The Moving Sidewalks - 99th Floor

[folderman71]

Had this in the 80s, 14 years old thought i was king of the mods lol

[posthumanhero]

VERY overrated garage band......lowest common denominator stuff always wows everyone except me.......this band always sounded rudimentary and by-the-numbers to my ears.....though the acoustic section of 'flashback' ad the song 'scoun da ba' are quite awesome -- both can be found on the flasback lp which is composed of largely hendrix-influenced material....again, highly overrated.........there's so much better out there......white lightening , forinstance.

[TheSunbau]

Really really good! I´m a big fan of this kind of raw and honest garage rock from the 60s. My hobby is to rediscover all those great bands that didn´t "broke through" It´s a fantastic musical treasure. Listen (youtube) for example to The Music Machine (talk, talk), The Golliwogs (Tell me) and of course THE ZETTLERS and their versions of "Skinnie Minnie" and Beautiful Delilah". Awesome!!! Really f....g good with a bloody driving beat.

[mickeymousebiker1]

Thanks, Billy! Thanks also to Roky Erickson! You guys made Tejas what it was in the mid-Sixties!  I knew you'd make a comeback, Roky! (Thanks to a Dell laptop commercial too).

[voxhammer]

Which one's Billy in the pic?

[Mischi666]

@voxhammer in comparison to ZZ Tops 1st album which i hold in hands.... i guess its the guy left. looks very much a like.

[dacat58]

@voxhammer Billy Gibbons is the one on the far left.

[dacat58]

@voxhammer Billy is the one in front left.

[nomenklaturahippie]

leggendario pezzo che hanno rifatto cani e porci..........

[mickeymousebiker1]

The Bay Area HA on a run up to Bass Lake circa 1965 - 1966. Bullets in the campfire and everything. This tune is KING TONE!

[PoserExposer]

Wonder if he was playing "Pearly Gates" on this? Hendrix gave Gibbons a strat when they played together,supposedly.This is pretty damn good

[jerrycardinal]

I just wikepiediea zztop, then went into movin sidewalks. Need me is way better than this song.

[TheSunbau]

What a typically great sound from the 60s..

And - I had no idea that Billy Gibbons was a member of The Moving Siedewalks.

For the second time I was suprised today. By chance I found THE ZETTLERS on the tube. Check out their version of "Skinnie Minnie" and "Beautiful Delilah". The recordings were made as early as 1965 . I´m stunned by the musical quality

[iamtheindyman]

thanks josh



[Trebuchet1066]

He was really cute in high school..class of '68...lol

[budboy1988]

Play it baby faced Billy.

[WorldCitizen667]

Yes sir!! ....."let's do it some more".....

[The1957girl]

Classic 60's sound, great

[DaDa2Phlux]

The first gigs were on Friday nights '"Canteen" ( boppers, chaperones & cops)at St.Phillips & Sat. for the over 21 shows at the new Catacombs in the burbs or downtown @ the legendary Cellar .

[LittaGangsta]

The beginning sounds like the doors

[KIDAmnesiacBends]

this is definetely a 13th floor elevators tribute

[gronx1979]

Rock and Roll trivia number 23: ZZ Top were renowned for playing a kick ass blend of blues and heavy rock while sporting enormous beards. For many years, the only beardless member of the group was drummer... Frank Beard!!! Oh the irony.....

[TOBERT001]

I never get fed up of listening to this.

It's getting to be a few years now.

[hippygirlof74]

Very cool. Music needs to be like this again. Thanks for posting this rare gem.

[DrAliasJones]

fuckin tits

[MrDimikor]

We won't stop, we won't stop...!

[joe007341]

JOE007341 saw the moving sidwalks in 66 at the dairy bar at surside beach

[mycuff2]

yes, i know its billy gibbons. i saw the moving sidewalks in houston playing this very song ... my first "concert" herman and the hermits played there also

[texadillo53]

Someone please post Flashback!!!!!!!!

[texadillo53]

@texadillo53 I found it.....

[SenorSpode]

They got a lot of nice girls-ah! *strategic pause* Now wait a minute... *another strategic pause* A-haw haw haw haw...

[Raysgotanewface]

Just listened to this like 10 times in a row, this is FUCKING AWESOME.

