Page 25 - Black Velvet Issue 84

BV84 pg24,25,26:BV84 pg25 15/03/2015 20:09 Page 2

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A A n na a r rc c h h y y I In n T Th he e U U K K

( (A A n nd d U U S S A A. .. .. . A A n nd d A A l l l l A A r r o ou un nd d T Th he e W W o o r r l l d d. .. .. .) )

1995, Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal released his
In debut album, ‘The Adventures Of Bumble-
foot’. Since then, the obscenely talented musician has

truly been on a multitude of adventures. Many of you
will have seen him on stage with Guns N’ Roses, he’s
previously toured with Lita Ford, he’s more recently
worked on an album with Scott Weiland, John Moyer
and the Votto Brothers as part of a project named Art
Of Anarchy, he produces music for other artists and
he’s even got his own hot sauce line. Not to mention
his own mass of albums. ‘Little Brother Is Watching’
is Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal’s tenth and most recent full-

length studio album to date. While promoting his new
release he also took a trip to the UK to participate in
a few guitar shows. Black Velvet caught up with him
along the way and discussed human connections, hard
times and what advice he’d give to those still search-
ing for ‘the one’.

itled ‘Little Brother Is tos on Instagram… he even variety of projects. It seems he
TWatching’, Bumblefoot’s posted a picture when he was lay barely has time to breathe. Small
new album bears a cover showing in the dentist chair at the projects or tours turn into bigger
multiple humans each with a rec- dentist. ”It's normal life, and the projects and tours. Even the UK
tangular monitoring eye. The title normal way we all share with each trip that has now come and gone
track is about how we, as hu- other,” he says. “I think we all was originally just supposed to be
mans, live now with social media choose to stay connected to each for two shows. “This trip started as
and keep track of everyone else, other because we can. This tech- a two-day trip for the Guitar Show
following each other’s lives online. nology is a gift. We're human, so in Birmingham, once it was con-
in the song, Ron Thal sings, ‘1000 we're not always going to use it for firmed some other invites came
eyes are waiting for you to break’. rescuing kittens, but it's a fantastic my way, so the trip was extended
While not being a negative song thing, the good absolutely out- to include the Newcastle show,
per se, the guitarist tells Black Vel- weighs the bad.” workshops and more...”
vet, “The song touches on the Since Bumblefoot picked up The Newcastle show saw Ron
pressures people could feel from many fans while in Guns N’ Roses play with Newcastle band Twister
having all eyes on them, it's not (he himself has 119k followers), as his backing band – something
speaking for everyone or about Black Velvet asks if he has any that was organised by the pro-
everyone, it's just one piece of a fans that follow him everywhere moter. Ron tells us, “The promoter
broader picture.” The song does and know everything he’s doing. Steve Wraith put the pieces to-
mention a negative aspect of the “No, but I have a big database gether, so glad he did! The
online world, with it pointing out and a team of people to help me Twister guys are great”. They
how others are waiting for you to keep tabs on all of them. Seems were Skype-ing and emailing be-
fall with ‘predators to condemn that James in Wyoming had three fore the show, so got to know
your soul’. “I don't know if negativ- scrambled eggs for breakfast yes- each other well.
ity is growing – I do think there are terday at 8:47AM. Gonna have to He drew the line at turning the
more platforms available for have a little chat with him about trip into a full band tour though,
spreading goodness or hate-mon- this...” he jokes. “In all serious- unfortunately for us – despite
gering, and both can be conta- ness, we all deal with all kinds of playing a couple of electric shows.
gious,” says Ron. people in this world, the people “I want people to get to know the
Bumblefoot is definitely not I'm in contact with are wonderful new album a bit more, and then
against social media and uses it to and I wish there was more time to put a tour together. A guitar-
his advantage when he can – keep in touch with them...” friendly visit this time around, big-
you’ll find him almost everywhere. ger tour down the road.”
He follows everyone on Twitter umblefoot is definitely Well that’s something that we
(don’t worry, he actually follows Bsomeone who could do can look forward to.
too many people to be stalking with more time. He squeezes And what sort of members
you!), he obviously has an official work into every minute of every would he like for a touring band at
Facebook page and he posts pho- day and is always working on a this point? we ask. He has a
BUMBLEFOOT