Here Today... Gone To Hell!

so now it's official after last night spectacular show, bumblefoot is the new guitar player of guns n' roses. what do you think of him? is he the right man to fill buckethead's shoes, and how do you think he will develop in the band?

Fuck Yes

i agree, i believe this is the right guy to fill bh's spot and help take guns to that next level :smoking:

Give the man time. ?He's never had this much responsibility as well as publicity before. ?After a few shows (and a stylist ;D) i'm sure he will be fine. ?He seems to have alot of the shred factor as well as bluesy factor and meshes the 2 styles together well.

yeah i think the band definately needs both, both bluesy playing and shredding, and i think bumblefoot will prove himself in guns. :beer:
i'm still trying to get used to the idea that we in fact have a new guitar player, especially one with the name bumblefoot ;D

Yeah, he's great! He plays as well as a motherfucker & fits in with the band well! Not a freak like Buckethead...

Just from the lo end bootlegs Ive heard of last night's show, bumblefoot is a better fit for GNR than bucket. his style and lack of any gimmick ( kfc bucket & mask) as well as his playing style hints he is not as neurotic and more of a team player musically.

Although I dont know much about this guy. He seems to be the man to fill Buckethead's shoes. He seems to dig GN'R's music as well I think thats what Axl needs to. I think Bumblefoot will settle well within the band he has a lot of pressure on him hes got some really big gigs coming up so I think the guy is cool myself. But I really do need to hear a better quality version of the show last night but I guess we will have to wait a little while for a good quality recording of the band live! Before I can make up my mind!

Give the guy some time to assimilate into the band. I'm sure he has never been thrown into the position of being the 3rd guitarist in what will be one of the biggest bands in the world. Also, speaking as a guitarist, its hard get a grove by jumping in mid-song and start playing. You need to get into a groove and judging by the reviews, Robin and Richard too the majority of guitar parts leaving Ron to do filler. He needs to get into his grove and when he does he will kick ass.

just imagine Baz saying "YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" :beer:

Shiryu.

robin richard and ron ;D
are there bootlegs out?
where? :o

I would of preferred to just have Richard & Robin Dualing all the stuff.

Bumblefoot seems like a good choice to replace Buckethead. Buckethead is stuck in Bucketheads world. Weather or not GnR needs a shredder is a different question  ;D

As long as he can play the shit thats all that matters

As long as they don't give him any more solos, he's ok. ?His look is alright. ?Much better than Breakdancing Bucket. ? ::)

Bumblefoot? Hell yes.

fuck yeah!! After hering bucketheads stuff i hoped we would get another shredder in the band, bucket was good and he's certainly not an easy many to replace but from what i've heard bumble could be just as good or better. I'm glad it's noy just fink and fortus i like them having that extra cannon on stage.

He should loose that foot shape guitar! Otherwise he is cool

he sounded like complete shit last night.  worst guitar sound ive ever heard.  His solos in between songs have to go.... never heard a more unstructered mess and he kept tripping all over himself.  Such a pointless waste of time.  Dizzy did a better solo.  He sounded fine during the songs.  actually... just get the gut to fuckin not play solos between songs until he gets a better live sound.... and not use that little crappy guitar.

from what i can hear he sounds decent so far....any guitarists at the show that can rate the guy? I prefer to judge someone on playing ability rather than the shape of his guitars :P

Erm...well I haven't even really heard him yet as you can't exactly tell with those bootlegs the quality of his performance.

I would've still loved to have seen Zakk Wylde though even though I know there was definitely no way of getting him in the band due to his commitments with Ozzy and BLS

Didn't Gn'R specifically release a statement a few years ago saying Bumblefoot was NOT in the band?   ???

I wanted Zakk Wylde too.  I guess I will have to learn to like this guy like I did Bucket.  Who will the guitarist be next year? 

his #1 biggest show ever.....he'll improve :peace:

I didn't think he was very good.  However, since it was his first ever show with the band, I'll give him a break.  I doubt Axl would have brought him in if he sucked.  But going solely on his performance last night, he's not all that great.  Still the greatet show I've ever been to though.

Thal was a disappointment. I hope he grows on me but it hasn't been a great start. Richard and Robin kicked ass though.

Based on the TWAT solo alone YES.

I'm ending up in the "yes" camp.  During his first solo last night, I thought "wow, that's pretty unimpressive."  During some of the songs, and his 2nd solo of the evening, I was duly impressed.

As we left, I was talking to some other fans about his perfomance, and this one guy said, "Dude!  He's just as good as Buckethead but not a freak!"

I thought that pretty much summed it up.

I'm a member on a couple non-GNR music-related websites and people are going nuts over this. People are saying that they didn't think Axl could find anyone that could fill both Slash and Bucket's shoes, but this is the one guy that could do it. People are amazed and excited, some non-GNR fans are wanting to come see the shows now, etc. ?So this guy has a bigger following than I knew of!

After seeing him last night, I'll say yes. He's obviously talented. I'll give him a while to get into the swing of things as far as performance and stage-presence go, but I'm pleasantly surprised by this guy. He's pretty damn good.

for those who were not impressed with him:

keep in mind this was a warm up gig, he's really new to the band and probrally has never played a show like that in his life, talk about pressure. I think he will do fine if not fantastic with GNR, just needs a chance to adjust. I did like what I heard.

YES


what if u guys were to find out that on our Boots Bumblefoot is playin the parts on Better and TWAT and not Bucket?

Is there audio from the show on the internet already?  I couldn't give a yes or no without hearing him play last night.  Reviews sound great though.

give thal the summer to warm up and gel with this band. BY the fall he'll be a totally new guitarist....this was his first huge show ever. The guy was nervous. I saw RObin take Guns over last night, Thal can certainly raise his level.

Please BumbleMan lose the super, duper gay "foot" guitar...please. Thank you. :peace:

seems like a good guy, I just hope he keeps the footguitar and the cheeseguitar hidden. what guitars did he use last night?

I did think about that, but I doubt it.

Yeah, I've noticed this too. I was just reading a thread titled "I guess Guns N' Roses now has the best guitarist in the world" over at the Mike Portnoy forum.

I second the "talent" part - nerves aside, the guy's got skill in spades. ?I thought it odd how he kind of ran out of stuff to play during the solos and kept having to wave everybody back on stage, but now things make more sense. ?He'll grow into the stage presence, I'm sure. ?By the time he was soloing on TWAT, I was convinced that he'll fit right in.

i think you mean TWAT. amazing guy nevertheless, he'll make us proud! :peace:

I thought he was great, and yes he stopped during some solos but that is because he was shaking hands with fans on a few of the songs

i believe he is ok, but he has to get rid of that stupid name. just his real name gives him more credibility in my eyes. now it sounds like a gimmick: first the bucketman, now the footman?

That would explain the stopping during the middle of the NR outro. He should not do that.

I liked BH better but then again I've seen more shows with Bucket than with Bumble

Fuck YES on Bumble.

Won't hear me complainin one fuckin bit about this lineup.

World class musicians....everyfuckin one of 'em.

The dude (Bumble) kicked it live.

Face it AXL, some people will never be happy. ?You ROCK and so does that WHOLE motherfuckin jammit down everyone's fuckin throat WORLD CLASS lineup you took to the stage with you!!!

Yeah, uh-huh............the wait has been worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

His name is Ron Thal the bands name was Bumblefoot.

Anyways I dont think that GNR need a shredder I wish axl would realize that but eh what can I do at this point of my life any form of GNR is G N F R MAN!!! First off he has to fill SLASH and BUCKETHEADS shoes ( bucket? lol ) which is a big deal I mean we are talking some of the greatest in their genre ( blues-rock guitar and shredding guitar ) I'll give him a chance!

