Billy Gibbons Quotes & Sayings

Sounds like the blues are composed of feeling, finesse, and fear. — Billy Gibbons

Most of the reggae awareness is still among music industry people and people who are already into all types of music. — Billy Gibbons

I've been touted for my guacamole. I'll stand by my method. People have asked me to come to their home and prepare it. Restaurants have asked me about it. — Billy Gibbons

Sooner rather than later, any other form other than digital media will be a thing of the past. It won't vanish, but let's face it, this is seemingly the way of the future. — Billy Gibbons

My mom took my sister and me to see Elvis [Presley] in concert when was, maybe 5 or 6, and I liked everything about it. — Billy Gibbons

The rawness and the richness of music on vinyl almost went away, but it still seems to be on a lot of people's radar, and for good reason. It does something different than more accessible means of music playing, like MP3 players and downloads and whatnot. You get in front of these archaic contraptions that go 'round and 'round. — Billy Gibbons

I probably owe as much to Jeff Beck as I do to Son House with connections to the blues. — Billy Gibbons

The blues is a mighty long road. Or it could be a river, one that twists and turns and flows into a sea of limitless musical potential. — Billy Gibbons

It's a real uphill challenge to battle the white-guyness. — Billy Gibbons

I too once belived in the heavier gauge string as a superior tone source. However, thanks to the graciousness of B.B. King I learned that a lighter-gauge string offers superior playing comfort ... try it, you may like it ... — Billy Gibbons

It doesn't take much to be good, but it takes a lot to be real good. — Billy Gibbons

They prospect of seeing oneself in the mirror clean-shaven is too close to a Vincent Price film ... a prospect not to be contemplated, no matter the compensation. — Billy Gibbons

Our skin colours may vary, but what's upstairs - there's certain things we've all got in common. — Billy Gibbons

In 1950, the biggest amp you could get was no bigger than a tabletop radio. — Billy Gibbons

Ever since I was a little kid and first heard Jimmy Reed's 'Honey, Don't Let Me Go,' the blues has been in my blood. — Billy Gibbons

Each guitar has its own character and personality, which can be magnified once the player engages in beatin' it up — Billy Gibbons

Lightnin' Hopkins was something of a fixture on the Houston coffee house scene so we were witness to eccentric blues brilliance close up. Then, believe it or not, along came the wave of the English cats like John Mayall, Eric Clapton and the Stones embracing the great American art form - the blues. — Billy Gibbons

One springs to mind: one of our very first gigs in a small East Texas town was not well promoted. At least, that was our conclusion. After the band loaded in and the curtain opened, we realized there was exactly one paying customer in the audience. We kind of made the best of it playing through the first set, took a break and bought him a Coke and then went on to perform for the remainder of the night. It wasn't exactly a catastrophe but it certainly stands as legendary. — Billy Gibbons

Brian Eno and Robert Fripp's foray into some artful excursions into some ethereal electric experiments. There was a lot curious activities emerging in London, Amsterdam, and Berlin back then developing some fiercely fuzzy of synth-like effects way outside the norm which really blew the lid off things. — Billy Gibbons

The band is tight enough. Quit practicing! — Billy Gibbons

ZZ Top did get a chance to play with Lightnin' Hopkins and Jimmy Reed, there's still that one, single song we just can't shake ... J.B. Hutto's "Combination Boogie". — Billy Gibbons

The blues is life itself. — Billy Gibbons

Having a visual element to your band is a good thing. — Billy Gibbons

White people get nervous and speed things up. You don't have to be in a hurry because you ain't got nothing to gain and you ain't got nothin' to lose. And that's where the groove lies. — Billy Gibbons

Water doesn't hurt a vinyl record. Put it into a dishwasher and you're fine. — Billy Gibbons

When I was around 7 or 8 my Dad took me to a B.B. King recording session, well, that really did it. Huge and lasting impressions. After all that I pretty much knew playing guitar was something I was going to do because I just had to do it. And I did. — Billy Gibbons

Well, everybody faces the fact there really aren't many records stores around to just go and browse. Maybe browse online, yet that tactile feel of flipping through a stack of vinyl remains one of life's simple pleasures. — Billy Gibbons

Experience is definitely the high road once driven. It actually enhances the songwriting and song sourcing process. — Billy Gibbons

My discussion with Keith Richards about the creative process led me to believe that there's an invisible presence of a stream of ever-flowing creativity that we overhear-all you have to do is pull up the antenna and dial it in. This presence allows you to maintain your sense of origin and move forward. — Billy Gibbons

Every once in awhile I'll call up Eddie (Van Halen) and ask, Found that fourth chord yet? — Billy Gibbons

A blown-out tube ripped some of the grind from the amplifier, throwing us into a momentary tizzy. The unusual sound led me to play unusually, and the recorded take turned out to be a keeper. Insriration can come from the most unlikely places ... keep your head on and your ears open ... — Billy Gibbons

Did Muddy Waters play an acoustic? Well of course he did. But did he turn his back on being able to plug it in and play louder? No, he plugged in and turned it up and got miles and miles ahead of the game in one fateful act of just plugging in. — Billy Gibbons

Can't do it, simply cause underneath 'em is too ugly. — Billy Gibbons

It's important to collect unusual characters. It keeps you sharp. — Billy Gibbons

There's not a single genre that is hard to find or hard to get. — Billy Gibbons

If you're really looking for something in particular, it helps to take your time. — Billy Gibbons

Until you learn to play what you want to hear, you're barking up the wrong tree. — Billy Gibbons