After Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and Mötley Crüe, it’s the turn of the legendary American group ZZ Top to sell their entire musical catalog. The trio founded by Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and the late Dusty Hill will receive $ 50 million for their musical work created since 1971.
The agreement signed jointly with the label BMG and the investment fund KKR provides for the sale of the musical catalog of the Texan group, but also all the royalties drawn from its recordings and its shows. Until now, BMG acted as co-editor and administrator of the ZZ Top catalog.
The blues rock trio released the first of their 14 albums in 1971, but found success two years later with the record. Tres Hombres, which features the now classic Barn. Then followed several successes in the 70s, but especially at the beginning of the 80s with the albums Eliminator and Afterburner.
The group has sold more than 50 million albums, collecting in the process four gold records, three platinum records and three multi-platinum records. ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Following the death of bassist Dusty Hill last July, the band chose to continue their tour of shows trusting Elwood Francis, the band’s guitar technician for many years.
In magazine interview Variety, Group Manager Carl Stubner said ZZ Top “is proud to continue the work and further develop the long-standing relationship with BMG. This new agreement will allow the group’s remarkable heritage to continue for generations to come. “