Bumblefoot talks about Barefoot, Chinese and DJ Ashba

[Voodoochild]

EDITED: second part of the interview HERE:

http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/board/index.php?topic=56869.msg1187617#msg1187617

Posted by this user on CD.com board:

I don't know how but those guys from Polish Rock Magazine really have great contact with Ron and made new interview about his acoustic album, Chinese Democracy, tour and Axl Rose. I want be able to translate everything at once but I'll give some part a day ( I have fuckin' exams at the first place).

Q: Acoustic EP "Barefoot" showcases your interesting side. Like connecting to Guns N' Roses ballads like "Patience"...
Ron: Oh, I don't think so it's as good as acoustic Gn'R songs(laugh). I am not even able to catch it, because I don't see my music as others do. I hear what I thought, felt during composing. I don't hear final result. So, if you say that it's something similiar to Guns N' Roses songs it's interesting for me. And it makes me happy. For sure I've taken the same path to strip songs to make them feel more intimately, clear , to have direct impact on listener.

Q: Or maybe it was your purpouse to show your bandmates your possibilities - "Look how cool I'm composing, maybe we will use in on the next record" ?
Ron : No, I didn't even think about it. If I take part in recording another Gn'R album I will compose anyway. But maybe if I work on another acoustic album I'd invite Axl to sing, if it makes you happy.

Q: I take your word on it. I talk about stripping down songs. The most re-aranged song is "Abnormal". Punk piece was changed into something calm. It was easy to go so far away from orginal ?
Ron : I didn't look into arrangements of the song, it's tyle, energy. I was stripping it down thinking how to make it interesting again for me. I was looking into particular parts, thinking about theirs destination. For example : how I made that crazy guitar part, being totally opposite to something 3 seconds later. I asked myself where to make next step, to make that song shocking again, to make it feel like something new. I came to conclusion that the best way will be to go into totally different direction. In stead of crazy, technical guitar showcases something more melodic. Basically I just turned that song upside down, it was almost bi-polar.

Q: But there are songs very close to orginals, for example "Shadows"
Ron : You know what is the most interesting? That some songs I thought that would be great in acoustic versions turned out not that great. For example "Overloaded" form the "Normal" album. It turned out that drums are a must here, beacuse they create its vibe. When I did it only with acoustic guitar it lost a lot. Choosing setlist was very suprising : some songs turned out to be better in acoustic versions, and others not. I thought that it's all about core melody. If it was strong enough , acoustic version was great. It was great exam for me which songs were really good and which ones were only fillers.

Q : You talk about melodies, also guitar melodies. Does it mean that you don't want to be considered as shredder, guitar wizard?
Ron : When I think about me I see someone who is producing other bands, is teaching music in college, is composing for TV shows, is taking part in recording as a bandmate. It's all important not only part that I play fast. I don't fit "shred" style, because it's usually something without vocals, almsot background music, and it exist to showcase technical abilities. It's not my goal, not my natural work. I create songs. That acoustic album shows, that my songs are real songs, not ground for guitar tricks. If you listen to some solos closely, for example that solo at the end of "Abnormal", you will hear that it is not me showing skills off but something with melodies - they are there, even if people care only about technical skills.

Q : Having this in mind. I want to know how you share guitar duties in Guns N' Roses. In the past it was simple : there was guy who played solos, and there was guy who played rythm. Now there are three guitar players...
Ron : You're right, in the post there was rythm and solo player. Now you got three solo players, and every with totally different style. DJ is someone like Slash, he plays melodic parts, but also can play very fast. He is very talented guy. Richard Fortus can play everything on awesome level. I'm also very flexible considering style, but I play usually all weird stuff - tapping, untypical sounds etc. So I think that I am responsible in GN'R for all the crazy, weird, new parts, DJ is for melodies and Richard has a share in everything. We share it that way, but it is also why I don't play as much melodic parts as I am able to. But that is how it works in Gn'R.

Q: Does the proportions changed when DJ joined the band ?
Ron : Not really. We tried to keep it as it worked in the past. By the way some songs have as much as three solos so everyone plays one in that case.

Q: And how it looked like on "Chinese Democracy"
Ron : I played a lot of things. Many rythm parts, many solos. In some songs, solos had been recorded for years. And after such time it seemed that playing anythind different in that place wouldn't be a good idea. We simply left it as it was. Live I play all the parts, orginally written and recorded by Buckethead and those, which I recorded myself. DJ will take Robin parts along with Richard. Richard of course plays his parts as well. Guitar wise there is a lot of interesting things on "Chinese Democracy"

Q : On which song on "Chinese Democracy" you contributed the most ?




EDIT : I add few more, tommorow ill post the 2nd part about : his style on Chinese Democracy, histories about band, is the band Axl playground, rehearsals, new material, and runours about "trilogy"

This eye2eye guy also said this very interesting info about the rest of the interview yet to be posted:

"If" it was translated literally, he says later on that he layed down solos, and guitar parts on ohter songs but it wasn't brand new, so he talks about brand new material written only by Axl, him and DJ , not re-recording something.

Cool news!

