33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
CHAPTER INDEX
- DECEMBER 2012: THE ASIAN TOUR - INDIA, INDONESIA & JAPAN
- JANUARY-MARCH, 2013: NEW MUSIC IN 2013? "A DEFINITE MAYBE"
- GUNS N' ROSES TO TOUR AUSTRALIA IN MARCH
- JANUARY 2013: BUMBLEFOOT LAUNCHES A SERIES OF HOT SAUCES
- 2013: SLASH AND AXL TALK ABOUT A REUNION
- FEBRUARY 13, 2013: THE BAND PLAYS AT SOHO HOUSE IN LOS ANGELES
- FEBRUARY 22, 2013: THE BLOWOUT PROJECT WITH CHRIS, FRANK AND BUMBLEFOOT
- MARCH 2, 2013: BUMBLEFOOT: "I'M THE ONLY THAT DOESN'T BULLSHIT YOU"
- MARCH 9-20, 2013: THE 2013 AUSTRALIAN TOUR
- THE HARD PARTYING DAYS ARE OVER
- MARCH 24-30, 2013: SHOWS IN MALAYSIA, UAE AND LEBANON
- THE MOSTDANGEROUS UNPREDICTABLE BAND IN THE WORLD
- 2013-2016: THE DEAD DAISIES WITH RICHARD AND DIZZY (AND FRANK)
- APRIL-JUNE, 2013: THE PLAN IS TO WORK ON NEW MUSIC AFTER THE SUMMER
- MAY 17, 2013: TONY HARNELL AND THE WILDFLOWERS FEATURING BUMBLEFOOT
- MAY 24-JUNE 8, 2013: SELECTED SHOWS IN THE US
- AROUND APRIL 2013: DJ IS HOSPITALIZED WITH NICOTINE POISONING
- JUNE 2013: BUMBLEFOOT VISITS INDIA WITH POINT OF VIEW
- JULY 12-15, 2013: THREE SHOWS IN CANADA
- AUGUST 2013: DJ GETS MARRIED
- JULY-DECEMBER, 2013: NO WORK ON NEW MUSIC; BAND MEMBERS SPEND TIME ON SIDE PROJECTS
- SECOND HALF OF 2013: BUMBLEFOOT RETURNS TO HIS SOLO CAREER
- AUGUST 2013: 'GOING DOWN' LEAKS
- SONG: GOING DOWN
- NOVEMBER 2013: ERIN EVERLY AUCTIONS OFF PERSONAL AXL ITEMS
- NOVEMBER 2013: BUMBLEFOOT THREATENS TO LEAVE GUNS N' ROSES
- DECEMBER 2013: DJ AND BUMBLEFOOT FIGHTS
- JANUARY-MARCH, 2013: NEW MUSIC IN 2013? "A DEFINITE MAYBE"
- GUNS N' ROSES TO TOUR AUSTRALIA IN MARCH
- JANUARY 2013: BUMBLEFOOT LAUNCHES A SERIES OF HOT SAUCES
- 2013: SLASH AND AXL TALK ABOUT A REUNION
- FEBRUARY 13, 2013: THE BAND PLAYS AT SOHO HOUSE IN LOS ANGELES
- FEBRUARY 22, 2013: THE BLOWOUT PROJECT WITH CHRIS, FRANK AND BUMBLEFOOT
- MARCH 2, 2013: BUMBLEFOOT: "I'M THE ONLY THAT DOESN'T BULLSHIT YOU"
- MARCH 9-20, 2013: THE 2013 AUSTRALIAN TOUR
- THE HARD PARTYING DAYS ARE OVER
- MARCH 24-30, 2013: SHOWS IN MALAYSIA, UAE AND LEBANON
- THE MOST
- 2013-2016: THE DEAD DAISIES WITH RICHARD AND DIZZY (AND FRANK)
- APRIL-JUNE, 2013: THE PLAN IS TO WORK ON NEW MUSIC AFTER THE SUMMER
- MAY 17, 2013: TONY HARNELL AND THE WILDFLOWERS FEATURING BUMBLEFOOT
- MAY 24-JUNE 8, 2013: SELECTED SHOWS IN THE US
- AROUND APRIL 2013: DJ IS HOSPITALIZED WITH NICOTINE POISONING
- JUNE 2013: BUMBLEFOOT VISITS INDIA WITH POINT OF VIEW
- JULY 12-15, 2013: THREE SHOWS IN CANADA
- AUGUST 2013: DJ GETS MARRIED
- JULY-DECEMBER, 2013: NO WORK ON NEW MUSIC; BAND MEMBERS SPEND TIME ON SIDE PROJECTS
- SECOND HALF OF 2013: BUMBLEFOOT RETURNS TO HIS SOLO CAREER
- AUGUST 2013: 'GOING DOWN' LEAKS
- SONG: GOING DOWN
- NOVEMBER 2013: ERIN EVERLY AUCTIONS OFF PERSONAL AXL ITEMS
- NOVEMBER 2013: BUMBLEFOOT THREATENS TO LEAVE GUNS N' ROSES
- DECEMBER 2013: DJ AND BUMBLEFOOT FIGHTS
Last edited by Soulmonster on Sun Jan 28, 2024 5:16 pm; edited 10 times in total
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
DECEMBER 2012
THE ASIAN TOUR - INDIA, INDONESIA & JAPANIn December 2012 the band embarked on an Asian tour that would include three shows in India, on December 7 in Bangalore, December 9 in Mumbai, and December 12 in Leisure Valley Gurgaon, Delhi.
The band had never visited India before and members would comment on the opportunity:
It has been a life long dream of mine to visit India. I’ve always been fascinated by it’s ancient culture and influential people
Hindustantimes, October 20, 2012
I’ve wanted to go to India since the first time I saw the James Bond movie Octopussy!!!! I’m totally looking forward to it!
