Black Keys record with ZZ Top and Rick Rubin

Keys-y Top?
Keys-y Top?

The Black Keys are set to record with ZZ Top this weekend in Los Angeles, with the Rick Rubin-produced session set to feature on the Texan trio's new album.

Back in July we reported that Rick Rubin would take charge of the next ZZ Top LP, and also that the band had signed to his American Recordings label.

It remains to be seen whether the massively-bearded Rubin can revive the similarly hirsute Texans' fortunes in the same way that the über producer did with Johnny Cash. However, as far as we're concerned, enlisting the talents of The Black Keys can only be a positive move.

It has already been rumoured that ZZ Top are set to return to the rawer, bluesier sound of their roots, and Billy F Gibbons has expressed his admiration for The Black Keys because they are "down and dirty, which is good for ZZ Top."

Luckily, the feeling seems to be mutual, with 'Keys frontman Dan Auerbach presumably including himself when he said "There are so many people who love them and what they did."

Chris Vinnicombe worked with us here on the MusicRadar team from the site's initial launch way back in 2007, and also contributed to Guitarist magazine as Features Editor until 2014, as well as Total Guitar magazine, amongst others. These days he can be found at Gibson Guitars, where he is editor-in-chief.