Source: http://www.chinesedemocracy.com/forum/guns_n_roses_news/totally_new_interview_with_bumblefoot_in_polish_rock_magazine-t44004.0.html;msg1090984#new

[Tynia]

http://www.terazrock.pl/issue.php?IssueId=77

It's from TERAZ ROCK  Haven't had that in hands yet. They have good relations with Bumble thanks to good PR   

[The Glow Inc.]

new material written only by Axl, him and DJ

Hope this is true...I really, really, really do. 

BTW, thanks for sharing, cool interview ! Can't wait for the second part !

[ppbebe]

But maybe if I work on another acoustic album I'd invite Axl to sing, if it makes you happy.

it does.  

Q : Having this in mind. I want to know how you share guitar duties in Guns N' Roses. In the past it was simple : there was guy who played solos, and there was guy who played rythm. Now there are three guitar players...

Ron : You're right, in the post there was rythm and solo player. Now you got three solo players, and every with totally different style. DJ is someone like Slash, he plays melodic parts, but also can play very fast. He is very talented guy. Richard Fortus can play everything on awesome level. I'm also very flexible considering style, but I play usually all weird stuff - tapping, untypical sounds etc. So I think that I am responsible in GN'R for all the crazy, weird, new parts, DJ is for melodies and Richard has a share in everything. We share it that way, but it is also why I don't play as much melodic parts as I am able to. But that is how it works in Gn'R.

i think richard too has described  the roles of 3 guitarists in GNR, to the same effect.
hope our friend nesquick is finally getting it.  

[The Glow Inc.]

I think Nesquick gets it but thinks GnR is doing it the wrong way : Fortus should play Bumble's and Dj's solo parts, Bumble should fuck off, and Dj...well..maybe he could play rythm guitar   

Btw, I think this interview confirms that they have been rehearsing the new material and this is great news. I wouldn't want them to play just Better, IRS, Madagascar and Street of Dreams on the next tour...not that it means that I wouldn't go anyway 

[russtcb]

I'm glad to hear that they'll be splitting solos up the same way and stuff. That's really cool. I'm just hoping this is a "recent" interview!

[ppbebe]

I think Nesquick gets it but thinks GnR is doing it the wrong way : Fortus should play Bumble's

love to see nes's face if richard should shred.  

Btw, I think this interview confirms that they have been rehearsing the new material and this is great news. I wouldn't want them to play just Better, IRS, Madagascar and Street of Dreams on the next tour...not that it means that I wouldn't go anyway 

tommy has mentioned itw and others off cd.


Have you experienced GNR live yet? at there, even if you weren't so big on a song you possibly couldn't help finding yourself awed and wowed with the performances.  

[The Glow Inc.]

I haven't yet...Saw the Rock Am Ring DVD and the KROQ and Rock In Rio performances being broadcast live but it does not really count 

However, I have saved some money in case they plan to play in Paris in the near future...

[ppbebe]

Off topic but really they rock the whole house like nobodys business.

If you were kinda into spiritual staff, you might even see an aural dragon wriggling up and down there.

[Voodoochild]

Btw, I think this interview confirms that they have been rehearsing the new material and this is great news. I wouldn't want them to play just Better, IRS, Madagascar and Street of Dreams on the next tour...not that it means that I wouldn't go anyway 

I think BBF confirmed in his board (or to an user called Bruno Poeys) working on Scraped, Riad, Shacklers, ITW, TWAT...

[alejoyp]

Has this interview been confirmed as a real one? I thought that was a fake one, since I didn't see any link

[CheapJon]

Is this interview confirmed as a real one? I thought that was a fake one, since I didn't see any link

since there's no link it's probably from a REAL magazine and not some internetmagazine

[Voodoochild]

Is this interview confirmed as a real one? I thought that was a fake one, since I didn't see any link

Maybe if you just read the topic...

http://www.terazrock.pl/issue.php?IssueId=77

It's from TERAZ ROCK  Haven't had that in hands yet. They have good relations with Bumble thanks to good PR   

[Voodoochild]

Here's the second part of the interview:

Q : On which song on "Chinese Democracy" you contributed the most ?

Ron : Oh, that's not an easy question. In "Shackler's Revenge" there is of course my solo. But sometimes I played things normal listener won't hear. For example in the song "I.R.S". I don't play solos on this, but I laid down a lot of guitars in the background, the most among the "Chinese Democracy" songs. They're not heard at first, but they're there for sure. Only know, when we start to play those songs during rehearsals, I start to remember how many guitars I recorded. I totally forgotten about them. Hmm, if I have to point songs with my biggest contributions I'd choose "Shackler's Revenge", "Catcher in the Rye" and "Chinese Democracy" on that one my rythm parts changed song a lot. I also used fretless guitar on "Scraped". Those songs really show my guitar playing. Also I add small parts here and there, for example short bluesy solo at the end of the second verse of "Better". Generally I really like my rythm parts, for me they're the most important think I recorded, they changed a lot. After those parts songs became more rock n' roll than industrial.