Hindustantimes, October 20, 2012
I’m sooooo looking forward to experience the culture, meet the fans and make new friends. And the food
Hindustantimes, October 20, 2012
There are very few places in the world, left for me to cross off of my 'must-see-before-I-die' list. India is at the top of that list, so needless to say, I am thrilled that we will be playing in the country. I've always been fascinated by the culture, the music, the art and films of India. I can't wait
TNN, October 22, 2012
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I would be playing a concert in India. I am truly fortunate and can't wait to see the Indian people go crazy for GNR
TNN, October 22, 2012
I've always wanted to play in India. We've tried to make that happen but for whatever reasons it just didn't work out. We're all looking forward to coming there and performing for everyone. [...] It does seem like bands or the touring/concert industry is really trying to make an effort to include India in their tours, more so now than in the past which I think is a good thing.
I’ve always wanted to play in India. We’ve tried to make it happen, but for whatever reasons, it just wasn’t working out. We’re all very excited and looking forward to performing for everyone.
I’ve always wanted to play in India. We’ve tried to make that happen but for whatever reason, it just hadn’t worked out. So we’re all very excited and are looking forward to come there and perform for everyone.
Axl would also comment on Richard's excitement about coming to India:
And yes, Richard’s talked about wanting to travel to India since I met him.
Stage rigging in Bangalore, IndiaDecember 2012
Talking about the shows in India:
It was good. It was... actually, it was the biggest shows that India ever had. More people than the Rolling Stones. It was huge, yeah we made history there.
What I will say is a lot of people came out, we had a blast with them and we threw one of the biggest parties in India that they've seen in awhile, so lots of fun there.
Dizzy had a less pleasant experience on one of the shows:
We are playing in India one time, it's an outdoor venue. They had this amazing Indian food, man, it was so good. It was so kick... the best [?] you could ever have. And I decided to wear a full suit that day, you know, the tie and jacket and everything. I had my in-ears on and everything else already. They started rolling the intro music. And I had to use the toilet. There was no way I was going to make it 3 1/2 hours. Emergency, emergency. And the intro tape is rolling, I'm like, "I got a suit on," I'm like, "This is a fucking nightmare!" And we're in the middle of nowhere, India, right? So there's an outhouse, so I go into the house and get my gear off and, you know, do my business. Intro tape still rolling. There's no toilet paper. Now it's gotten worse than my worst nightmare. I don't remember, I think there was a bowl of water. [...] But, you know, miraculously I made it on stage just for the downbeat, man, for Chinese Democracy. "Boom, made it!" My tie was a little crooked, but some times these things happen, you know.
Excerpt of review of the December 9 show in Mumbai in Metal Assault:
I’ll admit, I hadn’t heard their music before seeing them at this show. When I first heard the band’s name, I was imagining a grindcore-type band, but I was completely wrong. They’re more like a modern progressive post-hardcore band with clean vocals, if that makes any sense to you. The majority of the vocals were of the clean variety, sung by Siddharth Basrur, while Bhayanak Maut vocalist Sunneith Revankar joined in on the growls, and Skyharbor guitarist Devesh Dayal is also in this band. I tried my best to like their music and get involved in their set, but it just wasn’t happening. To me, their material simply didn’t come across as strong enough to capture an audience in which the majority of people weren’t even familiar with the band. There was no great energy or stage presence either. Siddharth and Sunneith did a good job with their respective vocal deliveries, but it wasn’t really gelling with the music. Devesh Dayal was the saving grace, for sure. I enjoyed most of his solos, and he’s a guy I’d definitely want to see perform again. I don’t have any frame of reference as I’d never seen them before, but I think it’s safe to say this wasn’t Goddess Gagged’s best ever gig, and they didn’t fit in with the Guns N’ Roses style of music either.
Right, on to the Guns N’ Roses part of the review then. A word of warning: if you’re a hater of the current GNR lineup, or a hater of Axl Rose, I’d suggest you to stop reading right about now because you’re certainly going to be upset by what I’m about to write in the rest of this review.
There was a 30-minute break following Goddess Gagged’s set. I was a bit surprised to find that there was no alcohol sale inside the venue. Some people seemed pissed off but probably forgot about the alcohol soon, and just watched the show instead. At 6.45, a representative from the promoters Mooz Entertainment came on stage and told us that the band would hit the stage in just a few minutes. Sure enough, at 6.56, 4 minutes before the scheduled set time, the lights went out, and the band appeared one by one while an intro bit was played on the PA. They started out with ‘Chinese Democracy’, the title song off of the latest album, and the crowd were ecstatic to finally get to see this band right in front of their eyes, after an eternally long wait. But the fun part really began with the next song, none other than ‘Welcome To The Jungle’. The tone for the performance was set, and the band went from strength to strength, delivering the old classics, the Chinese Democracy tunes, as well as cover renditions, all with equal aplomb, energy and dedication. If you took a glance at their facial expressions during the show, you could tell that each member was having an absolute blast up on that stage. This was not a band simply going through the motions. This Guns N’ Roses lineup was putting its entire heart, soul, sweat and musical prowess into this performance.
In terms of their playing, the band pretty much nailed every single song they had on this truly epic set list. I probed deep, but to my eyes and ears there were no apparent mistakes. In fact, songs like ‘It’s So Easy’, ‘Estranged’, ‘You Could Be Mine’, ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’, ‘November Rain’, ‘Civil War’ and ‘Patience’ were done so well that it was goosebump-worthy for many in the audience. Besides the original tunes and covers, they also had individual solos and jams wherein each of the three guitarists Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, DJ Ashba and Richard Fortus got a chance to take center stage and showcase their guitar-playing. Even though these solos broke up the set list, and I could sense a degree of impatience among a few members of the audience, I thoroughly enjoyed them. I’m very much appreciative of the band for doing this, because we got to witness the talents of these three amazing musicians. Fortus and DJ Ashba did excellent solos, but for me the highlight was, yet again, Mr. Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal. Quite honestly, he’s one of the most delightful guitarists I’ve ever seen perform. He enjoys playing guitar so much that it transfers onto the audience as well. He proves that a guitarist doesn’t need to compose million-note solos if he or she can learn to play each and every note with feel.
