Which do you prefer?
Allman Brothers.
I’m not a huge fan of either, but the Allman Bros probably have more songs I can listen to and enjoy than ZZ Top. However, “La Grange” is by far the best song in the combined catalogs of the two bands.
:eek:
I’m going to say Allman Brothers. But damn, ZZ Top is good too. It’s pretty close, but not as close as if you said Allman Bros v. Skynyrd.
Allman Brothers, not even close. Parsecs ahead. “Jessica” alone wins the day for the Allmans.
Allman Brothers in a walk. Nothing in ZZ Top’s repertoire rises to the level of “Sweet Melissa.”
You must be mistaken. “Whipping Post” is the best song in the combined catalog. “La Grange” is a ripoff of the Stones’ “Hip Shake”, in itself an hommage to Slim Harpo & John Lee Hooker.
Allman Bros. By a distance that is so astronomical that I can’t believe the question isn’t a joke.
This isn’t even fair, Allman Brothers of course.
I have never considered ZZ Top as southern rock. Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, .38 Special, and Stevie Ray Vaughn would be classified as southern rock in my book. ZZ Top is a middle of the road guitar band with a touch of humor much like Cheap Trick or Joe Walsh.
With Duane, not even close. The preMTV ZZ Top and the Post-Duane Allmans are close. Overall Allman Bros by quite a bit.
You know, actually, I was all ready to get behind this post. But then you had to throw Stevie Ray Vaughn in there. I’d say both ZZ Top and SRV are Texas rock. I’ll agree that I don’t really think about either as being Southern Rock.
To your list of Southern Rock, I would add people like The Marshall Tucker Band, Wet Willie, and the Doobie Brothers. And maybe newer bands like The Drive-By Truckers.
But you’re right - I never really considered ZZ Top to be “Southern Rock.”
I like quite a bit of ZZ Top, very much. I like all of the Allman Bros, very much.
To the Allmans, by a whisker.
I thought Southern Rock consisted of Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers and Little Feat. The only stuff I own are the early Little Feat albums.
Agree Allman Brothers, agree not even a legitimate comparison.
There’s no contest at all, the Allman Brothers are clearly better than ZZ Top. Don’t get me wrong, I like ZZ Top ok, but they are not of legendary status in my mind.
Allman Brothers against whoever you want to name in American rock history, and it’s still the Allman Brothers. But Allman Brothers against ZZ Top? Not a contest. Not even a question.
Like twickster, I thought this thread was going to be some kind of joke thread.
You’re pitting the best band in U.S. rock history against one whose videos are more fun with the sound turned off!
(OK, that’s hyperbole. Some of their songs are fun. But their videos made the band, not their songs.)
Allman Brothers, no question.
Who’s next, The Beatles vs. Yes? The Commodores vs…uh, Xavier Cugat?
Allman Brothers, not even close.
That said, “LaGrange” by ZZ Top absolutely kicks ass.
It’s still hyperbole. MTV didn’t come along untill legs, and they’d done some quite good songs before then. ZZ Top did some very good music; though they’re not comparable to the Allmans, I think its ludicrous to explain their popularity as due only to videos.