Q: So you prefer rock n' roll attitude of the band, like in the "Street of Dreams" songs. You don't like industrail based songs ?
Ron: It's hard to say which style I prefer more. Those two styles create the full picture. Things that resamble older times are cool, becasue they bring back memories of old, famililiar times. On the other hand things whcih are totally not familiar with that old style, brings something fresh into songs. Every style gives something special. In "older" songs melodies are cool, "new" stuff are very intense and weird. And what I mean is that they are intense in emotional way not in technical way.

Q: How relationships inside the band look like? Is it democracy inside or it is "chinese democracy" with one man rule?
Ron: I'd say that there is democracy inside. We all have great contributions to the band, we share opinions, ideas. We all make choices...People from outside like to make theories, that in GN'R there is only one man ruling. It's not true. Of course, Axl has all the rights to the name. If some is to make a definitive decision, of course it's up to him. But it's not a dicatorship. He treats as all very well. And we respect it. I won't run all over the world with statement that Guns N' Roses is my band and everyone do what I tell to do. We won't behave that way, Axl as well not. As far as ideas - musical or other are concerned everyone gives opnions and we all are interested in all points of view, others feelings.

Q: Do you meet each other outside the studio?
Ron : Of course. There are weeks, when we go out together almost every day, sitting whole night and going into trouble (laugh). We're in touch all the time. For example last week I went to San Diego to play charity show with Nashville country artists. I played on acoustic guitar with them, then as a band member. It was all for navy veterans. On the way there I exchanged about 30 messages with Axl , basically doing jokes all the time. It's how it look like. Last night, phone rings, I reach for it and I see funny message from Axl I replied immediately. And we write to each other like this all the time almost without stop. Or Richard sent us all e-mails in which he was making fun of George Bush. Yesterday I, Frank and guys from the band were at the hotel and started a party. Customers made a lot complains about noise , co we have to go down to continue party in the lobby. We all make such things as it happens in the pack of friends.

Q: How often do you make rehearsals?
Ron : I've been in L.A since January. At first we had trialouts for new guitar players. Then I took care of my equimpment aps etc. I was checking what would be the best for the tour, it took some time. Also we needed some tweaks when DJ joined us. Those months were very intense, because of practicing all the stuff. I hope we'll move our asses and start touring.

Q: Is there any new material played on those rehearsals?
Ron : At the moment no. We're focused on "Chinese Democracy". we must played that material through before we do something new. I feel that we are not finished with it - no matter how stupid it sounds. We didn't do everything what is right, with that album. We didn't make a tour, some other things lacked. So before we start something new, we must be sure that we did everything he could with that album.

Q: There were information about "Chinese Democracy" being first part of trilogy, It is rumored that the material has been already recorded. Or maybe you started recording something new in that line-up?
Ron : I would like it to be that way, to create together. But I played on many other songs, I added solos, rythm parts, fills some of them didn't make it on the album. I don't know if it be a trilogy out of this or it was only a rumour , which gone out of control. Maybe there was such idea, but ideas change. When you record an record, you start with one idea, but finish with something totally different and have to discard previous ideas. It's hard to say, maybe on the one stage there were plans of doing trilogy, but as far as I'm concerned I don't think it will happen. But it is possible it was an idea or it was only loud thinking and someone took it as a definitive plan. It happend with my albums as well. Last one was supposed to be double - one CD with heavy stuff, second with ballads. I discarded that idea and I created "Abnormal"

Q: I heard that you didn't want to have a single piece of "Chinese Democracy" before release. I suppose you want to avoid 6months in prison ?
Ron : (laugh)/ Yeah that's true I didn't have any demos, copies of music which we recorded. I didn't want it. Yeah it is crystal clear - those fuckin' leaks. I wanted everyone to be 100% sure that I don't have anything in common with that. It was evidence of trust.

ENJOY
that's all, sorry for mistakes I don't have energy to do spell checking.

[CheapJon]

thanks a bunch, nice read

[Voodoochild]

Yeah, really cool stuff. People should read it and stop complaining about the lack of info or comunication.

[Anywaythewindblows]

Great! That was a good reading, Ron seems to want to tour as much as we want them to do so. And I think that it shows to the people who claim that this is not a "band "that in fact, GN'R might have never been as tight and close as this band is right now.

[The Glow Inc.]

It might not be a band in the way the New Guns were created ( because it's true, most members were "recruited" for a precise job ) but it sure became one through touring and recording.
And it's cool to see that people like Bumblefoot are so proud to be in it.

And kudos to him because I know that as a musician I hate playing other people's songs. Him and the other musicians not only do it in a brilliant way but also make the songs their own.
 

[axljungle]

Really good interview, Ron is a great man, awsome guitarrist. Very interesting. 

Thanks for post it, (voodochild you won me,  )

A los usuarios que hablen espa?ol en este foro hay una traducci?n muy buena: http://gnrhispana.foroactivo.net/guns-n-roses-f1/entrevista-nueva-de-bumblefoot-en-polish-rock-magazine-t64.htm

[Eazy E]

Yeah, really cool stuff. People should read it and stop complaining about the lack of info or comunication.

Who's complaining?   

People barely even post about the band anymore.