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Re: GnR Band Member Interviews from 2009-10 Tour
http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=9009
http://www.gunsnroses-livestats.com/setlist.php?gig=195
http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/boar … c=61282.20
12/07/2010 Adelaide Australia Entertainment Centre 8,000
From highvoltage
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56818207@N … 434811957/
Warm up
Korn,
Shihad
Pacifier http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sMJboBCZSU
Setlist for Entertainment centreAdelaide
(alot of videos are short/poor quality will update in a week or so)
1. Chinese democracy
2. Welcome to the jungle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1RXhbc2BRw (poor quality)
3. It's so easy
4. Mr. Brownstone
5. Sorry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYY0s5pc0xM
6. Better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKfDy5LJQGU
7. Richard Fortus guitar solo (James Bond theme)
8. Live and let die
9. This I love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_33KsaVqao
10. Rocket queen
11. Dizzy Reed piano solo (Ziggy Stardust)
12. Street of dreams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozlR1SET0iE
13. You could be mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi8W9Znqh2I (poor quality)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwVUl6mvSTw#ws
14. DJ Ashba guitar solo (The ballad of death)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfaCnWNdouY
15. Sweet child o' mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpgrige7WrQ (poor quality snippet)
16. Band jam (Another brick in the wall pt. 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmjqdPiA6S0
17. Axl Rose piano solo (Goodbye yellow brick road/Someone saved my life tonight)
18. November rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMKjs28S6FE (starts @ brick/wall2 jam)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9qLMaKFPic (starts @ first solo)
19. Bumblefoot guitar solo (Pink Panther theme)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCHIdN_bC6M
20. Knockin' on heaven's door
21. Whole lotta Rosie (AC/DC cover)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVRdzQoMZVY
22. Nightrain
Encore
23. Don't cry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TS6DGNn55E#ws
24. Band jam
25. Madagascar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdF---eknkg
26. Band jam
27. Paradise city
Ron's Aussie Aussie Aussie ( turn sound down 
)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cRslilVv1c
______________________________________________________________
Monkeychow's GNR Roadtrip Experience
http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.p … 72#p183872
^^^^^^^Click here for forum member review ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Review: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertain … 5967656395
Guns N' Roses hit the target - just
* Sam Kelton, Music Reporter
* December 08, 2010 2:12PM
* 5 comments
RENOWNED for his inability to own a watch, Axl Rose actually managed to take to the stage at a decent time for a mammoth rock show at The Entertainment Centre last night.
The show was big in every regard; Axl's voice sounded as good as it ever did, the stage production was exhilarating, the crowd was buzzing and the band's huge songs stole the show.
But after the sheen of the opening pyrotechnics wore off and the back to back hits of Welcome to the Jungle, It's So Easy and Mr Brownstone were welcomed, the gig seemed to plateau for the rest of the evening.
TELL US: DO YOU AGREE WITH SAM'S REVIEW? TELL US IN COMMENTS BOX BELOW
A more apt name for Guns N' Roses would be Rose and (hired) Guns.
Since the departure of his band the singer has surrounded himself with some of the best players in the business, and their performances were almost carbon copies of the original tracks. In essence they were faultless.
But among the blistering solos and flames bursting off the stage guitarist DJ Ashba (complete with hat, cigarette and classic Gibson guitar) gave an uncanny performance as Slash, which at times seemed uncomfortable for classic Gunners' fans.
The show was very similar to the performance GNR delivered almost three years ago at the same venue but having since released Chinese Democracy, fans could truly connect with the new material.
Songs such as Better and Street of Dreams were among the night's best in a set that was littered with hits from various albums.
Rocket Queen and the anthemic November Rain had the crowd in awe as did Knockin' on Heaven's Door. But where the night went wrong was the ridiculous amounts of outfit changes Axl Rose went through as he let members of his band exchange solos amongst themselves.
It was clear that it was not all about the outfits for Axl.
An educated guess was that the singer was using the time to grab a quick burst of oxygen backstage - as upon his return - his voice had improved 10 fold, belting out notes that would rival his studio performances.
The show was everything fans could have hoped for but the excitement factor that was present last time the band performed here was absent.
If they did away with the obligatory solos and irrelevant jam, Guns N' Roses' return to Adelaide would have been much tighter and ultimately triumphant.
Have your say Comments on this story
Mids of muno para Posted at 2:17 PM December 08, 2010
no way! from center front row where i was standin, the energy was flat out for the whole show, wiked concert from the Gunners
Comment 1 of 5
Michael Posted at 2:50 PM December 08, 2010
Fantastic concert. I'm a fan of the Chinese Dem album, so the entire show worked fine for me. I thought the crowd was excellent. AXL seemed to appreciate the crowds participation. Does anyone know how many people in attendance????? ( it looked almost a sell out)
Comment 2 of 5
vince of melbourne Posted at 2:58 PM December 08, 2010
Cant comment on this show, but I saw them at the olympic stadium in Sydney on sunday. Was an awesome show, yes I thought maybe too many solos, but the show went for 2 and a half hours, this is long that other concerts this year I have been to by U2, Acdc, Metallica and Slash. Definately an amazing show.
