Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box [Box set] [Original recording remastered]

Track Listings
Disc: 1

1. You Make Me Shake - The Moving Sidewalks

2. Joe Blues - The Moving Sidewalks

3. Crimson Witch - The Moving Sidewalks

4. Miller's Farm

5. Salt Lick

See all 20 tracks on this disc
Disc: 2

1. Precious and Grace

2. Shiek

3. Thunderbird [Live]

4. Jailhouse Rock [Live]

5. Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings

See all 24 tracks on this disc
Disc: 3

1. I Wanna Drive You Home

2. It's So Hard

3. Pearl Necklace

4. Heaven, Hell or Houston

5. Gimme All Your Lovin

See all 20 tracks on this disc
Disc: 4

1. Concrete and Steel

2. Lovething

3. Penthouse Eyes

4. My Head's in Mississippi

5. Give It Up

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Tracks:

You Make Me Shake - The Moving Sidewalks
Joe Blues - The Moving Sidewalks
Crimson Witch - The Moving Sidewalks
Miller's Farm
Salt Lick
Brown Sugar
Goin' Down to Mexico
Just Got Back from Baby's
Francine
Just Got Paid
Ko Ko Blue
Chevrolet
Bar-B-Q
Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell
Whiskey'n Mama
La Grange
Waitin' for the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
Master of Sparks

Tracks:

Precious and Grace
Shiek
Thunderbird [Live]
Jailhouse Rock [Live]
Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings
Heard It on the X
Blue Jean Blues
Mexican Blackbird
Tush
It's Only Love
Arrested for Driving While Blind
Diablo
Enjoy and Get It On
She's a Heartbreaker
Asleep in the Desert
I Thank You
Cheap Sunglasses
I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
Fool for Your Stockings
DegAlbum Radio Spot
Manic Mechanic
She Loves My Automobile
Leila
Tube Snake Boogie

Tracks:

I Wanna Drive You Home
It's So Hard
Pearl Necklace
Heaven, Hell or Houston
Gimme All Your Lovin
Got Me Under Pressure
TV Dinners
Sharp Dressed Man
Legs
I Got the Six
Dirty Dog
If I Could Only Flag Her Down
Sleeping Bag
Stages
Woke Up With Wood
Rough Boy
Can't Stop Rockin'
Planet of Women
Velcro Fly
Delirious

Tracks:

Concrete and Steel
Lovething
Penthouse Eyes
My Head's in Mississippi
Give It Up
Doubleback
2000 Blues
Reverberation (Doubt)
Viva Las Vegas
Gun Love
Francine [Spanish]
Cheap Sunglasses [Live]
Legs [Dance Mix]
Viva Las Vegas [12" Remix]
Give It Up [2,800 Mile Remix]
Velcro Fly [12" Remix]

Customer Reviews:

SUPERB.......2007-01-11

Ok, I have read the other reviews. It is true that the exclusion of Backdoor Love Affair is criminal. And it is also true the mixes, dance tracks at the end of disk 4 are ignorant. Come on it's ZZ Top, we don't want to hear some dance mix. We wanna boogie woogie Texas style.

Why someone called Heaven, Hell or Houston their worse song. NO WAY! Heaven, Hell or Houston and Manic Mechanic are both in the same vein and are 2 of my favorite tunes by the band. Of course the single best song ever has to be Waitin/Jesus Just Left.

All in all, I am very happy to have the proper remastering of these songs. The six pack was a complete joke. Now ZZ Top needs to release a live album that can stand the test of time. I believe they are capable of making a (Seger)Live Bullet or (Cheap Trick)Live at Budakon or (U.F.O.)Strangers In The Night.

Rock on my little ol' band from Tejas!

Intelligent song selection.......2006-08-26

Even though this package is a bit pricey, each CD is packed with over 75 minutes of music, and the accompanying booklet is well-written, interesting and a good addition to the set.

The song selections are right on the money. For Tres Hombres and Fandango, for instance, the best songs were chosen and the lemons were left off of this compilation. One could quibble about including more from the First Album, but then choices had to be made. In general, every song on this compilation is enjoyable. A 5 or 6 CD set could easily have been released but this is an excellent sampling.

