I loved this article. Thank you... such an interesting time in the development of the American marketing machine... and to actually talk to some of the perpetrators is just so cool!
Two of the guys from ZZ Top being involved is somehow equal parts surprising and unsurprising.
And their lack of recollection of it, I completely understand. I mean, I've played maybe 100 live shows with different bands throughout my life. I'm 52. I couldn't tell you how we got the shows we played at Uncle Charlie's in Corte Madera... it was the most popular place for bands to play in my area, and somehow we got slots there. Not prime slots, but we did. I have no idea who booked the gigs, how much we got paid, or even the name of the promoter or bar manager... both of who I knew fairly well. Now imagine all the people the guys in ZZ Top have met throughout their lives. All the shows they have played. And all the drugs/drink they have had. And we want them to remember a couple of road shows they did playing cover tunes back in the 60's? I'm glad this article preserves a bit of that history that would otherwise been lost.