[Multi1628]

@Raysgotanewface Amen, brother! DAVEDJ 

[mikekadas]

99th Floor (bonus track) - The Moving Sidewalks [Houston, Texas] - 1967 - "AMG pick. TOPPED the Texan chart for FIVE weeks." - Flash + 5 Bonus Tracks [Import Germany] (Digitally Remastered; (Buy Or Die))-2001. NOTE: When Jimi Hendrix saw this band open for him, he said that guitarist was 'one of America's best'. Dispite their failure to break out onto the national scene, in Texas they were always extremely popular.

[DruNation]

who's singing?

[xcynicalxgamerx]

@DruNation The lead singer was Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top

[theorangebox999]

My favourite moving sidewalks is No need to cry

[huppenstein]

Proto-Top!

[hazybasementmusic]

A glimpse of things to come.  Thanks for posting this. Great stuff.

[matthewmaus]

And Creedence Clearwater revival used to be called the Golliwogs - can't imagine why they changed their name...most famous track is 'come on down to my boat', not bad either...

[Multi1628]

@matthewmaus "Come On Down to my Boat" by Every Mothers' Son-7" single MGM 13733 #6 (U>S>) May, 1967 DAVEDJ

[1969alias]

Does any body know where Craig Marquette, from Match Box is? Or anybody from that 60's band ?

[cherylharrell1961]

This is good. So is the Fuzztones version. The Chesterfield Kings do a good version of this too.

[RangerAlways]

It's great to hear these guys again but let me throw out a challenge I hope someone can accomplish. Before ZZ, Frank Beard, Dusty Hill and brother Rocky(rip) were called the American Blues. If someone has anything, please post it for all to enjoy.

[surfercrow]

I hear the blues in the solo, that's Billy for sure. Sounds like a Strat..Remember this is like '66-67 just before 100 Marshalls and Blooz Rawk became big. -- a totally different scene/vibe. (combo organs, girls in go go boots, £$D, etc). Also these guys were living in the shadow of the great Thirteenth Floor Elevators with Roky Erickson, being from Texas. (can her his influence in the killer scream in this song, and Billy will be first to admit that, check out the Live clip of Roky with Billy)

[hopesnopes]

I used to go see them when i was 15-(was also lucky enough to see the Elevators several times too) they were dynamite- thanks SO much for posting this- I can forward it to my kids who will also love 'em!!

[SotR59]

Sooooo 60's. But to this day I can still hardly believe Billy Gibbons was part of this group, when you compare them with ZZ TOP. You don't really hear any foretelling of the future in his guitar playing.

[CMalburn]

I agree it's not that close, but I can hear a bit of Gibbons in the guitar solo, in a similar style to the El Loco stuff, I think.

[kpmurphy62]

The Fuzztones have done a remake of this

very true to the orginal

[galacho59gz]

EXISTE COVER POTENTE DE CHESTERFIELD KINGS.....Mr NOBODY

[ATEERIPALO]

I have this Single.ZZ top is better

[GarageRockRadio]

This song, and "Every Night a New Surprise" are great Garage Rock tunes!

[SpuriousEmission]

I'd really like ZZ Top to do some new 60's style psychidelic stuff as well as a return to the blues. this is great stuff.Thanks for posting.

[udor1962]

this Texas-local-band was on tour with Jimi Hendrix & The Doors ;-)

[julesplym]

I've only got the Sidewalks album on vinyl - please could someone post the whole album *(and singles) ! Nice one m8

[TheBrowndawg]

what happened to joe blues that was posted on youtube before?

[vintagezigg]

This song was written by bandmember and founder Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top fame. I think he's the first guy on the left.

[markino1963]

check out their only album!!!! psychedelic blues gems at the top! I think Lemmy (motorhead) was in the band too!

[kpmurphy62]

Lemmy is from England

but he did roady for hendrix over in europe

because he was Mates with Chas Chandler

[markino1963]

anyway the band album was mostly blues oriented and this acid garage style is atypical for that album ...

[jackschvartz]

don't think Lemm is in this band. that would be cool tho.

[jks2]

billy gibbons from zz top was in this band!

[cometothesabbat]

I don't think Lemmy visited U.S.A. until the early seventies...

[TheJetfighter666]

Lemmy was in Hawkwind from the U.K.They were and still are the best psyshe band ever!

[JONYITSTRASH]

GENIUSSSS

[mootle661]

and this was gibbons BEFORE his best. amazing

[rodoorsfopeyote]

one of the garage rock anthems!

60s garage forever!

[pajaroloqo]

God! Great!!! do I need to say more?

[ultimatebozo]

The two appearances of Hendrix on the Cavett show, are available on dvd. At no point in them, does he mention Gibbons, or the Sidewalks. So I suspect it was the Tonight show appearance, which I have only seen fragmented versions of.