Comment 3 of 5
Phillip of Highbury Posted at 3:08 PM December 08, 2010
Great concert, loved every second of it. Korn were also incredible, every bit as good as the Gunners!
Comment 4 of 5
Ozzi Posted at 3:16 PM December 08, 2010
I agree with Mids. We went to see them in 07 and last nights show had a lot more energy. DJ Ashba, Bumblefoot and Richard were unbelievable. Axl was awesome and he looked like he was having a ball smiling at the crowd. Thanks for a great night.
Comment 5 of 5
Re: GnR Band Member Interviews from 2009-10 Tour
12/12/2010
http://www.plsn.com/index.php?option=co … &Itemid=40
December 2010 Issue - Production Profile
Guns N' Roses Tour Places Video Front & Center, and Director FOH 
While it's not surprising that the current Guns N' Roses world tour is a big old-fashioned three-guitar arena show with enough pyro to make you think you're in Boston on the Fourth of July, it's not the typical flash and trash lighting rig. And even though the increasing importance of video in rock shows is nothing new, this one stands out.
Greg Shipley goes by the title of "show designer," and his duties include production and lighting. But he's also largely responsible for just about everything else, including the video and the sets.
"It's definitely a big show," show programmer Chris Nathan says. Nathan drives the show using a Compulite Vector Red lighting console from his vantage point right beside Shipley at the FOH. "Sitting together allows for great timing, because both lighting and video cues can jump to beats and we can work offer each other," Shipley says. They have a total of four Vector Reds on the tour, two main and two backups. (Camera switching and I-Mag work is still done in video world, handled by Peter Moll.)
Shipley says the whole tour started with a designer's three favorite words: "Budget doesn't matter." "I was just told to design something really big," he says. "For me, being from the wrestling background, which is known for a lot of video showmanship, I decided to start with a lot of that." The extravaganza did initially feature 19 video surfaces, though time, logistics, and the economic realities of shipping overseas pared it down to 11. There's one center main wall, two side displays for I-Mag and content, and four other video walls, plus a few other smaller ones.
"Originally, the show had a moving motor system for the circle, and we were able to do creative designs with that," Shipley says. "We also had three center video surfaces in the middle and also downstage, so when the circle split and moved, we ran video on it so people could see that it was moving - and we moved it frequently."
The tour, named after the album Chinese Democracy, started appropriately in Asia and then moved to Canada. Those shows featured the "full design, all the bells and whistles." Then they went to South America where the rig had to be cut down significantly. "And once you cut it down, it's hard to get it back!" But when they hit Europe they did exactly that, bringing back the circle elements and some of the video wall movement. But there were other challenges; sometimes they could bring their own gear to a gig (good!) and sometimes they had to grab what they could (not as good).
Still, there's no "A/B/C" show per se, but instead, Shipley pulls out his CAD and tweaks the drawing right there to fit the venue. "There are several different scenarios for different situations, but every show is unique. Some places we take out some video because of the restrictions to the roof. One time we cut all the video. Some other places had full high trim and we could see the moving motor system. We're all very flexible."
Teamwork
Shipley's journey to big rock icon shows is not typical. He started out handling lighting chores on cruise ships and then he did some corporate work before landing a gig as chief lighting programmer for WWE for three years. He has also done a little rock ‘n' roll work, but only two as the designer: Smashing Pumpkins and now Guns N' Roses.
Nathan has been around the business a long time. When he was a kid, his stepfather produced shows at a playhouse in New Fairfield, Conn. "When I was 17, I ran spots for different musicals," he says. By 1997 he was working professionally as a lighting tech. He worked his way up through festivals and corporate gigs and was lighting director for Queensrÿche and K.C. & the Sunshine Band, among others.
"I first hooked up with Greg and introduced him to the [Compulite] console during his time as lead programmer on WWE, sometime around summer of 2006," Nathan says. "When Greg secured the Guns N' Roses tour back in 2009, he asked me to join him on the road as a programmer and console operator for the media servers."
"When I was out on wrestling, I was trying to find consoles to ramp up that show. I needed more console to do more things," Shipley says. "Well, lo and behold, when I found the Compulite Vector Red and I was interested in trying it out, who brought it out to me? Nathan."
The team's approach to creating the concert follows no formula. "I don't follow the start-small-and-build scenario," Shipley says. "The audience gets 90 percent of what we have for them right off the bat. The first four songs are full throttle. Then we hit a slow song and dial it back, but it all goes from top to bottom. I would like to think it's entertaining from start to finish."
"But this approach has a lot to do with the band we're dealing with," Nathan adds. "That's how they do the show - they hit it hard right off the bat, so the visuals follow suit."
The band is built around Axl Rose plus three guitars, two keyboards, bass and drummer. All but Rose pretty much stick to their places on stage, though Rose makes up for it. He's a non-stop speeding bullet, ricocheting around the stage so much that keeping the focus on him keeps everyone on their toes.
