10 Perfect Rock Singles Of The 80s
5. ZZ Top: Sharp Dressed Man (1982)
Is there a more get-off-your-ass sound, then the rip roaring guitar of Billy Gibbons? You could power a car with all the horse power generated by this man's riffs. During the '60s, Gibbons was highly regarded in his field. Jimi Hendrix struck up a friendship with the young Texan when they toured together, going so far to call him his favourite guitar player - that's some damn fine praise.
The '70s saw Gibbons form ZZ Top, ripping riffs and licks, perfect for whisky sippin'. But by the time the '80s rolled round, mainstream rock had changed. Synthesisers and electric drum machines started becoming ever more prominent in popular music. The boys from ZZ Top were savvy enough to start incorporating these trends into their 1981 record El Loco. With the release of Eliminator, they'd mastered the sound. Sharp Dressed Man was one of many singles that solidified ZZ Top as a force to be reckoned with.
A resolute beat, played on an electric drum machine, served as the perfect platform for the simplistic but oh-so-satisfying revs of Gibbon's guitar - and damn, did the group look good to.