[ultimatebozo]

The Sidewalks oped a handful of shows for Hendrix. Hendrix admired Gibbons guitar style, and even bought them some musical gear to help them out. I've got a picture of Hendrix, a very timid looking, baby faced Gibbons, and the rest of the Moving Sidewalks together, that I'll post sometime...

[ultimatebozo]

Billy Gibbons has said in interviews, that this song was a conscious attempt to do a song like the 13th floor elevators, so any similarities are not coincidental.

[videodreme]

the scream at the end of the song reminds me of the 13th Floor elevators..

Great Song. TY for posting

[tbskms]

I think it was the Dick Cavvet show were Hendrix is quoted saying Billy Gibbons was the best.

[NobbyOlder]

On what show did Hendrix mention Billy and The Moving Sidewalks?

[zzrich]

I believe it was on the tonight show with johnny Carson

[jaxalude]

thank you! thank you!

[Nacho66]

Check that 'shaky' left-hand vibrato!

[julesplym]

Great album, much forgotten - thanks

[madara222]

i cant tell which one is gibbons

[humerus1987]

on the left side...don't you recognize the most famous hard rocker of all time???

[madara222]

i would usually recognize many rock legends, ive never seen gibbons with the hot shades and beard though, do you mean far left of second from left

[humerus1987]

billy is on the left side of the frame with his right foot on the bottom of this picture...

[TCMO99]

A great song! I much prefer this band to ZZ Top, I must say.

[texanrebel69]

I heard a rumor the Gibbons or Bill Ham is sitting on some live color footage of the Sidewalks on stage...no audio though...possibly when they supported Hendrix in 1968

[tornmask]

Abre Maria! dis is Goooood!!! =0}

[HalSamuel]

God bless the children of the 60's!  I have generation envy.

[23451bum]

I remember these guys well -- watched them starting in the 9th grade at the St. Luke's Methodist Church teen canteen, behind the church on Alabama. Them and Neil Ford and the Fanatics.

[MarvinMartian75]

Hello infidelcastr....ugh! can't say it. Why such a moniker? Nevermind, just making conversation. Who is (was) your mom? I bet we know a lot of the same people. Billy used to go to Buffalow's to jamb. Buff worked at KPFT. I have art from Bill Narum if anyone wants to see it.

MM

[modestino78]

give my bones to billy gibbons

[MarvinMartian75]

Last time I heard this was at my girlfriend's prom. The next year they played at the Catacombs as ZZTop. The set the stage on fire-literaly. I was in 9th grade with Billie. He dated my best friend for twenty years. And she is coming to my house tonight. God! am I old.

MM

[iluvsantafe]

We may be old, but we're still rockin'!!!!!

[1988diesel]

Gibbons was in this group until 1970,which was the year ZZ top began.

[ccdeweese]

ZZ Top Started in 1969 not 1970.

[stancicm]

Thabks Roberto, great track. Has been in my garage playlist, but as I had roo much of this kind, has found a place in my garage blues playlist.

[mikekadas]

99th Floor (​bonus track​) - The Movin​g Sidew​alks 1967 - "AMG pick. TOPPE​D the Texan chart for FIVE weeks​.​"

[heyeverybod48y]

the chesterfield kings do a great cover of this from '82 i think

[johngolby]

So far not two seconds of footage has appeared of this great band-that must make them one of THE most underground bands on You Tube,let's hope one day something gets posted.I wonder if Billy Gibbons has any footage in his vaults ?

[jaikwillis]

for those of you who don't know, that's Billy Gibbons before he started ZZ Top.

[FatBird11]

@jaikwillis

Billy was the man even then.

[SOADownsnubs]

@jaikwillis oh my god swag!

[basslinger]

@jaikwillis good to know, I had no idea....thanks!

[iluvsantafe]

One of the best songs from the "Summer of Love, '67 in San Antonio!!!!

Thanks!

[GREENTAMBOURINE]

Hey your posts are a fantastic guide to 1960's garage bands, never heard of these before - love it!

[infidelcastrate64]

God I wish there was some old live footage of these guys. My mom used to see them play all the time at Living Eye, Love Street, and the Catacombs in Houston, many times on the same bill as 13th Floor Elevators. I heard many crazy stories about those gigs.

[zzrich]

I lived in austin for a short time on N. Lamar Blvd. Anybody rrember the club Sneakers that was there ? Good times 25 cent well drinks.

[GollyMcCry]

great track, all time favorite

thanks!!