Bumbelfoot Interview (Talks GN?R)

[JAEBALL]

well Dizzy, Tommy and Chris dont seem to care ha....

but their old drummer and guitar players...(no im not talking about slash izzy and matt)  all left because they got fed up with the inactivity and uncertainty ...because even tho they might have written the CD songs as a band they didnt make any band decisions as a band .. that was all axls call..

eventually im sure Ron and one or two others will do the same....

[JAEBALL]

I'm not in a band nor do I write songs. But, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, there's two ways you can write "as a band".

You either get the whole band in a room together and try to create something that everybody's excited about and record it.
Or you get together in smaller groups, let's say two or three band members, you write songs/come up with ideas that you then present to the rest...


What's stopping the band members from employing tactic number two, if getting all eight band members in the same place at the same time to write, is too complicated?

Does anybody believe the original songs on the Use Your Illusions were all written in a room by the whole band?




/jarmo

i agree... they dont need to be in the same room to do so...whatever configuration of the band isnt gunna have that romantic thing of creating songs in a basement somewhere

but have they done anything with the ideas they have created seperately or in small groups as you said?

[D-GenerationX]

You either get the whole band in a room together and try to create something that everybody's excited about and record it.

Or you get together in smaller groups, let's say two or three band members, you write songs/come up with ideas that you then present to the rest...

What's stopping the band members from employing tactic number two, if getting all eight band members in the same place at the same time to write, is too complicated?

Dunno.  But the complete lack of results suggest something is.

And besides, the scant bits of info we do hear about are working on old ass tracks from 10 years ago now.  There are no Rose/Ashba/Thal compositions, which is the whole damn point.

Sending Ron a master track of a song they put together in 2003 and telling him to cut and paste some riffs over top of it is not exactly the stuff of Lennon/McCartney here.

[lostdream]

I'm not in a band nor do I write songs. But, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, there's two ways you can write "as a band".

You either get the whole band in a room together and try to create something that everybody's excited about and record it.
Or you get together in smaller groups, let's say two or three band members, you write songs/come up with ideas that you then present to the rest...


What's stopping the band members from employing tactic number two, if getting all eight band members in the same place at the same time to write, is too complicated?

Does anybody believe the original songs on the Use Your Illusions were all written in a room by the whole band?

It?s not about "being in one room" or "being in 5 different studios" Jarmo. It?s about NOTHING happening at all. It?s about "respect the current line up" while we prefer constant touring with "old songs" to taking the risk of releasing new music. They are your family - I know that and respect that. Respect my HONEST opinion. Somebody needs to kicks Axl?s ass or get him going again or it will end. Ron will leave. Dj - nobody knows...maybe touring will pay his bills. But this is NOT A BAND. I love the band, I want it to LIVE. If you want to support a dead horse - no matter what - go on Jarmo . Ban me. Give me bad carma. But I love that fucking band, and NO ONE will ever ban me from speaking my mind. I?m a GNR fan after all. Shove it up your ass! ;=


/jarmo

[jarmo]

Funny.

"All we want is the album", album comes out. "All we want is a tour", tour starts. "We don't want shows! We want an album, it's not a band".
And now there's a definition of what a band is. That's amusing.

Are you saying guys recording a song together is more of a band than the same guys playing 200+ shows together? Where do you draw the line? Is one recorded song worth more than one show? What's the equation like? I'm curious.

And besides, the scant bits of info we do hear about are working on old ass tracks from 10 years ago now.

What's the problem? November Rain was "too old" when it was released?
Do you enjoy those Hollywood Rose tracks that appear on GN'R albums? Tracks written by a band that existed before GN'R... Oh no! The horror!



But, anyway. It's impossible for GN'R to write as a band since it's been "decided" that they're not a band to begin with. 
Amusing.




/jarmo

[norway]

Relevant rockmusic has always evolved around creative usage of new technology and many got a renewed intrest in gnr after Oh My God and Buckethead joined. So, many of us have diferent music-intrests here and I wonder how the next record gonna be.

 To me, adding Axl's voice on VR-songs would just be mediocre rockmusic with an exceptional voice. Axl voices on Buckethead's gems on the other hand...that sounds godlike to me.

I honestly that classic hardrock in general is 'over' as far as mainstream success is concerned.

There are no Rose/Ashba/Thal compositions

Yeah, would be cool with stuff from the curent line-up.

Expected more voice-acrobatics and varied musicstyles based on new technology.

PS
Having said this I put Axl on a very high standard tho!

[ITARocker]

I'm not in a band nor do I write songs. But, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, there's two ways you can write "as a band".

You either get the whole band in a room together and try to create something that everybody's excited about and record it.
Or you get together in smaller groups, let's say two or three band members, you write songs/come up with ideas that you then present to the rest...


What's stopping the band members from employing tactic number two, if getting all eight band members in the same place at the same time to write, is too complicated?

Does anybody believe the original songs on the Use Your Illusions were all written in a room by the whole band?




