Moving Sidewalks

photo of Moving Sidewalks

Chronology

1963-1965

In Houston, Texas, a youngster Bill Gibbons kindled the audience leading some blues bands: The Saints, The Coachmen and Billy & The Ten Blue Flames.

1966

Moving Sidewalks were born: beside Bill on guitar and vocal there were Tom Moore on keyboards, Don Summers on bass and Dan Mitchell on drums.

1967

The band made its debut with a psycho-punker anthem: 99th Floor released through the local Tantara Records. Both sides of the 7inch were written by Gibbons: it was the beginning of the collaboration with the producer Steve Ames who will be co-author of some pieces of the group. Wand Records, fallen for success achieved at Texan charts, reissued the single and released another 45rpm in October. Not earning the expected acknowledgements, the band was compelled to record the following material exclusively for the small Tantara.

1968

In June the group supported Jimi Hendrix on his Texan tour: this was the highest moment of popularity attained by the band that released the third single shortly afterwards, covering The Beatles' I Want To Hold Your Hand.

1969

Flash came out: the album is a classic of psychedelia as well as a sought-after collectors' item. Although it suffered the influence exerted by Hendrix, it revealed an original rendering of an abused style like the hard blues. A last 7inch followed the LP then Tom Moore and Don Summers left for Vietnam. Gibbons recruited Lanier Greig on keyboard (a past with Neil Ford & The Fanatics) and changed the name into ZZ Top, renewing the line-up with Frank Beard and Dusty Hill from American Blues later on.

picture of Moving Sidewalks


Discography

(U.S. unless indicated otherwise)

official releases

99th Floor - What Are You Going To Do (Tantara 3101) 7inch (1967)
99th Floor - What Are You Going To Do (Wand 1156) 7inch (1967)
Need Me - Every Night A New Surprise (Wand 1167) 7inch (1967)
I Want To Hold Your Hand - Joe Blues (Tantara 3108) 7inch (1968)
Flash (Tantara 6919) LP (1969)
Flashback (radio edit) - Flashback (long version) (Tantara 3113) 7inch (1969)

bootlegs

99th Floor- What Are You Going To do - Need Me - Every Night A New Surprise (Moxie Mutt 1030) EP (1980)
99th Floor (Eva 12002) LP (1982) France (compiles Flash, Moxie EP and I Wanna Hold Your Hand)
Flash (Afterglow 2) CD (1993) (compiles Flash plus all the singles' sides)
Flash (TRC 041) CD (1994) Germany
Flash (Akarma AK 117) CD/2LP (2000) Italy (compiles Flash plus all the singles' sides)
note: Flash was pirate repressed also on vinyl (black cover and red label)

compilations

Mindrocker, Vol. 4 (Line LLP 5147) LP (Ger) includes 99th Floor, What Are You Going To Do, Need Me and Every Night A New Surprise
A Journey To Tyme, Vol. 1 (Phantom PRS-1001) (LP) includes Need Me and Every Night A New Surprise
99th Floor also on Pebbles, Vol. 2 (BFD 5019) LP, 21 KILT Goldens, Vol. 2 (LP), Great Pebbles (Bomp MSI 13068) CD (Jap) and Songs We Taught The Fuzztones (Way Back MMLP 66002/MMCD 66002) 2LP/CD (Ger)
What Are You Going To Do also on Beat It (Underworld UR-012/014) (CD)
Need Me also on We Have Come For Your Children (LP)
Every Night A New Surprise also on Mayhem & Psychosis, Vol. 3 (Roxy XS-LP-104) LP (UK) and The Houston Post Now Sound Groove-in (Way Back MMLP 66001) LP (Ger)
I Wanna Hold Your Hand on Endless Journey Phase 1 (Psycho 1) LP (UK), Flashback, Vol. 5 (Flashback FR 1005) LP, Endless Journey Phase I & II (Reverberation III) 2CD (UK) and 30 Seconds Before The Calico Wall (Arf! Arf! AA-050) CD
Crimson Witch on Reverberation, Vol. 4 (Reverberation IV) CD (UK)

photo of Moving Sidewalks  photo of Moving Sidewalks


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