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BUMBLEFOOT Looks Back On His Time With GUNS N' ROSES: 'I Was Inexperienced At Being A Hired Gun In A Stadium Band'


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17 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

I saw them at the Fillmore Detroit in early 2012. That place has a capacity of 2900, so I RAN to get tickets when they went on sale. Even though I knew GN'R wasn't a big draw at all by that time, I thought they'd sell out a 2900 seater for sure. 

Imagine my surprise when they were selling tickets 2-for-1 in the week leading up to the show and it still wasn't a sellout by showtime. 

Yeah it still blows my mind that show wasn't a sellout. I distinctly seeing the balcony being pretty sparse 

The city's loss, that show was awesome

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21 minutes ago, ZoSoRose said:

Yeah it still blows my mind that show wasn't a sellout. I distinctly seeing the balcony being pretty sparse 

The city's loss, that show was awesome

I totally agree the show was awesome. One of my top GN'R shows of all time, maybe even the best. 

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My first time seeing GnR, and also my first ever concert, was in Philly 2012.

It was a packed house at the Electric Factory and from what I've seen online of GnR '12 it was one of if not the best show of the year .. My only time seeing the ChiDem (v3) lineup and I'm glad I got the chance that to experience that and see Bumblefoot live playing ChiDem tunes 🤘🏻

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44 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

I saw them at the Fillmore Detroit in early 2012. That place has a capacity of 2900, so I RAN to get tickets when they went on sale. Even though I knew GN'R wasn't a big draw at all by that time, I thought they'd sell out a 2900 seater for sure. 

Imagine my surprise when they were selling tickets 2-for-1 in the week leading up to the show and it still wasn't a sellout by showtime. 

 

31 minutes ago, allwaystired said:

I'd take that Wikipedia article with a massive pinch of salt. It's claiming shows as 'sold out' on there that I attended which had whole tiers of seats sectioned off and so were far from sold out. All the ones that were free ticketed are down as the same. 

I can only speak for the UK here- no idea what the situation was in other countries. 

 

 

Yea there was definitely a sharp decline from 2012-14, and the 2011 tour only happened because Axl lost a lawsuit, it was definitely a commercial low-point. Rio and especially Bridge School were the final nails in the coffin as far as most casual fans were concerned.

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48 minutes ago, allwaystired said:

What made it so good? 

Hard to describe, but I'll try: first, I know it's a running joke on the forums but Axl was in a REALLY good mood. Really fired up and putting on a much better show than I'd seen him do on the last few tours before that. 

The band was really on fire too and the crowd, although small, was really into it. The whole place was rocking. 

I really wish there was a bootleg of the show, it was fucking fantastic overall. 

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6 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

 

 

Yea there was definitely a sharp decline from 2012-14, and the 2011 tour only happened because Axl lost a lawsuit, it was definitely a commercial low-point. Rio and especially Bridge School were the final nails in the coffin as far as most casual fans were concerned.

Oh yes, the Bridge School disaster. That was the period where I tuned out for sure. There was a gradual realisation over a few years that the band had descended into a joke. To some degree I feel sorry for Axl for the amount of pelters he takes in the press. But he does himself absolutely no favours - from dress sense, to appearance, to voice issues, to lack of anything new etc. 

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Don't get me wrong, the reunion was something I didn't expect and am elated that it did. However there are aspects of that old larger band I miss. As an artist I loved the atmosphere of two hours of artists having a solo spot to express themselves. Because all those guys were such an eclectic group it made listening to the individual sum of the parts an interesting experience. There was always that feeling of excitement (excluding DJ) that solo/jam was building to the intro of a new song. With slash (as awesome as his solos are) it's the excitement of building up to a classic song. So yeah I miss that feeling. Kinda like the Joshua tree anniversary tour, it was a fun nostalgia trip but let's move on.