He's got a damn fine pedigree...When he shakes the nerves off, he'll be great...Imagine your first performance in front of 3700 die hard cynical GNR fanatics that includes 2 solo spots.

nesquik..........................

I do mean TWAT.  Still all exhausted and wired from the show...thanks.

id like to point out that we dont know how long hes been in the band, it was rumoured back in late 2004 that he was in the band, maybe them rumours were true, everyones just assuming hes just joined the band, for all we know he could have recorded on CD

I don't know much about the guy,but I'll give him a chance  :beer:

Axl said last night that he agreed to the European tour even though he didn't have a third guitarist.

Thal's addition seems very recent.

I hate to say this, but he needs to glam up. Richard, Tommy, and Robin have great style. Thal is stuck in his Anthrax outfits.

well supposedly, just over a month ago they still hadn't chosen the new guitarist

be quiet

He cancelled his appearances quite late...Now I know they held off on doing so in order to maintain a secret, but it can't be THAT long...It'd be pretty unfair to his fans if he set up a tour while knowing he was already in GNR...This has to be fairly recent.

Wow, what an intelligent response. When you have something meaningful to contribute, i'll reply to you again.

Based on lasst nights prfomance, he seem slike a good fit. I Thought it was Gilby for a minute. At least that who he looks like.

Listen to his album 9-11 and the track LOST. Bumblefoot is a fantastic guitar player. He just was restrained last night. He seem smore of a fusion guitarist than a metal/rock guitarist.

I'll tell you what though, I was VERYimpressed with Robin Fink. I am not familiar with his NIN stuff and laughed when he joined GnR because NIN s-u-c-k-s. Who knew Robin was that good.

Anyway, so long as Axl controls the direction of the music, Bumblefoo wil be just fine. He obviously can play the leads the way they are supposed to beplayed.

oh well, never ming then lol

NO, Bumblefoot is the exact same style as buckethead, just not as good

oh well, never mind then lol

what?

how do you feel about the choice?

your thoughts on thal

Dont come out with such stupid fucking comments - "I hate to say this, but he needs to glam up. Richard, Tommy, and Robin have great style. Thal is stuck in his Anthrax outfits."

what the hell is all that about? what sort of fucking point are u trying to make? He's a new guitarist and your pointing out that kind of shit, get a life

Not convinced yet, but ;let me tell you finck was the man last night... I had no clue who he was ,at first I thought he was bumble and he was izzy.. I heard people saying izzy :hihi:

i havnt had time to catch up on all that went on but who played the parts in BETTER that we all thought was buckethead.if it was Mr Bumblefoot,how did they sound.?

his name is Ron Thal
Bumblefoot was the band.


and he is amazing.

doesn't matter axl called him mr bumblefoot

I say YES!

 This guy is a fantastic guitar player and I can't wait to see him with Gn'R live.
 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?(on MYGNR as well)
I am also really dissapointed with the people who've knocked him (and his foot guitar) already, yet some of them the same people who accepted a guy who wore a KFC bucket, a mask, and talked through a hand puppet named "Herbie". Shame....

I think Axl is more interested in talent at this point and I love the new lineup personally. If you're looking for more of a rock image, try Velvet Revolver instead. Personally though, I think that they're starting to look a bit burnt out...

Image is nothing. Thirst is everything. Sprite sucks!

everyone calls him bumblefoot he calls himself bumblefoot hell even his website is called bumblefoot... trust me, he's bumblefoot.

who did axl introduce him as???

Bucket had already proven that he "deserves" our respect before he joined Guns N' Roses. time will tell if mr bumber will get it too.

vr is burnt out, axl's lineup is worldclass. watch them take on the world and conquer it :beer:

hell yeah

Time will tell. I wonder how long he's been involved with Axl.

Bucketheat onto Bumblefoot. Who's next, Booboobrain? :hihi:

why is vr burnt out?? What does this have to do with anything? everyone is happy for the new band especially me after last night but someone always needs to throw in a dig at vr.. ::) Why gnr wasn't a rock image back in the day..

So we went from a Buckethead to a Bumblefoot. ?He definately had a similar sound to Buckethead. ?He just doesn't have a stage presence. ?I was there last night. ?Axl ?got an "A" for vocals and his performance, but the show could be even better if Slash came back. ?Fans will never go crazy during a Bumblefoot solo, but they will for a Slash solo. ?How many more guitarists are going to come and go?

I love how people say he should change his image... Although he looks like an 80's rocker(Remind you of anybody people??)... Some people are never happy... Well unless slash returns, but i'm not for that right now

Bumblefoot f-ing sucks. Nice solo assface, way to suck all the energy out of the room. That foot guitar is just shticky and gay

yes / no u think axl cares? looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

Well I will reserve judgement on Bumblefoot until I hear proper Audio's of it like the Rock in Rio in 2 weeks time.

It's time for him to care.

hell yeah,

he seems to be cool guy.

 ::)

I hate to criticize the guy since hes new and seems very cool, but I just wasnt impressed.  Maybe hell fit in better down the road...

Buckethead is a pretty tough act to follow.

Give him time.................  :peace:

I don't think anyone should change their image, but it wouldn't hurt Mr. Thal to dress up a little more. An unironed teeshirt just doesn't impress.


I don't know if he had trouble with the old songs, NR outro for example, or he was just too busy shaking hands when he should be soloing but he was raw yesterday. His stage presence was very weak, didn't seem very confident. This could change over time, but I have to say I was not as interested as I was when Bucket was on stage.

what the fuck man....some people will never be happy....I'm no better than the next person with my occasional Robin comments but man...

why all the hate people? this should be a happy time, but all this negative talk is really fucking depressing :crying:

The audio i heard he sounded like a decent player...and its is biggest show ever, I'm sure he was nervous....he'll get 'Better'

agh

bumblefoot rules  >:( :P
(http://guitarplayer.ru/ronthal/img/ron_thal_04.jpg)

I need to hear his playing and shit before I judge him.

"What am I doing..."

YES, i thought he did very well last night considering the short amount of time he has been in the band and it being his 1st gig with them and all. ?i think he's gonna improve as the tour rolls along and is an excellent fit for this band, much more so then buckethead!

WHAT THE FUCK IS IT WITH YOU PEOPEL AND HOW THEY LOOK!!!! :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: THE MAN IS FUCKING AMAZING PLAYER THATS ALLL THAT SHOULD MOTHER FUCKING MATTER!!!!!!!

i agree, ron is amazing :beer:

Vector it was his 1st gig dude, give him time! it was probably nervs, ud be nervous if u were guns n roses newlead guitar player in your first gig

I heared a little bit of his stuff on his website. and from that interview (it's been bumped here somewhere) He seems a sound bloke. I know I should only judge on music, but maybe he'd be best playing as Ron Thal and ditching that stupid guitar. Still, I'd love to see them!

(http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/3572/capslock1dm.jpg)





 :rofl:

the man fits right in!!! :peace: :peace:

im happy for him!!

yes, I found that odd as well

they implied he was an opportunist seeking attention  ???

What a stupid gimmik this asshole has. ZERO stage presence. A foot for a guitar? NICE DUDE!

Thank god for his guitar solo. It gave me time to go do some yayo in the bathroom.

I don't care either way, because, going on previous form, there'll be a new, new, new guitarist before we make it to 2007 ?: ok:

are there any pics other than the Axl ones floating around where we can see the other band members?

He's a rock star man.... Dress up?!?! What is this a concert or a fashion show?!

