Out Tomorrow: ZZ TOP, CINCO: THE FIRST FIVE ALBUMS

Those who came of age as a member of the MTV generation often have a different frame of reference for classic rock artists than those who came up in the generations before them, and if there’s one band that can serve as poster boy for this phenomenon, it’s ZZ Top. The success of ELIMINATOR and AFTERBURNER – or, more specifically, the success of the videos for songs like “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs,” “TV Dinners,” “Sleeping Bag,” “Stages,” “Rough Boy,” and “Velcro Fly” – made the band a music-video staple for the entirety of the ‘80s, but it also created a generation almost wholly unaware of the fact that the band had already been a big deal in the ‘70s.

For those of you who still need an education, Rhino is going to be schooling you tomorrow, and we’ll be doing so with a vinyl box set that’s going to thrill longtime ZZ Top fans: CINCO: THE FIRST FIVE ALBUMS, a collection which includes ZZ TOP’S FIRST ALBUM, RIO GRANDE MUD, TRES HOMBRES, FANDANGO! and TEJAS.

Yes, of course, the albums are pressed on heavyweight 180-gram vinyl – because what are we, savages? – and, even better, they’re housed in a box that’s designed to resemble one of the band’s custom “nudie suits.”

If you’re a fan, you already know what music you’re going to be getting, but you can find the full track-listing below. And if you’re still a ZZ Top newbie and you don’t recognize the titles listed before you, then go forth and purchase CINCO with the knowledge that you’re about to have the time of your life.

ZZ TOP’S FIRST ALBUM

Side One
“(Someone Else Been) Shaking Your Tree”
“Brown Sugar”
“Squank”
“Goin’ Down To Mexico”
“Old Man”

Side Two
“Neighbor, Neighbor”
“Certified Blues”
“Bedroom Thang”
“Just Got Back From Baby’s”
“Backdoor Love Affair”

RIO GRANDE MUD

Side One
“Francine”
“Just Got Paid”
“Mushmouth Shoutin’”
“Ko Ko Blue”
“Chevrolet”

Side Two
“Apologies To Pearly”
“Bar-B-Q
“Sure Got Cold After The Rain Fell”
“Whiskey’n Mama”
“Down Brownie”

TRES HOMBRES

Side One
“Waitin’ For The Bus”
“Jesus Just Left Chicago”
“Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers”
“Master of Sparks”
“Hot, Blue And Righteous”

Side Two
“Move Me On Down The Line”
“Precious And Grace”
“La Grange”
“Shiek”
“Have You Heard?”

FANDANGO!

Side One
“Thunderbird”
“Jailhouse Rock”
“Backdoor Medley”
        “Backdoor Love Affair”
        “Mellow Down Easy”
        “Backdoor Love Affair No. 2”
        “Long Distance Boogie”

Side Two
“Nasty Dogs And Funky Kings”
“Blue Jean Blues”
“Balinese”
“Mexican Blackbird”
“Heard It On The X”
“Tush”

TEJAS

Side One
“It’s Only Love”
“Arrested For Driving While Blind”
“El Diablo”
“Snappy Kakkie”
“Enjoy And Get It On”

Side Two
“Ten Dollar Man”
“Pan Am Highway Blues”
“Avalon Hideaway”
“She’s A Heartbreaker”
“Asleep In The Desert”