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9 minutes ago, Sledge said:

Don't get me wrong, the reunion was something I didn't expect and am elated that it did. However there are aspects of that old larger band I miss. As an artist I loved the atmosphere of two hours of artists having a solo spot to express themselves. Because all those guys were such an eclectic group it made listening to the individual sum of the parts an interesting experience. There was always that feeling of excitement (excluding DJ) that solo/jam was building to the intro of a new song. With slash (as awesome as his solos are) it's the excitement of building up to a classic song. So yeah I miss that feeling. Kinda like the Joshua tree anniversary tour, it was a fun nostalgia trip but let's move on.

Each to their own, but personally, I don't go to a GNR concert to hear solos from DJ Ashba, Robin Finck, Buckethead, Ron Thall, Richard Fortus, or anybody else who has zero connection to the songs they are playing as part of the main set. Gimme less guitar wank, less pointless covers, and more actual GNR songs!

Not entirely sure what you mean by 'move on', but the reality is, as noted within this thread really... In the eyes of the media and general public, GNR is based around the original 1987 to 1993 period. If Slash departed there would be no more. 

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8 hours ago, 2020_Intensions said:

My first time seeing GnR, and also my first ever concert, was in Philly 2012.

It was a packed house at the Electric Factory and from what I've seen online of GnR '12 it was one of if not the best show of the year ..

I would argue that is one of the best nights of Axl's career. I'd listen to that show ahead of anything from 2010 no problem. He was in fine fucking voice.

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3 hours ago, 19AT5 said:

Each to their own, but personally, I don't go to a GNR concert to hear solos from DJ Ashba, Robin Finck, Buckethead, Ron Thall, Richard Fortus, or anybody else who has zero connection to the songs they are playing as part of the main set. Gimme less guitar wank, less pointless covers, and more actual GNR songs!

Not entirely sure what you mean by 'move on', but the reality is, as noted within this thread really... In the eyes of the media and general public, GNR is based around the original 1987 to 1993 period. If Slash departed there would be no more. 

Don't misquote. I didn't defend DJ at all. His solo spots were predictable and polished. 

What you call "guitar wank" is one of the few reasons I bother to fork out large sums to see a rock show. Gene Simmons says rock is dead but he's part of the problem. I won't go to a kiss show because I know what I'm going to get. A greatest hits record in 3D. Cash grabbing nostalgia shows are what is killing rock. An artist saying that rock is dead is arrogantly stating "I was the best, there is nothing after me".

By move on I mean to break out of the nostalgia loop and make new creative choices to inspire a new generation of artists. 

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Just now, Sledge said:

Don't misquote. I didn't defend DJ at all. His solo spots were predictable and polished. 

What you call "guitar wank" is one of the few reasons I bother to fork out large sums to see a rock show. Gene Simmons says rock is dead but he's part of the problem. I won't go to a kiss show because I know what I'm going to get. A greatest hits record in 3D. Cash grabbing nostalgia shows are what is killing rock. An artist saying that rock is dead is arrogantly stating "I was the best, there is nothing after me".

By move on I mean to break out of the nostalgia loop and make new creative choices to inspire a new generation of artists. 

Okay, each to their own. I have a low tolerance level for listening to extended guitar, bass, keyboard, bongo, tambourine, sub-bass, or drum solos. Zero interest in any of that shite. Unless the guitarist happens to be Ritchie Blackmore and it's 1976! But generally, it's head for a piss time when the extended soloing starts. 

 

I think you have a point your point about nostalgia rock being a part of the problem. Though I don't think Gene is necessarily saying he's the best (and I'm not a massive KISS fan either). But you're right, bands like his do need to fuck off and let younger bands have a crack at the whip. However I think his point is more around the evolution of rock. In so much as since grunge and nu-metal in the 1990s, rock has not really moved on all that much. That's my take on it.   

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2 hours ago, 19AT5 said:

Okay, each to their own. I have a low tolerance level for listening to extended guitar, bass, keyboard, bongo, tambourine, sub-bass, or drum solos. Zero interest in any of that shite. Unless the guitarist happens to be Ritchie Blackmore and it's 1976! But generally, it's head for a piss time when the extended soloing starts. 