HE IS NOT A ROCK STAR. Not even close. Rock stars have some sort of stage presence. He has zero charisma. Zero energy. What a bummer he is. This is our "suprise" player?? BS

having not heard him, it's hard to judge

but I think Bucket is a huuuuge loss to this incarnation, an this guys presence just illustrates that further

and Bumblefoot?? please, it sounds lame compared to Buckethead

The next one will be called Cockmouth.

I agree, another goofy character for Axl and friends. Please dear god, lose the stupid fecking "foot" gaytar. Please...

you 2 are complete assholes, give the guy a fucking break, he's in the band so live with it. He's played 1 fucking show and your already bashing him, get a fucking life shitbags, u make me sick.

This is exactly the kind of shit we don't want to see here.


To the people whining about the guitar player, Slash isn't coming back. Deal with it.



/jarmo

yeah cause buckethead is such a cool nickname  ::)

Jarmo if them dickheads are gonna bash him then i have the right to bash them, theres no need for the comments them pricks are making

can anyone tell me what Bumblefoots SOLO was like at the show???

Bumblebee????

He nailed the TWAT solo!  :beer:

THE GUY HAS PLAYED ONE SHOW!!!!give him time to settle and he'll prove he's worthy through his axe playin,which is why he is there in the first place!!!  : ok:

thats what i was trying to say, only u have the capability of saying it nicely to them

Great player?  Yes
Is he doing anything that most shredders from the 80's can't?  No
Does he have a cool look?  No
Does he rock out?  No
Is he a guitar god?  No
Is he a virtuoso?  Yes

This guy is very talented.  He is a great player.  But to me, he is more like that session player that got his big break in GNR.  Guns N Roses was a dirty fucking band that lived a rough life.  Looks like the most Bumblefoot has been through is a case of not doing his laundry.  There is nothing dangerous or Iconic looking about this guy. 

Again, Great player, but not my cup of tea.  Guys like him are a dime a dozen apparently.  They just sit in there room and play all day.  Or were a former teacher or something like that.  There are some great video's of him on youtube, but there are videos of lots of great players like him on youtube.  I don't know, I guess let him stay.  He is good.  But, I just don't feel it that well.

I'm sure that's what a certain *cough* Slash *cough* used to do!

This dude is obviously bumblefoot's brother. Only family would like that assface. He sucks.

This is a message board. You don't have to agree with me, and vice versa...I think the guy is a clown. His guitar is retarded, and the music that I listened to that he and his band made is dogshit. This is my opinion. You are welcome to you own...this guy is not doing anything new. It's Axl's band to pick who he wants, but in my opinion, I think it's another bad move. I am sure he is is a nice guy and all that...having said that his gaytar sucks.

heard some of his previous work and i like him 

Jimmy, damn right Slash used to sit in his room.  Also while in this room he shot up heroin and fucked strippers.  He also rode BMX bikes.  He also went out drinking with his friends.  He also wrote some of the greatest music ever made.  Don't compare this guy to the total package that Slash is.

yes, if he'd get rid of that stupid foot guitar.

where is everybody hearing audio from the show?

So now, to all those bottom-feeding rumor-rats - SLASH IS NOT THE NEW GUITARIST!  Neither is John 5 or who ever else you people pulled out of your asses.  Have a nice day.

And welcome Bumblefoot!

I guess Axl doesn't like people with real names - Slash, Buckethead, now Bumblefoot.

If the new guy leaves he might get replaced by Winky the Crow or Barney the dinosaur!

Rock on! :peace:

Yes or no, well I'll have to see the show first... But I can tell you, I'm a sceptic...

He sounds a bit more bluesy than Bucket, which is fine by me.  I will be interested in knowing how long he had to learn all of the material.  After a few shows he'll be fine.  He just needs a haircut and a stylist, thats all. :smoking:

I hope so dude, I truely do...

Well, I'm willing to give him a shot.  Personally, though he should trade in the foot guitar for a good old fashion Flying V.   And why we are at it, put on a yellow raincoat, mask and a KFC bucket.

In all honestly, I'm going to keep an open mind.  I never thought in a million years someone could replace Slash.  But then BH came along and made me a beliver there was GNR life after Slash.   I hoping for a yes..... I'll have to see a show live to see.

The guys is great. Listen to him doing "Fire"

http://www.bumblefoot.com/audio/Bumblefoot_-_featuring_Dennis_Leeflang_on_drums_-_Fire_(Hendrix_cover).mp3

I like him.

Here is another with ron on guitar

http://www.bumblefoot.com/audio/Bumblefoot_and_Mike_Chlasciak_(Jason_Becker_tribute_-_Outro_Jam).mp3

Or maybe he should get neon lights on the toe-tips to play NR just like BH used to do with his mask.? :drool:

I say YES.  From what I heard last night, the man has skills.  If Axl likes him than I support him.  Everyone thats put him down needs to take a step back and give him a chance. 

gotta hear him live first.  definately willing to give him a chance

its not sitting comfortably with me

the guy is a session player brought in 2 weeks ago? WTF. We're talking about the lead guitarist in GNR here

Buckethead offered something unique and was extrodinary. This guy, although proficient and a virtuoso, doesnt have a quarter of the appeal to me

I am heartened by comments made about Finck from the show. It sounds like he's stepped it up. He has been with Axl for a long time now. He looks more like a rocker (nesquick?  :hihi:). Perhaps nes is right, they only need Fortus and Finck?

This Bumblefoot guy just seems wrong to me

Idont care how good he plays covers.

I wanna hear what he can create.

               I think he'll do good. Axl is making the band more human looking now it appears and is moving away from that 2002 look for the band. I can see why Bumblefoot was hired. He can play pretty damn good and can rock if he wants too.

                We just gotta give him the chance to impress us. Because we want so much. We had Slash and its pretty hard to top him as a guitar master and legend. Then we had Buckethead who looked like he came froma  different plane of existance and he too was a guitar master. Then we see Ron Thal and were like...what can this dude in a Southpark t-shirt and wierd foot guitar do ?

                   Its about giving these guys a chance to impress us. Finck,Fortus,Stinson and Thal deserve the chance to do shows and WOW us. Thats all we can ask.

Just because people criticize the new guy doesn't mean they are begging for Slash to come back. I would agree that the criticizm is a little harsh at the moment. The guy cant blow everyone's minds the first night. The boots sound horrible, so thats not a good thing to judge him on. I think the negativity started when people watched his youtube material, and seen the mediocre shit thats on there. I wasn't impressed with that material either, but I sure as hell ain't praying to God slash is back. We either need a better sounding boot of this show, or just wait to hear more of the tour. I highly doubt Axl would pick a guy that sucks to fill the shoes of BH.


To all the intelligent(long time) members of HTGTH: What do you think the purpose of having Bumblefoot in the band is if it winds up being this same setlist every night? How can this guy showcase himself if its mostly old material? I just dont see the point of having him if more new material isnt going to be played. Also, do you think he is a real member of GNR, or just a touring member?

I think he is a long term member.

james.. I guess with the leaks, Axl couldn't really showcase anymore new material otherwise the whole album would be out there really before it's released, so that's why they stuck with the 3 tracks already heard. I am sure that at Rio and beyond we will hear what he is all about. We should have some patience there as well as patience as you say, to not judge him just yet  : ok:

I also think that he is able to showcase himself by how well and how creative he is with the current (old) material. Unfortunately due to the quality of the boots it's impossible to tell.

I have confidence in this guy. I checked out his solo work and he's a good player. I think he is a welcome addition. He just needs a few gigs and he will be amazing, really  : ok: Let's all refrain judgement till RIR. He then had four warm-up shows and will probably feels more comfortable in this band. Give him a chance.  :beer:

Oh people people , don't say it's just a guitar player who plays all day long in his little room cos it's not the case , he is a great producer too, and his level of creativity is just impressive : ok:
I believe in him , he'll do a great job!
last time i saw him he plays in front of....a hundred bunch of guys  , so he certanily may be a bit impressed but i'm sure he'll be succesful . He's as insane as BH so let him be a rockstar : ok:

Okay... -1 Karma for thee.

