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New Bumblefoot Interview: "Frank and Tommy and I plan to get together and start writing some new music"

Tyler Drama

By Tyler Drama
in 2012

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Tyler Drama FRONTMAN

Tyler Drama

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Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal answers readers' questions....

JULY 2012

http://www.bumblefoot.com/press/20120701_-_terazrock/20120701_-_terazrock.htm

1. If you was to play on another G3 tour and chose other guitar players who would you invite?

Mattias Eklundh and Guthrie Govan. If it was G4 it would include Christophe Godin. I could easily make it a G10 and add so many amazing players, but if I had to only choose two, they'd be the two. We've recorded together, toured together, jammed together - they're wonderful people and it shows in their wonderful playing.

2. You worked as a producer with 24-7 Spyz among others. Why do you think this band didn't achieve such success as Sevendust or Limp Bizkit?

They hit the scene along with bands like Living Colour, they had a specific energy that I loved. But things happen, whether it's from labels, management, internal conflicts... that's a question best for the Spyz guys to answer, they could tell you more about it than me. It doesn't take anything away from the music, it's great either way. I love producing most of all - the collaborations, the combination of spirits in the music, making someone's music come alive, I love it. The last two albums I produced were "Breathe Again" from NYC rocker girl named Alexa Vetere, and "Rise Above" from Poc, a rock singer from Mexico City. On both albums I co-wrote and did a lot of guitar-work, it was more of a collaboration than just producing.

3. In 2011 you recorded some covers (including "Pink Panther Theme" by Henry Mancini) for "digital download series". What was idea behind it? Would you continue it?

I'm so busy between touring and producing that I'm not able to hibernate for nine months and make an album happen. It made more sense for me to release songs as I made them, one song each month, keeping a steady flow of music coming out rather than waiting years to finish and release an entire album – I didn't know how many months I'd be able to keep it going, managed to get nine songs released before hitting the road again. The last song I released was the version of “The Pink Panther Theme” I'd play as my guitar solo with Guns, and the band played on it. About these songs - it was more than just releasing an MP3 each month – each song was released with a choice of hi-resolution formats, instrumental mixes, lead guitar transcriptions with backing tracks and reference mixes, and also recording stems so people can make their own mixes. (www.bumblefoot.com/discography.php) It was everything I wished I had for the music I grew up with.

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1. I know you like spicy food. What meal you recently eat was most spicy and how did it feel eating it?

Actually, since I had the car accident last year and my brain got rattled, I no longer enjoy spicy food. Even the slightest bit of spice is irritating. I don't know if I'll ever get my old personality traits back or if things like this are permanent. When it came to spice I would usually add my own ingredients to make everything 'the spiciest thing I ever ate', haha. I would add drops of a liquid that measured 7,100,000 Scoville Units. To get an idea of how hot that is, Jalapeno peppers are at 5,000. Habaneros are 300,000. The hottest peppers on Earth (Naga Viper, Bhut Jolokia) are at 1,500,000. 'Pepper spray' used as a weapon by the police is 2,000,000. Absolute heat, Resiniferatoxin, Capsaicin, is 16,000,000 - it'll cause chemical burns. What I would eat was 7.1 Million.

2. In the past you modified guitars by yourself. Now, on GNR tour, you use mainly Vigier guitars which is not well known company. What's so special about it?

So many things are special about Vigier guitars. The necks feel amazing. Vigier guitars don't use an adjustable metal truss-rod inside the necks, instead they use a strip of graphite rock. The necks are always perfect no matter what changes happen in temperature or humidity - that's important on stage when you're playing outdoor festivals... My Vigier's have DiMarzio pickups (Tone Zone at the bridge, Chopper at the neck) and a 5-position selector with out-of-phase settings and single-coil settings, gives the guitar a lot of variety. There's a 'zero fret' which I think makes the 1st fret feel more consistent with the rest, just a lot of features that make a guitar great. ( www.vigierguitars.com ) And my 'Bfoot' signature models have a magnetized hole in the bottom horn to hold your 'thimble' - it's a metal cap I keep on my picking hand 4th finger, I tap on the string higher than the fretboard to get notes higher than you can get on the neck. (Video example at

)

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You don't use Stratocaster recently, although you used this guitar as a teenager. Do you think learning flying bridge instrument is important phase in guitar education or would you recommend something else?

It's good to play all different physical styles of a guitar, as each has its own character. My Vigier double-necks have a floating bridge on the fretted necks, although I don't use the vibrato bar... hmmmm, maybe I should....? :)

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Does someone call you Ron anymore or everyone uses Bumblefoot nickname?