"I designed the set so the drums sit on top of the riser, with a piano that rolls out underneath for certain songs," Shipley says. "Stairs rise up and down around the drummer and there's a lot of running area for Axl. He likes to run, and we've created space for him to do that."
For lighting the band, there's a lot of backlight, plus a total of six followspots. Because of all the action, they light the whole stage, though there are specific moments, like during "November Rain," when the piano comes out and there are very specific lighting cues. Otherwise, they go with what's happening at the moment.
"It's a big, spectacular show, and it all moves according to what the song does," Nathan says. He adds that, while it's a bit of a Catch-22, because of all the video, it's actually lit more for television. "He's got a big look all over the place, but he'll pull back for a bass intro or keyboard break and then push it back in." And on big moments like "Sweet Child O' Mine," the guitarists doing the solos tend to end up in the same spot and "we like those!"
The set was built by Accurate Staging based on Shipley's CAD drawings using Vectorworks. He had never built a set before and says he just visualized it and drew it up. "All of the show is based on circles - truss, sets, video - all based on a curve."
There's a mix of Martin MAC 2000 Wash fixtures and Vari-Lite VL3000 Spots, which they both like working with. "Even though they aren't the newest fixtures out there, MAC 2k washes are still one of the best if not the best," Nathan points out, adding that they're ubiquitous, which is certainly an advantage when you're playing countries like Slovakia. Strictly FX handles the heavy pyro duties.
Content for video came from several sources. For the songs on the new album there was a great deal of content created for videos that the team had access to. They had specific songs with built-in movies, and they used different elements for different screens. "For the rest of the show, Chris took elements already in the Catalyst (media server), tweaked it and made it great," Shipley says. "I never have to say anything about his creative work with video."
Nathan says they rely on a Catalyst V4 media server and have three on this tour. He runs the video elements much as Shipley runs the lights. "That's the beauty of running video from a Compulite console," he says. "It does all the things that the lighting rig can do, fading content in and out, bumping the faders, creating white flashes for cymbal crashes - that's what makes it really cool.
"I think a lot of the show's success has to do with the big looks that are being produced from lighting and video," Nathan continues. For him, largely because of the Compulite board, it's different in that he's programming a lighting console to do video cues and lights and "really enjoying the hell out of it. In the past, you could do some awesome stuff with video, but it's a lot faster to do with this console." Both Shipley and Nathan appreciated that the Compulite board allowed him to be his "strong button pusher programmer kind of guy" as opposed to the touch screen aspect.
"I personally like the ‘Live and Let Die' moment," Shipley says. "Not just because it's a cool song, but it's all white - a big, fast, moving white song." Video director Moll uses color in the I-Mag until it kicks in, then goes to black and white and then red when the pyro goes, transitioning back to color for the calm part.
"This is one of those shows where all the songs are good," Nathan adds. "There are times when you're working on this side of the business and you get tired of the music quickly. We've been doing this for a year and I still really enjoy it."
Big Guns in Pyro, Video Brought Out for GNR Tour
When Reid Nofsinger of Strictly FX started working with Axl Rose's right hand man, Del James, to update the pyro looks that had been part of Guns N' Roses' touring shows for 15 years, he began with a completely blank slate. "I didn't even want to see what they did before."
The album's title song, "Chinese Democracy," which opened the show, also gave Nofsinger inspiration for something completely new. "We did a pyro chase that runs around the three runways, and all the sparks coming straight down masks the stage," he explains. "Then there are some concussion drops, and right there Axl appears and starts singing. Every night the cue had to be dead-on, and it was. It really excited the audience. Axl loved it."
Another signature moment happened during "November Rain." Instead of going with the whole waterfall idea, Nofsinger chose a series of 20 by 20 gerbs placed around the curving staircase. "Instead of firing all at once, individual gerbs went off to the beat of the music in half-second intervals, and the guitarist standing there became wrapped in sparks."
Once the new pyro design was set, few things changed during the tour, with the notable exception being Japan. "There, you can only shoot 100 pieces of product total, and in the opening we shoot 120 chase pieces alone." But the crew made it work so that audience got a great show like everyone else.
John Wiseman of Chaos Visual Productions was called on to supply the complicated video elements to the Chinese Democracy tour. He's had a relationship with the band going back to his early days with Vari-Lite. Long-time GNR production manager Tom Mayhue said that he trusts him and his team completely.
"Greg [Shipley, show designer] put together a really cool design; Axl saw it and loved it, picking him to work on the show out of a blind group," Wiseman says. "He just knocked it out of the park, and we brought his vision to life."
Wiseman and his team worked on the rehearsals in Los Angeles, and seven crew members went to Canada, Asia, and South America with the tour. Once in Europe, Alex Leinster, who runs Chaos' new U.K. office, got involved to oversee the shows.
Among the video package supplied by Chaos was an Element Labs Stealth LED low-res video curtain, PPU HD camera system, and a group of "Super Catalyst" media servers.