/jarmo

I've already tried to explain to you sometimes ago...You can and you have to do both things, if you don't want to have an album which has good songs on it but wich mainly sucks because it sounds still like a demo...But it's not all about the songwriting itself... It's all about working togheter, DISCUSSING ABOUT THINGS, and not only putting here and there riffs, solos, vocals etc... The illusions were written in different times and places but people had the same background and a lot of the songs were written in the 80's. They were a kind of (disfunctional) family...the actual incarnation of gnr is different.. But different doesn't mean that everything has to be different. There's always a discipline at work that people should follow.
You can't put togheter songs just like a fuckin' puzzle, it just doesn't work... Wasn't buckethead who said that some of his solos played on CD are pieces of different solos put all togheter by axl himself in the mixing work (and obviously he did'nt like it, because he wasn't even asked and well...he left) ? This is not a good work ethic.. It's just my hopinion, obviously. But BF interview shows that things haven't changed...I just hope they haven't get from bad to worse...

[draguns]

I'm not in a band nor do I write songs. But, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, there's two ways you can write "as a band".

You either get the whole band in a room together and try to create something that everybody's excited about and record it.
Or you get together in smaller groups, let's say two or three band members, you write songs/come up with ideas that you then present to the rest...


What's stopping the band members from employing tactic number two, if getting all eight band members in the same place at the same time to write, is too complicated?

Does anybody believe the original songs on the Use Your Illusions were all written in a room by the whole band?




/jarmo

To answer that last question, one of the greatest albums of ALL-TIME was written as a group working together in the same place. That album is also why most people are GNR fans. Just saying.

[GNR2014]

I'm not in a band nor do I write songs. But, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, there's two ways you can write "as a band".

You either get the whole band in a room together and try to create something that everybody's excited about and record it.
Or you get together in smaller groups, let's say two or three band members, you write songs/come up with ideas that you then present to the rest...


What's stopping the band members from employing tactic number two, if getting all eight band members in the same place at the same time to write, is too complicated?

Does anybody believe the original songs on the Use Your Illusions were all written in a room by the whole band?




/jarmo

To answer that last question, one of the greatest albums of ALL-TIME was written as a group working together in the same place. That album is also why most people are GNR fans. Just saying.

Even Chinese Democracy was written with the group working together in the same place.

Describe the writing process for Chinese Democracy

Tommy Sinson:"I came in around ?98, when the band was still writing the record. It was Paul Tobias and Robin Finck on guitar, Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman on keys, Josh on drums, and me. Everybody was just slowly starting to bring in ideas. We were set up at Rumbo Records, a big studio out in the middle of nowhere. A funny thing ? Captain & Tennille own it. The whole thing looks like a boat.

Anyway, we all just started hammering ideas out. Essentially, it was eight guys collaborating. To be thrown into that kind of environment ? eight guys from very different walks of life ? was very crazy. I?d never worked in that way, but it was cool. There were guys who?d never ever made a record putting out their ideas. At first, those of us who?d actually made records thought their ideas sucked, but there were also some good ones."

[One.In.A.Million]

Of course an album can be made without any of the players being in the same room, or even knowing each other. Is it ideal?, absolutely not... and that's the whole point. Why should Guns have to record in that way?, fact is that it doesn't need to be like this with simple planning and preparation... but we all know that rarely happens in GN'R world.

Why can't it be made possible, to book a few weeks out where the band can all get together and collaborate as a group?. We all know this could be made possible if it was considered an absolute priority by Axl or management.

And that's another reason why I think it's obvious that the next album will be almost all CD era pre recorded and written tracks, achieved by Finck, Bucket and Brain.

For whatever reason, you can't deny that it at least seems like Axl is in no hurry at all to get this current band all together to write as a collective. 

[rebelhipi]

im throwing my 3 cents.
i have enjoyed greatly every guns album so far, i have no doubts that they will do it again. so let them do their thing and probably they will blow us away again.

[jarmo]

You can't put togheter songs just like a fuckin' puzzle, it just doesn't work...

Did you ever listen to anything besides rock music? Anything featuring samples? 

Even Chinese Democracy was written with the group working together in the same place.

Sure, people working together in a room. But some of those guys had left the band when the album came out. Which is the thing some people object to now!
Using songs written by previous line ups, or songs written years ago, has been ok in the past, but not now.



/jarmo

[norway]

one of the greatest albums of ALL-TIME was written as a group working together in the same place.

Many AFD-songs were created before the official line-up worked together.

[sofine11]

You can't put togheter songs just like a fuckin' puzzle, it just doesn't work...

Did you ever listen to anything besides rock music? Anything featuring samples? 

Even Chinese Democracy was written with the group working together in the same place.

Sure, people working together in a room. But some of those guys had left the band when the album came out. Which is the thing some people object to now!
Using songs written by previous line ups, or songs written years ago, has been ok in the past, but not now.



/jarmo

I gotta say, regarding this issue, I agree with Jarmo completely.  You would think anyone who was into Chinese Democracy would be completely psyched about the prospect of the other half of the tracks written during that time seeing the light of day. 