That's the fourth time you've posted your same repetitive opinion on him and not once has there been anything constructive in your criticism. We all get it. You don't like him. Stop spamming.

you have to give the guy some props, everyone here did rip him a new asshole 2 years ago when there was talk that he did some studio work for the band

My karma is in danger too : Bumblefoot is a joke. The kind I don't appreciate.

To be constructive about such a thing is a waste of time. The only thing positive about that guy is the day he will leave. Same for Finck, Fortus and Stinson.

so you're a big chris pitman fan?

Well, if you are here only to bash the new band then yes... Your visit will not last long.

But if you do wish to stay, please do put some sense behind your comments. Some sort of reason why you feel this way, and don't go posting that same repetitive opinion in every thread... It's really quite simple.

Was it him who played the solo's on Twat and Madagascar live?? If so he didn't 'nail' either of those unfortunately  :'( I'm not gonna judge the guy yet, I trust Axl, he obv knows a good guitar player. I was a big fan of Buckets work on the Guns songs though (solo's for TWAT and Maddy In particular) and I hope that work not only stays on the disc but they manage to nail those solos to perfection live too.

Yeah.

The bootleg's pretty low quality, but on TWAT I can hear some of the main melodic elements that were in the solo on the demo. Some of those elements are the ones that made the solo special for me. I really liked the solo. But it is hard to hear at times, and it isn't 1:1 with the solo on the demo. But it's live and it shouldn't really be imo. I'm looking forward to hearing more from him in a more decent quality recording. Or then I can just wait for a few months and see for myself.

Haven't listened to Madagascar, so can't really comment on that.

i'm glad i didn't. 8)

anyway, after tonight (sunday) i'm sure alot of people's opinions on him will change. although i was impressed by what i heard myself, the first time is always hard.

I was impressed as well. The guy must have been shittin himself man! Once he's had a few shows under his belt, then we can all pass judgement. Some people just love to criticise.........  >:(

i know, it's sad that we finally have a new guitar player but then everyone seems to bash him. give the guy a little time, i know the potential he has in the band.

will that never stop?? Eveyrbody was complaining here and there...blah blah. "He doen't look like a rock star... He didn't nail that solo.... He's not Buckethead....everything is lost....Bumblefoot is a freak"

Bumblefoot seems to be one hell of a guitarplayer. That might have been the first time he played for 3000+ people and it was obviously his first time with GNR. So give this guy a fucking break!!!!
And to everybody who's complaing about this guitar... well ok, it looks weird but did you ever watceh Buckethead with "open eyes"???

Bumble is a good choice i think

Well said  :beer:

Ron is every bit the guitarplayer Buckethead was. People who are writing him off after only one gig should really think about the validity of the so called 'chance' they are giving the guy. Imagine playing the first gig in a legendary rock band with your support system (in terms of soothing your nerves, the bandmates) being almost complete strangers to you. Give the guy a freakin'break. People into the instrumental genre know that Ron, Buckethead, Eklundh and Govan are the most prominent 'young' guitar players and have been for years now. Ron has all the chops and is next to this a fantastic songwriter, producer and singer. He can play almost every style of music out there. Ron is is the only suitable replacement for Buckethead. If he gets a chance to get used to this new situation, gnr will have an absolute monster player in their band.

-PEACE-

I like these positive posts. There's nothing worse than logging on to see people bitching on and on about someone who's played one warm up gig with one of the biggest rock bands of all time. Give the guy a fucking break. Go and bash some of these asshole reviewers who didn't even attend the show if you want to let off some steam!

yeah it's nice to finally see some positive comments here :peace:

your every post on this board is very intelligent, i agree 100%.
i can't wait to see more of what ron has to offer, he has enormous talent! :peace:

on a side note, can you guys believe we are already in for another guns n' roses concert? :drool: unreal times...

I know, gone are the days of praying for some sort of statement or appearance from them, we're gettin all the motherfuckin royalties now........... well all bar CD  :hihi: I'm grateful for what we're gettin tho  :smoking:

same here man, that's what makes axl so mysterious though. he's silent for all this time and then appears with a boom like the rock god that he is. there is no predicting him and i love it. :smoking:

Okay here are my thoughts on the whole Bumblefoot issue.

I am going to the show tonight, and will keep an open mind.  However at the same time, there is no replacing the style, feel, and look of Slash.  I was skepticle about Buckethead, but he proved himself very well and definately grew on me.  Thal, while it seems like a very accomplished guitarist still lacks that something that makes GnR... GnR.

We can dream of the day when and if Slash returns, but for the time being Slash is not here.  One thing that GnR reminds me now of is Van Halen.  Instead of a revolving door of singers, they have it with guitarists.  Many fans including myself will go and see GnR no matter who is in the band, just to catch a glimpse of that magic which made the band so great from the 80s into the mid 90s.  I am going tonight with an open mind as I said, I would say to anyone else who is a fan of the band try to do so too.

does anyone know which solo's bumble played the other night??

this is a new band, not some rehash of the band that used to be, and personally i don't dream of the day when slash returns at all.

You call that an open mind???

The guy played one show and already you've decided he probably is missing something.

-PEACE-

wait until they stop playing mostly old material before making that judgement call. : ok:

I'd wait but I'm of the opinion of axlirs.

I hear in the us it's extremely difficult for any band to play mostly new materials once radio stations put it among classic rock. But I believe GNR will make it.

I'd reserve judgement on the topic too until all the warm-up shows end. 

It's a little scary how little the setlist has changed since the last jaunt, though.

I see you've grown a goatee pp.

Would you guys had preferred some players like these guys?  I mean, this would be bad ass if they did this instead of some of the solo's I have been hearing.  This also shows that Shredders are nothing new or special.  THEY ARE ALL OVER FUCKING YOU TUBE.  I do like the looks of these guys from nevermore though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5zV-IlSvP4&search=Jeff%20Loomis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqYjqyHnVNs&search=Dragonforce

And they don't even play guitars with feet on them or wear buckets on there heads.  Amazing! 

I still take Slash over all these guys though.

I guess not one freaking person viewed these videos to give any feedback.  My point is this, Bumblefoot and Buckethead were great, but highly replaceable.  These guys are right there with them, so when Bumblefoot leaves, these could be good candidates to go after.   Is GNR the new Whitesnake, with one badass guitar player after another?  I hope not. 

http://www.bumblefoot.com/press/200507-digitaldreamdoor/200507-digitaldreamdoor.htm

Holy Shit, on this website, found on Bumble's website, they list Bumble as the number 1 player on the planet.  Bucket is in at #6.  Fucking crazy.  Did axl just look at this list and go for #1? I know lists are bull shit.  But Bumble is highly respected in guitar circles.

I can play unearthly guitar in my mind. I'm actually #1 on said planet.

He is very highly regarded in the guitar world. He's also real good friends with Joe Satriani; no doubt a few non guitarists would have heard of him also. Like i said before, the guy has bags of talent, just let him have a chance before you start slating him. I've heard some good reviews on him from the 12th incidently. One person said he was blown away by him!

Not alot on that list to which I agree, young padawan.

I've never seen the video before (I like how Sam drinks his beer nochantly whilst Herman shreds AT 1,000,000 miles per hour). The guitarists in Dragonforce are quite unbelievable...its that type of gig you go to and your jaw never leaves the flaw!

Anyway, I'm still behind Ron...give the guy a chance and I'm sure he'll do us proud

Complete and utter nonsense.

