Interview: Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal: All I've got is precious time

[JAEBALL]

i didnt think it was a bad thing...actually it was a really cool interview...Ron is very personable ... the GNR stuff.... asking him or anybody else in the band about plans etc... what are they supposed to say ? they dont know...

and you expect Ron to leave? im sure he makes a very nice living with GNR that he could not on his own ..so even tho he might think the situation is not good... he has to eat!!!

[JAEBALL]

I thought his response that the tour would have been shut down if he left to deal with his injury was interesting on many levels

[sofine11]

Jesus, I had no idea the band treated him that shitty.  Poor guy. 

[Ali]

Am I the only one that doesn't think this interview is a good thing?  All we hear from Bumble lately is negative things about GN'R.  He doesn't sound like someone that is happy with his role in the band. 

I think it's a good thing.  He's talking about going through tough times with the band in his personal life and coming out on the other side.  That's a positive thing.

Ali

[CBGNR]

  I think people think that other bands have this day to day fairytale experience or something,going on picnics,baking each other cupcakes, taking long band walks on the beach at sunset.

[kyrie]

Am I the only one that doesn't think this interview is a good thing?  All we hear from Bumble lately is negative things about GN'R.  He doesn't sound like someone that is happy with his role in the band. 

I think it's a good thing.  He's talking about going through tough times with the band in his personal life and coming out on the other side.  That's a positive thing.

Ali

Yeah, it seems like Ron is actually in a better place. It has been obvious (and he outright said it) that the accident really fucked him up, and he seems to be coping with it much better these days. Really open, honest interview. And remember the band stuff is from his side and like he says, it could have been anyone getting dropped into the hornet's nest by management, but it just happened to be him.

If anyone is really shocked think about how Dizzy was treated by the band when he first joined (different group of people but I remember he got the cold shoulder)

[russkwtx]

Cool interview, I had no idea Ron was forced on the band by management. It sort of lays to waste this impression/opinion by fans who think that Axl controls every little thing in the band, or in this case, even big things.

[JAEBALL]

Cool interview, I had no idea Ron was forced on the band by management. It sort of lays to waste this impression/opinion by fans who think that Axl controls every little thing in the band, or in this case, even big things.

i cant fathom Axl not authorizing something like that in any way possible......

say whatever you want... but facts are facts... the guy is a control freak

i think it was Axl AND management (whatever that and whoever that was at the exact time) forcing him on the rest of the band

and by forcing i mean adding Ron to the mix without the other guys approval/opinion

[D-GenerationX]

Am I the only one that doesn't think this interview is a good thing?  All we hear from Bumble lately is negative things about GN'R.  He doesn't sound like someone that is happy with his role in the band. 

I think it's a good thing.  He's talking about going through tough times with the band in his personal life and coming out on the other side.  That's a positive thing.

Ali

Yeah, I agree here.

It was sort of like a hazing of sorts, it seems.  And many times with hazing, once you endure it, you are "in".  It seems that he's one of the gang now.

[Ali]

Am I the only one that doesn't think this interview is a good thing?  All we hear from Bumble lately is negative things about GN'R.  He doesn't sound like someone that is happy with his role in the band. 

I think it's a good thing.  He's talking about going through tough times with the band in his personal life and coming out on the other side.  That's a positive thing.

Ali

Yeah, it seems like Ron is actually in a better place. It has been obvious (and he outright said it) that the accident really fucked him up, and he seems to be coping with it much better these days. Really open, honest interview. And remember the band stuff is from his side and like he says, it could have been anyone getting dropped into the hornet's nest by management, but it just happened to be him.

If anyone is really shocked think about how Dizzy was treated by the band when he first joined (different group of people but I remember he got the cold shoulder)

I was thinking about the Dizzy situation as well.  Very analogous.  Not just in being treated shitty by the band, but in the irony that the alleged biggest jerk in the band was the only one cool to him (Axl).

Ali

[PatrickS77]

Am I the only one that doesn't think this interview is a good thing?  All we hear from Bumble lately is negative things about GN'R.  He doesn't sound like someone that is happy with his role in the band. 

I think it's a good thing.  He's talking about going through tough times with the band in his personal life and coming out on the other side.  That's a positive thing.

Ali

Yeah, it seems like Ron is actually in a better place. It has been obvious (and he outright said it) that the accident really fucked him up, and he seems to be coping with it much better these days. Really open, honest interview. And remember the band stuff is from his side and like he says, it could have been anyone getting dropped into the hornet's nest by management, but it just happened to be him.

If anyone is really shocked think about how Dizzy was treated by the band when he first joined (different group of people but I remember he got the cold shoulder)

I was thinking about the Dizzy situation as well.  Very analogous.  Not just in being treated shitty by the band, but in the irony that the alleged biggest jerk in the band was the only one cool to him (Axl).

Ali

Geez. Apple and oranges and totally not comparable. When Dizzy joined, the members of GNR had every right to be less than thrilled, little forthcoming and non welcoming towards Dizzy, who was forced on them by their colleague and co-worker Axl, without being consulted and asked for approval first, while the hired guns of current GNR have no right whatsoever to be resenting and being assholes to a guy, who was hired by their boss. Actually it shows them to be total douches and jackasses.

Cool interview, I had no idea Ron was forced on the band by management. It sort of lays to waste this impression/opinion by fans who think that Axl controls every little thing in the band, or in this case, even big things.