As for Axl Rose, his incredible level of performance in 3-hour sets such as this one continues to leave critics and haters dumbfounded. He was full of energy, and his vocal delivery was intense. For their own pleasure, the haters can keep on posting the same stupid internet memes about Axl being ‘late’, ‘fat’ or ‘unable to sing’, but the reality is totally different, and the 20,000 people that turned up for this show got to experience the real Axl Rose.
Sound-wise, everything was great, at least from where we were standing, and the high quality of the sound system played a crucial role in us being able to hear what these musicians were doing on stage. The evergreen ‘Paradise City’ was the final song for the night, and right when the song kicked into gear, the entire Gold section got engulfed in paper confetti. At the end of the song, the band took a collective bow and thanked the Mumbai crowd for their attendance. People left the show thoroughly satisfied at getting to see a band that gave them their money’s worth, and then some. For me, the highlight was still ‘November Rain’. There’s just something about that song and the perfection with which they play it. The memory of that rendition is going to stay in my mind for a while.
All in all, Guns N’ Roses lived up to my expectations and put on an insanely fantastic performance. This was a ‘rock concert’ in its truest sense.
Right, on to the Guns N’ Roses part of the review then. A word of warning: if you’re a hater of the current GNR lineup, or a hater of Axl Rose, I’d suggest you to stop reading right about now because you’re certainly going to be upset by what I’m about to write in the rest of this review.
There was a 30-minute break following Goddess Gagged’s set. I was a bit surprised to find that there was no alcohol sale inside the venue. Some people seemed pissed off but probably forgot about the alcohol soon, and just watched the show instead. At 6.45, a representative from the promoters Mooz Entertainment came on stage and told us that the band would hit the stage in just a few minutes. Sure enough, at 6.56, 4 minutes before the scheduled set time, the lights went out, and the band appeared one by one while an intro bit was played on the PA. They started out with ‘Chinese Democracy’, the title song off of the latest album, and the crowd were ecstatic to finally get to see this band right in front of their eyes, after an eternally long wait. But the fun part really began with the next song, none other than ‘Welcome To The Jungle’. The tone for the performance was set, and the band went from strength to strength, delivering the old classics, the Chinese Democracy tunes, as well as cover renditions, all with equal aplomb, energy and dedication. If you took a glance at their facial expressions during the show, you could tell that each member was having an absolute blast up on that stage. This was not a band simply going through the motions. This Guns N’ Roses lineup was putting its entire heart, soul, sweat and musical prowess into this performance.
In terms of their playing, the band pretty much nailed every single song they had on this truly epic set list. I probed deep, but to my eyes and ears there were no apparent mistakes. In fact, songs like ‘It’s So Easy’, ‘Estranged’, ‘You Could Be Mine’, ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’, ‘November Rain’, ‘Civil War’ and ‘Patience’ were done so well that it was goosebump-worthy for many in the audience. Besides the original tunes and covers, they also had individual solos and jams wherein each of the three guitarists Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, DJ Ashba and Richard Fortus got a chance to take center stage and showcase their guitar-playing. Even though these solos broke up the set list, and I could sense a degree of impatience among a few members of the audience, I thoroughly enjoyed them. I’m very much appreciative of the band for doing this, because we got to witness the talents of these three amazing musicians. Fortus and DJ Ashba did excellent solos, but for me the highlight was, yet again, Mr. Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal. Quite honestly, he’s one of the most delightful guitarists I’ve ever seen perform. He enjoys playing guitar so much that it transfers onto the audience as well. He proves that a guitarist doesn’t need to compose million-note solos if he or she can learn to play each and every note with feel.
As for Axl Rose, his incredible level of performance in 3-hour sets such as this one continues to leave critics and haters dumbfounded. He was full of energy, and his vocal delivery was intense. For their own pleasure, the haters can keep on posting the same stupid internet memes about Axl being ‘late’, ‘fat’ or ‘unable to sing’, but the reality is totally different, and the 20,000 people that turned up for this show got to experience the real Axl Rose.
Sound-wise, everything was great, at least from where we were standing, and the high quality of the sound system played a crucial role in us being able to hear what these musicians were doing on stage. The evergreen ‘Paradise City’ was the final song for the night, and right when the song kicked into gear, the entire Gold section got engulfed in paper confetti. At the end of the song, the band took a collective bow and thanked the Mumbai crowd for their attendance. People left the show thoroughly satisfied at getting to see a band that gave them their money’s worth, and then some. For me, the highlight was still ‘November Rain’. There’s just something about that song and the perfection with which they play it. The memory of that rendition is going to stay in my mind for a while.
All in all, Guns N’ Roses lived up to my expectations and put on an insanely fantastic performance. This was a ‘rock concert’ in its truest sense.
For the December 12 show in Delhi, the band started on a second encore with Nice Boys without Tommy, who, according to Kabir Taneja, writing for The New York Times, claimed Axl had thrown down his bass:
The rest of the band started playing “Nice Boys” from “Rose Tattoo,” but Mr. Stinson didn’t come onstage. Mr. Rose disappeared backstage, and reappeared moments later. He was followed by Mr. Stinson, who threw his bass onto a pile of equipment, flipped the middle finger at some crew members and left. The band finished the last song without a bassist.