From Wiseman's perspective, the video aspect of the show "stayed big the whole time. Axl wants to do the full show every time he can." He complimented Shipley on his ability to make that happen. "There was really no ‘B' show - just ‘A' and maybe ‘A minus.'"
Wiseman has a definite opinion and Rose, to. "The guy has balls, and you can quote me on that. He spent the money to go large. He's out there singing his head off for three and a half hours every night. He's a mad genius."
Original Crew List:
Production Manager: Chris Gratton
Stage Manager/Production Manager (Europe): Tom Mayhue
Production Designer: Greg Shipley
Video Programmer: Chris Nathan
Video Director: Peter Moll
Video Engineer: Josh Alberts
Catalyst Engineer: James De Stefano
Control Freak System Technician: Josh Levin
Lighting Crew Chief: Steve Roman (Epic Lighting); Glen Power (PRG Europe)
Head Rigger: Ryan Murphy; Charles Terrell (Europe)
SGPS Crew Chief: John Purciful
Automation Programmer: Brian Lolly
Video Company: Chaos Visual Productions
Gear
432 Element Labs Stealth tiles (110,600 pixels)
540 Philips/Color Kinetics iColor Flex Strings (27,000 pixels)
99 Winvision 8mm tiles (405,500 pixels)
4 Barco R20 20k projectors
4 Catalyst Media Servers
1 Control Freak System
4 Compulite Vector Red lighting consoles
4 Compulite E- Ports
98 Martin MAC 2000 Wash fixtures with narrow lens
30 Vari*Lite VL3000 Spots with custom gobos
19 Martin Atomic Strobe 3000s with Atomic color scrollers
17 Martin Stagebar LED fixtures
6 9-way Mole Fays
24 PixelRange PixelLines 1044s
2 Lycian M2 Followspots
6 Strong Gladiator 3 followspots
2 Reel EFX DF-50 hazers
2 High End Systems F-100 smoke machines
1 SGPS moving motor/tracking system
Re: GnR Band Member Interviews from 2009-10 Tour
12/11/2010
http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=9022
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_De … ngs_played
http://www.gunsnroses-livestats.com/setlist.php?gig=194
http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/boar … c=61307.60
Guns N' Roses Perth TVC 
Date: December 11, 2010
City: Perth, WA
Venue: Perth motorplex
Attendance: 15,000
Opening act(s)
Korn
Shihad
Setlist (still under construction)
1. Chinese democracy
2. Welcome to the jungle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3U7Tuk3yqY
3. It's so easy
4. Mr. Brownstone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgrTwsXjZqw
5. Sorry
6. Better
7. Richard Fortus guitar solo (James Bond theme)
8. Live and let die
9. This I love
10. Rocket queen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOLlRymyhfU
11. Dizzy Reed piano solo (Ziggy Stardust)
12. Street of dreams
13. You could be mine
14. DJ Ashba guitar solo (The ballad of death)
15. Sweet child o' mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDIpU6Z-90I
16. Band jam (Another brick in the wall pt. 2)
17. Axl Rose piano solo (Goodbye yellow brick road/Someone saved my life tonight)
18. November rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdHGF-PaDsI (Part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS8bNI81tBQ (part 2)
19. Bumblefoot guitar solo (Pink Panther theme)
20. Knockin' on heaven's door
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghGnVhcN4cY
21. Whole lotta Rosie (AC/DC cover)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mICrxTpjj-Q
22. Nightrain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FuC1ZMnR1s
Encore
23. Don't cry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlzFto5GCvI
24. Madagascar
25. Patience
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rEH5fDV8ys
26. Paradise city
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0avRwZSY-4 (poor quality Delay)
Set Highlights:
Bumble, Fortus and Ashba were all at the top of their game. Highlights were their instrumental spots (Richard's 007 theme in particular). Ashba - his performance was impressive and he definitely knew how to work the crowd. The venue was excellent. Tommy convinced the band to play Patience, complete with drums and an electric guitar solo. Seeing Axl up close and personal was a sight to behold.
Re: GnR Band Member Interviews from 2009-10 Tour
http://gulfnews.com/about-gulf-news/pro … s-1.728828
Your chance to see Guns N' Roses
15 pairs of tickets are up for grabs to see Guns N’ Roses perform on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. 
We're giving 15 lucky readers a pair of tickets each to see Guns N' Roses at Yas Island on 16th December, in what is the US rock legends' first ever Middle East performance, brough to you by FLASH Entertainment .
Just answer the simple question below.
Terms & Conditions
* This competition is open to UAE residents only
* Al Nisr Group & Flash ENT. employees are excluded from participation
* Participants must be at least 18 years of age
* A draw will be held in case of more than 15 correct entries
* Closing date: 15th December, 2010 (11 am)
* Winners announcement: 15th December, 2010
* Winners will be contacted by Gulf News
Enter Competition
Which US rock legends are performing for the first time in the Middle East on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi?
