lmao
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 29 July 2021 04:25 (two years ago) link
That version of Cheap Sunglasses on the Old Grey Whistle test vid posted above is straight fire
― Neil S, Thursday, 29 July 2021 13:03 (two years ago) link
RIP Dusty. Another one from that 1980 Rockpalast set:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c7d8BYJy8I
― Gavin, Leeds, Thursday, 29 July 2021 14:00 (two years ago) link
Saw him outside a bar in New Orleans during Mardi Gras sometime in the mid-80's. My friends thought he was Billy Gibbons. "Well, NO, but I've been told I look like a friend of his." He was extremely gracious and accommodating to a bunch of drunken college dudes.
― henry s, Thursday, 29 July 2021 14:39 (two years ago) link
speaking of getting paid, their cover of dj dmd's "i gotsta get paid" is prob my favorite late-career moment of theirs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaIZWjItReI
― bezos did the dub (voodoo chili), Thursday, 29 July 2021 14:40 (two years ago) link
https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/music/2021-07-29/let-dusty-sing-one-zz-tops-dusty-hill-1949-2021-and-the-pursuit-of-the-perfect-note/
“In the beginning, we were playing a show,” Beard chuckled. “I think it was at the Cotton Bowl. It was 50,000 people there or whatever, but you could hear this one voice crying out from the crowd: ’LET DUSTY SING ONE!’“It was his mom!” he laughed. “She was about 60 years old at the time! So, we’ve always got to think about that one: ’Let Dusty sing one!’He smiled, taking another puff on his cigarette. “I like the ones Dusty sings.”“That’s true, yes!” Hill roared via telephone two days later. “The thing is, my mom, bless her heart, she was my biggest fan all my life. Every band I was in before this one, I did all the singing. So, she wasn’t quite used to the shared responsibility!” he laughed. “A good Texas mother. But not everybody’s mother would yell that in front of everybody.”
“It was his mom!” he laughed. “She was about 60 years old at the time! So, we’ve always got to think about that one: ’Let Dusty sing one!’
He smiled, taking another puff on his cigarette. “I like the ones Dusty sings.”
“That’s true, yes!” Hill roared via telephone two days later. “The thing is, my mom, bless her heart, she was my biggest fan all my life. Every band I was in before this one, I did all the singing. So, she wasn’t quite used to the shared responsibility!” he laughed. “A good Texas mother. But not everybody’s mother would yell that in front of everybody.”
― “Heroin” (ft. Bobby Gillespie) (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 29 July 2021 17:42 (two years ago) link
haha that is great
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 29 July 2021 17:43 (two years ago) link
Tejas is such a cool/weird sounding recordI swear a lot of the guitar sounds like it was done DI right into the board
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 29 July 2021 18:51 (two years ago) link
on many days, it's my fav record by them.
the closing instrumental is lovely
― bezos did the dub (voodoo chili), Thursday, 29 July 2021 19:12 (two years ago) link
yes! it's basically Calexico
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 29 July 2021 19:53 (two years ago) link
On wiki Billy says: "It's fair to say that this is a transitional record, although I'm not really sure what we were transitioning from and what we were becoming. (laughs) It may be representative of how rapidly things were changing in the studio.
The equipment was becoming more modernized, and the way that music was being recorded was different – things were moving faster. It was still pre-digital, but there was better gear that was more readily available. We made use of it all."
When I did a deep dive into their discography a couple years ago this album was a total surprise to me, as it wasn't really part of their more straight-ahead blues rock past, and nothing on it made it to classic rock radio afaik.
― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 29 July 2021 20:00 (two years ago) link
yeah it's a bit lower-key in general, an especially noticeable change of vibe after the rip-roaring fandango. the dusty-sang "ten dollar man" goes about as hard as anything they've done, tho.
― bezos did the dub (voodoo chili), Thursday, 29 July 2021 20:05 (two years ago) link
Tejas is seriously underrated. Like their first two, it was really hurt by being only available in the CD era in the Six Pack mixes for so long. I notice it's not up any more, but STE's AMG review of it was awful. The production and songwriting are terrific, with interesting left turns like the Poppy Country Rock of "It's Only Love", the straight-up Country of "She's A Heartbreaker", the tightly-wound Funk* of "Snappy Kakkie", and the aforementioned proto-Calexico "Asleep In The Desert".
*Despite reportedly being f'd up on heroin at the time, this album might be Beard's finest hour.
― “Heroin” (ft. Bobby Gillespie) (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 29 July 2021 20:10 (two years ago) link
btw, speaking of ZZ Top, I've never been able to figure out the source of the rhythm guitar when Billy is soloing (like in the above Cheap Sunglasses clip). Guy off stage?
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 29 July 2021 20:23 (two years ago) link
Sounds like an electric piano to me. Definitely some off-stage keyboards.
― “Heroin” (ft. Bobby Gillespie) (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 29 July 2021 20:45 (two years ago) link
I don't hear a fourth player. I figure the little sci-fi laser sounds are probably triggered by Frank, but everything else is Gibbons stepping on different pedals.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Thursday, 29 July 2021 21:06 (two years ago) link
i thought hill was the guy who played the keyboards? at least on record
― bezos did the dub (voodoo chili), Thursday, 29 July 2021 21:13 (two years ago) link
Man, another reason to hate Amazon. I've actually had the 10xCD Complete Studio Albums in a wish list for months now, waiting for a slow week to pick it up. It had been $30 for months, including yesterday morning. Now it's $50. I mean, still a bargain, but god it feels ghoulish to spike like that for this reason.
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 29 July 2021 21:21 (two years ago) link
Yeah, Dusty played keys on Tejas. On the OGWT clip Frank is just hitting a syndrum type thing for the "pew! pew!" sounds. But there's no pedals on the stage in front of Billy. (Something I also noticed when I saw them in 2019, stage was spartan.) There's some techno trickery going on in those keyboard sounds, but I'm not quite sure what.
― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 29 July 2021 21:32 (two years ago) link
I watched this rig rundown video (featuring Elwood Francis, who's going to be playing bass on the upcoming tour dates) a few years ago; it's from 2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x_kg6pOvGU
― but also fuck you (unperson), Thursday, 29 July 2021 21:35 (two years ago) link
On that "Cheap Sunglasses" there's def. something playing some ... passing chords? I don't know the right terminology, something beneath Billy's solo. You can hear it around 4:55 or so. At least with Frank you can def. see him hit the Synare.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 29 July 2021 21:43 (two years ago) link
It's awesome that Elwood Francis has a beard. Or at least he does here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6kDtG8Q5kk
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 29 July 2021 21:45 (two years ago) link
ZZ Top on the Mt. Rushmore of bands to listen to while shooting pool.
― Carlos Santana & Mahavishnu Rob Thomas (PBKR), Thursday, 29 July 2021 22:31 (two years ago) link
who else you got?
― pure rim rest (Spottie), Thursday, 29 July 2021 22:34 (two years ago) link
Thin Lizzy and two of Stones/Faces/Tom Petty.
― Carlos Santana & Mahavishnu Rob Thomas (PBKR), Thursday, 29 July 2021 22:45 (two years ago) link
70’s Bob Seger
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 29 July 2021 23:30 (two years ago) link
or Skynyrd (pre crash obv do i even need to say it)
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 29 July 2021 23:32 (two years ago) link
<3
― mookieproof, Thursday, 29 July 2021 23:34 (two years ago) link
yah nice choices. id prob go zz / acdc / little feat / allman bros
― pure rim rest (Spottie), Thursday, 29 July 2021 23:35 (two years ago) link
ok hmm yeah i need to lay it outzz top / thin lizzy / stones / skynyrdsorry bob, ya got bumpedfaces & allman brothers are good calls tho
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 29 July 2021 23:38 (two years ago) link
As shared by Elvis Telecom elsewhere, from a few years back. Amazing tales:
https://www.loudersound.com/features/fly-on-the-wall-29-may-1976-zz-top-take-texas-on-the-road
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 29 July 2021 23:43 (two years ago) link
Let's not forget ZZ Top are Buttrock royalty
Grand Funk Railroad v. Foghat: Taking Sides in the Buttrock Smackdown
― Josefa, Thursday, 29 July 2021 23:46 (two years ago) link
OK that wasn't the thread I meant to spotlight. Here it is:
The most buttrockin' song on Buddy Blue's list of the top 50 Butt Rock Anthems (search term: buttrock)
― Josefa, Thursday, 29 July 2021 23:48 (two years ago) link
Aw man, RIP. I'll admit that it took me a long time to come around on these guys. Being ages 7 and 8 during the omnipresent Eliminator and MTV years meant first exposed to a version that I never really "got" and dismissed as a "flashy video" band. Wasn't until I finally heard _Tres Hombres_ many years later that their particular brand of genius clicked.
― Two Severins Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 29 July 2021 23:54 (two years ago) link
in honor of Dusty Hill, I wrote a tribute to how ZZ Top conquered MTV with their Eliminator trilogy, what they meant to New Wave misfit kids, music video as drag, the band's glitter roots, and how Dusty Hill had a photo of Klaus Nomi on his luggage case. https://t.co/e6en8YBfFJ— rob sheffield (@robsheff) July 29, 2021
― “Heroin” (ft. Bobby Gillespie) (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 30 July 2021 00:01 (two years ago) link
Yeah, that was pretty good.
― Two Severins Clash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 30 July 2021 00:31 (two years ago) link
Sheffield is a machine.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 30 July 2021 01:04 (two years ago) link
re: Tejas
yeah, I love it. the last 90 seconds of "El Diablo" are incredible tranced-out bliss
it's kind of amazing that the label didn't drop them after the singles (It's Only Love" and then "Arrested While Driving While Blind") hit #44 and #91 respectively. I guess the mammoth record-breaking tour didn't hurt.
― sleeve, Friday, 30 July 2021 01:10 (two years ago) link
The album still sold, but the next year's hits set wrapped up their deal with London, and they took their masters with them when they went to Warner's.
― “Heroin” (ft. Bobby Gillespie) (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 30 July 2021 01:15 (two years ago) link
ahh that context makes sense, thanks, it's an IDGAF contract-ender record in that context
― sleeve, Friday, 30 July 2021 01:16 (two years ago) link
No, it's too experimental for that, with the violin and whatnot. They were definitely trying something, and when the public didn't respond the label was probably like, "Uh, guys..." and Bill Ham said, "Here's a greatest hits album, see ya later." And then they stayed on the road for two and a half years (Tejas was 1976, Degüello didn't come out until 1979).
― but also fuck you (unperson), Friday, 30 July 2021 02:28 (two years ago) link
even better context, thanks
― sleeve, Friday, 30 July 2021 03:10 (two years ago) link
They took most of that time off so Beard could clean up.
― “Heroin” (ft. Bobby Gillespie) (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 30 July 2021 03:27 (two years ago) link
Or maybe not entirely. I see on the Worldwide Texas Tour wiki that it went to New Year's Day '78. And then they took the time off before reconvening sometime in '79 (Deguello was released at the end of the year).
― “Heroin” (ft. Bobby Gillespie) (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 30 July 2021 03:43 (two years ago) link
i do love that they tapped Elwood to carry the torchand like, that it’s their guitar tech, and not some rando ring-in. its nice?
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 30 July 2021 03:51 (two years ago) link
Nick Oliveri kicking a can somewhere.
― “Heroin” (ft. Bobby Gillespie) (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 30 July 2021 03:59 (two years ago) link
lol
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 30 July 2021 04:04 (two years ago) link
There are other playlists out there, but here's the Dusty Spotify playlist I put together.