Bumblefoot would later explain there had been technical issues:
What happened was we settled our back... you know, we did our bow and we're walking off stage and it was like, "Hey, let's do some more." They were already packing up the gear and shutting everything down, all right, so they had to first fire up everything all over again and half the shit was away so we started playing with half our gear and finally was just like, "You know what, fuck it," you know, like some shit wouldn't go on and like reconnecting cables and so the crew is going crazy trying to get it all done and it was like, "All right, just another moment in the history of the band."
What happened was, we did our bow and we were walking off stage and we said ‘let’s do some more’. They were already packing up the gear and shutting everything down. So they first had to fire up everything all over again and half the shit was away so we started playing with half our gear and finally it was just like, ‘you know what? Fuck it.’ Some shit wouldn’t go on, we’re re-connecting cables, so the crew was going crazy trying to get it all done and it was just another moment in the history of the band.
Hot Metal, February 2013
Looking back at having visited India:
I definitely didn't get to see the sights as much as I'd hoped but I had a great time and loved it there. We hope to get back there for more shows as soon as we can.
The next show took place at MEIS in Ancol, Jakarta, Indonesia on December 16.
Concert poster
Talking about coming to Indonesia:
Our goal is just to get our music out to everybody. Yes, it’s long overdue [the concert in Indonesia], but we’re going to come down there, and we’ll do our best to not disappoint you guys.
And Bumblefoot would express his desire to get some real spicy food after a disappointing India:
I love spicy food so I'm really happy to be here. Cuz I'll tell you, we were in India and I kept telling everyone, "Bring me spicy food, give me something hot," and they were, "This is very, very hot," and I'm eating this, like, baby food. I was like, "Come on! Come one!" So they added more peppers, more stuff, still not hot enough. So now we're here so I'm expecting that we're gonna have some real hot spicy food here.
The final show at the Asian tour, and the final show of 2012, took place at Zepp in Tokyo, Japan, on December 18.
After the tour, Axl would be asked about what is the most crucial element on his rider:
Besides water probably a good cold beer (and beers for everyone else after the show!)
Most of my rider, the food and what drinks are left after we leave as with old Guns, usually goes to the crew. The alcohol is shared with guests, the band etc. I can't and don't eat much before the show. There are usually meals brought in afterwards like burgers, chicken etc. but they mostly go to the crew as well. DJ loves the burgers and our security lives for the chicken.
Most of my rider, the food and what drinks are left after we leave as with old Guns, usually goes to the crew. The alcohol is shared with guests, the band etc. I can't and don't eat much before the show. There are usually meals brought in afterwards like burgers, chicken etc. but they mostly go to the crew as well. DJ loves the burgers and our security lives for the chicken.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
JANUARY-MARCH, 2013
NEW MUSIC IN 2013? "A DEFINITE MAYBE"2013 would start with DJ saying fans wouldn't have to wait as long as they did for Chinese Democracy, but that the band was also in no rush to get a new record out:
It won't be another Chinese Democracy but then again we're in no rush to make a bad record. Failing is not an option so we're putting our heart and soul into this one.
He would also say they had written a "ton" of new songs [Perth NOW, February 19, 2013], but likely refer to unreleased songs from the Chinese Democracy session or songs he had written himself:
It's a matter of deciding which songs to pick for the new record. [...] I'm excited about the future. I didn't join Guns N Roses to only play guitar. I write songs everyday.
Dizzy would also confirm they had "lots of stuff ready to go" and that they had been "a lot of ideas that they'd been throwing around:
There’s a lot of material that is in the can and there’s a lot of ideas that we’ve been throwing around. Everyone’s been sending stuff back and forth, and there’s a lot of stuff ready to go. When we’re ready to make that step, it will happen. It will happen quicker than the last album, let’s put it that way.
Bumblefoot had previously talked about wanting the band to record a new album, or a new song for each tour or leg of tour [see previous chapter], but by early 2013 he just wanted the band to be able to release one new song:
You know, there's been talk all the time, you know, within us about the next album and what we're going to do, when we're going to do it and everything. But, you know, life always gets in the way and things get in the way and it's hard to have the momentum and the focus and everything that you need. It's hard to put everything aside to do a whole album. Me personally, I don't want to do an album. I would just want to do a song, let's just bite off a song and get a song out there and then bite off another song and get that out there. It's easier to do and that's... look, waiting for an album to get done is too much, I can't even do it myself. I started doing just songs in 2011 and if I waited to finish an album it still wouldn't be done and the album wouldn't be out. [...] So yeah, at this point when there's so much touring and so much other stuff going on, don't try and take on 14 songs, do a song and then another song and then another song and then figure it out from there.
We’ve spoken a lot about it. It’s just a question of – I wouldn’t even say the planets aligning; That’s a little extreme as far as a metaphor – but I think we just need to have nothing else going on to where we can just focus on making new music and putting it out. There’s such strong people in the band. Dizzy is a great singer and songwriter. DJ – a great songwriter. Pitman is a great singer and songwriter. Frank is a great drummer. Tommy, he’s a great singer and songwriter. Richard, he’s a great player, songwriter. We have all the parts of the machine there. All we have to do is assemble that machine and hit the on switch.
We’ve been doing a lot of touring. It’s great and it’s made us tight and it’s made us solid. It’s made us to the point where we can jam and just sort of read each other’s minds and know where we’re going to go without having to look at each other. Now, I would love to put out music. It doesn’t even have to be an album. Let’s just put out songs. Put a song then hit the road and play that song. Then put out another song and hit the road and play that song, too. If we did that for each leg of the touring over the last few years, we would’ve had an album finished by now song by song.
That’s how I look at it: that, these days, putting out an album is too big of a bite to bite off. It’s not necessary. You can keep a constant simmer going by putting out a song and then a song and then a song, putting out music throughout the year rather than waiting two or three years and putting out fourteen songs at once. Albums are nice as far as having a piece of merch that you can hold in your hand but they’re no longer the source of the music.
