Bullshit On: Livestock Claims Regarding ZZ Top's Worldwide Texas Tour
By Mr. Moderator on Jan 27, 2010
Here's an excerpt from ZZ Top's Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame page that repeats the claim I've heard for as long as I can remember that ZZ Top did a Texas cattle ranch-themed tour that included real livestock on stage with them:
ZZ Top carried stagecraft to elaborate heights with its Worldwide Texas Tour: Taking Texas to the People. For this mid-Seventies extravaganza, which came between Fandango! and Tejas, ZZ Top lugged 75 tons of equipment and animals native to Texas, including a buffalo, a longhorn steer, buzzards and rattlesnakes. They also performed on a Texas-shaped stage.
That's from the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, remember, an actual, industry-approved museum with dedicated curators! I've never been there, but if a fruitless community-wide, 3-day search of the Internet indicates anything I bet the Hall of Fame doesn't even possess photographic evidence of this rock myth!
Following is the photographic result of our search of ZZ Top pictured on stage with even a single, living buffalo, longhorn steer, buzzard, or rattlesnake.
Follow up:
On behalf of Rock Town Hall, until photographic evidence is brought forth, I hereby call BULLSHIT ON livestock claims regarding ZZ Top's Worldwide Texas Tour!
23 comments
Comment from: general slocum [Member] 
Mod, surely I've told you this story several times! I saw that show at the Spectrum. 1 longhorn whatever, 1 other huge bovine, a big vulture on a cactus, a stage made up like a Texas desert/prarieish landscape, and a set that went from sunup to sundown with the sun arcing across the back. It's all true. I sat through Ted Nugent to see it! And in the middle, a laseriffic BOC show. Faubulous. My brother was pissed because he had to go my cousin's wedding and missed it. The stage crap with ZZ Top meant the show didn't let out till like 1 am! We walked to a friend's grandparents' house in South Philly to get a ride home, and they were pissed. It's all true, Mod. Duh.
01/27/10 @ 14:13
Comment from: hrrundivbakshi [Member]
In addition to thye photographic evidence I've already submitted -- which you do not reference in your incendiary post -- I re-read the 20 pages written about the tour by a former ZZ roadie in his excellent tell-all memoir "Sharp-Dressed Men." He tells of buzzards, bison, long-horn cattle, and their management from the roadie perspective Evidently, the greatest threat to the livestock's health wasn't the noise -- it was the heat generated by the stage lights, which evidently killed off a buzzard or two. Now you know why the Zeez were relatively clean-shaven at the time: fear of heat-stroke!
01/27/10 @ 14:48
Comment from: BigSteve [Member]
I have never doubted that the tour took place as advertised, and I'm happy that we have an eye witness. The question has evolved to the one about why there is a dearth of photographic evidence.
01/27/10 @ 18:49
Comment from: hrrundivbakshi [Member]
Video footage from the World Wide Texas tour! At one point, there's an indistinct, perhaps-bison-shaped blob at stage left -- but that could be a shadow cast by Dusty's beard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1-q6WHxA4E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1-q6WHxA4E
01/27/10 @ 19:33
Comment from: misterioso [Member]
Can it be that--perhaps--pictures of various wildlife were projected behind the stage, and the slack-jawed yokels who comprised the lion's share (or vulture's share) of the audience mistook them for reality, not unlike the bewildered Parisians seeing the first motion pictures shown by the Lumiere Brothers in the 1890s who feared they were about to be hit by a train coming out of the screen?
01/28/10 @ 09:53
Comment from: writehearnow [Member]
I seriously doubt that the musicians on the WWTT such as Aerosmith's Tom Hamilton were imaging the piles of manure they were regularly having to avoid stepping in on stage. The animals were real.
01/28/10 @ 09:57
Comment from: misterioso [Member]
writeherenow, you are advancing members of Aerosmith as reliable witnesses? I believe you are making my case.
01/28/10 @ 10:25
Comment from: writehearnow [Member]
LOL!! Good one misterioso. Tom Hamilton is such the underrated rock bassist. My god that man's ear is incredible.
01/28/10 @ 16:09
Comment from: treego [Member]
I was at the Seattle World Wide Texas tour and was just comin' on to some acid at that point and did see a buffalo after hearing it beller on one side of the stage. Then on the other side, I saw a Texas Longhorn comin' up to stage level by elevator as was the buffalo. Blew me away! On stage on a perch, was a vulture, which when the crowd got wild, would spread it's wings! Great show except that some asshole set a tear gas canister off after the encore. I thought it was another smoke and light show until, people started falling backwards. 14 thousand people cleared the place in about 5 minutes. Never saw so many all teared up. Look for your pics or eat some shit!