 

I think you have a point your point about nostalgia rock being a part of the problem. Though I don't think Gene is necessarily saying he's the best (and I'm not a massive KISS fan either). But you're right, bands like his do need to fuck off and let younger bands have a crack at the whip. However I think his point is more around the evolution of rock. In so much as since grunge and nu-metal in the 1990s, rock has not really moved on all that much. That's my take on it.   

Foo Fighters defined the polished and precise modern pop rock approach. People in the mainstream like their rock mild and at room temperature. Gene is right in that when it comes to classic hard rock there must have been already a peak and then it turned to different sub genres of rock and alternative rock was the evolution of it but not as successful as Kiss or FF, so not relevant to Gene.

Gn'R was the peak of classic hard rock and Appetite was it so maybe Axl was right and they had to incorporate new influences if they didn't want to become AC/DC.

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7 minutes ago, Rovim said:

Foo Fighters defined the polished and precised modern pop rock approach. People in the mainstream like their rock mild and at room temperature. Gene is right in that when it comes to classic hard rock there must have been already a peak and then it turned to different sub genres of rock and alternative rock was the evolution of it but not as successful as Kiss or FF, so not relevant to Gene.

Gn'R was the peak of classic hard rock and Appetite was it so maybe Axl was right and they had to incorporate new influences if they didn't want to become AC/DC.

I would actually agree with most of this. 

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12 hours ago, RussTCB said:

Hard to describe, but I'll try: first, I know it's a running joke on the forums but Axl was in a REALLY good mood. Really fired up and putting on a much better show than I'd seen him do on the last few tours before that. 

The band was really on fire too and the crowd, although small, was really into it. The whole place was rocking. 

I really wish there was a bootleg of the show, it was fucking fantastic overall. 

Sounds like it was one of those nights where everything just worked. I love it when gigs are like that- it's hard to explain why, as you say. Sometimes it just 'happens'. 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Sledge said:

Don't misquote. I didn't defend DJ at all. His solo spots were predictable and polished. 

What you call "guitar wank" is one of the few reasons I bother to fork out large sums to see a rock show. Gene Simmons says rock is dead but he's part of the problem. I won't go to a kiss show because I know what I'm going to get. A greatest hits record in 3D. Cash grabbing nostalgia shows are what is killing rock. An artist saying that rock is dead is arrogantly stating "I was the best, there is nothing after me".

By move on I mean to break out of the nostalgia loop and make new creative choices to inspire a new generation of artists. 

Absolutely. I am SO fucking bored of nostalgia in music as a whole, let alone rock. It seems to be the only thing people want to spend their money on, which is a massive problem for the future. 

You know you're past it when you start spouting shit about there being "no good music any more" or "music was better in the past". 

It's that sort of nonsense that drives endless expensive ticketed nostalgia shows, of the sort GNR now seem to specialize in. The most angering thing though is that there is no reason for GNR to do it. They're better than that. 

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37 minutes ago, allwaystired said:

Absolutely. I am SO fucking bored of nostalgia in music as a whole, let alone rock. It seems to be the only thing people want to spend their money on, which is a massive problem for the future. 

You know you're past it when you start spouting shit about there being "no good music any more" or "music was better in the past". 

It's that sort of nonsense that drives endless expensive ticketed nostalgia shows, of the sort GNR now seem to specialize in. The most angering thing though is that there is no reason for GNR to do it. They're better than that. 

Just a remark: In the early 90s there was a 60s revival. We were teenagers listening to our parents' music: Stones, Doors, Beatles, Kinks, Jimi Hendrix and so many more. Around that same time you had an ABBA revival with bands covering them. So I think saying 'music was better in the past' isn't a new thing. Even when so many artists were releasing so many albums that stood the test of time, at that same time, people were saying: 'They don't make music like that anymore'.

BUT! every time my daughter listens to her music, I can't help but say: do you think anyone will still be listening to THIS in 20, 30 or 40 years??? :lol:

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Just now, Lio said:

Just a remark: In the early 90s there was a 60s revival. We were teenagers listening to our parents' music: Stones, Doors, Beatles, Kinks, Jimi Hendrix and so many more. Around that same time you had an ABBA revival with bands covering them. So I think saying 'music was better in the past' isn't a new thing. Even when so many artists were releasing so many albums that stood the test of time, at that same time, people were saying: 'They don't make music like that anymore'.

