Dusty Hill

[DoggBisket]

Now here is a guy who made a great living playing one note bass lines. Think Tush, Jesus Just Left Chicago, etc.
He was a classic example of less is more as was the whole band. He did do some cool stuff like the little interplay between he and Frank Beard on "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide", but for the most part he pretty much stuck with playing the root. This was the most evident on their 80's stuff. Seems like every song that ZZ did in the 80's sounded like "Gimme All Your Lovin'" Which is another classic one note bass line playing the root.

 

[TheHegemon]

Ok

 

[DoggBisket]

Ok

Yupper

 

[HEADLE]

You ever seen him play live? There's a damn lot of playing going on I'll tell you that.

H

 

[DoggBisket]

You ever seen him play live? There's a damn lot of playing going on I'll tell you that.

H

Yea I've seen him live. Looks like a lot of plucking the same note to me. Not to diss the guy, like I said he made a fine art out of playing the root.

Beer Drinkers and Hellraisers comes to mind.

 

[JimmyM]

Who cares? Dusty Hill is the man! Plays what the songs need, sings his ass off, and always kills.

 

[chicago_mike]

quarter note = gig

 

[jerry]

I can't picture another bassist in ZZ Top, those songs called for the parts he played.

 

[Barkless Dog]

If you listen to their first 2 albums, he actually played some busy bass. He can play bass he just chooses to keep it simple.

Notice how they did not make it big till their third record where he started sticking to theb root and Billy keeping the chords simple.

Again - less notes = more money

U2 follows suit.

 

[DoggBisket]

Who cares? Dusty Hill is the man! Plays what the songs need, sings his ass off, and always kills.

He sang more lead in the earlier days. The only hit I remember him singing lead on was "Tush". Seems like in the 80's he didn't siing lead at all. Seems like the powers that be favored Billy Gibbons to be the front guy.

Funny thing though is that one of their most commercially successful albums "Eliminator" in 1983 sounded like most of the bass was synth, or at least layered synth. I think that is why every song on that album sounded like "Give Me All Your Lovin'".

 

[DoggBisket]

If you listen to their first 2 albums, he actually played some busy bass. He can play bass he just chooses to keep it simple.

Notice how they did not make it big till their third record where he started sticking to theb root and Billy keeping the chords simple.

Again - less notes = more money

U2 follows suit.

I am absolutely sure that he was capable of WAY more than what he recorded. My point was that he made a career and his biggest bucks when he just played the root.

 

[gjbassist]

Dusty Hill is a perfect example of solid, simple playing that fits the style of music. Not a lot of flash but he gets the job done and stays tight with the drummer.

 

[J. Montgomery]

My band covers a bunch of ZZ Top songs, they're all a lot of fun to play.

 

[LowDown Hal]

Personally, as a bit of a NooB, I find pounding out all those eight notes and sounding consistent, with occasional emphasis scattered around, to be a little difficult.

I love ZZ Top. So do the girls in the bars.

 

[Easy8]

Personally, as a bit of a NooB, I find pounding out all those eight notes and sounding consistent, with occasional emphasis scattered around, to be a little difficult.

I love ZZ Top. So do the girls in the bars.

Yes, pounding out those 1/8 notes consistently is harder than it sounds (for me, anyways )

Listen to the turn around figure on Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers. Fairly technical pull offs Dusty's doing there.

 

[gjbassist]

Yes, pounding out those 1/8 notes consistently is harder than it sounds (for me, anyways )

Listen to the turn around figure on Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers. Fairly technical pull offs Dusty's doing there.

That's for sure! "Beer Drinkers" is one of several ZZ Top songs my band covers. I share vocals on it with the drummer so I have to think about what I'm singing and play that at the same time.

 

[Easy8]

That's for sure! "Beer Drinkers" is one of several ZZ Top songs my band covers. I share vocals on it with the drummer so I have to think about what I'm singing and play that at the same time.

Mister you're a better man than I.

 

[reno88]

koko blue, sheik, master of sparks, arrested..., party on the patio. there are others. true, dusty plays the big notes. but he is a straight-up rock star badass. dusty is the shiz!

 

[Matt Dean]

If you listen to their first 2 albums, he actually played some busy bass. He can play bass he just chooses to keep it simple.

Notice how they did not make it big till their third record where he started sticking to theb root and Billy keeping the chords simple.

Again - less notes = more money

U2 follows suit.

+1... as I have gotten older, my ability to play more complicated bass parts has increased... however, I seem to find myself playing simpler parts because as I've gotten older, I've also gotten better at listening for what the songs needs in terms of bass and subsequently seem to be playing less complicated parts... I'm learning that less is more.

 

[JimmyM]

koko blue, sheik, master of sparks, arrested..., party on the patio. there are others. true, dusty plays the big notes. but he is a straight-up rock star badass. dusty is the shiz!

Billy actually sang "Arrested." But yeah, go figure how Billy sang most of their hits. Dusty is clearly a better singer. Not that Billy isn't good, but Dusty is better.