We’ve been doing a lot of touring. It’s great and it’s made us tight and it’s made us solid. It’s made us to the point where we can jam and just sort of read each other’s minds and know where we’re going to go without having to look at each other. Now, I would love to put out music. It doesn’t even have to be an album. Let’s just put out songs. Put a song then hit the road and play that song. Then put out another song and hit the road and play that song, too. If we did that for each leg of the touring over the last few years, we would’ve had an album finished by now song by song.
That’s how I look at it: that, these days, putting out an album is too big of a bite to bite off. It’s not necessary. You can keep a constant simmer going by putting out a song and then a song and then a song, putting out music throughout the year rather than waiting two or three years and putting out fourteen songs at once. Albums are nice as far as having a piece of merch that you can hold in your hand but they’re no longer the source of the music.
There’s been talk all the time within us about the next album and what we’re going to do and when we’re going to do it. But you know, life always gets in the way. Things get in the way. It’s hard to have the momentum and the focus and everything that you need. It’s hard to put everything aside and do a whole album. Personally, I don’t want to do an album. I would like to just do a song. Let’s just bite off a song and get a song out there and then bite off another song and get that out there. It’s easier to do. Look, waiting for an album to get done is just too much. I can’t do it myself. If I waited to finish an album, it still wouldn’t be done and the album still wouldn’t be out. When there’s so much touring and so much other stuff going on, don’t try and take on 14 songs. Do a song, then another song, then another song and then figure it out from there.
In March, Axl was asked whether the band would release new music in 2013:
I can give you a definite maybe.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
GUNS N' ROSES TO TOUR AUSTRALIA IN MARCH
On January 16, 2013, it was announced that Guns N' Roses would tour Australia wit five shows from March 9 to March 20, with ZZ Top and Rose Tattoo as openers [Press Release/Blabbermouth, January 16, 2013]. In the words of promoter Andrew McManus:
I can't wait for these shows next March. Axl Rose is a legend and I can't wait to see Guns N' Roses play to their legion of Aussie fans again. I'm so proud to be bringing them back to Australia and am looking forward to a great tour with fellow rockers ZZ Top and Rose Tattoo.
McManus would also promise that Axl would be on time for the shows:
Axl will be on stage, on time, so any of those fairyheads saying he won't be, good luck! [...] The great thing is that the last 12 months he's been on stage, on time. I can guarantee all the punters that do go, he has been exemplary. [...] He'll promise you, he'll be on stage at the right time so don't be fearful. [If] you rock out there two hours late and think you're going to see him... the show will be over.
Bumblefoot was hoping the tour would be extended:
In March we have a bunch of shows in Australia. I’m hoping that we can do more after that. It’s looking like it will be three or four weeks but I’m hoping that we can expand on it. It would be great if we could work out something in New Zealand or the Philippines or Malaysia, Thailand, China – anywhere we can do.
Talking about what fans could expect:
The band that we have now is the strongest line-up we’ve had. We’re really starting to click on all cylinders. It’s a powerful rock ‘n’ roll show. We cover the whole spectrum of the catalogue too, so there’ll be something for everyone.
Rose Tattoo was chosen as the opener:
They've supported us a few times down there and they're definitely one of my favourite bands, from way back. It's always really cool to have them on the bill.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
JANUARY 2013
BUMBLEFOOT LAUNCHES A SERIES OF HOT SAUCESIn May 2008, Bumblefoot would talk about his love of hot sauces:
Drinking hot sauce has been a major thing, which I really need to stop doing! I have been drinking too much of it and it is way too hot! I got this stuff that is as hot as commercial grade pepper spray and can be used as a weapon. I put it on my food. You are supposed to put one drop in a four-quart vat of chili and I am using one drop on a forkful of chicken! It has reached the point now where I am basically taking a shot of hot sauce and putting a piece of chicken in my mouth! If I keep doing that, I am probably going to die! I will probably get up one day and shit out all my organs and they will all be liquified. So I need to quit that, but I definitely think that helped shaped what I am today.
And in September 2008, he would talk about having increased his tolerance to hot food when asked what he considered his biggest success:
Upping my tolerance for spicy food to the point that I can handle eating pepper spray (the weapon). Will have my own line of hot sauces some day.
In 2013, he would explain how he got into hot sauces and how he started experimenting with his own recipes:
You know, it's actually... it hasn't been any different from music, it's like, I think back to when I first started making music, it's like, you're passionate about it, you have all these bands you like, I love... there's all these hot sauces I like, so then you start making your own music, you learn to play, and you start making songs and start doing stuff, you start writing and start recording and you start making your own music. Same with food, you start making your own things, your own concoctions, your own combinations. And then you start to share your music, you start to do shows, you start to, you know, put out albums, you start to do everything. And it's the same with the hot sauces.
In November 2008, Bumblefoot had planned to release how own series of hot sauces:
Yeah, got the names and recipes ready to go, just gotta get it done. I'm lookin' to make some stuff that's gonna cause some serious pain. There's a bunch of guys with sauce out there, Joe Perry, Michael Anthony, Dizzy Reed; some real good stuff.
This took time, though, and in 2010 and 2012 he was still looking to get it done and primarily find a partner:
I gotta move on that, yeah. That's something that I've been meaning to move forward with. The ideas are there, everything is there, I just need time. It's so much tougher now with the touring. I get back from a tour and I just spend all my time chasing every minute just trying to fucking get everything done that's been waiting to get done along with new shit, and it's just like a huge race that I'm losing against the clock. So it's been really fucking tough.
I have the ideas for sauces ready to go and have been keeping an eye out for the right company to hook up with. I like the rush from it, and built up a pretty high threshold over time.
By early 2013 he had hooked up with CaJohn's Fiery Foods and the sauces were released:
Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal has partnered with CaJohns Fiery Foods Co. to launch his own line of gourmet hot sauces.