A couple of the other reviewers gave incorrect information which I'd like to correct. The version of Legs is the exact same version, down to the second, as appeared on their album Eliminator--it was not cut-off during a guitar solo as one reviewer erroneously stated. Also, another reviewer said that this compilation uses the "disco mix" releases of the early albums. The reviewer is wrong. This set uses a remastering of the original album releases, not the bogus rerecorded versions.

Chewy Goodness.......2006-06-28

I must say that this collection demonstrates the most impressive improvement via remastering that I've yet experienced. It's almost like hearing these tunes for the first time.
If you like the Top, this is a worthwhile investment. I've nearly worn it out.

Love this Box Set !.......2006-06-17

Other more knowledgeable reviewers have covered some of the omissions and details regarding this box set---

All I know is that overall ( minus a few tracks covered by other reviewers ) this is some really fine music covering a 20 year period . Billy Gibbons while maybe not the fastest or most flashy guitarist around says a hell of a lot more with fewer notes than most with his awe inspiring tone and soulful playing.Get this set and enjoy !

ZZ TOP for those that only know the hits!.......2006-01-07

Great package that you can see the band was involved in. Too bad it doesnt include anything from their last 4 albums but this is all original Warner Bros. material so you know that your time and money will be well worth it. Interesting how this band can strike gold twice in the 70s and 80s and have yet to find their 'comeback' ala the Stones rediscovering themselves on the terrific Bigger Bang album.

Average customer rating:

Chrome, Smoke, & BBQ will have to do for now
4 CD's Is Two Too Many
There is a difference from the original
"Limited Edition" box set vs. standard box set.....
Great collection

Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box
ZZ Top
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Road to Escondido

ASIN: B0000CF35L
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

You Make Me Shake - The Moving Sidewalks
Joe Blues - The Moving Sidewalks
Crimson Witch - The Moving Sidewalks
Miller's Farm
Salt Lick
Brown Sugar
Goin' Down to Mexico
Just Got Back from Baby's
Francine
Just Got Paid
Ko Ko Blue
Chevrolet
Bar-B-Q
Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell
Whiskey'n Mama
La Grange
Waitin' for the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
Master of Sparks

Tracks:

Precious and Grace
Shiek
Thunderbird
Jailhouse Rock
Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings
Heard It on the X
Blue Jean Blues
Mexican Blackbird
Tush
It's Only Love
Arrested for Driving While Blind
El Diablo
Enjoy and Get It On
She's a Heartbreaker
Asleep in the Desert
I Thank You
Cheap Sunglasses
I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide
Fool for Your Stockings
DegAlbum Radio Spot
Manic Mechanic
She Loves My Automobile
Leila
Tube Snake Boogie

Tracks:

I Wanna Drive You Home
It's So Hard
Pearl Necklace
Heaven, Hell or Houston
Gimme All Your Lovin
Got Me Under Pressure
TV Dinners
Sharp Dressed Man
Legs
I Got the Six
Dirty Dog
If I Could Only Flag Her Down
Sleeping Bag
Stages
Woke Up With Wood
Rough Boy
Can't Stop Rockin'
Planet of Women
Velcro Fly
Delirious

Tracks:

Concrete and Steel
Lovething
Penthouse Eyes
My Head's in Mississippi
Give It Up
Doubleback
Blues
Reverberation (Doubt)
Viva Las Vegas
Gun Love
Francine
Cheap Sunglasses [Live]
Legs [Dance Mix]
Viva Las Vegas [12" Remix]
Give It Up [2,800 Mile Remix]
Velcro Fly [12" Remix]

Customer Reviews:

Chrome, Smoke, & BBQ will have to do for now.......2004-06-26

"Chrome, Smoke, & BBQ" is ZZ Top's career-spanning box set, or at least the period they were with Warner Bros. This is a great set of tunes, and it is interesting to see them progress from album to album, song to song. And the sound is a hell of a lot better than what's on the albums. Man, those suck! I've only bought ZZ Top's post-WB cds, and I had "Eliminator" and "Afterburner", which weren't re-done for the dreaded "Six Pack", because they were released during that period. I was going to start on the old albums, figuring I would live with that sound. Then, this set came out, and I purchased it, and I won't touch the old albums until they are remastered. It just won't seem right. Now that they have ZZ's greatest songs sounding right, maybe Warner will get it together and remaster all of the old albums. ZZ also needs to stay away from the remixes. Why not put on "Dust My Broom" from "Deguello" or "Balinese" from "Fandango"? That would've been much better than the "Give It Up 2800 Mile Remix". Oh well, most of the material that is on this record is great, probably about 98%. This will just have to do for now. Until the remastered albums come out, THIS IS WORTH EVERY FREAKING PENNY! Long live the Reverend Billy G, the Dust Man, and the Beardless One!