01/29/10 @ 01:36
Comment from: treego [Member]
Hey just noticed that your bull is a little girl! Sounds like bull on your part! Chuck
01/29/10 @ 01:40
Still no pictures, but I did find this on the Chik Fil A website (their FAQ):
Q: So, how did the Chick-fil-A Cows get their start?
A: The cows originally got their start in the music business during the 60’s as the hit group “Holly Holstein and the Heifers”. They were instrumental in the development of the “Moo-town Sound” that swept the nation. By the early 70’s, however, music tastes had changed, leaving the band to chew their cud and ponder their next direction. Down on their luck, the reluctantly signed on with ZZ Top for the 1976 “Worldwide Texas Tour”.
The tour was a disaster from its inception. The band mistakenly believed they had signed on as the opening act for ZZ Top, seeing it as a chance to revive their flagging musical career. However, they were really brought on the tour as stage props. Though humiliated, the cows honored their contract. Stories abound of post-concert debauchery the cows endured. The all night milkings and tippings made this a dark stain on the cows otherwise stellar reputation. Ever conscious of their image and reputation, the cows have managed to suppress most of the media coverage from the tour. Few, if any, photos remain to document this sad chapter in their career.
From there, the cows embarked on a remarkable film career, including such memorable performances as: Raiders of the Lost Steak, Forrest Rump, and The English Heifer. Having earned more hay than they could possibly consume, the cows retired from public life. As a public service to less fortunate cows, they remain active as Chick-fil-A spokes-creatures.
TB
Q: So, how did the Chick-fil-A Cows get their start?
A: The cows originally got their start in the music business during the 60’s as the hit group “Holly Holstein and the Heifers”. They were instrumental in the development of the “Moo-town Sound” that swept the nation. By the early 70’s, however, music tastes had changed, leaving the band to chew their cud and ponder their next direction. Down on their luck, the reluctantly signed on with ZZ Top for the 1976 “Worldwide Texas Tour”.
The tour was a disaster from its inception. The band mistakenly believed they had signed on as the opening act for ZZ Top, seeing it as a chance to revive their flagging musical career. However, they were really brought on the tour as stage props. Though humiliated, the cows honored their contract. Stories abound of post-concert debauchery the cows endured. The all night milkings and tippings made this a dark stain on the cows otherwise stellar reputation. Ever conscious of their image and reputation, the cows have managed to suppress most of the media coverage from the tour. Few, if any, photos remain to document this sad chapter in their career.
From there, the cows embarked on a remarkable film career, including such memorable performances as: Raiders of the Lost Steak, Forrest Rump, and The English Heifer. Having earned more hay than they could possibly consume, the cows retired from public life. As a public service to less fortunate cows, they remain active as Chick-fil-A spokes-creatures.
TB
01/29/10 @ 09:02
Comment from: Mr. Moderator [Member]
treego, welcome aboard and thanks for your eyewitness testimony. The fact that two Townspeople have now stepped forward with personal recollections of the livestock on this tour is promising in our quest to verify the story. The fact, however, that at least one of you reports being on mind-altering substances does hinder the credibility of your reports. I know I'm not alone in feeling that a photo would help put this matter to rest. Thanks!
TB, nice find!
TB, nice find!
01/29/10 @ 09:25
Comment from: Mr. Moderator [Member]
What was it with concerts in the '70s ending prematurly with tear gas, firecrackers, and the like? Can you imagine that happening at an Arcade Fire show?
01/29/10 @ 18:13
Comment from: treego [Member]
The show was over and the crowd was trying for another encore, coulda even been them wanting to get out. Ya think maybe. Sounds like a history scandal to me! Tell us Billy!
01/29/10 @ 18:24
It's true. ZZ's longtime artist, Bill Narum, designed the stages, live animals and all, as well as the muraled trucks that carried them, and tended them on the tour. I was fortunate to share his last five years and heard many stories about it. There are a few photos from the tour on his Web site at billnarum.com/stage.htm.