Those two are two of the most promising 'young' guitarplayers, they wouldn't be if tons of alternatives existed. To claim they can be replaced easily is very ignorant to say the least.

-PEACE-

I'm optimistic - Buckethead is a great player, without a doubt, but he was always so disconnected from the band, it seemed like the 2002 tour should've been billed as GNR Featuring Buckethead.

Ron Thal is a cool guy though - These warm up shows will be a great way for him to find his footing in the band, and once he gels, it'll all be fine.

Aye suit me?  ;D mademoiselle Jessica told me a beard is in. 3 of my fav band have it and are looking cool.
so I'm tring a false one as I can't grow it.

there are a few new songs added and many version changes since the last jaunt.
lets wait till the17th.  : ok:


I might not mind if GNR were to change the third guitarist every now and then as far as the core guys are there.

seems to me Buckethead is hardly replaceable. Other than the superb techniques he's got very unique quality like, as it were, the sunny nature in sound which I can't help missing.

That said, bumble must have assets of his own too to add to the other two. Otherwise he won't stay long.
yea, I think He resembles gilby a bit. I don't know much about gilby tho.

                  Thal will fit in. He's a talented guy and as usual...Axl hires TALENT. I see this as a good signing. Just because he doesn't look a certain way or dress like a ROCK STAR , doesn't mean shit.

                     I'll give him a shot.

I'm looking forward to hearing how Thal does tonight. He should be more comfortable and hopefully we'll get a cool pic of Axl hanging over his shoulder like with Robin from Friday.

Ron plays and SINGS Delilah (LIVE)
  (http://rapidshare.de/files/20469370/Bumblefoot_-_Delilah.mp3.html) (click ... recommended)

Recorded on a radio show in 2003, so it's a minimalistic version of the song....

-PEACE-

The guy was nervous as hell... you could literally see him during his solo thinking "Oh shit... I'm playing lead guitar for Guns N' Roses?!?!". ?It was a shaky performance for him all-around.

That being said... there were still at least 3-4 moments in the show where out of nowhere I would hear this guitar sound/speed that I knew was beyond Finck's or Fortus's range.... and sure enough it was coming from Bumblefoot. As many others have said... give him a few shows to gel and get over the initial "I'm in GN'R!!" jitters.... I think he will be an axe slinging god by the time this band gets back from Europe... and perhaps the second most famous member behind Axl before it's all said and done... the guy's a virtuoso.

Very cool that he seems to be a nice guy too. It would seem like he should be able to get along with Finck and Fortus quite well. ?

I agree with this. It was difficult seeing the band without Bucket on the left side of the stage. Admittedly, my interest was not as keen as it was in 2002. But despite this, I really think that Robin, Richard, and Tommy stepped up big time on Friday night. I've said it before, it is a HUGE disservice to these players that we have no studio released material for the public to appreciate their contributions. It is really time for these three guys to explode in the music world; they really deserve to get the accolades. In a strange way, the name of the band may help and hinder these efforts.

My theory is Bumblefoot is temporary.  I really think Slash is going to join this band in a month.  Axl is smart enough to figure out that with Slash back in this band the sky is the limit. 

This is fine, but I put the problem in bold.  Yeah the songs need to have energy still, but Axl is the only original member and as the vocalist he has more to do with the energy in the songs than the players.  I'm sure the band are still pretty bloody impressive, although I have to wait til Download festival to find out first hand  : ok:

GNFNR!!!!!

Young?  Bucket is mid 30's and Ron Thal is almost 40.  There is nothing young about these guys.  Maybe the guys in Dragonforce are young.

AGAIN, I AGREE RON IS FUCKING BAD ASS.  My point by showing the links is that there are guys that can play anything he can out there.  And not just one other player, I showed you 4 guys that can be the man in GNR.   So now we are up to 6 shredders if you count Bucket and Bumble that can do the same job.  I like bucket because he was so different, but now it just like they are just plugging in another Shredder.  You can't plug in another Slash.

Both are the same age and royally below forty (36 -37?ish), which is in fact young in the virtuoso sc?ne.Looking up we can only see people like Gambale and Holdsworth. The technically most accomplished among the virtuosos are way past 45 - 50, most in their fifties. Those other guys you mentioned are just kids. Bucket and Thal are among the younger in that scene (looking at achievements)?.

-PEACE-

Ps.

Ron plays and SINGS Delilah (LIVE)
  (http://rapidshare.de/files/20469370/Bumblefoot_-_Delilah.mp3.html) (recorded in a radio studio)

Most all of us dirty guitar players have, at least once in our oft unappreciated existence, pondered the truly unanswerable question, "Who is the greatest guitarist of all time?" 
We've groaned when our favorite player wasn't picked in a "Top 100!" list, even though we were well aware that it was trite, wholly meaningless bullshit concocted by hipsters and douchebags (which, by the way, are one and the same).   
 
 We've argued with our fellow guitarists, perhaps even calling them "morons", "fools", or even "British", simply because their opinions were not parallel to ours.   

Well, quarrel no more, my guitar-lovin' chums. I have the answer to the aforementioned "unanswerable question." And it comes in the form of a fat, hairy, thimble-sporting Jew from New York named Ron Thal.

Quite simply, Ron Thal is a goddamn genius. (We'll divulge evidence of this later). Thal (a.k.a. Bumblefoot) has been making music for essentially his whole life, his first major release being "The Adventures of Bumblefoot (and Other Tales of Woe...)" which came out on Shrapnel Records in 1995. He stayed with Shrapnel through his second CD, "Hermit", in 1997, but escaped from the Hell that is business with Mike Varney soon afterward. He's done things completely independently ever since, releasing "Hands" (1998), "9.11" (2001), "Uncool" (2002), and "Forgotten Anthology" (2003) on his own label, "Hermit, Inc.".
 
Each and every one of Bumblefoot's CD's features a vast array of styles -- a truly unprecedented amount of diversity -- while sharing a sound that is all his own. His music is both beautiful and abrasive, raw and emotional, hilarious and brilliant. Basically -- the type of stuff that is undescribable, unless an excessive amount of adjectives are utilized. Well, you could always shorten the description to two basic words -- pure genius -- but I believe I mentioned that earlier, and I'd rather not repeat myself because the higher the number of large words I use, the more intelligent I seem. And, if I'm not mistaken, that's how you get pussy. 

From a guitarist's standpoint, Mr. Thal creates sounds that are almost unimaginable. He is a master of the instrument, including being well-versed in classical and jazz playing. However, 'tis on the electric guitar that Ronald unleashes a plethora of his own innovative techniques, some of which will be discussed on the next page. Even though he's too modest to admit it (and for that character trait, I have oodles of respect for him), there's absolutely nothing he couldn't play, which means he is completely free of any technical barrier that would infringe upon his artistic expression.
Most importantly, Bumblefoot conveys a certain feeling through his music that is often lacking in the over-produced, pseudo-computerized sound of progressive music. His music is filled to the brim with the sweet, lukewarm milk that is attitude. Ahh -- so refreshing. Straight from the teet.

www.essentialguitarist.com

 
 

wow thats a crazy review? :o I can't wait to see/hear what he brings to the table

See, the guy's really well respected in the guitar community. He gets rave reviews everywhere man!  :peace:

http://www.guitarsucks.com/

Click enter and check out the intro vid? :hihi:? :rofl:

^ Thats a nice vid!

StoneTempleRoses

Bumblefoot will be fine IMO. ?I too believe is was a big night for him and that he was very nervous. ?I am optimistic because he is talented and afterall, it was warm up gig #1. ?By the time this band hits the states in the fall (assuming that they actually do), I think many will be impressed with him at that time. ?But I agree that his first showing wasn't close to what Fink did for opening night.

