The current Aerosmith/ZZ Top tour seems to be favoring the bad boys from Boston when it comes to media coverage, but the enduring rock legends from Texas who are sharing the stage with them have the distinction of being together a bit longer than even Aerosmith’s nearly four decades as a group. In fact, this year marks ZZ Top’s 40th anniversary.

That fact is not lost on Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry who readily admits that, “They’ve been together longer than us.”

What makes that even more impressive is that ZZ Top is the same three guys that started out together all those years ago. And like those couples you hear about that stay married for 50 or 60 years who are asked what the secret of their enduring relationship is, Billy Gibbons was recently asked that very same question.

“I think first and foremost is the fact we still enjoy getting to do this more than anything we could imagine and somehow that translates into the nightly performance,” Gibbons says. “Those two hours on stage, that’s the real payoff. That’s when we get together and we may not know what each other is gonna do. Some of it is because we’re trying to outguess the next guy, trying to think of what he’s gonna do next.”

Now the fact that three guys who have been playing with each other for forty years can still surprise and challenge each other on stage says a lot about their dedication to their craft. ZZ Top obviously loves what they do and still they remain sharp and energetic enough to tour on a regular basis.

ZZ Top is currently on the road with Aerosmith until September.

Check out all of Gibbons’ comments on Spinner.