ZZ Top, George Thorogood and The Destroyers, und George Thorogood

In 1969 the band was formed by Billy Gibbons, a man touted by none other than the great Jimi Hendrix as the next hottest guitarist, in Houston, Texas. After a few line-up changes, Billy eventually bought in Dusty Hill on bass and Frank Beard on Drums (who ironically is the one without the beard). This line-up has remained a constant for their 40 year career which a complete rarity for a band of their caliber.

With the line-up in place, the band set about defining their signature sound, rooted in Gibbons’ uniquely raw guitar tone and the thunderous rhythm section of Hill and Beard. They experienced immediate success and this period spawned anthems like the groovy, ‘La Grange’, a catchy tune that perfectly captures the nature of its inspiration, a Texan brothel.

In 1983 they released Eliminator and shocked critics and fans with a change of direction. They added synthesizers and sequencers to their signature sound and although some fans found it hard to adjust to the change, the album went on to sell over 10 million copies and is seen as a certified classic after it spawned timeless hits like Sharp Dressed Man.

The band have continued to release music and tour and in 2004 they were deservedly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For these sharp dressed men, the show just keeps going.

Initially a minor-league baseball player, George Thorogood decided to pursue a music career after seeing a John Paul Hammond performance in 1970. This was to be a sensible choice for the blues man, going on to release over 20 albums, selling 15 million records worldwide. Whilst his music may be dismissed by blues purists, he has become widely popular through his loud, lively hits that gained significant radio exposure in the 80s. His raucous blues channels the Chicago blues sound of the 50s, with a rampant rock & roll backed by his longterm band The Destroyers.

Through regular performances on the blues club circuit, the band were discovered by Rounder Records, releasing their eponymous debut in 1977. The band's second album, "Move It on Over" (1978) was to find them huge popularity, with a cover of Hank Williams' track receiving heavy radio airplay, boosting the album's sales which reached the American top 40 and became certified Gold.

In 1982, George Thorogood signed to major label, EMI Records, releasing their major debut in 1982, titled "Bad to the Bone." The album's title track became a massive crossover hit, appealing to a wide audience and finding extensive radio airplay and rotation on MTV. The song has gone on to be featured in several films and television productions over the years. The album went Gold and spent almost a year in the charts. This success continued for Thorogood's next three albums, all becoming certified Gold.

At the start of the following decade, Thorogood's popularity waned, although he continued to release albums and tour extensively to moderate success, drawing large crowds to his performances. In recent years, Thorogood has recorded two albums of bar blues covers, releasing "The Dirty Dozen" n 2009 and "2120 South Michigan Ave.," in 2011 as a tribute to Chess Records.