The Bumblefoot signature hot sauce line, which was unveiled on January 15 at the "Spicy Hound Extravaganza" release party at new York City's Times Square, is available now in seven different varieties: "Bumblicious!," "Bumblef**ked," "Normal," "Abnormal," "Uncool" and "Bumblebade."
John Hard, president of CaJohns Fiery Foods, said about Bumblefoot's hot sauce line: "Just minutes after making the products live online, they began selling at a rapid rate! It's been extremely impressive!"
The Bumblefoot signature hot sauce line, which was unveiled on January 15 at the "Spicy Hound Extravaganza" release party at new York City's Times Square, is available now in seven different varieties: "Bumblicious!," "Bumblef**ked," "Normal," "Abnormal," "Uncool" and "Bumblebade."
John Hard, president of CaJohns Fiery Foods, said about Bumblefoot's hot sauce line: "Just minutes after making the products live online, they began selling at a rapid rate! It's been extremely impressive!"
Bumblefoot's hot sauces
Describing the various sauces in the set:
Oh, it's good for everything, turkey, lamb, beef, chicken, all kinds of things you know, vegetarian as well. Yeah, I'm putting out my own line, finally, of Bumblefoot hot sauces and I've had these recipes in my head for years and I flew out during the residency, I flew out to Ohio to the company CaJohn's that's going to be bottling and manufacturing, and we were in their kitchens tweaking the recipes, finalizing everything. And it's good to go, all I have to do is just come up with the fonts that I want to use on the bottle. That's it. It's ready to go. It'll be out worldwide and some serious stuff, there is one... ok, I'm going to start my "spiel", we have Bumblelicious, a cherry bourbon flavor, very subtle, very flavorful, great for marinades, for glaze, for... and as well as a hot sauce. And it has slow, subtle kick that just kind of burns slowly, and it's mild, it's good. And then the other extreme is one called Bumblefucked and that one is... it has lime and ginger and it also has caffeine and ginseng and things that really will will review up, and within a few seconds you get pounded with six million Scoville units. That's three times the strongest commercial grade pepper spray weapons and... but the thing about my sauce is, no matter how hot they are, it never sacrifices flavor for as long as you're on fire that flavor is there. And everything is all natural, no preservatives. It is good stuff. I have one called Bumblebee, with ladies' pleasure in mind, it has chocolate and cherry and it is good for a cocktail, like some kind of spiced Black Russian, or it could be good if you want to kind of add a kick to your chocolate sundae or something like that. And proceeds from this one will go towards women's health issues. [?] I have a series that will be named after my albums, Normal, Uncool, Abnormal. Ah. the Normal sauce is almost like a salsa puree, it's very tomatoey but not as biting and vinegary, it's it's more of just a good salsa flavor to it with the Mediterranean oregano and things like that. It's mild. Good one for your chips. Then there's Uncool, not the most common sauce. This one has a bit of curry to it. Would go great with your Thai food, your Chinese food, your Indian food [?]. And then we have Abnormal which has tamarind and that one is very, very strong. Not for the... you know, not for beginners. So yeah, that is the first batch that I'm going to be putting out.
And finally after years I found a company that was working with me, we could bottle everything up. Yeah, so we worked it out with a company called CaJohns Fiery Food....[...] So yes, so with hot sauce CaJohns Fiery Foods, they're a fantastic company and they were willing to let me come in there with all my crazy ideas for the different sauces. I had a Bumblicious with cherry bourbon, it's mild, it's great on steak, any kind of barbecue type stuff as well as a hot sauce. Then there's a Bumblefucked which is the hottest one, it's crazy, it's got over 6 million Scoville units and heat of pain, it has ginger and tropical fruit flavors in there. I mean, and everything is all real ingredients, no preservatives, nothing fake, it's all natural. Gluten free. It's healthy stuff. [...] Yeah, and that one also I added a ginseng and caffeine so it's almost like a serious kick so yeah, it's almost like an energy shot, extreme hot sauce, Bumblefucked.
Flavors were inspired by life & experiences. Not unlike music & songs. Tasting local cuisines all over the world, I started thinking about what would be a complement to those dishes. For example, “Uncool”, with cumin and curry, goes great with Indian, Thai, Indonesian – that sauce is like a chameleon, it almost has a pesto flavor with certain dishes, very flavorful. I like when the sauce reacts differently to different foods. As one person posted about the “Normal” sauce, “the flavor starts like a salsa, but right after I noticed the smoky chipotle chile peppers with a little garlic maybe and ground cloves and turmeric. Nice mild flavor that starts as one flavor and changes into a great spicier flavor so felt like two in one like hot sauce was wrapped in salsa, given it a double kick!
I’ve been looking to do this for years and the pieces came together a few months ago. Now that the sauces are ready to be shared, I’m pretty f’kn excited about it! There’s mild flavorful cherry bourbon “Bumblicious!”, 6-Million-Scoville ginger-tropical-fruit-caffeine-ginseng high-energy super-hot “BumbleF**KED”, mild “Normal” sauce with Mediterranean herbs, medium-hot “Uncool” with curry & cumin, extra-hot “Abnormal” with tamari & tamarind, and sexy chocolate cherry “BumbleBabe” sauce with proceeds going to women’s health charities.
As for where the hot sauces will be available for purchase:
It will be anywhere where a hot sauce stores buyer is crazy enough to put my stuff on their shelves, as well as the internet. You will be able to find it worldwide, I'll make sure of it. I will hand deliver it to you if I must but you will eat my hot sauce and you will like it.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
2013
SLASH AND AXL TALK ABOUT A REUNIONSlash would state that the chance of a reunion had come and gone with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction:
We had the opportunity and it didn't happen...so there. [...] That was a long time ago. No one is concerned about it except the media -- and the fans are into it. It's not something that's really in the cards.
