bumblecool Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 http://www.guitarworld.com/interview-guns-n-roses-guitarist-ron-bumblefoot-thal-discusses-gear-gnr-and-surviving-serious-auto-accidentGuitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal has had his hand in almost every aspect of the music business.Not only has he toured with Gun N’ Roses since 2006; he also been a producer, engineer and writer.And more recently, a survivor, having walked away from a serious auto accident last May. Thal used Twitter to thank Toyota for the "functional seat belt, air bags & crumple zone, you saved my skull ... ." But Thal says performing since the accident has been a challenge, since he must deal with the throbbing pain in his shoulders and neck as holds his double-neck Vigier guitar.But he says he’ll play until he can’t do it anymore.Thal also is recording with Poc, a Mexico City-based singer and actress who has opened several shows for Guns N’ Roses. While recording at his studio in Princeton, New Jersey, the band encountered several obstacles, including Hurricane Irene, which flooded the studio, and an earthquake.“It was one crazy thing after another," Thal said. "It was the most intense two months, the most intense recording experience ever.”GUITAR WORLD: You’re touring with Guns N' Roses, which is only one of your many projects. What’s it been like touring with such a big-name band?In general, you just deal with it. You just do what you do. You play, you sleep, you play again and repeat. It’s like any big tour. You take it show by show, you do what you can, you play some gigs. But it’s been real good. This tour in particular has been the most difficult thing I’ve done in my fucking life. I was in a car accident a couple of months ago, and I fucked up my neck pretty bad, and it’s hard to have a guitar around my neck. And to be wearing a 30-pound, double-neck guitar while running around stage for three hours a night, it’s been really difficult, and I’ve had to resort to a combination of pills and booze and anything else I can get just to try and numb the pain.Was it a head-on collision? Were you hit by a drunk driver?Some lady in an SUV was doing 50 mph up the road behind me and not paying attention. She drove into a line of cars stopped at a red light. I was in the back of the line, so she smashed me and the car in front of me, and she turned my car into an accordion. I was brain damaged for about a month, I couldn’t speak right, I couldn’t raise my arms. I went to physical therapy.Will you be able to make a full recovery?No. I’m not recovering, and I probably never will. I’m just going to have to deal with it until I can’t deal with it anymore. That’s life. What are you going to do?You mentioned your double-neck Vigier; is that your favorite guitar to play? At least, was it?It’s definitely my favorite. You can get a lot done with it. I’ve been using my Vigier since early 2009. I was playing fretless, but when it came time to play the songs live, I needed a way to be able to play all the guitar parts on my own and do every song. So I really needed a guitar that I could switch back and forth doing most of the Chinese Democracy songs and play all the parts in the songs on that album. I need more than one guitar at once.So that’s really what brought it on. Before that, I would just play, hoping it's just one way or the other. Before that, I didn’t need to have a double-neck guitar. I need it for some of the old songs, too. I need it for some sort of slide guitar that comes in before something, so I can jump to that and do other stuff, too.What about your Gibson Flying V?I don’t know where that went. It’s not in my road case, and I don’t who has it (laughs). I do have my old ’89 Les Paul.There's a story behind that Les Paul. I know you won it in 1989 and you played it in 2006 on the Guns N' Roses tour. Is that basically the guitar you always keep with you?The only thing I can say about a Les Paul is that it’s such a fucking good guitar. It can give me really nice single cutaways.Any thoughts on your acoustic Parkwood?During the show, I just bring that out for the song "Patience." If I’m going to play acoustic, that’s the one I play.You’ve done engineering, performing, writing and producing for a lot of bands and artists. You’ve been in the industry for such a long time. Have you noticed a change in the industry comparing today to the '80s or '90s?Talent is never going to disappear, and good bands are never going to disappear. They are always going to be out there. I think there’s more diversity in the music that’s available out there now than there was in the past. If anything, there’s just so much of it that it’s harder to find because there’s too much of it. It’s like going to Cheesecake Factory. I was just there a few days ago, and the menu is like a fucking novel. And there’s so much food that it’s almost hard to find what you’re looking for because there’s too much.How did you get your background in music. Did you study it in school?I picked up my first guitar when I was 5, and that’s what made me want to do it. I immediately started doing it myself, put a band together and recorded, did some shows. I started taking guitar lessons when I was about 7 and learned a whole bunch of stuff from jazz and classical. I got into guitar instruction and got into recording more, and everything has evolved. I recorded, engineered and wanted to produce.So I’m not doing anything different now then when I was 6 -- I’m just doing more of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GET OFF AXLS BACK Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I prefer audio interviews with Ron, such a cool accent plus you pick things up more in audio, the written word misses out little quirks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moreblack Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Those types of injuries suck, but it sounds like he's making it at least bearable. His playing sounds fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerage5 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I was actually just wondering why he doesn't play his Flying V anymore the other day. Good to know I'm not the only one curious about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nosaj Thing Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Poor guy =/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Use Your Delusion 1 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Should he stop playing the double neck if it hurts if so much?its a real shame, stupid SUV's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batman007 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Ron is a trooper....storm trooper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolRanchDressing Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I never hit women, but I would punch