I get called by a lot of different names... "Ron", "Mr. Foot", "Bumble"... my mom still calls me "Ronald" when I do something wrong, haha.

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1. Were you ever so burnt-out you didn't even want to touch guitar?

Abslutely! When that happens, it's good to step away, live life, and come back to it when you want to. How ever long it takes. I've gone weeks without toughing a guitar, it's ok. Sometimes you have to.

2. Did you ever try guitars by Polish company called Mayones?

No, I haven't. I'm checking them out right now online, they look beautiful!

3. Would you accept offer for playing bass in Metallica?

Haha, I think I'll stick with guitar.

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Name place of your dreams to build house and live.

That place is imaginary, haha. It has New York's energy and LA's weather and Pennsylvania's building codes and Canada's health care system. And a theme park that resembles Amsterdam. It would be on the Mediterranean coast. The house would have a room with shower heads above, glass walls, and a big game of Twister on the floor. I almost built that room in my studio, but I needed more space to do it. If this magical place can't become real, I'd consider Scottsdale Arizona - mountains, lakes, forests, desert, and sunshine, all there. :)

1. What do you think on sound effects on Chinese Democracy?

It's fine to me. It's growth. I always think of The Beatles, how in a few years they went from 'She Loves You' to 'Helter Skelter,' a totally different sound, which can also be attributed to changes in technology - amps with more drive, studios with more multi-tracks and FX… but, with the Beatles you grew with them, hearing them change from one album to the next. With Guns N' Roses, we're talking about big changes in technology, band members, and a longer moment of time - all the growing and changing happened without albums to take you along that journey, a step at a time. There wasn't a 'Rubber Soul,' 'Sgt. Pepper,' 'White Album' in-between. We're jumping straight from 'A Hard Days Night' to the 'White Album.' So the sound of Chinese Democracy came as a shock to many people, and many have strong feelings about it. That's good though - art and music should bring out strong feelings, yes?

2. Your funniest moment onstage?

So many. Playing in the rain at Rock In Rio 2011 as the stage was getting flooded, I put on a Star Wars helmet from the audience and it immediately fogged up and stuck to my face, I couldn't see and couldn't remove it...! Right as I had to play the solo! And of course it was televised, what a mess! A few months ago I was playing a solo and Axl came up behind me and wrapped my arms up in orange tape, I couldn't get out, haha! A lot of funny 'Spinal Tap' moments...

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What do you think of GNR show in Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame?

I didn't see it yet, been so busy with touring and everything...

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1. After GNR show in Poland you have 2 days off before Slovakia concert. Do you plan short stay in Poland, beautiful city Cracow is nearby...

I hope we'll have some time to enjoy Poland. I would love to see some of Cracow. My grandparents came from Poland and Lithuania, but I don't know which towns. I'd come over my grandmother's house in Brooklyn and she'd always be grating potatoes into a bowl, to make potato latkes, and she'd bargain with me to eat fruit... I remember, being 20 years old and her saying "Ronald, have an orange." "No thanks grandma, I'm not hungry." "Ronald, I got you this apple, here, eat it." "It's ok grandma, I'm really not hungry." "OK Ronald, I'll eat half, you eat half." "No thanks, I don't want to eat an apple." "I just cut the apple in half, here Ronald, here's your half..." Now I want to come to Poland and eat some potato latkes - and an apple - for her.

2. Could you play for local fans solo with Chopin's "Fantasie Improptu"?

If I do a solo tour I'll play it. :)

Don't you miss composing in band context? Wouldn't you like to create new material with GNR guys? Did you record anything yet?

Yes, I miss writing as a band. My wish was that the band would get together for one week before every part of a tour would begin, and we write a song, record it, release it, play it on that leg of the tour, and keep doing this every time we start a new leg of a tour. If we did that, this band would have a brand new album done by now. When this tour ends, Frank (drums) and Tommy (bass) and I plan to get together and start writing some new music. Hopefully nothing will get in the way of doing that.

Did you consider quitting band or playing live after car accident?

Yes. I couldn't lift my arms and didn't know if I'd ever be able to wear a guitar again. So I started producing more, while going to physical therapy for months. I was not ready to start touring last year. It was the most difficult time in my life, I did whatever possible to get through shows, combining drugs and alcohol, to be well enough to play and numb enough to withstand the constant pain. It was brutal. This European tour is the first time since the accident that I'm on stage without poisoning myself to be physically able to. Before the tour began, I had steroids injected into my spine. Not fun. But I'm able to endure the pain and get through shows without drugs. It was a year of suffering like I never imagined, and it's not over. It almost killed me, for real. But it didn't, I'm a fighter. I'm fighting for what I love.