My 2 cents on opening night for bumblefoot:

1) His guitar solo mid show was fucking terrible..it sounded like noise, wasn't cohesive, etc. ?I actually prefer buckheads solo to this one. ?I kinda like it when the soloist mixes in something familar to their solo that the fans can enjoy: Slash=The Godfather Theme song, and Bucket=Star Wars Music....

2) The highlight for me, in regards to Bumblefoot, was the last solo of November Rain. ?He nailed it and it kicked so much ass!! ?Bumblefoot sounded very good on NR.

Lastly, for those not in attendance on the 12th, he didn't play the fucked up foot guitar the entire show..at times he played a Les Paul like the others.

I agree, hearing him nail that makes me not want to hear Robin playing lead, as Bumble is a clearly superior player. To relegate him to wallflower status with the exception of about 5 solos all night is a real disservice to the fans and band. Robin might be a nice guy and fun to have around for the band, but he can't sniff Bumble's jock in terms of ability, so it mystifies me he get's all the good leads just because he has been in the band the longest.

Everyone on this board loves Robin, and that's great. However, anyone at the Friday show could tell Fortus and Bumble are clearly better players, so should we really be giving guys major parts in songs on the basis of seniority or likability? I don't see why someone with Bumble's ability would sign on for that.

Great review. He's VERY legit guys. Chill. : ok:

I honestly think that before long Bumblefoot will be the second biggest star in this band....

Excellent point about incorporating "familiar" music into the solos and bridges between songs. It's not rocket science.... hell listen to several UYI boots and you'll realize that a lot of the time all Slash was doing during those segments was just taking Stones, Hendrix, Zeppelin, etc. riffs and giving them back to us in a slightly different style... that's all it takes.

Sums it up nicely...

Thal is great and has been so for many years...

-PEACE-

bumblefoot is great!
i prayed for him to get the gig... he is the only one that can replace BH and Slash at the same time and also shine..
he is great! i really couldnt believe when i heard he was the new  guy...

i've got no problem with the guy...he's a billion times better than buckethead, since he doesn't make the band look like a friggin circus freak show.

(a side not: i am pleased to see that finck has lost the goth look...with buckethead's retarded look, and finck's lame goth look, the 2002 version of gnr just did not look like a unit...then you had axl trying to look like a rapper or something...at least it seems now they have all decided to choose a more traditional "rock n roll" style)

however, they should at least try to refer to him as "ron", and not "bumblefoot"...we don't need to give people more reasons to bash the new band.

he seems to be highly respected in the "guitarist community", and axl would not have brought him in unless he was sure about him...

remember, axl is obsessive about his music and who he lets into the band. ?he won't chose someone until he has considered it carefully and has become familiar with the guy....

axl has taken 10+ years to make an album because he wants it to be perfect...he's not just going to let any old schmuck join the band and ruin it for him.

I see him as a guy who could imitate Bucketheads solos basically, so they can make minimum adjustments to the new songs. And that is a shame. A poor mans version really. BH had something unique, this guy, to me, doesnt exhibit that 'star' quality

It's madness in my view - this guy got the gig 2 weeks ago? Prior to that, GNR management bullshitted the fans and basically called this guys integrity into question.? This is the new GNR lead guitarist who is essentially stepping into the great Slashs shoes (not to mention BH).

I find myself agreeing with the recent article that questioned the need for a shredder in GNR. I have questioned this all along, but? come to the conclusion that BH was so much more than that.

By the sounds of things, Finck has upped his game. Perhaps nesquick has been right all along? :hihi:

Axl didnt "chose" him as said .. Joe Satriani 1st suggested him to the studio engineer (carem something) as a person who could replace Bucket .. ron met people in the studio (not axl) ... then he let slip he might "get the gig" and management shot him down. Seems with no real viable bucket replacement to be found (not just anyone , especially established players would accept the GNR gig , cause up to now gnr/axl's track record speaks for itself) they then went ahead and got back into contact with thal to come aboard and play buckets stuff live along with some other solo's.

As far as I know he has NOT recorded with the band and wont appear on the 1st two discs .. he could most certainly appear on the third ... if he is indeed a full time member and not just a touring bh replacement.

Not that this site means jack, because I dont agree with a lot in the listing esp where axl falls but this site highly rates Ron Thal.

http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_guitar-metal.html

I shot Bumblefoot an email today and we shared a few emails... he's a really cool guy! im not  going to share his email address because people would send him a million emails but yeah... he says he plans on sticking with gnr till the end.

I say cut the guy some freaking slack man and give him a freaking chance to prove himself. :rant: :o

Cool!! : ok: I hope he's more dedicated to GnR than bucket apparently was :peace:

What caynd of westions you made ?! can you post the email here ?!

Till the end of the tour? Or like he is thinking he is a permanent member god willing?

I think he means until this version of gnr is done (ie until the old band reunites after three albums)

Very cool, he seems to be committed. While buckethead should be committed  :hihi:

i have it saved on laptop.. will post tomorow : ok:

Dave, I posted this a couple pages ago to show that GNR now has had two of the top 6.  I also posted other players that are very highly techinical that play in Nevermore (Jeff Loomis) and the guys from Dragon Force.

Just showing that a lot of people can play the shred style.

sooooo,bumble only joined GNR a week ago.according to somebody thats what axl said at tonights show

If that's the case he deserves lots of credit.  I didn't think he was all that great Friday night, but if he was only with them for a week before that he's one helluva quick learner.

yep that's what axl said tonight.

Sorry if this has been posted already, but here's an interview with Bumble:
http://br.geocities.com/nightrainfg/nightrain/entrevistas/005.htm

After reading through some of the pages here Im compelled to offer my 2 cents. Its funny to me now that poeple are bashing Ron and saying how great BucketHead was. When BH was here they were bashing him and saying how great Slash and Finck were. Some poeple are just not going to be satisfied for whatever reason. BH was called a freak, poeple complained about his look, said he was a gimick, he couldnt play, he could only play fast, and the list went on and on. Now he's gone, poeple want him back (I loved BH, and argued w poeple about him, check my posts). This guy is obviously a brilliant fucking player. Whoever posted that song with him signing and playing in a radio station, that was incredible. I was at the first show. There was mistakes, and miscommunications, but so fucking what. IT WAS HIS FIRST SHOW! And if he's only been with GnR for a week, that just makes his performance that much more impressive. Have any of you ever tried to learn 20 songs in a week. That in itself deserves him credit and a spot in this band. It looked to me like he was very nervous when he came on stage, and at times i dont think he knew the songs perfectly, and where he was supposed to play. All that will change. Is he better than BH, Id say not as clean for sure but just as capable. Better than Robin, no question. He's in the band, he supports the band, cut him some slack. Instead of complaining, just accept it and get used to him. He's fucking good! GnR is BACK! -and thats my rant- :beer:

Great post.

People have been giving Finck the benefit of the doubt for years now. Thal has been in GNR for a mere week and many seem to be blind to the fact that it?s a sign of greatness that he already can play the songs on lead player level, instead they complain and focus on every possible thing that?s not up to par, very ignorant.. Within mere weeks Ron will evolve into an absolute monster player, just watch ?m.


You mean this?? :yes: ::)

Ron plays and SINGS Delilah (LIVE)
  (http://rapidshare.de/files/20469370/Bumblefoot_-_Delilah.mp3.html) (recorded in a radio studio)

(Could be a great idea for his solospot)

-PEACE-

Can someone repost that mp3 on yousendit? Rapidshare doesn't work for me...

SG

I would, but I'm at work right now (can't download stuff)...


