ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons has teamed up with Lithuanian singer, songwriter and theatrical performer Vidas Bareikis, who records as VB by the Sea, for a new single, “NPC,” released today, November 11.
The collaboration came together in unusual circumstances. Bareikis and Gibbons recorded the track in a hotel conference room in Tallinn, Estonia, just hours before ZZ Top kicked off its world tour.
In a November 8 Instagram post, Bareikis shared the story behind the session, describing how he and his team arranged to meet Gibbons before the show.
“To record @billyfgibbons, we had to fly to Tallinn for the first concert of ZZ Top’s world tour.
“Just a couple of hours before the show, we met in a hotel conference room that @talaz_ had already transformed into a recording studio. And in about an hour, we recorded my most incredible feature collaboration to date.
“And what made it so incredible wasn’t just the fact that we were working with a rock legend of this caliber, but even more so his rock ’n’ roll energy, kindness, and amazing sense of humor.
“Thank you, Billy, for the inspiration!”
Produced by Karolis Talutis, Martin Guigui, Brian A. Witkin and Gibbons, “NPC” marks Bareikis's debut release with Pacific Records.
The song takes its title from the video game term non-player character, referring to a character whose actions and dialogue are determined by programming rather than an actual player. Bareikis uses the concept to poke fun at people who go through life on autopilot, following predictable routines and chasing money, status and social approval without questioning their choices.
“NPC” is also the first preview of The Game, Bareikis's forthcoming concept album, which explores ambition, relationships, competition, success and failure through a video game-inspired narrative. The record blends rock music with theatrical storytelling, reflecting Bareikis's background in both disciplines.
Bareikis is an established performer in Lithuania, where his work spans music and theatre. A singer, songwriter, composer and theatre director, he has directed 26 theatrical productions and received the country's prestigious Golden Stage Cross award. He has also won multiple M.A.M.A. Awards, Lithuania's equivalent of the Grammys.
Gibbons, meanwhile, has spent more than five decades as one of rock's most recognizable guitarists. Best known as the founding guitarist and vocalist of ZZ Top, he first made his mark with psychedelic blues-rock group Moving Sidewalks, which opened for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. He has also released solo material and collaborated with a range of musicians beyond his work with the Texas trio, including legendary rocker Dion DiMucci.
An official video for “NPC” is expected to follow, along with live performances in December.
