XXX (ZZ Top album)

XXX is the thirteenth studio album by the American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1999. The album's title is a reference to it being thirty years since the band was formed. The live track, "Sinpusher", is an altered version of their 1994 song "Pincushion" with different lyrics and a slightly heavier guitar riff. The album peaked at number 100 on the Billboard 200. It was their first album without Bill Ham at the helm as producer.

XXX
Studio album with live elements by ZZ Top
Released	September 28, 1999
Recorded	1998 - 1999
Genre	Blues rock, hard rock
Length	49:31
Label	RCA
Producer	Billy Gibbons
ZZ Top chronology
Rhythmeen (1996) XXX (1999) Mescalero (2003)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	[2]
Rolling Stone	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]

Allmusic only gave the album one and a half stars, and in its review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, he states: "After all, countless blues-based musicians, from Lightnin' Hopkins and Muddy Waters to B.B. King and The Rolling Stones, have aged gracefully, albeit in varying degrees. So why does ZZ Top sound so stiff and useless on XXX, a record celebrating their 30th anniversary? Part of that could be that the songwriting is decidedly weak, but a band as seasoned as ZZ Top should be able to make third-rate material at least listenable."[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Poke Chop Sandwich"	4:50
2.	"Crucifixx-A-Flatt"	3:59
3.	"Fearless Boogie"	4:01
4.	"36-22-36"	2:36
5.	"Made into a Movie"	5:13
6.	"Beatbox"	2:48
7.	"Trippin'"	3:55
8.	"Dreadmonboogaloo"	2:36
9.	"Live Intro by Ross Mitchell"	0:35
10.	"Sinpusher [Live]"	5:18
11.	"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear [Live]" (Bernie Lowe, Kal Mann)	5:21
12.	"Hey Mr. Millionaire [Live]"	4:14
13.	"Belt Buckle [Live]"	4:05
Total length:		49:31

Japan track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, except where noted.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Poke Chop Sandwich"	4:50
2.	"Crucifixx-A-Flatt"	3:59
3.	"Fearless Boogie"	4:01
4.	"36-22-36"	2:36
5.	"Made into a Movie"	5:13
6.	"Beatbox"	2:48
7.	"Trippin'"	3:55
8.	"Dreadmonboogaloo"	2:36
9.	"Ninja Shack"	5:00
10.	"Live Intro by Ross Mitchell"	0:35
11.	"Sinpusher [live]"	5:18
12.	"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" (Bernie Lowe, Kal Mann)	5:21
13.	"Hey Mr. Millionare [live]"	4:14
14.	"Belt Buckle [live]"	4:05
Total length:		54:31

Personnel

ZZ Top

• Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals
• Dusty Hill – bass, keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocal on "(Let Me Be) Your Teddy Bear"
• Frank Beard – drums, percussion

Additional personnel

• Jeff Beck – guitar on "Hey Mr. Millionaire"

Production

• Producer: Billy Gibbons
• Engineer: Joe Hardy
• Assistant engineer: Gary Moon
• Mixing: Joe Hardy
• Mastering: Bob Ludwig
• Digital editing: Brad Blackwood
• Recording: Joe Hardy
• Art direction: Bill Narum

Charts

Album – Billboard

Chart (1999)	Peak position
The Billboard 200	100

Singles – Billboard

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1999	"Fearless Boogie"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	13
2000	"36-22-36"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	31

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. ZZ Top – XXX: Review at AllMusic. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
2. "Consumer Guide Reviews: XXX". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
3. Archived October 2, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
4. Cross, Charles R. (2004). "ZZ Top". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 907-8. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.

Xxx