And Axl would discuss the various reasons other bands reunite and specify that it is not necessarily only a matter of money and prestige but that a "sense of priorities, principles, ethics, morals" also comes into it and must be balanced together to possibly reach a compromise:
In regard to other bands what another person or band does is just that, meaning it is what someone else chooses to do for whatever reasons. I, like anyone, can have an opinion about those choices but ultimately it's not my life or my band and how it affects my life is negligible. As for money and prestige, if one has an opportunity to make money and/or advance their position or place in life there can be a lot to weigh and consider, such as responsibilities, goals and objectives etc. We all make choices, deal with our sense of priorities, principles, ethics, morals, balancing, juggling, making compromises... or not! Ha!
When asked if a reunion was more important to fans than to them, Axl would emphasize that he is committed to the current band and that he wasn't particularly interested in revisiting the past:
I understand the "romantic" thing, the desire, the fantasy. Personally I haven't wanted other bands to reunite, or really enjoyed it when they have. For me generally something always seemed missing.
But Guns is my life, not someone else's. For me there hasn't been a way to make any type of reunion work regardless of money (either talk or legitimate) without jeopardizing what I feel is the well-being and best interests of nearly everyone I'm involved with in the GNR camp (including myself). People here have big investments of their lives in what we're doing. We've worked hard for what we have here now and continue to do so. I know what I went thru then. I know what I and all of us have gone thru since. People enjoyed the product and the entertainment our lives gave them back in the day, but they weren't the ones actually living those lives together. It's not somewhere I'd go back to or would want to go again. Life's too short.
But Guns is my life, not someone else's. For me there hasn't been a way to make any type of reunion work regardless of money (either talk or legitimate) without jeopardizing what I feel is the well-being and best interests of nearly everyone I'm involved with in the GNR camp (including myself). People here have big investments of their lives in what we're doing. We've worked hard for what we have here now and continue to do so. I know what I went thru then. I know what I and all of us have gone thru since. People enjoyed the product and the entertainment our lives gave them back in the day, but they weren't the ones actually living those lives together. It's not somewhere I'd go back to or would want to go again. Life's too short.
In March, Dizzy would be asked about a reunion:
Izzy and Duff have got up and done a few things with us but I don’t see the original band ever getting back together.
In October, Slash would seem somewhat open to it:
That's the $64,000 question. But it's not something that any of us have reached out to each other and said that we wanted to do thus far. So, rather than be a pessimist and say, 'No, it'll never happen,' it's not like I'm harboring a lot of resentment. But it's not something that we're all thinking about doing. So if it happens one day, it happens. If it doesn't, I don't think anybody's, you know, losing any sleep over it.
Around the same time, Marc Canter would again talk about the relationship between Axl and Slash:
[It is due to] miscommunications. "Slash is a liar," he says. Well, let's pick a subject, okay. The signing over the name of the band. Slash and Duff say that Doug Goldstein presented them this contract saying that the band's now Axl's, or the name's Axl's, or I don't know, I didn't read the contract, I don't know what in it, but basically giving the power to Axl. But not necessarily changing the money. I don't think it has to do.... It's just basically who was in charge of the band. They already knew from the past that there have been riots because whatever reason Axl is not going on the stage, or he missed a gig or missed a- [...] Well, I don't know enough if it was before, but Slash kind of sold it as if it was before a gig. It was like, "If we don't sign it, he's not going on". Well, yes, Slash said that. Does that mean, "If we don't sign it right now, he's not going on tonight?" I don't even think it was on the day of a gig. It could have been two weeks before a gig, it could have been three months before a gig, or it could have been the night of a gig. It doesn't matter. The truth is Slash and Duff knew that Axl meant business, Axl's never bluffed. But the thing is, Axl didn't say, "If they don't sign that, I'm not going on." Doug Goldstein sold it to them that way. And they knew Axl well enough to know, "Yes, that's probably true." And on top of that, they figured the band wasn't worth anything anyways without them. So what could Axl do with it? He's already getting his way. They didn't want to make $1,000,000 videos, yet they made $1,000,000 videos. They didn't want to play certain songs live, yet they did because Axl wanted them to. So Axl is pretty much getting his way anyways on most of the things, not all the things. Axl didn't want to do the tour in 1991, yet he did the tour, so Axl ate some shit, too. But the thing is, they pretty much knew Axl was getting his way anyways. They made a mistake by signing it, but they did it, they signed it. Had they not signed it, what would have happened is the band would have just simply broken up in 1995 when they couldn't agree on what direction to go in. It would be like Pink Floyd or something. They would have just split and right now Axl would be out touring with other people and the name just wouldn't be Guns N' Roses, it would be something else. But you still wouldn't see Guns N' Roses with Slash and Duff and Axl because they would have fallen apart in 1995. The truth is, because the name is so valuable, they might have eventually worked it out simply because they had to. But now they don't have to, because Axl simply owns the name and, you know, he could make it work with anybody. That's where that is gone. I always figured let him put a record or two out and then let Slash put a few records out and then they get all their shit out of their system and they'd be ready to work together, like Aerosmith did.
