BLABBERMOUTH: BBF still unsure about GNR tour

[-Rob-]

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock recently conducted an interview with GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock: Now that "Chinese Democracy" has been released, are you relieved that at last you don't have to continually answer the question, "When is the album coming out?"

Thal: No, because now everyone's saying, "When's the next album coming out?" (Laughs)

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock: So... when's the next GUNS album coming out?

Thal: There ya go. I think it was about two days before people starting coming up and asking me, "So, when's the next album coming out?" Man, give us a chance. (Laughs)

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock: Any plans yet for touring that you're aware of?

Thal: Right now nothing is confirmed. Nothing is definite. If pieces fall into
place, it could happen. That's the most political way I can say I know nothing. (Laughs) In other words, it could happen, I hope it happens, maybe it'll happen, I'd like for it to happen. I know a lot of other people who would like for it to happen, and if everything works out, it will happen. But there are a lot of variables involved, down to every little thing to making sure that all the pieces are in place so that we can do this the right way.

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock: That's a very skillful way of dodging that question, I'm impressed....

Thal: Thank you. I'm getting good at this. I think I'm going to run for mayor soon. I've had years of practice now. (Laughs)

Nightwatcher's House Of Rock: What is the one thing that people would be surprised to know about Axl?

Thal: I don't know. I find that people that don't know him are the ones that have all these crazy ideas about him. The people that do know him have a lot of good things to say about him. He's got some really nice friends who have become my friends. I've crossed the line from people that don't know him to one who does, and I don't know what people know or don't know anymore. I do know that there's a lot of wrong information about him out there. It kind of bums me out to see and read things that I know are totally bullshit.


http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=121170

[-Rob-]

" Right now nothing is confirmed. Nothing is definite. If pieces fall into
place, it could happen. That's the most political way I can say I know nothing. (Laughs) In other words, it could happen, I hope it happens, maybe it'll happen, I'd like for it to happen. I know a lot of other people who would like for it to happen, and if everything works out, it will happen. But there are a lot of variables involved, down to every little thing to making sure that all the pieces are in place so that we can do this the right way."

Nothing confimed? 

So, the politically un-correct way of saying this is,  the chances that we'll be getting a 2009 tour are pretty slim to none.

[FunkyMonkey]

I was just reading this and the rest of the interview is interesting as well.  Here is some of it...

NHOR : Along those same lines... In terms of being an artist, what effect has playing in Guns N' Roses had on you, either creatively or commercially speaking?

RT : Well, let's just say the roller coaster has sped up. (Laughs) Gone through bigger turns, twists and ups and downs... everything's been much more intense since joining. So I think it's reflected a bit in the music, whether there's a little more energy or edginess to it, I think I've become a bit more energetic and edgy as a person. (Laughs)

NHOR : Do you feel playing the Guns songs a lot has had an influence on your own music, structure-wise, at all?

RT : I think so. Anything, if you keep playing it, and it becomes part of what you do, as soon as you go to create or embellish... whatever you draw from in your approach... definitely I could feel that in a lot of my songs I was putting in guitar melodies that dance around, compliment or contrast the vocal lines in a way that a couple of years ago I may not have. I think it would have been impossible for it not to have had an effect after playing the songs hundreds of times.

NHOR : You were preceded in the band by Slash, and then Buckethead. Was one of the prerequisites to you being asked to join Guns N' Roses, besides your obvious talent, having a nickname?

RT : You know... I don't know. I've been asked that question so many times, do you have to have a fucked up name to be considered for the band? And, I'm starting to wonder if maybe I only got the gig because of my name. Maybe they think I suck. (Laughs) Maybe they think, hey the guy sucks, he's a jerk to play with but... he's got a stupid name, so let's keep him.

NHOR : What would you say was the biggest adjustment for you in terms of being well known pretty much only in the 'shred guitar underground' then going to one of the biggest bands in the world?

RT : Some of the biggest adjustments were not having to lug my own gear. That was the first thing. At the end of every GNR show, the first thing that I'd do was I'd grab my amp and start bringing it towards the back. All the crew members are like, "Let go of that. That's our job." So, I'm like, what am I supposed to do with myself? The gig isn't done until you throw your shit in the van or the car. (Laughs) So there was that kind of thing. You know, you're used to roughing it for 30 years, then suddenly it's made so easy, you're thinking what am I getting paid for? You mean just to perform? That's not enough. I need to break my back. I need to hurt myself. Jokingly of course, although it's partially true. You mean all I have to do is show up and play guitar? I don't have to go fight with the club owner for money? (Laughs)

It's just a totally different situation than anything I'd ever done before. Because it's the only time I've been in a band other than my own. There were situations where I was offered to play in other things and I turned it down, going back to when I was 17. But there's just something about this. A little voice in my head said check it out and see how it goes. Here we are three years later... actually it's five years later since we all first spoke and started making plans. Now 'Chinese Democracy' is done and out and hopefully we'll get on the road in the not too distant future and start playing the shit out of these songs.