4 CD's Is Two Too Many.......2004-02-26

As I've said for many years; the longer Billy Gibbons(guitar)and Dusty Hill's(bass) beards got, the worse their music got. So it comes as no surprise that anything the venerable group has done post 70's has not aged very well. Sure "Legs" and "Give Me All Your Lovin'" were cool in the 80's, but here, put up against classic riffs like "Just Got Paid" and "Fool For Your Stockings," they just don't measure up. I hate to say it, but who the hell gave Billy a synth? That one act brought the downfall of a once great rock band. Don't think so? Go back and listen to Top's smokin' version of "I Thank You" or the crazy "Manic Mechanic." They could burn your house down with their music alone. Material like that is why I gave it 4 stars. It's worth it just because of songs like "Waitin' For The Bus" and it's partner "Jesus Just Left Chicago." The best the 80's had to offer was "TV Dinners." Not much of a comparison. And don't even get me started about the "Recycler" era. Why Billy, why the synth? WHY?

There is a difference from the original.......2004-01-12

If you're like me and have every ZZ album already, and are sitting on the fence on whether to shell out the $ for this box, do yourself a favor and head over to itunes.com and listen to the songs. There is actually a pretty big difference in the remasters, especially the earlier stuff like Brown Sugar and Chevrolet, and in stuff from Degüello. The simple, straightforward tone of the remasters is what cinched the purchase for me. The unreleased stuff is there too for the listening. You decide. Also available from itunes.com, a legal download of the entire album for $20 less than this site.

"Limited Edition" box set vs. standard box set............2004-01-10

There are two box sets available for this Texas Top collection. I ordered the "limited edition" set which is an additional $18 after I looked on another site and read that the limited edition came with ZZ Top action figures which I thought might be fairly cool. After receiving my set I found out that the "action figures" are actually color paper cut outs of the band and a few things like BBQ Ribs and a picnic table, etc. So...the music is great with a few omissions that are detailed in other reviews. I just wanted people to know that the only difference between the limited edition and the standard set is color paper cut outs. If that is worth the additional pesos to you fine....after seeing them I really wish I hard ordered the other set. Great Jams though....

Great collection.......2003-12-19

Hey! the music's great. It's just that it's a lot of money for only a few songs I don't already have. Include the remixes and thats still only about as much material as there's on mescalerowhich is a lot cheaper. That said, it's a great collection showing the badn progress through the years and I think every album should be included because this set is not to cater for one person's personal preferences, it's to give you an overview of the band from 69-92. DOn't have a ZZ Top CD/record and would like to start a collection, start here and see which songs from which albums you like and then go and buy the album. If you want American blues, their album is on Amazon, just type in "American Blues" under the Popular music [artists name] heading and the result "Is here" is 9 songs from the American blues band, containing Dusty Hill, Frank Beard and I think Dusty's brother was the other member. The moving sidewalks are also on Amazon and three tracks appear on here.

Music Review:

Music Review

Music Review

1. You Make Me Shake - The Moving Sidewalks
2. Joe Blues - The Moving Sidewalks
3. Crimson Witch - The Moving Sidewalks
4. Miller's Farm
5. Salt Lick

1. Precious and Grace
2. Shiek
3. Thunderbird [Live]
4. Jailhouse Rock [Live]
5. Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings

1. I Wanna Drive You Home
2. It's So Hard
3. Pearl Necklace
4. Heaven, Hell or Houston
5. Gimme All Your Lovin

1. Concrete and Steel
2. Lovething
3. Penthouse Eyes
4. My Head's in Mississippi
5. Give It Up