“Rollin’ and Tumblin’,” focus track from The Big Bad Blues, Billy Gibbons’ award-winning solo album, is the subject of a new video set for release. The “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” video follows the album’s “Missin’ Yo’ Kissin’” that has become an online sensation. Sales of The Big Bad Blues, both physical and digital, have soared since the video debuted this past spring.
As with “Missin’ Yo’ Kissin’,” the concert footage seen in “Rolling and Tumblin’” was shot with the ZZ Top front man along with Matt Sorum (drums) and Austin Hanks (guitar). Texas filmmaker, Harry Reese, caught the act on camera at San Antonio’s famous downtown Aztec Theatre at the conclusion of their nationwide tour.
The “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” video follows the release by Concord Record of The Big Bad Blues album from way back in 2018.
The sepia-toned “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” video clip combines Reese’s live concert footage of Billy and the band’s high energy set with high-speed desertscapes and foreboding skyscapes — the combination of which evokes a genuine sense of manic, unearthly, mystery.
The song was a natural choice for inclusion in The Big Bad Blues that was produced by Billy and the late Joe Hardy. Chess Records released Muddy Waters’ definitive version in 1950 on its Argo label although the song’s roots date back almost more than 90 years to Hambone Willie Newbern’s “Roll and Tumble Blues,” released on Okeh Records.
Other versions or derivations of the song released under various titles have been recorded by Robert Johnson, Sleepy John Estes, Sunnyland Slim, Charley Patton, Elmore James, Howlin’ Wolf, Canned Heat, Johnny Shines, R.L. Burnside, Cream, Johnny Winter, Fleetwood Mac, Jeff Beck, the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan, among others.
Billy Gibbons commented:
“Rollin’ and Tumblin’’ is the musical embodiment of our favored slogan ‘blues you can use.’ No matter how it’s interpreted, it’s the sound of the now and the future, too! We’re happy to have it out again as our contribution to continuum that is the blues.
The Big Bad Blues was named Best Blues Rock Album of the year at the Blues Music Awards in May of 2019 and has been a fixture on Billboard’s Blues Chart since its release. At present Billy is working hard on the follow up solo-album with Sorum and Hanks while arranging for the next ZZ Top release.
*Feature image: Screengrab of video
