If you were a fan of Texas blues-rock in 1987, you probably walked into a record store, saw a chunky fatbox jewel case, and thought you’d struck oil. It was zz top the zz top six pack. For about thirty bucks, you got six classic albums—nearly the band’s entire output up to that point—crammed onto three shiny new compact discs. It seemed like a steal.
Then you got home and pressed play.
Suddenly, the gritty, dusty shuffle of "La Grange" didn't sound like a smoky roadhouse anymore. It sounded like a neon-lit disco in 1984. The drums were booming with that gated-reverb "crack" that defined the Eliminator era. The guitars had a weird, polished sheen. For many purists, it wasn't just a remix; it was a crime against blues history.
What Exactly Was in the Six Pack?
Released by Warner Bros., the collection bundled ZZ Top's First Album, Rio Grande Mud, Tres Hombres, Fandango!, Tejas, and El Loco. On paper, it's a massive document of the band’s evolution from 1970 to 1981.
But there was a catch.
Instead of just transferring the original analog master tapes to digital, the band and the label decided to "modernize" the sound. They wanted the old stuff to match the massive commercial success of "Legs" and "Sharp Dressed Man." Basically, they took the raw, organic recordings of the early 70s and smothered them in 80s production techniques.
We’re talking digital echo, triggered drum samples, and enough reverb to fill a stadium. It was the musical equivalent of taking a vintage 1969 Chevy Camaro and slapping a fiberglass body kit and some neon underglow on it. Sure, it’s still a Camaro, but it feels... off.
The Gated Reverb Controversy
The biggest bone of contention has always been the drums. Frank Beard is a phenomenal drummer, known for his pocket and feel. In the original mixes, his kit sounded like a real drum set in a real room.
On zz top the zz top six pack, those tracks were replaced or heavily augmented with digital drum machines and triggered samples.
- Tres Hombres—widely considered their masterpiece—suffered the most in the eyes of fans.
- Waitin' for the Bus lost its muddy, Texas stomp.
- Jesus Just Left Chicago became weirdly sterile.
The rationale at the time was that early CDs were often criticized for being too "thin." Digital playback equipment in the late 80s was unforgiving. Engineers thought they were doing the audience a favor by making the low end "punchier" for the digital age. Honestly, they overcorrected.
Why Some People Actually Like It
Now, look, it's not all bad. If you grew up in the 80s and discovered ZZ Top through MTV, the Six Pack version might be the only way you knew these songs for decades.
To a certain ear, the remixes are "cleaner." The guitars on tracks like "Just Got Paid" are arguably "beefier," with more distortion and chorus added. It sounds bigger. If you’re driving down a highway with the windows down, that 80s compression actually helps the music cut through the wind noise.
Also, it’s worth noting that El Loco (the sixth album in the set) was mostly left alone. Since it was recorded in 1981, it already had a more modern production style that fit the box set’s aesthetic. The live side of Fandango! also escaped the heaviest of the digital scalpel, mostly because you can't easily "fix" a live recording without re-recording the whole thing.
The Long Road Back to Originality
For nearly twenty years, the zz top the zz top six pack remixes were the only versions you could buy on CD. If you wanted the original 1973 mix of "La Grange," you had to hunt down a dusty piece of vinyl at a garage sale.
The tide finally turned in 2006.
Warner Bros. released expanded, remastered versions of Tres Hombres and Fandango! that restored the original mixes. Fans rejoiced. Then, in 2013, the Complete Studio Albums 1970-1990 box set finally brought the original mixes for the rest of the catalog back into print.
Today, if you stream ZZ Top on Spotify or Apple Music, you’re mostly hearing those restored versions. However, the Six Pack versions still lurk in the corners of the internet and on the used shelves of record stores.
How to Tell Which Version You Have
If you're hunting for CDs and want to avoid the "80s-ified" versions, keep these tips in mind:
- Check the Copyright: If the CD says 1987 and doesn't mention "remastered" or "original mix," it's probably the Six Pack version.
- Listen to the Snare: This is the easiest way. If the snare drum sounds like a gunshot in a canyon (think Phil Collins), you’re listening to the remix.
- Look for Bonus Tracks: The 2006 remasters usually include three or four live bonus tracks at the end. The Six Pack discs do not.
Is the Six Pack Worth Owning Today?
Strictly as a collector's item? Maybe. It’s a fascinating historical artifact of a time when the music industry was obsessed with "fixing" the past. It represents a specific era of ZZ Top's career where they were trying to bridge the gap between their blues roots and their synth-rock future.
But if you want to hear Billy Gibbons’ "Pearly Gates" Les Paul in all its raw, unadulterated glory, you should probably skip the zz top the zz top six pack and go for the 2013 remasters. You’ll get the grit, the dirt, and the Texas soul exactly how it was meant to be heard.
If you are looking to build a definitive ZZ Top collection, start by verifying your current digital library. Check the track lengths; often the remixed versions have slightly different runtimes (sometimes a few seconds longer due to added "tails" of reverb). Once you’ve cleared out the 80s clutter, look for the Cinco: The First Five LPs box set or the individual 2013 CD reissues to ensure you're getting the authentic analog-to-digital transfers.