NHOR : Are you satisfied with your performances on 'Chinese Democracy', or are there some that you wish you could go back and change?

RT : I'm as satisfied as I'm capable of being. Because no matter what I do, within a week I'm hearing all the things that I'd want to do differently. What I'd want to add, change the tone, or replay. That's always how it is. Because with any album, the mixing process is never done. It continues for years after the album's out, it's just happening in your head. And the stuff that's in your head, you can't do anything about it. You're haunted by it. So within a week of anything I do, whether it's my album or 'Chinese Democracy', I start getting haunted by little things. Like, how I bent that note, man I should've got more of a squeal out of it. Or, shit, I should've put a harmony on this. I could've had a better melody for that. Whatever it is. So I am as happy as I'm capable of being.

NHOR : Your solo albums and with your band Bumblefoot are very non-commercial in relation to what gets played on radio these days. Whereas with Guns there's a much better chance something you've played will be played on radio. How did you feel hearing something you've played on, such as the new GNR, on the radio for the first time?

RT : I think I felt hungry. I was on my way to dinner. (Laughs) It was cool. The first time I heard it there was a feeling of relief. Not just for myself, but there were so many GNR fans who were waiting for so long for music to be legitimately released. It was a feeling of being happy for them, that they finally got that, after such a long wait and sticking it out, that something was finally out there. I was pretty damn happy.

NHOR : The album recently was certified platinum here in the United States. Amongst the Guns camp, is there satisfaction in how the album has sold thus far?

RT : It's hard to say. I think it's pretty much a given, with pretty much any musician, no matter how much it sells, you're going to want to sell more. Those are the driving forces that keep musicians going. The constant striving to do more, do better, to up it even more. That's just something which is inherent in every musician's nature. So I never really asked them. I never said, "Hey Axl, are you happy with this shit?" (Laughs) We don't talk about that stuff. We talk about stupid movies, crack jokes and stuff like that.

But I could only assume that most people feel like I do. I would love to do more videos, and just shove it down the world's throat even more. I would love to get out there and play for every person that has ears and do whatever we can. Because you know, when you put out an album, it's like having a baby. You want to raise that baby for the most life that it can have. You want to do what you can for it. So it's that kind of thing. What can I do to give this baby a better life? That's pretty much how it is. So no matter how well it's doing you always want more for it. It's the paternal instinct.

NHOR : A lot of people have this conception of the new Guns N' Roses just being Axl and the rest of you being hired hands, which I'm sure you're aware of. How much of a band is this configuration?

RT : That's just part of the whole negative crap that's part of the baggage of being a new Guns N' Roses. That whole thing of blah blah blah, they're just hired guns... blah blah blah... they're not the original members blah blah blah you're not my real mommy, blah blah blah. (Laughs)

Considering there are guys in the band who have been there 18 years to whatever amount of time it is, and considering that we see each other on a daily basis, and when we're not, we're speaking to each other all the time, hanging out and doing things together, jamming and playing on each other's albums, and doing everything band members do... I'd say it's pretty much a band. Whether people want to acknowledge that or not, that's up to them, and whatever floats their boat. It doesn't change the truth.

NHOR : How would it compare in those terms to your solo band?

RT : I would say that it's more of a band than my own band. Absolutely. In my own band, it is everything that people want to say negatively about GNR. (Laughs) My band is really me, who writes all the songs, then Dennis comes in and kicks ass on them, but then I go and play bass and rhythm guitar and do everything else besides the drumming. Then when I do play live, I do hire friends or whoever to play bass and rhythm guitar. So in my case they are a bunch of hired guns, other than Dennis, who is really more of my right hand guy. We work together, and I do things for him as well. We just have a musical relationship that's gone on for years.

NHOR : Even big bands are being affected by it. Do you have any estimate on how many sales were lost by GNR for 'Chinese Democracy' due to illegal downloads?

RT : I don't know. All I know is that my last CD 'Abnormal', about three weeks after I released it was when I first started finding torrent files of it. I checked one, and there had been 1,500 downloads just of that torrent of it. That file was on the Internet for about a week. So it's at a point now where I don't think you can fairly assess the success of an album anymore by its sales. You have to assess it by its downloads. You have to start asking the philosophical question, is it how many albums you sell, or is it how many copies people have? How do you assess it now? Is it only SoundScan that you're going to consider legitimate? Because if that's the case, yeah, GNR went Platinum, but if you go by how many people just torrented a copy as well, it's probably quadruple Platinum.

NHOR : Is there anything else you'd like to say to all your fans?