1.Guns N' Lotus
2.Guns N' Lilies
3.Guns N' Roses
Re: GnR Band Member Interviews from 2009-10 Tour
http://www.metalkrant.sp2o.org/index.ph … 480&page=4
nterview met Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
Wat kan het leven als reporter toch mooi zijn. Ik heb nu de eer gehad om met 1 van mijn idolen een interview te doen. Ron “ Bumblefoot” Thal nam de tijd om voor Metalkrant tijdens zijn drukke tourschema met Guns N’ Roses een interview met mij te houden via mail vanuit Dubai.
For the readers living under a rock. Can you introduce yourself?
Hello! I'm Ron Thal, aka 'Bumblefoot' (named after my solo band) Been releasing experimental punky guitar-oriented hard rock music for 20 years on my own, then crossed paths with Axl & band in 2004, joined with them in 2006. Started making music when I was six years old - 35 years later, I'm a guitarist, singer (& bassist), recording artist, years of touring with my own band and others, producer & engineer, songwriter for TV, video games & other artists, teacher, guitarist in Guns N' Roses, and still a workaholic.
You keep the fans updated about your new album through Twitter and Facebook. Can you tell us more about the new upcoming solo- album?
I'm not gonna do an album. It's a big investment of time, and I don't have time. It's the big ongoing battle in my life, finding time for everything and everyone. So I'm gonna take it a song-at-a-time, and release each digitally. I'd rather keep releases at a steady simmer than wait for a big pot to boil every few years, know what I mean? We have the technology to do it this way now, wanna give it a try..._4965536540_c613a07c20_b.jpg)
This year Ron’s Beard came alive on Twitter and Facebook, and became a instant cult-hit! Will he be a part of your new record too?
(Whispering...) The beard – it's evil. And it's grown. A lot. Best not to wake it or mention it...
I have seen you do a voice recording for the single “Invisible” when can we hear the full song?
'Invisible', yes! Next song I'm puttin' out. When I get back from the GNR tour I'm going to take care of the final touches and release it. We're in Abu Dhabi this week, gettin' home before Christmas. Will keep everyone posted and updated...
Will Dennis “The Dutch Dude” again play the drums on the next record?
Absolutely. And awesomely. He'll be on these next songs comin' out.
You come over as a very social guy. You always got time for fans and often play with them outside the hotel. Is it hard to keep being that way. Now that you are in the famous rock-band Guns N’ Roses?
Playing in GNR, I have more of an opportunity to do things like this, it's been good. It always happens spontaneously, fans outside a hotel, I'm walking in with a guitar, or they have one, we're talking for a while, next thing ya know we're all singin' and playin'. It's nice. It's why I'm here. On Earth, I mean.
You've seen a lot of the world now and you have been with Guns N’ Roses recently in Holland are there any fun moments you wish to share with our readers?
What happens in Holland stays in Holland. Haha... fun happens everywhere, but just normal life stuff, nothing unusual.
Being away from home for such a long time must be a hard thing to do. How do you keep up the good spirit and continue being on the road for that time?
My wife visits a lot – we get to see the world together, it's great. I think Skype keeps everyone sane, fathers getting to see their families. There's a lot of band and crew walking around with laptops in front of their faces, talking to it, everyone waving to each other through the screen as they walk by...
What is the most intense moment in your career so far?
When a tornado tore down the stage in Rio early this year, right before doors opened. Crew was pretty bruised up, and if the audience was there, we would have had a lot of deaths.
You are a “monster” on guitar, who easily throw out the most mean and difficult riffs, where did you learn to play like this?
Just happens over time, experiencing life in and out of music... that's the key to it all, live your life to the fullest, and tell the stories with your songs.
If you had to name one inspiration for your musical career, who would that be and why?
There's a lot – Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Angus Young, Ace Frehley, but I'd have to say George Martin. He was the Beatles' producer, a classical musician, he added the instrumentation and depth to their songs - and that's the part I love the most within the songs I love the most.
You are co – founder of the indie label “Bald Freak “ Why did you start your own indie-label?
I want to own and control my own music. My first two albums were out-of-print since the late 90s, nobody could get them, not even me. It was heartbreaking, I wasn't going to let that happen ever again.
You worked as teacher on an University in the USA , don’t you miss teaching?
Very much. Was teaching music production at SUNY Purchase College, right above NYC... I miss everyone there a lot, I miss teaching a lot. In the last few years I've been living out of a suitcase, traveling the world, connecting with great audiences, but touring puts a halt on recording, teaching, everything else. When the touring slows down, I'd love to get back to teaching.
You performed as a guest on many records, is there still an artist you wish to collaborate with?
Other than the people I'm already workin' with, hmmm... for me it's about anyone who's a cool person and doing something interesting musically. Because time is limited, I'm forced to be choosy about what I take on... would love to do something with John Sykes – we spent some time together last year jamming, and the dude's so fucking good, so inspiring.
Besides making good solo-records, you also are one of the lead-guitarist in Guns N’ Roses. Is it hard to combine your solo-work with being in Guns N’ Roses?