BUT! every time my daughter listens to her music, I can't help but say: do you think anyone will still be listening to THIS in 20, 30 or 40 years??? :lol:

Oh no, it's not a new thing at all. I just don't think people recognise that when they say it, they're just repeating what their parents said to them. 

I think nostalgia has never been as all consuming as it is now though. It's almost like it's become the driving force for the live music industry. 

If we wanted to go 'deep' on it there are probably sociological factors involved too, around growing wage disparities between the older and younger generations, and the ever increasing gap between the 'haves' (wealthy middle aged people born at the right time who, because of this luck, now find themselves with large amounts of excess cash to throw at trying to recreate their youth) and the 'have nots' (those more likely to embrace new artistic thoughts and ideas without a pot to piss in and no chance of getting anywhere because of the wealth and the established status-quo being heavily guarded by the 'haves').  I find the whole subject pretty fascinating really - how nostalgia stifles the new and why it's so big. There's some really interesting books about the whole subject out there. 

Ultimately though, it's just so fucking dull. I don't understand why anyone wants to constantly try (and always fail) to recreate the past, at the expense of the present. 

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3 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

At this point on a future album, if anything, would we be more likely to have Bucket or Bumble parts present? (Assuming Slash doesn't re-record EVERYTHING)

My guess would be that it wouldn't, and that everything would be re-recorded. If there is ever to be a new album, I imagine we'd be looking at a lot of the stuff from the locker leaks, but with Slash re-recording the guitars. 

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25 minutes ago, allwaystired said:

Oh no, it's not a new thing at all. I just don't think people recognise that when they say it, they're just repeating what their parents said to them. 

I think nostalgia has never been as all consuming as it is now though. It's almost like it's become the driving force for the live music industry. 

If we wanted to go 'deep' on it there are probably sociological factors involved too, around growing wage disparities between the older and younger generations, and the ever increasing gap between the 'haves' (wealthy middle aged people born at the right time who, because of this luck, now find themselves with large amounts of excess cash to throw at trying to recreate their youth) and the 'have nots' (those more likely to embrace new artistic thoughts and ideas without a pot to piss in and no chance of getting anywhere because of the wealth and the established status-quo being heavily guarded by the 'haves').  I find the whole subject pretty fascinating really - how nostalgia stifles the new and why it's so big. There's some really interesting books about the whole subject out there. 

Ultimately though, it's just so fucking dull. I don't understand why anyone wants to constantly try (and always fail) to recreate the past, at the expense of the present. 

You make some good points here. Would agree with you.

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1 hour ago, allwaystired said:

Sounds like it was one of those nights where everything just worked. I love it when gigs are like that- it's hard to explain why, as you say. Sometimes it just 'happens'. 

Yep, that's a good way to describe it and I love that too. Earlier in the day, Axl tweeted about having the flu and being really sick so I was kinda worried all day that the show would get cancelled. He also tweeted about hating being hassled by eBay sellers hounding him for autographs. So he just kinda seemed sick and in a shit mood, so I wasn't expecting much.

A couple of fun facts about the show (and another reason I wish there was a bootleg for proof)-

Axl hit the stage absolutely on FIRE. After It's So Easy, he made it a point to stop and say how much he appreciated the crowd reaction. He said he wasn't sure if anyone had heard but he was really sick all day but he wanted to push through and do the show. He said that he was still sick as fuck and he'd leave the stage a lot to blow his nose or throw up but that because the crowd was so aweesome, he was going to do everything he could to give back an awesome show.

The first two songs were really energetic and the crowd was really into it but everything went up a notch after Axl gave that short speech. It really fired everyone up to hear such a sincere comment from him and that he really did seem appreciative.

