FOR MOST OF THEIR 45 YEARS OF CRANKING OUT MUSIC IT’S BEEN ZZ TOP WITH A SLICE OF HAM. MANAGER BILL HAM WAS A HUGE INFLUENCE ON THE BAND FROM THE BEGINNING. HE ALWAYS KEPT THAT ZZ TOP SOUND PURRING ON ALL CYLINDERS.

EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE VOCAL AND GUTIAR OVER DUBS THE SONG, IN A GADDA DA VIDA, WAS RECORDED IN ONE TAKE; THE BAND THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING A SOUND CHECK FOR THE STUDIO ENGINEER. 

SO WHY DID THE BEAU BRUMMELS LOOSE THEIR LUSTER SO FAST FROM THE AM RADIO IN THE 60’S?  THEY HAD THE WRITING AND VOCAL CHOPS AND A GREAT SOUND, THAT MOST PEOPLE, IN THE BEGINNING, THOUGHT THEY WERE LISTENING TO ANOTHER BRITISH INVASION GROUP ON THEIR LITTLE TRANSISTOR RADIOS.

NOW YOU EITHER GOT THEM, OR YOU DIDN’T.

WITH ALBUMS TITLES SUCH AS FREAK OUT, UNCLE MEAT, BURNT WEENEY SANDWICH, AND WEASELS RIPPED MY FLESH… THE MOTHER’S OF INVENTION PUSHED THE ENVELOP.

The Ventures started out in 1958 when Don Wilson and Bob Bogle picked ten dollar guitars off a pawn shop rack and started a hacking around as a duo. They were originally called the Versatones.  But changed to the Ventures because somebody already had the name Versatones. Listen to the whole story now on Under The Classic Rock with Bill Hemberger.

True - Steven Stills did do an audition for the band/TV show.

False - Charles Manson did not audition of the show. The auditions were held in 1965, Manson was in jail from 61 to 67.