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Thank you all for the wonderful questions, this was a real pleasure! Hope to see you soon!!

~ Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal

June 7th, 2012

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WhazUp LEGEND

WhazUp

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If three members of the band are getting together to write....what does that mean as a time table for the next album?

Could somebody tweet Fernando and ask?

The next album is done

Well so was CD back in 2002 and we all know how that went.

Maybe this is the cynical part of me but I simply do not give any weight to anyone (even Axl) when talking about new material. I will believe it when I see it, no more no less. Although when it comes to fruition I will be very exited cause I really want to hear some new material :thumbsup:

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Shooting Star DEMI-GOD

Shooting Star

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I get called by a lot of different names... "Ron", "Mr. Foot", "Bumble"... my mom still calls me "Ronald" when I do something wrong, haha.

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So many. Playing in the rain at Rock In Rio 2011 as the stage was getting flooded, I put on a Star Wars helmet from the audience and it immediately fogged up and stuck to my face, I couldn't see and couldn't remove it...! Right as I had to play the solo! And of course it was televised, what a mess! A few months ago I was playing a solo and Axl came up behind me and wrapped my arms up in orange tape, I couldn't get out, haha! A lot of funny 'Spinal Tap' moments...

Haha, funny stuff :lol:

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Tyler Drama FRONTMAN

Tyler Drama

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Axl, Buckethead, Brain, Chris, and Robin.... Now THAT'S a good writing team for the sound I like. Even Dizzy was gettin' the hang of it with Silkworms. I definitely bet Bumblefoot could have worked well with that group too.

Now sounds like we'll have songs written by DJ and Axl, and songs written by Bumblefoot, Tommy, Frank and Axl.

Wait a second, I'm actually believing that this is gonna happen :rofl-lol:

Oh, and looks like I'm apparently becoming a 2002-line-up lover (even though I really like Bumblefoot). Huh.

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Guest ben

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I just hope they invite Chris to these writing sessions. He seems to be the only hope I have left for that electronica/industrial sound I love so much (when GNR does it). Sadly, I'm the only one.

No, not only you. I really want the industrial, electronic material, the music that used to be described in similarity to NIN. Obviously Chris had a big part of that, things he described as futuristic and such.

If the new music never materialises we can only hope to somehow get a copy of CD in its first form which the earliest TWAT demo, "Oh My God" etc hint at.

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Guest ben

Guest ben

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Axl, Buckethead, Brain, Chris, and Robin.... Now THAT'S a good writing team for the sound I like. Even Dizzy was gettin' the hang of it with Silkworms. I definitely bet Bumblefoot could have worked well with that group too.

Now sounds like we'll have songs written by DJ and Axl, and songs written by Bumblefoot, Tommy, Frank and Axl.

Wait a second, I'm actually believing that this is gonna happen :rofl-lol:

Oh, and looks like I'm apparently becoming a 2002-line-up lover (even though I really like Bumblefoot). Huh.

Ok didn't see this, you nailed it regarding the writing team there.

I respect Ron a lot, I think he could innovate the gnr sound with his writing input, and he definitely deserves the opportunity compared to one of his fellow guitarists.. but I can't lie, that 2002 lineup and sound was something great and I expect we may never hear the best that was yet to come..

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Guest Gunns

Guest Gunns

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It doesn't sound like they've written as a band at all, hopefully this means the next album is ready as far as tracklist is concerned ( Chinese leftovers)

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Guest ben

Guest ben

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I thought the "new music" was already written but well, let's see what's next.

Yeah I think it depends who it was written by and from what stage.

In terms of Buckethead/Robin/Brain/Tobias there are songs that are almost completed and ready for release.

There could have been other writing sessions in the interim that we don't know about, particularly in the period between CD final stages/release and ashbaTM joining.

Of course now the other thing is, we don't know how the writing is being done. Are each of these guys coming in with structured songs looking to have their place? Are the guys pairing off in twos or threes (e.g. Ron, Tommy and Frank in this article) and coming up with ideas together? Then of course, what does Axl like from it? Is he adding or taking away from anything in progress? Is he going to try to rearrange songs from the CD era with the current lineup? There are so many possibilities as to where the new music could come from. I remember Ron and Frank, just after the release of CD, talking about how they were happy their contributions ended up on the final product, because they didn't know what was used or discarded. Could it be the same thing this time around?

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