-PEACE-

Here it is :
http://download.yousendit.com/0895787500CB1600

The man is not too bad a singer either.....

The guy needs time. He's obvously one of the best rock guitarists around otherwise he wouldnt have got the job. I will wait til I see him live in Dublin before judging him (beacuse he will have settled in by then) or until I have heard CD. I dont mind 3 guitar players, on some GNR tracks there can be up to 3 guitar ovedubs, perhaps Axl is trying to exactly recreate whats on record on stage. I think that we should give this guy support though, it must be fucking hard to go from being an unheard of guitar virtuso to playing with GNR (and learning all the tunes) in the space of a few weeks. I am sure a few kind words would go along way with this dude and will help him settle in.

I have heard the bootleg of Better from the 2nd night and from what i heard (poor quality boot) he more or less nailed better. He seemed to play almost exactly what was on the leak. 

 : ok:

He is GREAT!...... okey... idont really know yet... but what i have heard ...i like ...hope he will be apart of Guns many years to come!

Axl said he's been in the band a week! and if the guy can learn that many songs in a week........... the dudes quality   :smoking:

The more I learn about him, the more I like him.  I cant be dishonest and say that I was impressed with him at the show, but Im hopeful that hell grow on me.

Wow didnt realise its only been a week! We should all show this guy some respect :peace:

if this is true, this guy is gonna be a huge asset. he must be pretty fucking talented to learn 20 songs in a week : ok:

Well, the guy can play. I think it's great having him in the band. I read some interviews he did and he seems a really nice guy.  : ok: It's important to have someone in the band who can connect with the other members. With Bucket.... I dunno, but according to Tommy he wasn't the greatest guy he ever met (understatement, I know). Didn't Axl say something as well on the Trunk show about 'Bucket being Bucket'. Don't get me wrong, Bucket is a very good guitar player, but in a band you also need chemistry. Ron seems very proud to be in Guns, he enjoys talking to fans (god knows we need one of those  :hihi:) and he seems committed. If this guy can play the fuck out of the songs and in addition has the right personality to interact with the rest of the band, he has my blessing. So, Ron, welcome!  :peace:

i think we should give the man some space and let him get a hang of playing with gnr.
peole saying they don't want to see him as the lead guitar player for gnr, maybe he won't be. maybe gnr won't have a lead guitarist per-say. it's not the 80's anymore when there were established places in the band. you had the rythm guitarist and the lead one. times change and now the players are more diverse and they can do both jobs, take the lead solos on some songs and playing the rythm on others. i don't think there will be a lead guitar player in gnr anymore.
so i'm waiting to see how fast he'll get in the ring :hihi:

did you know he played lead guitar on the Guns n Roses tribute album "Bring you to your knees" for the track sweet child of mine? He was also the sound engineer for the album whilst it was being made.

I can see a link here   :smoking:

Bumblefoot (aka Ron Thal) is a NYC guitarist/vocalist known for his quirky and experimental style, combining rock with various genres. Voted one of the Best Newcomers in Young Guitar magazine's '96 Readers Poll (Japan), Bumblefoot's face has polluted magazine covers around the world, his CDs often the featured "Album Of the Month." Through his own production company "Hermit Inc", Bumblefoot releases his own music, and works as a producer, songwriter, and hired musician. Credits include CNN, MTV, Jessica Simpson, Cher, Leann Rimes, and many more.

Bumblefoot released a first draft version of the "Uncool" CD, Sept. 2000 in France. The CD jumped to #1 on college charts weeks before its release, and hit the Top20 on commercial radio. Music from the "Uncool" CD has been heard on MTV shows Undressed, Sausage Factory, and The Osbournes, and Bumblefoot's "TJonez" music video can be seen on MTV Europe. In 2001, Bumblefoot toured Europe, and in November released "9.11", a benefit CD with 100% profits donated to the American Red Cross. The US version of "Uncool" was released February 2002.

A volunteer for the MS Research Foundation (www.msrf.org), Bumblefoot continues to produce and collaborate with artists, works as a musician-for-hire and a TV/film songwriter.

DISCOGRAPHY: Ron Thal "The Adventures Of Bumblefoot" (Shrapnel Records, 1995)
SEGA "Wild Woody" CDROM video game soundtrack, 1996
Ron Thal "Hermit" (Shrapnel Records, 1997)
Bumblefoot "Hands" (Hermit Inc, 1998)
Bumblefoot "9.11" (Hermit Inc, 2001)
Bumblefoot "Uncool" (Hermit Inc 2002)
Bumblefoot "Normal" (Hermit Inc 2004)



Just a bit of history on the guy  : ok:

Learned the songs as well as Buckets parts in a week?


I formally bow to the greatness that is Ron Thal.

big fucking yes, spoke to the man for like 45 minutes, awesome down to earth regular joe... A fans dream :peace:

 : ok: ... I had my doubts, but this will keep me sleep BETTER until I see GNR live in 2 weeks and a day ;).

Sorry? who said the old band would reunite after three albums? ???

im going tonight, to support and cheer for bumblefoot.  This is a big opportunity for him, he ll be fine.  and he ll get better as the tour goes.

i agree, i know tonight will be special in more than one way.
and no, i'm not an "insider".

what way(s)?

i know nothing about the show, i just know tonight will be special for me in more than one way, before anyone thinks i'm either affiliated with the band or a fake "insider".

 : ok: ... enjoy it then ;)...

lol thanx dude 8)

Have a good time hammerstein and Can you change the color you post in? my eyes hurt.

no problem :peace:

Yeah that is much better  : ok:

Again, Bumblefoot is amazing, I'm really looking forward to see the guy.

When are you seeing Guns?

i feel the same :peace:
this guy is the greatest gnr could get, we should all be proud to have him and he will take us far :beer:

I'm gonna see them four times, maybe five.

Ireland, Sweden, Denmark (maybe) and in Finland twice.

I just watched some more videos of Bumblefoot playing his fretless guitar, that's just, wow.

Here's a load of quotes from an interview with the man himself from 1999, enjoy ?: ok:

Hi there Ron. Could you give us some biographical info?

Ron: I tore my poor mother's body apart in a hospital in Brooklyn. I believe it was September '69. That's when I knew I wanted to play guitar, join a band, and be the next Britney Spears. So I started taking guitar lessons at age 6 or 7, for about 8 years. I studied reading, theory, jazz, classical, and the Torah.

Did you do any recording apart from The Adventures of Bumblefoot, Hermit, and Hands? Can you tell us something about your latest project, Bumblefoot? That stuff about a soundtrack for the game Wild Woody, was that for real? What's it about? It sounds really obscene.

Ron: I have a recording studio in NYC and engineer/produce 20 - 30 albums a year. A lot of hardcore - Indecision, Shutdown, Inhuman, One Second Thought - and some hip-hop too. Of the last things I produced, there was the band Tyris doing a re-make of the Door's "Love Her Madly" for a Polygram compilation, and Bretagne Celtic rock artist Pat O'May's "Breizh-Amerika" CD. As far as my own stuff goes, I've done a lot besides the "Adventures", "Hermit" and "Hands" CD's. There was an instrumental guitar version of Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu piano piece on Shrapnel Record's '92 compilation CD, "Ominous Guitarists From the Unknown," and Guitar On The Edge compilation CD's volumes 2, 3, and 4. Then there was Wild Woody, a SEGA CD-ROM video game about a giant penis that works as the leader of a Western nation, who fucks everything that walks in his office. Oh wait, that was Wild Bill. Wild Woody is a game about a pencil that can erase his enemies and draw shit - there were all different worlds he was caught in - a Pirate world, Mythology world, Science Fiction world, Mechanical world, and a Cemetery. A fun little game. In late '97, I bought out my contract from Shrapnel Records and started my own production company called "Hermit, Inc." I released my latest CD titled "Hands" with my band BUMBLEFOOT in the summer of '98, available all over the internet (cdnow.com, amazon.com...) and I'm finishing up my next CD, to be released the end of '99.