Yes, the more we tour the less time there is for everything else. The last thing I did was put out my own 'Abnormal' album and acoustic 'Barefoot' album in 2008, while GNR's 'Chinese Democracy' was in its final stages to be released. I spent most of 2009 living out of a hotel room in LA, prepping with GNR for this past year of touring – took a break over that summer and wrote & recorded a batch of my own music, toured with Lita Ford for a few months, then got back to bizz with GNR, hit the road end of '09 and have been touring since. On breaks in-between legs of the tour I'd try to knock out whatever I could – my first album was re-released by the label that owned it and I transcribed & released a 200-page TAB book of the album, I laid some guest solos, started laying vocals to the '09 songs I wrote ('Invisible' will be the first of them...), did a song for a 'Rock Band' style video game of rock versions of Chopin's music, mixed Return To Earth's new album 'Automata' (Metal Blade Records), mixed and mastered some other demos and albums, did work with some charities as well... just a big race against the clock all the time. I'm getting' things done, but I definitely feel the constant impending 'To Do' list hovering over my head at all times, and scramble to knock down the list every free chance I get....
You are a food-addict especially when it’s spicy, What’s been the best meal you eaten this tour ?
Been so many great meals, great restaurants – one that stands out is Roka in London – best cod fish I ever tasted... 
The Guns N’ Roses world tour recently will come to an end. What's the next project you will focus on?
Don't know what comes next, can't predict. Ya know, 'We make plans, and God laughs...' GNR has some tentative touring plans, will have to see what comes of it – if not that, will keep putting out my own music, would love to get back to producing bands and teaching, and maybe finally making that instructional DVD that's been on the ol' list for a decade....
Thanks for this interview.
I got one final question, is there anything you wish to share with our readers?
Thank you for the interview! Thanks to all for reading... and Happy Holidays! Hope to see you all in 2011!
Ron
Photocredits: Fans all over the world and www.heretodaygonetohell.com
Links:
* http://www.bumblefoot.com
* http://www.facebook.com/bumblefoot
* http://www.bumblefoot.com/gallery.php
* http://baldfreak.com/
Geplaatst door: Ronald van de Baan op 14-12-2010 10:14:39
Re: GnR Band Member Interviews from 2009-10 Tour
bumblefoot -New interviews at Metalkrantz.net http://tinyurl.com/2vamdwd and Gibson.com http://tinyurl.com/2w5q6z2 about 3 hours ago via web
http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/F … ream-1214/
Six Strings and a Dream: Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal’s Tips for Working Guitarists
Peter Hodgson
|12.14.2010
Everyone who has ever picked up a tennis racket and rocked out in front of the mirror has dreamed of chucking in their day job to be a rock star instead. And why not? The adoration, the freedom from the nine-to-five grind, the potential for romantic entanglement – it sounds like a pretty fun vocation. Well, the bad news is that not everyone gets to have a career as a rock star, but the good news is that with a little hard work and a lot of covering your bases, you may be able to still carve a living out of six strings and a dream. One guitarist who has managed to do just this is Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal.
Thal first made a name for himself in the mid-’90s with his wildly creative solo albums and unorthodox techniques, and since 2006 he’s been one of three guitarists in Guns N’ Roses, performing on every track of 2008’s Chinese Democracy and criss-crossing the world with Axl and Co. While on tour with GN’R in Australia, Thal spoke exclusively to Gibson.com about how to make a career out of music.
He says the key is diversity. “You have to be able to multitask and be multi-faceted,” he says. “If you’re just going to be a guitar player that plays in a band, your options are going to be very limited. If you’re going to play in a band, you should also be able to teach what you know. If you record yourself, then record other people as well and get into the studio thing. If you’re taking care of a lot of the business for your band, maybe start doing it for other bands as well and get into that side of things.”
Thal advises being actively aware of the many different ways you can apply your various skills, and the ways they feed into each other. “You need to have as many avenues as you can at once, because while one thing is going slow, another thing is going better, and you put it all together and you can pay your bills,” he says. “Everything you do lends some assistance or makes you better at everything else.”
One of Thal's earliest music-related jobs was as a teacher, and it’s a career path he highly recommends. “I took lessons when I was a kid for a good eight steady years of just weekly lessons, very academic,” he says. “From there I started teaching out of the basement. Then I started teaching at a music store, and then in my early 20s I set up the music department at a private school. I was teaching music for children there, I set up a jazz band, a choir, music history… a whole music program for this private school. Right before that I was teaching at a music institute that a chain of guitar stores in New York had. At some point I worked my way up to teaching music production and guitar at an actual legitimate college in New York State.”
Thal believes that teaching others also can be an invaluable resource for your own playing, vastly increasing your repertoire and forcing you to think about the motives and outcomes of particular musical choices. “What happens is that everything you’re teaching, you’re also learning,” he says. “You’re learning songs that you can teach, so now suddenly you have a great repertoire if you want to join a cover band. Everything helps everything else.”