RT : Thank you for keeping an open mind with all the wacky things I've done. Whether it's chopping guitars down into strange things, or making strange music, or playing with Guns N' Roses, I hope they enjoy it, and I hope to see them all soon and share the experience together.

http://houseofrockinterviews.blogspot.com/2009/05/tales-of-bumblefoot-exclusive-interview.html

[jarmo]

I find it amusing how Blabbermouth used the word "hoped" in their headline and in your case it's translated into "unsure".

That's the most political way I can say I know nothing

In other words, he doesn't want to be the one making any tour announcements.

While seeming to polarize long term fans expecting another 'Appetite For Destruction', more open-minded listeners will find the album to be, despite the odds against it being so - one damn fine rock record which gets better with consecutive listening.

NHOR : A lot of people have this conception of the new Guns N' Roses just being Axl and the rest of you being hired hands, which I'm sure you're aware of. How much of a band is this configuration?

RT : That's just part of the whole negative crap that's part of the baggage of being a new Guns N' Roses. That whole thing of blah blah blah, they're just hired guns... blah blah blah... they're not the original members blah blah blah you're not my real mommy, blah blah blah. (Laughs)

Considering there are guys in the band who have been there 18 years to whatever amount of time it is, and considering that we see each other on a daily basis, and when we're not, we're speaking to each other all the time, hanging out and doing things together, jamming and playing on each other's albums, and doing everything band members do... I'd say it's pretty much a band. Whether people want to acknowledge that or not, that's up to them, and whatever floats their boat. It doesn't change the truth.

/jarmo

[FunkyMonkey]

I find it amusing how Blabbermouth used the word "hoped" in their headline and in your case it's translated into "unsure".



/jarmo

Yeah, because he says "hope"...

In other words, it could happen, I hope it happens....

[gilld1]

I find it amusing how Blabbermouth used the word "hoped" in their headline and in your case it's translated into "unsure".

That's the most political way I can say I know nothing

In other words, he doesn't want to be the one making any tour announcements.

While seeming to polarize long term fans expecting another 'Appetite For Destruction', more open-minded listeners will find the album to be, despite the odds against it being so - one damn fine rock record which gets better with consecutive listening.

/jarmo

Or announcing no tour.  It cuts both ways.

[jacdaniel]

doesnt give much away does he lol!

[russtcb]

I feel so bad for Ron. He seems like such a nice, genuine guy. A real lover of music and Guns N' Roses for that matter. And the dude can't do anything to satisfy GN'R fans. It's like if he doesn't come out with "GN'R will do this or that on this day!" people wanna get all over him.

He's saying what he can say about a tour. Which is unfortunately nothing right now. I want GN'R to be playing like TOMORROW and in Detroit for that matter, but as far as I know that isn't happening. I'm not about to shit on Ron Thal about it for Christssake!


However, he did give some great insights about his relationship with Axl. He talked about what he did on the record and his own personal thoughts on it. He also gave a unique perspective of how a true artist might judge their "success" through looking at torrents.

But let's not focus on that. Let's shit on the guy and say "ASSHOLE! DUDE DOESN'T EVEN SAY IF THEY'RE TOURING OR NOT!"

More fun I guess?

[bodine]

I find it amusing how Blabbermouth used the word "hoped" in their headline and in your case it's translated into "unsure".

That's the most political way I can say I know nothing

In other words, he doesn't want to be the one making any tour announcements.

While seeming to polarize long term fans expecting another 'Appetite For Destruction', more open-minded listeners will find the album to be, despite the odds against it being so - one damn fine rock record which gets better with consecutive listening.

NHOR : A lot of people have this conception of the new Guns N' Roses just being Axl and the rest of you being hired hands, which I'm sure you're aware of. How much of a band is this configuration?

RT : That's just part of the whole negative crap that's part of the baggage of being a new Guns N' Roses. That whole thing of blah blah blah, they're just hired guns... blah blah blah... they're not the original members blah blah blah you're not my real mommy, blah blah blah. (Laughs)

Considering there are guys in the band who have been there 18 years to whatever amount of time it is, and considering that we see each other on a daily basis, and when we're not, we're speaking to each other all the time, hanging out and doing things together, jamming and playing on each other's albums, and doing everything band members do... I'd say it's pretty much a band. Whether people want to acknowledge that or not, that's up to them, and whatever floats their boat. It doesn't change the truth.

/jarmo

Haha, you give someone crap for using the word "unsure" when the article used the word "hope", but when he says the words "I know nothing", you decide that translates to "I don't want to be the one making tour announcements."  

You sure do like to have it both ways, don't ya?!?!?

[jarmo]

Haha, you give someone crap for using the word "unsure" when the article used the word "hope", but when he says the words "I know nothing", you decide that translates to "I don't want to be the one making tour announcements."  

