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ZZ Top's "TV Dinners" Bass Synthesizer? Drum Machine?

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:45 am
by Z
Just heard this track on Sirius/XM - haven't heard it since junior high back in the 80's. I was really digging the bass on this song and wonrder what was used.

Beard's drums always have a "mechanized" feel to them, but the drums on this track sound and feel like an old PCM based machine.

Anyone?

Re: ZZ Top's "TV Dinners" Bass Synthesizer? Drum Machine?

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:15 pm
by tim gueguen
Here's a thread that has likely disturbed more than a few ZZ Top fans. Terry Manning, who engineered and effectively produced the album, discusses it here: http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index. ... #msg_45901: Short version is that the synths/keys were a combination of Moog Source, Memorymoog, and Yamaha DX9. Beard apparently didn't play drums on Eliminator at all, instead the drums were a combo of Oberheim DMX, Simmons, and drum samples triggered off an AMS sampling delay. If Manning is to be believed the entire album was him, Billy Gibbons, and a fellow named Jimmy Jamison on background vocals with Manning.

Re: ZZ Top's "TV Dinners" Bass Synthesizer? Drum Machine?

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:46 pm
by Z
WOW! I'm not a huge ZZ fan, but have always enjoyed their stuff. I, too, am a bit disturbed if this this is all true. I'm going to have to read it again later, because my head is about to explode!

Thanks for the link!