Weren't you in a guitar magazine Spotlight column somewhere around 1990? You already had the Swiss cheese guitar. What did you submit as a demo? I remember Mike Varney [talent scout and owner of Shrapnel Records] writing it was the most impressive demo he ever heard. He also compared your music to Zappa's.

Ron: Yep. Guitar Player mag, August '89 - Jeff Healey on the cover. No one remembers me - they only remember that Swiss Cheese guitar. Hahaha!!! I submitted some weird instrumental songs I had - one was called "Sex With Ducks" where there was a solo section in the middle of the song where I used a bunch of guitar tracks to make it sound like a big sex orgy involving a man, a woman, and 7 ducks. I think it was more of the light-hearted silly approach that reminded him of Zappa, and not the music.

You don't sound much like the average Shrapnel-shredder. Why are you on that label? Aren't you afraid that people will automatically assume you're a soulless neoclassical spandex-clad copycat? If the lyrics to `Can't play the blues' are anything to go by, you're not too keen on that kind of guitarist.

Ron: I'm NOT a Shrapnel shredder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I knew I'd be type-cast and labeled as one, I never would have signed with Shrapnel!! I was a singing guitarist in a rock band BEFORE Shrapnel, I did 2 albums for Shrapnel giving Mike Varney what he wanted - solo guitarist records. Now, I'm off of Shrapnel and I'm a singing guitarist in a rock band again. That's what I am. "I Can't Play the Blues" was just a silly song poking fun at guitarists (myself included!). But the truth is I don't like most instrumental guitar music, and I'll explain why. I really do enjoy ALL kinds of music, but there is a problem with guitar instrumental music. The great leaders like Malmsteen and Vai had passion and they expressed themselves. AND they had incredible technique. But then all these other players came around that did a terrible thing - they developed the technique, but didn't think the spirit mattered. So all this spiritless music flooded the guitar instrumental scene where it was all about technique and no one put in the extra effort to SAY SOMETHING in their music. Music is an exchanging of souls - it's like fucking. It's a musician pouring his heart out, or telling a story, or even telling a joke, but the point is to bring the listener inside you and make them see what you see, and feel what you feel. Too many technical players refuse to give that part of themselves, and they have re-defined "instrumental guitar music" as something empty and lacking soul. That's why it has such a small audience - people want to be MOVED and TOUCHED by a piece of music - whether it's technical or not, it doesn't matter - it MUST have a life in it. And too many shredders lost sight of what makes music. It's kind of sad. The good instrumental guitar music is GREAT MUSIC. There's just not enough of it out there, compared to how many CD's are released that suck. I think the shred record labels released too much quantity, and not enough quality - that was the problem. And that's why the primal sound of grunge followed as a backlash to the empty extravagance of so much 80's surface music that lost its depth. It's the same with a lot of R&B vocalists that do all this fancy shit, trying to capture in the throat what Stevie Wonder did from the heart.

Some of your stuff, especially on Adventures of Bumblefoot, is pretty advanced harmonically. Do you listen to a lot of jazz, fusion or modern classical music?

Ron: Actually I like listening to Manowar.

What's unagi? And wasabi?

Ron: Unagi is eel. Wasabi is a hot green horseradish you mix with Soy Sauce to dip sushi in. Japanese food is my favorite.

Did people ever tell you you look a little like Jack Nicholson? Two axe-wielding psychos crashing through doors, is it JUST coincidence?

Ron: They tell me I act like him. I don't see it. Perhaps I should become an actor.

Did Calvin Klein design your hat? I've got CK underwear exactly like that.

Ron: Actually, it's not a hat. It IS a pair of CK underwear.

Please react to the following names:

Ron: OK, I will type the first things that enter my mind...

Frank Zappa - Deep Dish Pan Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella and Tomatoes.

Steve Vai - Cold Lo Mein Noodles with Sesame Paste and Fire Sauce.

Allan Holdsworth - Humphrey Bogart.

Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Burger King's #4 Value Meal.

David Tronzo - Bananarama.

Buckethead - Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Henry Kaiser - Tuna Salad on a Roll.

Sonny Sharrock - Cher.

Vernon Reid - Lives near my studio.

Bill Bruford - Tight.

Chris Poland - Warsaw.

Mike Varney - Old friend, had a bad experience, put it behind us, now friends again.

Shawn Lane - Andy Gibb.

None of those answers have any hidden meanings or insults or anything like that. It's just the first words I had in my head.

Can we expect a new solo album in the near future? Will you be touring? Any work as session musician?

Ron: I was going to do another instrumental solo record, but instead I'm putting a few instrumentals on the next band record. I'd like to do an instructional video for the Vigier fretless guitars soon. I played in France a lot last year, and did a small show at the '98 Music Expo in Rotterdam. I want to gig a lot to promote the next record. I do little bits of session work here and there in the studio - usually if a client needs a guitar line I'll throw one down. No biggie. Now I will go eat dinner - a deep dish pan pizza with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, some cold lo mein noodles with sesame paste and fire sauce, a hot tamale, a Burger King #4 Value Meal, some KFC, tuna on a roll, and some unagi with extra wasabi. Peace my brutha.



Just a few random quotes from a Q & A

The whole thing is here..... http://www.bumblefoot.com/press/199909-w3m3/199909-w3m3.htm

how much does ron shred? i like a shredder who can also play with soul and bluesy :smoking:
did he add any shred to the NR solo on friday and sunday?

OK - I'll say from the start here that I don't know a whole lot about Bumblefoot except that he looks fucking awesome in those youtube videos.

And I think its worth a lot that he says he's commited to the band till the end.

I kind of worry though because I was reading this interview from 2004 ( http://br.geocities.com/nightrainfg/nightrain/entrevistas/005.htm ) and he was discussing how he came into conflict with the GnR management over something he posted on his site about whether he was in the band or not. Anyway, he went on to say things to the extent that he likes to always keep his fans in the open - how he feels its a band's duty to connect with the fans and let them know whats happening all the time.

Im just wondering if anyone agrees that someone with this attitude may have trouble fitting into a band which has a history of long, mysterious silences and a singer who cancels concerts? The optimist in me says he will bring the band up and contribute a lot, especially to the new stuff, but for now I cant help the feeling that its going to be short lived.

EDIT: To be completely honest, I get the feeling that Bumblefoot is way to proactive to fit in comfortably with GnR when they are in the studio.

He won't fuck THIS up, it's the opportunity of a lifetime.  He'll do JUST as Axl says...

Good point - but after only one tour he's going to have enough coverage to set him up for the rest of his life.

he seems to be a loyal and good guy and so is axl, i'm sure things will work out just fine :yes:
we will soon all be very proud to have bumblefoot in the band, i'm certain of that :peace:

like GNR needs another yes-man.
I hope he stays the way he is, and that Axl won't kick him out for any stupid reasons.

As evidenced by the Stinson-Rose feud, they aren't ALL yes men :hihi:

yeah i hope he replies to emails and updates his page ... Fortus always replies...

just listened some of ron thals previous stuff hes damn good player : ok:

he should be, i mean, axl recruited him to be in GN'R

He fucked up the NR solo on Friday.  Fortus nailed the solo in the middle, which I was very impressed yet.  Foot kinda fucked up the end solo, but the ending was still really cool with all the pyro falling from the ceiling.

After monday nights show...a RESOUNDING:


YES!  : ok:


He was great.

That's great news, really want the guy to do well  : ok: