Delays,Delays...

ZZ & CSN: The Problem Is Rick

ZZ Top and Crosby, Stills and Nash both blame producer Rick Rubin for why their new albums aren't out yet. ZZ's Billy Gibbons says, "I guess the irony is that the band is wondering, 'Where is this thing? When do we hear it?' Rick's funny. We've been friends for as long as I can remember -- triple decades -- and this is the first time we've broken the mould as business pals. He's got a somewhat unorthodox way of doing just about everything he does. But make no mistake -- he has a sense of intuition that can't be beat." This will be ZZ's first studio effort since 2003.

CSN parted ways with Rubin earlier this year after hiring him to oversee their album of covers. Graham Nash says, "I guess part of it is Rick is absolutely used to being totally in charge. That's okay with a lot of the new guys, but we've been making records since almost before he was born. He rubbed David [Crosby] the wrong way a couple of times, and [the sessions] just got to be work...rather than a natural flow of energy." CSN have continued working on the album, their first since 1994, in Jackson Browne's studio.

Sources: Gibson.com, 4WaySite.com