If you read any interviews with him or listened to what he's said at all in the past, you'd know that he often says that it's not his job to make announcements. Those come from GN'R, not him.

I don't think his attitude on that has changed.


For me it's common sense. Don't expect ground breaking GN'R news from an interview such as this.



/jarmo

[-Rob-]

I find it amusing how Blabbermouth used the word "hoped" in their headline and in your case it's translated into "unsure".


/jarmo

Tomatoe .... toe-mo-toe.

"In other words, it could happen, I hope it happens, maybe it'll happen"

The "maybe" suggests that he really is unsure at the moment. If Blabbermouth's article was titled: 'BBF doesn't know what's going on in the band' and I would have re-phrased it to read: 'BBF is unsure if a tour will happen', would you still be pouncing on me for this?

Probably not.

[FunkyMonkey]

I would have re-phrased it to read:

Just out of curiosity, why do you feel the need to "re-phrase it" at all...it was accurate?

[jarmo]

I would have re-phrased it to read:

Just out of curiosity, why do you feel the need to "re-phrase it" at all...it was accurate?

Bingo!




/jarmo

[jacdaniel]

I feel so bad for Ron. He seems like such a nice, genuine guy. A real lover of music and Guns N' Roses for that matter. And the dude can't do anything to satisfy GN'R fans. It's like if he doesn't come out with "GN'R will do this or that on this day!" people wanna get all over him.

i think all people want is some news.  even if its bad news.  But not knowing doesnt look good for anyone.  And nobody is bashing BF for that.

[-Rob-]

I would have re-phrased it to read:

Just out of curiosity, why do you feel the need to "re-phrase it" at all...it was accurate?

Umm ... maybe it was unintentional?

I have to admit, I didn't spend hours diligently studying the article.


Just out of curiosity, do you feel someone saying "maybe" may suggest that one is, oh I don't know, "unsure" of something? I could see your argument if I wrote 'BBF hopes there is no tour', but Jesus ...

[FunkyMonkey]

I would have re-phrased it to read:

Just out of curiosity, why do you feel the need to "re-phrase it" at all...it was accurate?

Umm ... maybe it was unintentional?

I have to admit, I didn't spend hours diligently studying the article.


Just out of curiosity, do you feel someone saying "maybe" may suggest that one is, oh I don't know, "unsure" of something? I could see your argument if I wrote 'BBF hopes there is no tour', but Jesus ...

From Ron's quote you could say "I'd like for it to happen" or even "it will happen". 

I was just curious why you would change the title at all when it was accurate.  It seems to be putting a negative spin on it.

[falungong69]

i don't see how you hater trolls can take the phrase "if everything falls into place, it will happen" and turn it into "there's no tour."

he clearly and plainly stated that they're planning one right now and everyone hopes the details all work out.  i know that breaks your heart, guy with slashcancer avitar, but gnr is faaaaaaaaaar from over.

[The Glow Inc.]

That's the most political way I can say I know nothing

In other words, he doesn't want to be the one making any tour announcements.


/jarmo

Unfortunately, I don't think that there is going to be any tour in 2009 after all...

Izzy Stradlin joined Slash in the studio today for work on his upcoming solo album. This album is filled with all sorts of all-star guests.

Don?t expect to hear anything from Axl?s GnR until 2010.

? Mark Strigl

Mark Strigl and BBF are very very good buddies. I don't think he would just say that out of the blue.

Source : http://www.markstrigl.net/index.php?id=318

EDIT : And this made me kinda sad ( Ron Thal on how ChiDem could do better ) :

But I could only assume that most people feel like I do. I would love to do more videos, and just shove it down the world's throat even more. I would love to get out there and play for every person that has ears and do whatever we can. Because you know, when you put out an album, it's like having a baby. You want to raise that baby for the most life that it can have. You want to do what you can for it. So it's that kind of thing. What can I do to give this baby a better life? That's pretty much how it is. So no matter how well it's doing you always want more for it. It's the paternal instinct.

[jarmo]

Don?t expect to hear anything from Axl?s GnR until 2010.

? Mark Strigl

Mark Strigl and BBF are very very good buddies. I don't think he would just say that out of the blue.

Source : http://www.markstrigl.net/index.php?id=318

#1: There's about seven months left of 2009. Remember last year in the summer how people were saying the album wouldn't be out that year? Look what happened.
#2: I don't know what caused Mark to post that, but he offers no explanation for why we shouldn't expect anything. Is it his guess? Is it just him feeling pessimistic?




/jarmo

[The Glow Inc.]

I don't know. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed but I have to admit that this message by Mark Strigl kinda came as a shock 
Until know I was really looking forward to the day the dates would pop up. There was no doubt whatsoever. Now I'm really wondering whether they will pop up this year...

Oh well, we shall see...Hope that soon is the word though.