Texas blues/rock legends ZZ-TOP started rocking to the top of the Texas music scene in the early 1970’s. Guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard paid their dues with album after album of killer blues influenced Rock n Roll like TRES HOMBRES and FANDANGO. The Texas bad boys finally broke into the mainstream big time with their 1983 album, ELIMINATOR. Their music label (Warner Music) helped elevate ZZ-TOP by producing an unprecedented four music videos taken from the four hits on the album. Constant MTV rotation brought the music of ZZ-TOP into people’s living rooms and into the history of pop consciousness. From that point on, few bands ruled the 1980’s music scene with a combination of critically acclaimed albums, successful touring, and movie-quality music videos. Considering that the band has always been seriously involved in video production and live concert recording, its absolutely amazing that the band has not done a thing with the DVD format until 2004 when they finally put out their first full length digital release, ZZ-TOP’S GREATEST HITS: THE VIDEO COLLECTION.

ZZ-TOP’S GREATEST HITS: THE VIDEO COLLECTION is essentially a repackaging of their earlier VHS and LaserDisc release of the same title, with addition of several audio formats. You will watch the band as the low-budget early videos transform over time into megabuck glossy productions. The music videos are presented in chronologically form beginning with the following:

• Gimme All Your Lovin - The one that started it all—we don’t have to tell you about this video is about, but we can safely say that ZZ TOP and their babes help the oppressed youths strike back at their tormentors.
• Sharp Dressed Man - The bearded ones return and transform a nerd into a ladies man.
• Legs- This video alone is worth the price of admission for what the title promises—if you get my drift.
• TV Dinners- This low budget classic brings to mind an episode of THE OUTER LIMITS, complete with a stop motion animation clawed critter crawling out a guy’s TV dinner. Also no cars, no women, or other ZZ-TOP trappings.
• Sleeping Bag - One of ZZ-TOPS weakest videos.
• Stages- the Eliminator transforms into a space shuttle and heads for space.
• Rough Boy- The bearded ones jam this balsy-ballidish tune in their space station, accompanied by some very cool special effects, including Billy Gibbons playing his guitar while disembodied.
• Velcro Fly - A strange one from the boys with stock b & w dancing shots mixed with 1980’s style Egyptian flavored dancing, with the guys themselves getting in on the action.
• Give It Up - Pretty straightforward stuff—the band playing between shots of hotties and a bulldog (?). Keep an eye out for the animated robot in the end.
• My Heads in Mississippi - A great prison-break storyline accompanies this Mississippi flavored video.
• Burger Man - Not a great song, but a great video reminiscent of a 1950’s sci-fi B movie.
• Viva Las Vegas - The band go all out in Vegas for this fine Elvis cover—but it feels a little too glossy and commercial.

All the videos on ZZ-TOP’S GREATEST HITS: THE VIDEO COLLECTION were filmed in the original made-for-TV aspect ratio of 1.33.1. The videos are mostly from the mid-to-late 1980’s, but the digital authoring done here makes these dated material look brand new. If it weren’t for the obvious 1980s trappings (the clothes, haircuts, make-up, etc) you’d swear these are brand new. The images are razor sharp, and the picture allows a true sense of depth onto the screen. The colors are bold, rich, and fully saturated. Dark colors play an important part of ZZ-TOPS music videos and the black levels are tightly calibrated, which help to anchor the colors and clarity of the image. From the Audio Setup button, you can select Dolby Digital 2.0 sound (very good), Dolby Digital 5.1 (awesome), or DTS (earth shaking) surround sound which envelops you into the Rock n Roll fantasy land of ZZ-TOP. The instruments are tightly integrated and the vocals slice through the walls of sound like a knife through butter. The Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 tracks are truly tight and powerful—superior than either CD or MP3 quality. The bass is prominent and controlled.

ZZ-TOP fans may be disappointed in ZZ-TOP’S GREATEST HITS: THE VIDEO COLLECTION, because that’s all this disc is—merely a collection of music videos. I’ve heard people complain that there is no live footage here, nor are there any extras like on most DVDs. Perhaps the band is saving the live concert for an upcoming disc. ZZ-TOP’S GREATEST HITS: THE VIDEO COLLECTION will have to tide you over until that day comes. As it is, this disk may seem a bit rushed, but their record company ensured that this DVD looks and sounds superb—and with 3 soundtracks to choose from, no one will be unhappy with the audio (or the video) quality.

ZZ TOP's GREATEST HITS is available from DVDEmpire.com