In this context, it's pretty much safe to say, that the term "management" and Axl are interchangeable. No one is going to join GNR without Axl's approval or by being "forced on them".

[Ali]

Am I the only one that doesn't think this interview is a good thing?  All we hear from Bumble lately is negative things about GN'R.  He doesn't sound like someone that is happy with his role in the band. 

I think it's a good thing.  He's talking about going through tough times with the band in his personal life and coming out on the other side.  That's a positive thing.

Ali

Yeah, it seems like Ron is actually in a better place. It has been obvious (and he outright said it) that the accident really fucked him up, and he seems to be coping with it much better these days. Really open, honest interview. And remember the band stuff is from his side and like he says, it could have been anyone getting dropped into the hornet's nest by management, but it just happened to be him.

If anyone is really shocked think about how Dizzy was treated by the band when he first joined (different group of people but I remember he got the cold shoulder)

I was thinking about the Dizzy situation as well.  Very analogous.  Not just in being treated shitty by the band, but in the irony that the alleged biggest jerk in the band was the only one cool to him (Axl).

Ali

Geez. Apple and oranges and totally not comparable. When Dizzy joined, the members of GNR had every right to be less than thrilled, little forthcoming and non welcoming towards Dizzy, who was forced on them by their colleague and co-worker Axl, without being consulted and asked for approval first, while the hired guns of current GNR have no right whatsoever to be resenting and being assholes to a guy, who was hired by their boss. Actually it shows them to be total douches and jackasses.

Cool interview, I had no idea Ron was forced on the band by management. It sort of lays to waste this impression/opinion by fans who think that Axl controls every little thing in the band, or in this case, even big things.

In this context, it's pretty much safe to say, that the term "management" and Axl are interchangeable. No one is going to join GNR without Axl's approval or by being "forced on them".

No, not apples and oranges at all.  Your determination of what is justified and what is not justified mistreatment is totally subjective.

Ali

[gunns1]

I didn't realize things were this bad for Bumble, I knew that accident had affected him physically and mentally, but in combination with all the shit he has had to put up with prior to that, most notably with other band members, who I suspect most of it stems from tommy stinson, this is definitely an eye opener.

I applaud how bumble handled it. If I was bumble in that situation, I would of said to anyone giving me shit, to quote tommy stinson
'get on board or fuck off'

[D-GenerationX]

I didn't realize things were this bad for Bumble, I knew that accident had affected him physically and mentally, but in combination with all the shit he has had to put up with prior to that, most notably with other band members, who I suspect most of it stems from tommy stinson, this is definitely an eye opener.

I applaud how bumble handled it. If I was bumble in that situation, I would of said to anyone giving me shit, to quote tommy stinson
'get on board or fuck off'

Yeah, he's a better man than I.  I'd have bounced.

[Shiratamaniax]

I really didn't know about his first 3 years in the band...
So shocking and sad to read. 
But I'm really impressed how he gets through his tough time. He has been such a nice guy, always being kind to the fans all around the world.
For me, It was worth reading it.　Thank you Ron.

[rebelhipi]

great interview!

i didnt know that his accident was that horrible

 i allways tought that there were and maybe is tension between ron and the rest of band especialy tommy and robin. i remember thinkin about this when i saw them in 06 that ron was the guy alone at the side of the stage. still he was the star of the show for me back then.

funny enough i think the 2011 tour was one of the best tours they have done ever.
i hope he is healing well and all the best things and so forth.

[sky dog]

Tommy is a tough nut to crack because he has the most recognition in the industry in comparison to any of the new band members. When you start at 13 and play for what is then and now a legendary band (The Replacements), you understand chemistry and team work. You have to earn your spot in the lineup.

Ron obviously earned his.

on a side note.....absolutely love the respect and honor Ron brings to Estranged. He nails it every time and you know he knows how much it means to the diehards. Class dude....

[PatrickS77]

No, not apples and oranges at all.  Your determination of what is justified and what is not justified mistreatment is totally subjective.

Ali

Yes, nothing but apple and oranges. If I get upset at the co-worker my boss has hired and treat him like shit, then I'm a douche. When I run a company with a partner and that partner hires another person to work with us, without consulting me and without my approval and I'm not confrontational enough to tell that partner to get rid of that another person then and there, then I've got every right to resent that another person's being there and treat him like he's not there, because I did not hire him or request his being there in the first place.

[draguns]

Out of the new members, Ron seems like the most down-to-earth. He's always giving interviews and is cordial to fans. Considering how some members in the past shouldn't have been in GNR (Buckethead and Finck), Ron is definitely the most deserving for what he had to endure. Besides that, he is a Jersey guy.   I'm glad he's in GNR.

On another note, I do agree with what Patrick said.

[rebelhipi]

also i like to bring up that i met ron once and he was a really nice guy. it was a meet and greet and it said that i will last for one hour. he made sure that every person there (there was quite a few) got their pictures and autographs. he stayed there more than two hours until there was none left in the store who didnt get his bumble time. (that was the week he started growing his epic beard btw.)

later that day about 45mins before the concert begun he came to the side of the stage to play his acoustic guitar along the songs at the PA (i remember sin city being played) and makin some gestures to people he saw earlier that day, me included about not knowing where axl was.

great man!