ZZ TOP’S ELIMINATOR
Texas titans ZZ Top have been
kicking around since 1969,
bringing their Southern-fried
blues rock to the masses.
For whatever reason though,
after signing with Warner
Bros Records in the ‘80s
they decided to get with
the times and use some
more modern production
techniques. The band had
flirted with synthesizers on its
album El Loco thanks to the
input of recording engineer
Linden Hudson and decided
to go all-in for the follow-up
Eliminator. Hudson served
as a live-in music teacher
to guitarist Billy Gibbons
and drummer Frank Beard,
sharing his research on pop
recordings and gathering
patches and samples for
them to use.
As per usual, all the guitars
were performed by Gibbons.
The recording setup was a
single Dean Z guitar with
DiMarzio Super Distortion
humbuckers run into a
Legend Rock ‘n’ Roll combo
amplifier with a single
Celestion speaker. All tracks
were recorded with a single
AKG C414 B-ULS condenser
mic placed slightly off-axis
five inches from the speaker
cone. Hudson meanwhile
would sequence the bass
and drums on synthesizers,
recommending all tracks be
around 120 beats per minute
for maximum appeal.
There were legal disputes
following recording as to
who really deserved credit
for the success of Eliminator.
Hudson argued Beard and
bassist Dusty Hill barely
attended sessions, though
Hill would sing lead on “I
Got the Six” and “Bad Girl.”
The band eventually paid out
$500,000 to Hudson after a
five-year legal battle. Still,
Eliminator ended up as ZZ
Top’s best-selling record, with
a Diamond certification and
unforgettable hits like “Sharp-
Dressed Man”, “Legs”, and
“Gimme All Your Lovin.”
ToneReport.com
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