Elwood Francis just wants to help ZZ Top rather than replace Dusty Hill. In a new interview with Guitar World, the bassist talked about how it felt to fill Hill’s shoes:
“I stepped away from social media because, man, I’m not the most confident person, and Dusty was immensely talented. All I gotta say is the fans have been really cool about it.”
He continued:
“If there had been too much backlash, I would not be doing it. I wouldn’t be able to handle it – I’m just trying to help out. It was never my intention to play bass in f*cking ZZ Top.”
Francis Feels Weird About Replacing Hill
Before he died, Dusty told Billy Gibbons that Francis could take over his bass duties. Gibbons trusted Dusty and was impressed with Francis’ energy and musical skills. In the same chat, Elwood admitted feeling uncomfortable taking Hill’s place and discussed the shows they’ve done together:
“We’d done some gigs when Dusty passed, and by that time, I wouldn’t say I was comfortable because I’m still not f*cking comfortable. But I had a piece of paper on the riser for the first two shows if I got in trouble, and by the third show, I got rid of that, and just did the show.”
He also mentioned how strange it feels to play in the band after Dusty’s passing:
“It’s just weird. Dusty is their bass player. I’m not the bass player. I’m not in the band. I’ll never be in the band. I shouldn’t be in the band. It’s Dusty’s thing. Sure, I’ll still play with them, but it’s a weird thing, man.”
Gibbons’ Comments On Hiring Elwood
Gibbons previously said the following about hiring Francis to replace Hill:
“I said, ‘No, no, that guy had a beard.’ He said, ‘Believe it or not, that’s your man, Elwood.’ So, he is not only a great player with raucous antics but also the way he attacks the guitar. Dusty showed us a sliver of his wisdom that went far beyond what we ever anticipated when he said, ‘Hand the guitar to Elwood.’ So here we are. Elwood stepped up and accepted the position. It’s great, knowing that in spirit, Dusty is leading the charge here.”
Hill passed away in his sleep on July 28, 2021, at his home in Houston, Texas. ZZ Top’s first show after his death was on July 30, 2021, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Francis has been playing with the band since then. After completing their European tour, ZZ Top will be performing in North America during August and September.