The other funny/cool thing about the show and this is the thing I REALLY wish there was a bootleg so other people could hear it: the somehow kicked 10 kinds of ass on November Rain. Axl was so into the first half of the song, that he totally fogot to do the rest of the song. It's hard to describe but I'll try: you know where the second half of the song starts with piano before "don'tcha think that you need somebody"? Well during the part before that, after "...even cold November Rain", the band circled around the piano and everyone was locked into each other just jamming the fuck out of it. When it got to the last part, Axl was absolutely SLAMMING his hands on the keys to end it. Then he got up with a huge smile, high fived Tommy and walked the fuck off stage. Everyone looked confused but it was clear that they jammed so hard Axl just thought they were at the end of the song, not the middle LOL.

The whole band was laughing and kind of confused, then Ron finally stepped up and kinda looked like "Ok, that just happened" and he started his Don't Cry solo spot lol. Like I said, it's hard to describe but it was really funny in the moment and only happened because of how into the show everyone was..

There was other cool shit that happened throughtout the night that maybe @ZoSoRose can remember but those few highlights are what made it so special for me. 

DAMMIT! I WISH I HAD RECORDED THAT SHOW!

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22 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

At this point on a future album, if anything, would we be more likely to have Bucket or Bumble parts present? (Assuming Slash doesn't re-record EVERYTHING)

probably none of it is going to make it and Slash is going to rerecord all of it. It would kinda defeat the purpose of the album to include a brilliant Bucket solo but to answer your question I think Bucket cause Axl said how the group of players from that era were the right players for the album and since the album could contain material from that era the best way to represent that would be imo work from Robin and Bucket.

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3 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

Yep, that's a good way to describe it and I love that too. Earlier in the day, Axl tweeted about having the flu and being really sick so I was kinda worried all day that the show would get cancelled. He also tweeted about hating being hassled by eBay sellers hounding him for autographs. So he just kinda seemed sick and in a shit mood, so I wasn't expecting much.

A couple of fun facts about the show (and another reason I wish there was a bootleg for proof)-

Axl hit the stage absolutely on FIRE. After It's So Easy, he made it a point to stop and say how much he appreciated the crowd reaction. He said he wasn't sure if anyone had heard but he was really sick all day but he wanted to push through and do the show. He said that he was still sick as fuck and he'd leave the stage a lot to blow his nose or throw up but that because the crowd was so aweesome, he was going to do everything he could to give back an awesome show.

The first two songs were really energetic and the crowd was really into it but everything went up a notch after Axl gave that short speech. It really fired everyone up to hear such a sincere comment from him and that he really did seem appreciative.

The other funny/cool thing about the show and this is the thing I REALLY wish there was a bootleg so other people could hear it: the somehow kicked 10 kinds of ass on November Rain. Axl was so into the first half of the song, that he totally fogot to do the rest of the song. It's hard to describe but I'll try: you know where the second half of the song starts with piano before "don'tcha think that you need somebody"? Well during the part before that, after "...even cold November Rain", the band circled around the piano and everyone was locked into each other just jamming the fuck out of it. When it got to the last part, Axl was absolutely SLAMMING his hands on the keys to end it. Then he got up with a huge smile, high fived Tommy and walked the fuck off stage. Everyone looked confused but it was clear that they jammed so hard Axl just thought they were at the end of the song, not the middle LOL.

The whole band was laughing and kind of confused, then Ron finally stepped up and kinda looked like "Ok, that just happened" and he started his Don't Cry solo spot lol. Like I said, it's hard to describe but it was really funny in the moment and only happened because of how into the show everyone was..

There was other cool shit that happened throughtout the night that maybe @ZoSoRose can remember but those few highlights are what made it so special for me. 

DAMMIT! I WISH I HAD RECORDED THAT SHOW!

That sounds great! Yeah, would be great to hear of a bootleg of that show. I think Axl has always been big on reacting to a crowd actually - far more than is perhaps talked about. A good crowd really seems to bring out the great performances, a hostile one brings out the angry aggressive performances. Crowds have really changed over the years, they're very static now, and there's a lot of standing around looking at the stage through phone screens,......and that has got to have an impact on Axl as a live performer I think. 

 

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