In fact, Thal says some of his solo tracks would not exist if not for their origins in giving guitar lessons. “Someone wanted to get into Latin chord progressions and I got into the whole I-II-V in harmonic minor thing in certain rhythms, and next thing you know it’s like, ‘Wow, this is a cool thing,’ and I ended up making a song out of it.”
When it comes time to work on a solo project, Thal pulls together all these skills, and as the owner of a professional studio, he’s uniquely placed to take advantage of the many luxuries this brings. “Having my own studio, I can afford studio time, obviously, because it’s my studio, and I can pay the bills of owning the studio by recording other people,” he says. “So by being an engineer, that allows you to record your own albums and gets you into production, and next thing you know, you’re a producer and you’re collaborating with other people that come in. Everything becomes this big web where everything is connected in some way, and the more things you do, the more depth it lends to every other aspect of what you do.”
The skills of deconstruction and adaptation that one develops as a teacher can also blend with studio nous in interesting and unexpected ways, including TV work. Thal explains: “There will be people for some TV show who don’t want to license the real song for something, and they’ll come to me and be like, ‘Can you make me a song that sounds like Mötley Crüe?’ and in five minutes I’ll bust something out in the studio and give it to them, and it’s an original song that's capturing the vibe of some other artist, and that right there, that’s another way that the studio and everything we’re talking about comes into play. And now you also have an income stream from the performance royalties of that piece of music. I did it for a sports team, I did it for some shows that have been on MTV once in a while.”
Thal says session work today is much different to the glory days of the ’70s and ’80s. “I could be wrong but I think reading music is less important now and it’s more about the ears,” he says, adding that producers are more likely to simply e-mail an artist an mp3 and ask them to come up with their own part, rather than provide sheet music or a chord chart. “If it’s a jazz thing they will give you a chart, but if it’s a rock thing they’ll just show you on the spot: ‘Alright, just go E to A and back to E.’ And as far as session playing, you have to be able to lock into a groove and have great timing. You have to have a good memory and be able to recall arrangements, or jot down your own little chart of weird hieroglyphics that only you understand, or you have to be able to read other peoples’ hieroglyphics.”
Across his entire career as a professional guitarist/teacher/songwriter/engineer/producer/composer, Thal has observed a simple set of rules for making yourself employable. “Number one, which will be funny coming from a guitarist in Guns N’ Roses, is don't be late! That was always my cardinal rule for everything,” he says. “In order to be on time you need to be early, then wait in your car for 15 minutes and walk in two minutes before whatever time you’re supposed to be there.
“Two: be someone that people want to work with, want to be in a room with and spend 10 hours with. Be relaxed, be calm, don’t cause the stressful vibe, just be cool and keep your intensity knob down a bit and just roll with things.
“Three: be overly prepared. If you just need to know the guitar part, make sure you know the other guitar part, too, and the vocals, and the bass, and the drum rhythm and where the accents are. Really know the song inside and out. Know more than you need to know, and be so prepared that you can bring more than is asked of you, if asked. Those three things matter the most: be on time, be cool, and be prepared. And that’s for anything.”
Re: GnR Band Member Interviews from 2009-10 Tour
12-16-2010
http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=9038
http://www.gunsnroses-livestats.com/setlist.php?gig=198
http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/boar … ic=61338.0
DEC. 16th 2010
Yas arena
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
attendance 25.000
Juliana Down opening Guns N' Roses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e-XPglF2ts
Setlist for
1. Chinese democracy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io_SeTuEF6o
2. Welcome to the jungle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCqG-bqD5oU
3. It's so easy
4. Mr. Brownstone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaHq1T3F-7U
5. Sorry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l7DgKRF5TU (solo)
6. Richard Fortus guitar solo (James Bond theme)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLO2b56QMiw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRP4NeNix8Y
7. Live and let die
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaWn-yAfdk4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At8JoOeEBWc
8. This I love
9. Better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5af7GAd96w
10. Rocket queen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIpoXigzDMc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7mHmpt-_NA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2IZaTbhCYg
11. Dizzy Reed piano solo (Ziggy Stardust)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkgoIjIeIIA
12. Street of dreams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aagk18FZo8E
13. You could be mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq1_Gl-d-ME
14. DJ Ashba guitar solo (The ballad of death)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmxvq1VJYc4
15. Sweet child o' mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKHLhK7tj5Y
16. Axl Rose piano solo (Goodbye yellow brick road/Someone saved my life tonight)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIN7WdaJVy8
17. November rain
http://www.youtube.com/user/noumanatiq# … eqbaznquIk (
18. Bumblefoot guitar solo (Pink Panther theme)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLyWrS349kw
19. Knockin' on heaven's door
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZiR4It5_-g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRVTuuve8-k
20. Whole lotta Rosie (AC/DC cover)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP4dakgWjF4
21. Band jam
22. Nightrain
Encore
23. Don't cry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMLGfnOurFY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJaqk97Yaj0
24. Patience
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJH3Y2iXd0E (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_znGZt0YLQ (part 2)
25. Band jam
26. Madagascar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwNGe_IK6MM
27. Band jam
28. Paradise city
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR6DhSbaJ-o
Bow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFlaZcJzaaI
Setlist notes
First ever Guns N' Roses show in the Middle East. Before the concert there were traffic jams to the stadium and there was much press during the gig. Most people were their for the first time and "watching with their mouths open". Axl was in a great mood and mentioned he thought the venue was great.
