ZZTOP TresHombres A heinous decision in the'80s to remix ZZTop's cJassigar:fy EXCI tracks didn't totally diminish Frank Beard's funky groorleS;.bV!,,:,., LI..JDW it sure was a buzzkill. Fortunately, that call was reversible, and HARD Beard's beauteous beats were presented in all their grltty coL0l glory on a comprehensive 2013 box set. lt's never a bad time {I.sS0: to behold the band's not-so-simple wonders. ' '': a rlrruirr::r l' r:;'.i:r " , ,.!;;r;t .i ,:l:l:ll;r:1ii::ttl $9r by Patrick Berkery ,l $l( I t was one thing for Zzfop b experiment Nothing was worse than I with drum machines, synthesizers, and hearing Frank Beard's once sequencers in the early'80s, in an attempt dry and punchy drums BEK)' tt00 to modernize its swampy boogie-and- dripping wet with unneces NA'L) REBAI blues sound. But it was complete sacrilege sary reverb, noise gates, and the like. when the Little Ol'Band From Texas took Thankfu lly, ZZ Top began righting this "&" of 2, and the "&" of 4. (They fall the sheen of its Eliminator (1983) and sonic wrong on 2003's Chrome, Smoke & between ghost strokes, which sound Afterburner (1985) albums and grafted BBQ box set, where the early tracks so lovely minus the wetness of the Slx those tones onto classic early-Top appeared in their original form, and then Pack remix.) As Gibbons soins his Texas long-players for 1987's remixed Six Pack with the 2006 CD reissue of 1973'sTres roadhouse tale in the verses with a woozy collection, which compiled the trio's first Hombres. And last year Tres Hombres was tremolo guitar floating in the background, five releases plus 1981's E/loco. (The put out in its originalform yet again, as Beard keeps the bottom locked down records were also reissued individuallv.) parl of The Complete Studio Albums by dancing between the snare and rack 1970-1990 box set. tom with his left hand while keeping Most of Beard's work on Tres Hombres is steady 8th notes on the ride with his right. an exercise in keeping things Tres simple The cycle repeats throughout the song EXC and cinched tight in the pocket. Take to hypnotic effect. BEY0ND THE GRO0V|N' Consistent with Frank PACII "Waitin'for the Bus." Beard clamos it down Even more hypnotic is the slinky rhythm ,'..'i9e?iq,:sr,lmq.keg ,,r,,i ,rrr,.,,,r1 iiqirfilq0gh0ut:iZz,T.opls.,,: I HARI forty{our-year (and countin g) recording career, with the simplest of beats: quarter notes on "Sheik," with Beard pumping the kick | (PDct ,..,''l!|l.ali1:Abou!r!lr!:'.0a04v8.ini,tb!r,Homrieti1i,:.i'.r:rirrtt:.,:::' on the hi-hat, kick on 1 and 3, and snare on drum on the upbeat pretty much That's not to say there's nothing fancy going 2 and 4. To lock in deeper with Billy throughout, for a looped feel that plays QFt Yqu,evel l.,,,.:. O,,p.!ay,,!h03Fi,t;iliidiJii€i r :ri,rr:r,::r Gibbons' guitar riff and Dusty Hill's bass, ,ol ::: r,,q0wrlt: lttr nicely with the subtle use of shaker and guitar triplets that Beard rips off before the solo Beard embellishes the oattern at the end conga. As far as simple stone grooves go, ,,.,,.in.1t-q.,eia!g9ll-al]d,,th0niman-ag€.i!0.,lan!'i.t,.,..',',ii,''..',.'.,, of each measure by slipping in an extra they much don't come simpler or stonier AFfE smoarniv, 0n,'tu..] .tiand.,fa]1',efi,0rt]esill,,!@,int01:,. ,,',, kick hit and hi-hat opening between the 4 than this. t5a i,, ar,9li uff Bt a9..h!.,dQQl?,,Nol.,eaBy,1rt$,ri-t?rAnd,,1ha1.:'r,,r,,: '1. and lt's a totally airtight feel. And Beard's TZfop certainly had bigger hits and 'N5IANESA little triplet pattern he plays between the snare doing all this while lying so far behind the bigger productions than Tres Hombres, but : iaqd 'tiirhat,hlfoae.lh .i$tlllfrlE'kigtie.lt':ln!r:lilst.,,..','..,. you time is.so classy, he's probably playing it with beat that think he's stuck in Rio it's hard to find an album in the trio's deeo nrs prnKy aron. Grande mud. catalog where Beard's drumming is as "Bus" segues into "Jesus Just Left integral to the overall mojo as it is here. For ilew o-aYa:'. :ii.r where Beard ,,',1,T0,F!tt,,0!.,,tl0Trlg::ft!!!r:F9l0igr i:r,,:ti Chicago," forms another anyone unfamiliar with Beard and ZZ Top invaded Z Top's collective membrane, the airtight pocket with Hill and Gibbons for beyond a handful of hits, this is the place group's albums were marked by a profound the slow, bluesy sway of the verses. A to start. Just be sure you don't pick up the spaciousness in the mix, and Beard's magic lay simple twist on that groove during the 5x Pock version. in gut his decisions about when to flll the room guitar solo-opening the hi-hats and between the notes with commentary and when ; bashing out quarter notes-gives the PEAF ,:,,r!o,rsit,sritil !'ke,..a, soulxeit.flidd, Neit,.!rei*1!e4id,.1,, impression that the song is moving WITI" ,;,: woul d.:enOqig hiS.titlslvi*tpeCinCaiD1t!i1;am,';.'.,1.11 forward, when in fact Beard is laying ,r:r,9gl!0::1nq,,F,pealllemi,qflgn.wltli:?!F9,r,,:::,r:t::]:r,,r:,r,:,,:],,':,, W variations, at the appropriate times throughout backjust a shade further. I lsr ihe arrangement. Examples abound. The litte While there's not a moment on the r befOie,ihg',uF beat aCd album where Beard isn't grooving, some of trrt '1,6jh:ng1eloick!p .!nat,.'.' $8 :, ,,!!arts,.iM!!9r;Ma9n,.!t-own.,!li!,1!ir!olll.iqiilepriisg.'..,.,,.,,. his slinkiest playing comes on "Master of with slight modifications. And on "Beer Drinkers Sparks." The drummer plays off Gibbons' & Hell Raisers" Beard whips out a sweet little E' intro riffwith a stutter-step groove that he t2 hirlidi'.COmm,at,'l and, fepeAt$,it,',,r,, 'li''snaieloBen ;,.l'8. turns around after the first bar so the snare ,lr5r verbatim at 1:46. That's called pop smarts. nEa accents alternately land on the 2, the 4, the 101.