Talked to Tommy in Portland

[damnthehaters]

I got a pretty cool story.  I'm from Portland so I went to Tommy's show last night.  I decided to go early and eat before seeing the show.  It was at a small venue so when I got there around 7pm, Tommy was sitting at the bar eating a cheeseburger and having a beer.  Other band members were all around the bar also.  Within 5 minutes of being in the bar, I had to go up to him and say hi.  I wasn't going to let this slip by.  So I went up to him and said that I really liked his new cd (which I really do), and told him that I'm a big fan of the new GNR.  He smiled and said "thanks, I appreciate it".  I told him that I didn't want to bother him too much, but it was nice meeting him and he said the same.  About 10 minutes later, I was sitting eating my food and he came up and asked if I was having the cheeseburger because it was great.  I said know, "the french dip".  He then asked If I was staying to watch the show.  I said yeah, and then that's when we actually started to talk more.  I again told him that I really liked his new cd, but actually the only reason I bought it was because I'm such a big gnr and Axl fan, but now after buying it, I'm a Tommy fan as well and he said "oh that's awesome man, thanks".   Then I told him how I really respect the fact that he sticks up for Axl in the media, because Axl gets so much shit printed about him.  He responded by saying "yeah, a bunch of unnecessary shit".  I then told him that I saw them in Tacoma a couple of years back for there opening show on there eventually cancelled tour.  He goes "oh we almost didn't make that one".  I responded by asking what happened in Vancouver the night before and he said that Axl got stuck in bad weather in LA and he couldn't make it.  Tommy said that the rest of the band flew up a couple of days earlier to rehearse and Axl was meeting them there. (Stuff I already knew, but thought I would share everything).  I then told him that it must be nice to have the leway to go out and do your solo stuff.  He said "yeah, it makes it really fun".  I mentioned how Dizzy and Buckethead (and yes, I know that Buckethead is out of the band) were doing the same and he said yeah, but that Brain is no longer playing with Buckethead.  Tommy said that Buckethead is just really high mantanaince, and unpredictable.  (So you wont be seeing Brain on tour with Bucket this fall).  I then finished up by saying that it was nice meeting him and asked him how Chinese Democracy was coming.  He said that is the reason why he is touring now, because it's a last chance to speek his peece (about what?  I'm not sure.  I'm thinking that he was referring to the Replacements material because he did talk a lot about Replacement songs during his set), and went on to say that Chinese Democracy is very close to being done and that it "should be out by the end of the year".   

Later in the night, he signed a poster for me and wrote "thanks for coming, see you next year".  I also met a guitarist named Mike from the band that played before him (Very cool guy).  And this was my experience, a pretty fun night for me, and Tommy played well too.  My favorite was "Without a View", I like that song a lot.

Hope you guys like the story.  I think next year will be a huge year for us GNR fans.  I can't wait.

Peace and rock on!         

[jarmo]

Thanks for sharing your concert experience. 

Did he play many tracks from Village Gorilla Head?



/jarmo

[Ignatius]

Good Story

So a chesseburger sparked the conversation?? surreal....

You should've asked what happened in Philly since we already knew the reason why the Vancouver show got cancelled.

It could be great if you could scan the poster he signed for you...

[tHeElEcTrIcSiNtAr]

Thats awesome man. Glad you had a good time. Tommy seems like such a cool guy!!!

[Timothy]

Thanks for posting about your experience, sound like it was a good show.

[killingvector]

Well, Brain and Buckethead played the Giant Robot tour together just this summer so either something happened recently or Tommy is mistaken.

Sounds like bucket is out though which is what we all presumed.

[killingvector]

brain is doing the C2B3 tour also with bucket so either this story is bogus or Tommy doesn't know what he's talking about.

[SOH]

So it looks like Brain is staying with GNR. Good. Buckethead must really be a headcase.

[damnthehaters]

Yeah, a cheesburger sparked the convo.  Pretty funny huh?  Anyhow, he played about 7 or 8 songs off his new album and he played about 2 old replacements songs, and 2 songs that were never put out by the replacements. 

Yeah, if I would have written down questions to ask him before I talked to him, I would have asked him about Philly, but the whole conversation was rather sureal.  I don't have a scanner, or else I would.  Sorry!

One more thing, after I talked to Tommy I was sitting with this guy who I had just met and was a big fan of the replacements.  He didn't even realize that Tommy was sitting right in front of him the whole time until I told him.  After a little while when Tommy was up on the side of the stage tuning his guitar, my buddy for the night went up to talk to him but couldn't get anything out.  I think he was awstruck.  All my buddie could do was puff away on his cigerette and that's when Tommy looked up at him and said "can you smoke that thing somewhere else?"  I thought it was funny.  Anyhow, I guess later Tommy told the guy "no disrespect". 

peace and rock on

[damnthehaters]

Maybe Brain leaving Bucket is new.  I don't know, I'm just posting what Tommy said. 

[killingvector]

Once again, Brain is playing C2B3 with Buckethead starting in September. That statement by Tommy is wrong as stated.

[younggunner]

how long was the set?

[tHeElEcTrIcSiNtAr]

Once again, Brain is playing C2B3 with Buckethead starting in September. That statement by Tommy is wrong as stated.

Even if he is playing with Buckethead on the C2B3 tour it ends on November 7, so that will still coincide with what Tommy said about Rehearsals starting in December. I dont think we have anything to worry about.

[jnn]

He said that is the reason why he is touring now, because it's a last chance to speek his peece (about what?? I'm not sure.? I'm thinking that he was referring to the Replacements material because he did talk a lot about Replacement songs during his set), and went on to say that Chinese Democracy is very close to being done and that it "should be out by the end of the year".? ?

I'd assume that what he meant by this is he wants to take advantage of the opportunity to tour in support of his own music while he still has a chance because this time around GNR touring and possibly more recording should be a more long term commitment.

Thanks for sharing your story.  Sounds like a good night.

[estranged.1098]

Once again, Brain is playing C2B3 with Buckethead starting in September. That statement by Tommy is wrong as stated.

He probably meant that Brain won't play as a support drummer on Buckethead shows. Colonel Claypool's Bucket Of Bernie Brains is a band that both are in.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

I find it strange this is his first post on this board. I dont believe it.

[FlashFlood]

eh, its believable. but hey, i'll believe anything.

[damnthehaters]

I find it strange this is his first post on this board. I dont believe it.

You can believe what you want.? Why would I make up a story like this?? And that was my 1st post because the only place that I have posted in the past has been at newgnr.com and it isn't working.? My screen name on newgnr.com is damnthehaters so some of you might know me.?

To answer an above question, the set was about 3 hours total.? Tommy played two songs to lead it off, then the other band came on, and then Tommy came back on and played for about an hour 1/2.? The show ended around 12:30am.?

peace and rock on!

[killingvector]

Once again, Brain is playing C2B3 with Buckethead starting in September. That statement by Tommy is wrong as stated.

He probably meant that Brain won't play as a support drummer on Buckethead shows. Colonel Claypool's Bucket Of Bernie Brains is a band that both are in.

LOL.  I think you are trying to find truth with this statement when there is none. Brain and Bucket are close buds. They worked together this summer with the Buckethead's Giant Robot project and now with C2B3. There is no rift between them.

[vicarious existence]

and went on to say that Chinese Democracy is very close to being done and that it "should be out by the end of the year".? ?

Well... at least this is more specific than "soon" or "hairs breadth"