Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings too funky

[bobwhite]

I have been working on this seemingly straightforward ZZ Top song and just cannot get it right.

I have the notes--simple. Dusty Hill is playing sixteenth notes pretty much throughout, but...even in listening to the song with Slow Downer, the transitions I cannot count evenly. I just do not feel like I keep the steady 16ths and hit the offbeats correctly and then get back to the 16ths.

Has anyone charted the rhythm of this song or do you have any suggestions for getting rhythmically correct for this song?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Fergie Fulton]

Very simple song for bass in a straight 4/4 beat. But its the kit snare beat on the 2 and 4 that gives it some interest.
If we let the guitar intro go( Billy holds the last note for his own feel ) and start a straight four count proper with the bass/guitar run the feel on the snare is 1 2 3&4&1 2 3&4&1 2 3&4&1 2 3&4&.....( the only time this is not is in the 3rd bar of the solo, Frank omits the snare 3&4& feel ). All movement from the bass to runs generally starts on the 3, and all stops are on the 1.
Slight variations on the bass appear towards the end as it ties in with the guitar riff.
In the end its about stamina and feel, but address the feel of the 1 2 3&4& ( you will find if you count it through the whole song it lets you feel how the guitar moves on the stops to bring you back in on the 1 ) and listen out for bar 3 in the solo to here it straight for that brief bar.

[Bart277]

we play it in my band "Nasty Dogz" you can check it out here http://www.myspace.com/thenastydogz

[bobwhite]

Thanks. That should help.

Nasty Dogz, your cover is very good, by the way. It is a killer song.