― pplains, Friday, 30 July 2021 13:26 (two years ago) link
https://variety.com/2021/music/news/billy-gibbons-interview-zz-top-dusty-hill-died-carrying-on-1235031028/
― “Heroin” (ft. Bobby Gillespie) (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 30 July 2021 17:07 (two years ago) link
Amazing:
How are you feeling about continuing on with your guitar tech filling in?Well, it was a direct directive from Mr. Dusty Hill. When he grabbed my arm and said, “I think I’m due to go visit the physician to see if I can bounce back,” he said, “In the meantime, I want you to grab our guitar technician, Mr. Elwood” — Elwood Francis — “and take him out of that tech station and strap him up with my guitar and make him carry on with every single note.” And I said, “Well, if that’s your wishes, I’ll respect that.” And sure enough, we’ve been very, very fortunate to have a stalwart standby to fill in.What’s really got everybody on the ropes is that Elwood had been holding down the guitar technician post for 30 years as a clean-shaven young fellow. And when the lockdown was imminent, we all gathered for a band meeting, before things got too fierce. And I said, “Dusty, it looks like we’re not going to be able to go do much or go anywhere. What do you plan to do?” And he said, “Well, I’ll tell you what I’m not going to do. And that’s cut the lawn. I’m not going to cut the grass.” And I smiled and said, “Well, I’ll join you on that.” And Elwood piped up and said, “Well, if you guys aren’t going to cut the grass, I’m not going to cut my whiskers.” And when we regathered to commence rehearsals just a week and a half ago, here came Elwood, and I said, “My gosh, you’ve got chin whiskers as long as me and Dusty!”So when he took the stage the other night, I was looking over the front row and everybody was kind of giving each other the elbow, and they were pointing up and said, “Look, the ZZ Top circus still rolls on. There’s another freak up there.” In fact, I had to stroll over and grab him by the chin to give him a yank, just to show the audience — I said, “Folks, this is the real deal here.” [Laughs.] But he’s honoring Dusty’s wishes, and I know that, wherever Dusty may be, he’s probably smiling, just knowing that all the notes are in place and that the fierceness rolls on.
Well, it was a direct directive from Mr. Dusty Hill. When he grabbed my arm and said, “I think I’m due to go visit the physician to see if I can bounce back,” he said, “In the meantime, I want you to grab our guitar technician, Mr. Elwood” — Elwood Francis — “and take him out of that tech station and strap him up with my guitar and make him carry on with every single note.” And I said, “Well, if that’s your wishes, I’ll respect that.” And sure enough, we’ve been very, very fortunate to have a stalwart standby to fill in.
What’s really got everybody on the ropes is that Elwood had been holding down the guitar technician post for 30 years as a clean-shaven young fellow. And when the lockdown was imminent, we all gathered for a band meeting, before things got too fierce. And I said, “Dusty, it looks like we’re not going to be able to go do much or go anywhere. What do you plan to do?” And he said, “Well, I’ll tell you what I’m not going to do. And that’s cut the lawn. I’m not going to cut the grass.” And I smiled and said, “Well, I’ll join you on that.” And Elwood piped up and said, “Well, if you guys aren’t going to cut the grass, I’m not going to cut my whiskers.” And when we regathered to commence rehearsals just a week and a half ago, here came Elwood, and I said, “My gosh, you’ve got chin whiskers as long as me and Dusty!”
So when he took the stage the other night, I was looking over the front row and everybody was kind of giving each other the elbow, and they were pointing up and said, “Look, the ZZ Top circus still rolls on. There’s another freak up there.” In fact, I had to stroll over and grab him by the chin to give him a yank, just to show the audience — I said, “Folks, this is the real deal here.” [Laughs.] But he’s honoring Dusty’s wishes, and I know that, wherever Dusty may be, he’s probably smiling, just knowing that all the notes are in place and that the fierceness rolls on.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 30 July 2021 17:26 (two years ago) link