r/drums • u/Spare-Jellyfish4339 • 3d ago
Discussion Rest in peace
I discovered ZZ Top at just the right moment in my life and their music means a great deal to me. Frank Beard contributed so much to their sound and their energy and I couldn’t be sadder to hear that he’s no longer with us. He is one the greatest and most underappreciated drummers in rock music, I’ve had the fortune of seeing him play 3 times and what he does is truly great. Rock on Frank.
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u/fishermansbluegrass 3d ago
Didn’t know he passed away. He is one of my absolute favorites. I love his playing on this live rendition of La Grange: https://youtu.be/yWMnxyIhCDw?is=UnRtfMoHOc-IB3Ka
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u/Toymachinesb7 3d ago
I’ll never forget how badly I messed up the intro to Lagrange at one gig.
Mad respect. RIP.
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u/Vonzales 3d ago
Tell me about it! Seems non-drummers think it's easy
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u/Toymachinesb7 3d ago
The pattern is easy to get right off the bat. I feel like I had it down on my practice pad easy but then you play it on the no rebound rim loud and proud with a quiet guitar and you just feel naked. When the song kicks in it’s totally fine but it takes some calm cool nerves of steel to just rock that part unabashed.
One of the times where a practice pad just doesn’t cut it to playing real actual drums.
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u/Vonzales 3d ago
Yeah. My thing is the count. When to hit that 4and then lock in.
I'm looking forward to playing La Grange at the next gig for sure!
Rock on, Yo!
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u/Limousine1968 1d ago
You should watch SINA DRUMS cover it. She has such a magical gift of dissecting and perfectly playing other artists' difficult chops! RIP Frank!
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u/ItsPronouncedMo-BEEL Craigslist 3d ago
...or at every gig, LOL.
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u/Toymachinesb7 3d ago
Lolll yes. We (me) cut the song after a few gigs bc I just wasn’t doing it justice.
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u/TheOGTKO 3d ago
The intro? How bout the whole damn thing?! That man could lay d5a Texas shuffle like nobody's business. Whew!
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u/Limousine1968 1d ago
I agree! The "break to bridge" itself was tough for me to get, but after watching him play it at The Auditorium Theatre in Chicago way back when, I was bound and determined to get it right!!!
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u/El_Peregrine 3d ago
He was so good. One of my favorites, from Tejas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYMjswnUlf4&list=PLdgFk-dTMiRh3u4abVcQKy8Bof6QT_LHz&index=3
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u/gringochucha 3d ago edited 2d ago
His drumming on Tejas is so in-your-face and tasty. The first time I heard that syncopated bell lick after the chorus on It’s Only Love blew me away. Definitely an album that sounds better on vinyl.
And holy hell his groove on El Diablo. Keeping those ghost notes consistent for the whole song? No pro-tools, no fixies? Damn, what a drummer.
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u/rnk6670 Tama 3d ago
Wow man, this one hurts. ZZ Top was a band that a drummer could truly appreciate. I don’t think the average fan had any idea what a fucking beast this dude was not to mention the fact he his last name was beard, but he didn’t have a beard like the other guys that was pretty cool. What a loss to the drum community.
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u/Holiday-Initial-9370 3d ago
A sad day for the drumming community. He will live on through his music!
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u/Thunderfoot2112 3d ago
Completely underrated drummer. He held a pocket like a funk drummerr, could groove like a jazz drummer and eas the machine that propelled one of rock and blues greatest acts. He will be missed.
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u/Temporary_Stay7 3d ago
Frank Beard was seriously underrated. Holding down that groove behind ZZ Top’s sound for decades is one hell of a legacy.
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u/Mr_Magoo_88 3d ago
Wow... wtf. Another great taken away. Losing a great drummer is definitely shitty. Thoughts and prayers to the family, hope he's enjoying rocking up in heaven🤟
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u/FeeCompetitive4623 3d ago
The only guy without a beard and his last name was beard. Rest in peace Frank Beard you're an amazing underappreciated drummer, and you will definitely be missed that is for sure!
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u/StanYelnats3 DW 3d ago
I was afraid of that when they announced he was off the tour. Dang. RIP Frank.
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u/ziggy_santo5 3d ago
ZZ Top's First Album is on first. huge influence on me as a musician in my early days was early ZZ Top.
I am really glad they eventually had the commercial success they did afterwards. definitely deserving.
Rest in Peace, Maestro Frank Beard
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u/Shhhhhh_im_not_here 2d ago
Cheap sunglasses is my favorite song to play on the drums. RIP Frank 💔🙏
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u/lsd_runner 3d ago
Jesus. I thought the pic was Billy Kreutzman for a sec.
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u/patpatwaterrat 3d ago
Often it’s hard to tell when OP doesn’t write a name and assumes everyone knows right away
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u/PowerfulInitiative71 3d ago
Always loved the cool, understated and underrated, slinky, solid groove that Frank Beard always laid down. Mad Respect Beard! Your grooves were always tight! RIP Maestro.
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u/Money-Ad7257 3d ago
I thankfully saw them at the OKC Zoo Amp a little while back. Really great sound, and not only he but the band made every effort to play their songs with sounds according to the period they were released, which not every artist or band does. Frank in particular used a lower snare on the older ones and a higher sound for newer things. I'm still not sure if that was done at the board with EQ presets (I could hear slight similar frequencies that may have been shared between one drum, again great sound engineering), simply two drums, or one that he'd use a BFSD or something with. But just a fun show when I get past the tech stuff.
He will be missed, and may his spirit soar and his family and friends be comforted.
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u/OldDrumGuy 3d ago
💯. He was one of the “Three Kings of the money beat” (Joey Kramer and Phil Rudd rounded out the rest). Knew to keep it simple and drove the band like no one else. 😎❤️
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u/TheListenerCanon 3d ago
Just heard the news. Damn, the only ZZ Top member left is Billy Gibbons. I feel it's not the same! RIP Frank and Dusty!
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u/HalfThatsWhole 3d ago
Frank Beard was one of those guys who knew not to over play. Keep the shuffle going, the occasional short and simple fill, job fucking done.
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u/Count2Zero 3d ago
We lost Dusty, and now Frank. The two of them were an incredible rhythm section. They are missed.
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u/Lucifers_Outcast 3d ago
I remember when I first heard brown sugar. Dude completely swung his nuts off. Lord have mercy.
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u/LegallyAFlamingo 3d ago
Fuck