendrix was the first guy to crack the code and open up the guitar as instrument with limitless possibilities. Jeff Beck, prior to Hendrix, was the greatest. Hendrix took that throne and ran with it, but in doing so, he inspired Beck himself to reach further in the aftermath.

He was like Neil Armstrong walking on the moon: that one small step for man, was a giant leap for mankind. That was how far Hendrix ushered in virtuosity
 
gball said:
Just gonna say it, flame suit donned: IMO Hendrix is incredibly overrated as a guitar player. Half of what he played is just noise and he was consistently out of tune.
That out of the way he wrote great songs, but not even close to what The Rev has given us (up to Deguello, after that not so much). ZZ Top easily takes it for me.
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I agree to a point. Technically Hendrix was a sloppy psychedelic blues player - he really shone in live performances and seemed like he heard sounds rather than notes. Very incredible showman.
Album wise he did some very interesting things but again, is a product of the 60s. He died in 1970.
So even though our poll starts 1968, as a band his output was very limited in the 70s and by no means IMO out does what ZZ did.
 
Clockworkmike said:
Hendrix was the first guy to crack the code and open up the guitar as instrument with limitless possibilities. Jeff Beck, prior to Hendrix, was the greatest. Hendrix took that throne and ran with it, but in doing so, he inspired Beck himself to reach further in the aftermath.

He was like Neil Armstrong walking on the moon: that one small step for man, was a giant leap for mankind. That was how far Hendrix ushered in virtuosity
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I have to agree that Jeff Beck was the cutting edge founding father of modern guitar.
I do love Jeff Beck.
Beck and Hendrix are my major influences along with Jimmy Page, of course.
You can't really mention the greatest players without Jimmy Page.
 
If there had been no Hendrix , there would have been no Uli Roth or Frank Marino .At least not the Uli we got. I can tell you every band I would choose in the list, Well half, let’s say.

I had ZZ Top and listened to them but not nearly the intensity I listened to Scorpions with Roth. Not even in the same stratosphere.

I never ever went toward any radio played music back in the day it seemed meaningless to me.
 
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