the living shit out of the woman who wrecked into Ron. It would be an ass-beating of Axl proportions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDRE Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I never hit women, but I would punch the living shit out of the woman who wrecked into Ron. It would be an ass-beating of Axl proportions.seriously dude.good luck to ron on his recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 If I was in his position I'd just put a stool or chair of some sort on stage so I didn't have to hold a guitar around my already painful neck.Might not look "rock star", but it's your health you are speaking about, who cares what anybody else thinks? And at least you're getting the job done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GET OFF AXLS BACK Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I never hit women, but I would punch the living shit out of the woman who wrecked into Ron. It would be an ass-beating of Axl proportions.Yeah beat that bitch, it's not like being the cause of a serious wreck will have had any bearing on her life.Perhaps you could also make her take a dump in a litter tray? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxlRose14 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Best of luck to Ron recovering..I think he'll be okay, he just needs a break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowmass Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I never hit women, but I would punch the living shit out of the woman who wrecked into Ron. It would be an ass-beating of Axl proportions.Yeah, who exactly has Axl put a beating on? What Ron should do is sue the crap out of her (her insurance) and laugh all the way to the bank with $$$$$. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxlRose14 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I never hit women, but I would punch the living shit out of the woman who wrecked into Ron. It would be an ass-beating of Axl proportions.Yeah beat that bitch, it's not like being the cause of a serious wreck will have had any bearing on her life.Perhaps you could also make her take a dump in a litter tray?Who gave u permission to talk??God forbid anyone in here defends Bumblefoot..I hope he ignores ur cupcake comments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristianGNR Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I thought "his" flying V was borrowed from Robin... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 He probably needs guitars custom made for him. He must really love his Double neck. I hate the flying v look so I am glad he has the gibson and double neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flayer Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I never hit women, but I would punch the living shit out of the woman who wrecked into Ron. It would be an ass-beating of Axl proportions.Yeah beat that bitch, it's not like being the cause of a serious wreck will have had any bearing on her life.Perhaps you could also make her take a dump in a litter tray?Who gave u permission to talk??God forbid anyone in here defends Bumblefoot..I hope he ignores ur cupcake comments Why does everyone here feel they have to be an asshole in order to support this band? It's really not necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bond Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 It’s like going to Cheesecake Factory. I was just there a few days ago, and the menu is like a fucking novel. And there’s so much food that it’s almost hard to find what you’re looking for because there’s too much.Man, I would have loved to hear Bumblefoot's accent when saying this bit. He totally has a good point but the analogy is so random. its a real shame, stupid SUV's I drive an SUV, but I'm a good driver! It sounds like it's kind of a permanent pain, like it'll always be there when there's pressure on that part of his shoulder/neck, but it does sound like he's at ease with the notion of having this pain now. He's got a good attitude about it. Here's hoping that the pain sees improvement over time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid A Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 This forum is ridiculous. The creepy violent threats have been getting really out of hand, but the comment in this thread about beating the shit out of that women is ridiculous.It was a fucking car accident. Shit happens, and I'm sure Ron has forgiven her, as we all should.I hope he recovers OK, he is a pretty cool dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhazUp Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I never hit women, but I would punch the living shit out of the woman who wrecked into Ron. It would be an ass-beating of Axl proportions.Yeah beat that bitch, it's not like being the cause of a serious wreck will have had any bearing on her life.Perhaps you could also make her take a dump in a litter tray?Who gave u permission to talk??God forbid anyone in here defends Bumblefoot..I hope he ignores ur cupcake comments Seriously? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgy Zhukov Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Woman can't drive. KiddingYeak I'd rather listen to Ron talk. Now I want Cheesecake Factory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GET OFF AXLS BACK Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I need permission to talk? Oh no, I'll be good.No afraid not, your a cock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDRE Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I never hit women, but I would punch the living shit out of the woman who wrecked into Ron. It would be an ass-beating of Axl proportions.Yeah beat that bitch, it's not like being the cause of a serious wreck will have had any bearing on her life.Perhaps you could also make her take a dump in a litter tray?Who gave u permission to talk??God forbid anyone in here defends Bumblefoot..I hope he ignores ur cupcake comments yeah, i'm sure Ron would support the above sentiments. *sarcasm* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxlRose14 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I need permission to talk? Oh no, I'll be good.No afraid not, your a cockoh wow..ur so good at rhyming.ur pathetic and clearly a 5 year old like u doesWoman can't drive. HAHAHAHA WOWWWW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GET OFF AXLS BACK Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I need permission to talk? Oh no, I'll be good.No afraid not, your a cockoh wow..ur so good at rhyming.ur pathetic and clearly a 5 year old like u doesWoman can't drive. HAHAHAHA WOWWWWI'm like a five year old?A five year old with a better grasp of basic English than you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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