Re: GnR Band Member Interviews from 2009-10 Tour
12-18-2010
http://gulfnews.com/arts-entertainment/ … e-1.732139
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoddQY5B … _embedded#!
A rose is still a rose
He's funny, he's polite and he's sweet. Legendary rocker and notoriously media-shy Axl Rose in an exclusive chat with tabloid! reveals why the band has stood the test of time
* By Kelly Crane, and Matt Wilson
* Published: 00:00 December 19, 2010
When Axl Rose and the boys burst onto the stage on Thursday night in Abu Dhabi, you could have already worked out that they were going to rock Abu Dhabi. What you couldn't have known, was just minutes before they set the stage alight, legendary rocker Rose was sipping tea while chatting to tabloid!.
"We better get out there before they tear the house down," said Rose tipping his head acknowledging the gathered crowd cranking up the volume.
"I'll be blaming you. You know that," he added as the entire group broke into laughter and headed off for the show.
According to his manager, Doc Mcghee, Rose has not given an interview for 14 years.
"I don't know what you've done, but you did something right," he said expressing his utter surprise that the red-haired singer was willing to talk.
Media-shy
The American rock star has been notoriously media-shy (read anti-media) since the implosion of the original band — the hitmakers behind seminal rock songs such as Sweet Child O'Mine and Paradise City. Rose even wrote the song Get in the Ring about his disgust for the media and all the lies he claims journalists and publications printed over the years.
But this week was different and as he politely asked for "any kind of tea" from a member of his crew, he settled into his chair and prepared to open up.
As with every good story there's always a bit of drama. You see this story almost wasn't told because while tabloid! knew Rose was in town, it was also made clear, initially, there would be no interview (as has been the case for the past 14 years).
You can therefore understand why a desperate chase across Yas Island (in flip flops) swiftly followed when "that'"call came in to say he said "yes".
"There is a lotta rockin people out there," said Rose looking almost nervous [replace the word rockin with any swear word to get the full effects of the interview]. "Oops, is it bad to say that?" he added before quickly changing the subject.
"I played in the Middle East once before," continued Rose needing no prompt. "It was for about 50,000. It was insane. We've been trying to come play again since so tonight is gonna be wow. A lot of rockets and bombs. We're excited we try to go all out," he said ahead of the sell-out gig, the last of the Flash Entertainment-organised Yas Arena Show Weekends.
Pride'
"For me one of the really cool things is I don't have to get on at everybody in the band. Hey do this, do that, you know. Because they're excited. Everybody takes a certain amount of pride in what they do. Plus they all get on at each other about it anyway. Everybody goes out there and tries to give everything they can. And we stay out there a couple hours more, you know, until we feel the crowd is happy. Or until we feel like we've done a good job. It's kinda like going to the gym or something, you know, you don't leave until you feel like you're supposed to."
There's a slight pause before all four members burst out laughing. "It's just hard to get in the gym," Rose eventually concedes. "Yeah they won't let me smoke on the treadmill," added guitarist DJ Ashba still laughing.
South America, Asia and just off the back of more than 40 gigs across Europe, Guns N' Roses is off to Russia next saying the diversity of an audience never fails to amaze them.
"I think it's a lot to do with the material from the past and a hell of a lot to do with the heart that was put into it then," said Rose his fingers covered with giant rings, each with a new plaster covering the finger underneath.
Heart
"But if we weren't putting the heart into it now, if I wasn't putting my heart into it, the fans, they're not gonna let me get away with it. We have to live up to something, have to work a bit harder because you're living up to the legend or a myth or whatever," he said, deep in thought. "It's more pressure when you're playing to live up to myth."
Guns N' Roses formed in 1985, a time when Rose insists things were very different when it came to restrictions regarding performances.
"In the club days, like '88 and '89, you could fall off stage and that was OK. Then it turned into I can't dive off but other bands can. I'd be doing everything I can not to fall off. I always see the tape on stage. The glow in the dark tape on the edge. I remember when they didn't have it at the LA Coliseum when we opened for The Stones. When the lights went down, I went down."
Multi-cultural crowd
Stopping to listen to the fans getting progressively louder, Rose said he was looking forward to playing to a multi-cultural crowd.
"The diverse crowd aspect is actually the most interesting part for me because I think that pretty much sums up why the Guns catalogue has stood the test of time," he said, still with an ear on the fans.
"It crosses genres, it crosses religious lines, you know. It's music that people can relate to. That there is such a diverse crowd out there it makes it a lot of fun."
Looking up from under the dark lenses of his aviators, Rose broke a smile. "We've crossed a few lines for certain," he said. "And we'll continue that."