Regarding these tracks being referred to as "leftovers" or tracks that "didn't make the cut", I've said it before, Axl's a bit nutty, but he ain't stupid.  We know the initial plan was to release multiple albums within a reasonable timeframe from eachother.  Why would Axl blow his wad and put all of the very best tracks on the first album?  For example, when Baz was blown away by "The General" Axl informed him that it was meant for a subsequent album, not Chinese.  Also, during interviews around Chinese's release, Axl cited "Soul Monster/Leave Me Alone" as his favorite track, Chris said "Beta's Barn" was his favorite, and Richard simply said his favorite as "One you haven't heard yet!".

So yeah, I think there's some amazing music that has yet to be released, and we really shouldn't care one iota who wrote it, or is featured on it, only that it sees a release.

[GnR-NOW]

I personally want to hear more Bucket and Finck era songs. Picture Axl singing over Nottingham Lace 

[BOILER GUNZ]

My general IQ and my GNR IQ must be no where near as close to that of others round here who seem to literally know every fucking thing about the band, the entire history of everything and everyone ever associated with Guns from day one or even pre-day one.

I think those of us normal fans just want all the music that we can possibly get into our ears per Axl, per the label, per the occasional leaker...I fucking love you leakers out there...you are the essence of some rebel cause that guns has exuded at least for me, as a die hard fan for twenty-five years now and running.

I want to hear it all.  Everything that Ron, bucket, robin, paul, Richard, Darren, billy, josh and everyone else who ever recorded as GNR should be heard.  The whole world may not care to hear it but I sure as fuck do.  And to me that is all that matters...

You release a GnR album I'm going to buy it.  If you release new song on itunes I'm going to buy it.  If you fucking leak it I'm going to listen to it...a hundred and fifty fucking times in a row.

If you think you found a million dollars that someone else forgot...then good for you motherfucker, and share some of that shit with you buddies.

[westcoast_junkie]

Relevant rockmusic has always evolved around creative usage of new technology and many got a renewed intrest in gnr after Oh My God and Buckethead joined. So, many of us have diferent music-intrests here and I wonder how the next record gonna be.

 To me, adding Axl's voice on VR-songs would just be mediocre rockmusic with an exceptional voice. Axl voices on Buckethead's gems on the other hand...that sounds godlike to me.

Good point. And I totally agree. Soothsayer + Axl = 

This whole what's a band discussion is just lame. Just go to a concert and see for yourself. In my band carrier we never got so far that we released anything. The guitarist and singer wrote the most of the music. Very little was invented from scratch with everyone gathered together. We still were a band...

[lostdream]

But, anyway. It's impossible for GN'R to write as a band since it's been "decided" that they're not a band to begin with. 
Amusing.

/jarmo

It?s NOT been "decided" that they are not a band. I just said they are only a touring band. To be a 100 % band it would help a LOT if the current line up released new music.

I just don?t believe in "no critisism" when it comes to love or friendship. Even if the love is "only" about a band ;-)
I expect my TRUE friends to tell me straight in my face when they think I behave like shit or to kick my ass when it?s needed.
Because as I KNOW they are real friends, I know they want my best and don?t do it to bring me down.
I have NEVER bashed that band - not in ANY line-up - I was always supportive. But that doesn?t mean I support each and every decision or behaviour. 

[D-GenerationX]

What's the problem? November Rain was "too old" when it was released?
Do you enjoy those Hollywood Rose tracks that appear on GN'R albums? Tracks written by a band that existed before GN'R... Oh no! The horror!

Are you kidding me with this?

'November Rain' was a song the band had worked on for a few years.  That band.  The actual guys involved in the song.  How the hell is that analogous to what's going on now?

You might have a case if Axl showed up with a 'Shadow Of Your Love' with Tracii Guns and Rob Gardner and told the current band at the time it would be going on the album.  But hey, if you have a riff you wanted to shoehorn over top of it, feel free.

[jarmo]

What's the problem? November Rain was "too old" when it was released?
Do you enjoy those Hollywood Rose tracks that appear on GN'R albums? Tracks written by a band that existed before GN'R... Oh no! The horror!

Are you kidding me with this?

'November Rain' was a song the band had worked on for a few years.  That band.  The actual guys involved in the song.  How the hell is that analogous to what's going on now?

That band? Matt Sorum joined in 1990, the song was written way before that. So between the song being written, recorded for a demo and actual recording, the band's line up changed. Isn't that what the issue some of you have with GN'R is these days? Songs being written by people who aren't in the band anymore?

You might have a case if Axl showed up with a 'Shadow Of Your Love' with Tracii Guns and Rob Gardner and told the current band at the time it would be going on the album.  But hey, if you have a riff you wanted to shoehorn over top of it, feel free.

Two different "issues". Songs written by people who aren't in the band instead of the current band, and songs written (and recorded) by people who aren't int he band.

Do you object to Steven Adler playing drums on Civil War? 




/jarmo