02/06/10 @ 14:33
Comment from: Mr. Moderator [Member]
Thanks for checking in and helping us get to the bottom of this, austinmuse. Sorry to hear about your loss. The ongoing Bill Narum exhibit that I saw on your blog looks like something worth seeing:
http://samopc.blogspot.com/2010/01/tribute-to-bill-narum.html
http://samopc.blogspot.com/2010/01/tribute-to-bill-narum.html
02/06/10 @ 16:15
Comment from: pontiac69 [Member]
I was at the infamous show in Pittsburgh. The animals were real, but they were far from the most amazing thing I saw that day. We came in from the west & the highway was a solid traffic jam at 1030 on a Sat.morning.People sold weed & brownies car to car in the road. I saw one person put a bottle on the Jersey barrier & within minutes it was totally covered all the way from Carnegie to the tunnels. We sat 20 rows or so behind home plate & on the field I watched 2 bikers (real ones in colors)
charge at ea other from 50 ft & collide & you could HEAR it- I mean 15 guys were stompin ea other FOR REAL. The infield was covered in plywood (baseball season) & it was pulled up & made into cabins(many of them). There is no aisle thats horizontal across the box seats so folks used the top of the dugouts & the corregated metal was totally caved in & destroyed. In the outer concession area I got in a line to the head (many lines going way far) & it turned out to be one of 5 going to ONE trash can (almost filled to the top). I saw someone shove an m 100 down an older security guard's pants & it blew up on his lower leg-unreal.People were climbing up on the foul ball net & I saw a guy do a half gainer (not on purpose) to the field right on his head- I mean 20 feet. There was a big fat guy passed out on the net almost right above us & hundreds of bottles collected all around him like a great big floor drain. M100s rained down from the upper deck all nite.The net was slowing them up a little so they were exploding above & around our heads constantly. Hundreds of folks were passed out in the dirt (including me for all of Aerosmith -I heard they sucked). Puke all over the place. People fucking in sleeping bags (and not in sleeping bags) in the dugouts & on the field.This was all long before the sun went down. There's a lot more I don't remember.Wildest concert ever. I was too young & stupid to be afraid
charge at ea other from 50 ft & collide & you could HEAR it- I mean 15 guys were stompin ea other FOR REAL. The infield was covered in plywood (baseball season) & it was pulled up & made into cabins(many of them). There is no aisle thats horizontal across the box seats so folks used the top of the dugouts & the corregated metal was totally caved in & destroyed. In the outer concession area I got in a line to the head (many lines going way far) & it turned out to be one of 5 going to ONE trash can (almost filled to the top). I saw someone shove an m 100 down an older security guard's pants & it blew up on his lower leg-unreal.People were climbing up on the foul ball net & I saw a guy do a half gainer (not on purpose) to the field right on his head- I mean 20 feet. There was a big fat guy passed out on the net almost right above us & hundreds of bottles collected all around him like a great big floor drain. M100s rained down from the upper deck all nite.The net was slowing them up a little so they were exploding above & around our heads constantly. Hundreds of folks were passed out in the dirt (including me for all of Aerosmith -I heard they sucked). Puke all over the place. People fucking in sleeping bags (and not in sleeping bags) in the dugouts & on the field.This was all long before the sun went down. There's a lot more I don't remember.Wildest concert ever. I was too young & stupid to be afraid
04/01/10 @ 19:58
Comment from: Mr. Moderator [Member]
pontiac69, thanks for finding us and sharing! This brings back the true spirit of massive '70s rock concerts! Don't be a stranger.
04/01/10 @ 20:11
Comment from: hrrundivbakshi [Member]
I gotta say, MAD EFFING PROPS to Pontiac 69 for telling us that tale of 1970s rock concert insanity. One of the best, most authentic, most compelling moments of RTH 2010, for me. ZZ Top or no ZZ Top! Thanks!
04/01/10 @ 20:41
Comment from: mrclean [Member]
Nice try "Pontiac 69" but it's 4/1 and nothing on the Internet is true today.
04/01/10 @ 21:15
Comment from: Mr. Moderator [Member]
Has the Snowman been snowed?!?! But mrclean, how can we be sure what you're saying is true? I'm so confused.
04/01/10 @ 21:51
Comment from: pontiac69 [Member]
Thanks all
I forgot to mention how ZZ was bad to the fuckin' bone & at the height of their powers in 76- the show opened w/ the entire live side of Fandango & when they did the back & forth vocals on Mello Down Easy they stood about 8 ft apart & walked straight forward & backward a good 10 ft.to their mikes,real fast, so that they were there for a second at a time,exactly when they needed to be. I'd love to see a clip of that. Four yrs later they were at civic arenafor the Deguello tour & looked like they aged 25 years. Billy Gibbons' voice was shot .
I forgot to mention how ZZ was bad to the fuckin' bone & at the height of their powers in 76- the show opened w/ the entire live side of Fandango & when they did the back & forth vocals on Mello Down Easy they stood about 8 ft apart & walked straight forward & backward a good 10 ft.to their mikes,real fast, so that they were there for a second at a time,exactly when they needed to be. I'd love to see a clip of that. Four yrs later they were at civic arenafor the Deguello tour & looked like they aged 25 years. Billy Gibbons' voice was shot .
04/01/10 @ 22:12
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