And what it would take to mend it but that it won't happen in 10 years:
They won't live long enough for it to happen. If they could live 200 years, it would happen. But see, the thing is, things move slowly. And the way things work and... Slash is ready for that. Izzy is ready for that. Duff is ready for that. Axl is not ready for that because Slash hasn't apologized. [...] If you're having an honest reunion, the way I would see it is Steven would be there for the Appetite For Destruction songs, maybe Civil War or something that he played, or Heaven's Door, and then you would see either the drummer Axl has now or Matt or somebody, it doesn't really matter because, you know, Matt really wasn't an original drummer. Yes, he was on Use Your Illusions and yes, he certainly made it work, but they don't necessarily have to have him, but they could. [...] But it's not going to happen because Slash is not going to apologize because in Slash's mind, Axl stole the band. You know, he did this or did that. I mean, Slash has a 100 things that he could say... that he could blame on Axl, and Axl has 100 things he could blame on Slash. In the end they wanted different things and that's why it didn't work. [...] It's not about the money. It's not like separate buses or separate hotels or separate this or separate that. It's not like, "I'll do it, but I don't want to see him." Axl, it's like victory or death. There's nothing in between. There's no way in hell he would do it as long as he's angry at Slash. Now, if somehow they got like a common therapist, marriage counselor type of person, and worked out that anger and got Axl to see that there actually is two sides to this and no one's really right or wrong, it's just different sides. Because right now he believes Slash is 110% wrong. When he believes that it's a 50-50 deal kind of a thing. Or it's a 0-0 deal, meaning it's no one's, really, fault, it had to be. He would, then.... he wouldn't drop the new guys, but he would possibly have a Guns N' Roses gig where you'd have... and maybe the new guys would open, do an hour set, and then the original lineup would come up and finish for an hour, hour and a half. He's got too much.... The new guys have been in longer than the old guys, and he's got loyalty there and he likes them and whatever else so that's fine. I have no problem with that, I like what Axl did after, you know, after the Appetite For Destruction lineup broke up. But, you know, Axl's gonna work good with anybody. It's just not gonna be the same. Put different cooks in the kitchen, the food's gonna taste good, it's not gonna be the same food. Even if you threw Slash and Izzy and Duff and Axl in the room together, made them write until they come out, whatever they come up with now is not going to be what they came up with in 198- [...] The lyrics, the music, the anger. I'm sure whatever they do now would be good, but it wouldn't be anything like.... We can't expect people would want Appetite Part 2. It's not gonna happen. [...] But if I was going to give a guess, really, honestly, if they was to ever to work together, I'd say wouldn't happen before 10 years from now.
Alice Cooper would agree it would eventually happen:
We took Guns N' Roses on their first tour, you know, and I knew Axl and Slash back when they first started and they were great. I mean, really, really great. And then, you know, when they broke up, you know, that of course was a gigantic mess pretty much because everybody liked everybody in the band. So there's, you know, they're going to pick sides. [...] I still think they're gonna get together again. I still think they'll get back together at some point.
Bumblefoot would be asked about his relationship with Slash, and suggest that Axl's antipathy towards Slash had made it impossible for him to share the stage with Slash earlier in the year:
That one I steer clear of. Simply because there's such a heated relationship between Axl and Slash. I don't want Axl to feel betrayed if I'm… I think it would bother him if… [Slash and I] have a lot of mutual friends, though.
[Slash and I] almost were in a situation when we might be on the same stage together in Las Vegas in July. I was playing with the bass player from Pantera, Rex Brown, and Brian Tichy on drums, who had played with Slash, and we were doing a bunch of Kiss covers in Vegas, just having fun. And it was the same night that Slash was doing his final show of his fun and he was in Vegas. Yeah, we were just playing not far from there, and there was talk that he was gonna come and play on stage. And I was, like, 'Hmmm….'
Because, for me, I don't have problems with anybody… Although I do have a couple of problems with Mr. Adler. 'Cause he tends to say some nasty things about the current band, and then I say some things back, and then he apologizes, and we make nice, and I talk to him, and then he says it again, he says something bad again. Steven, stop it! But even him, if I saw him, I'd give him a big, old hug. I'd tell him what a pain in my ass he is and then I'd give him a hug.
But there was talk leading up to that night, there were a lot of texts going back and forth between Slash and the guys I was with doing the Kiss stuff about him coming and joining on stage for a song. And I'm, like, I don't wanna be rude and step down, because that's just, like, insulting. If he gets on stage, like, 'Alright, you play,' and I'm walking off. But then if I do it, it's, like, that's kind of not cool at all to Axl, 'cause I know that he would feel really… So I was, like, 'Ahhh..what to do.' So there was just a lot of inter-texting and stuff, just kind of feeling it out with the guys on my end. It turned out that [Slash] had to grab a flight to Europe early the next morning, so he wasn't coming at the last minute, it wasn't happening.
I mean, I wasn't that worried about it, because I'm just like, 'You know what?! Whatever is gonna happen is gonna happen.' You've just gotta kind of trust your gut in situations. And honestly, no matter what, the world is not gonna crumble. It's a bunch of musicians jamming and having fun. Ultimately, that's all it's about.
[Slash and I] almost were in a situation when we might be on the same stage together in Las Vegas in July. I was playing with the bass player from Pantera, Rex Brown, and Brian Tichy on drums, who had played with Slash, and we were doing a bunch of Kiss covers in Vegas, just having fun. And it was the same night that Slash was doing his final show of his fun and he was in Vegas. Yeah, we were just playing not far from there, and there was talk that he was gonna come and play on stage. And I was, like, 'Hmmm….'
Because, for me, I don't have problems with anybody… Although I do have a couple of problems with Mr. Adler. 'Cause he tends to say some nasty things about the current band, and then I say some things back, and then he apologizes, and we make nice, and I talk to him, and then he says it again, he says something bad again. Steven, stop it! But even him, if I saw him, I'd give him a big, old hug. I'd tell him what a pain in my ass he is and then I'd give him a hug.
But there was talk leading up to that night, there were a lot of texts going back and forth between Slash and the guys I was with doing the Kiss stuff about him coming and joining on stage for a song. And I'm, like, I don't wanna be rude and step down, because that's just, like, insulting. If he gets on stage, like, 'Alright, you play,' and I'm walking off. But then if I do it, it's, like, that's kind of not cool at all to Axl, 'cause I know that he would feel really… So I was, like, 'Ahhh..what to do.' So there was just a lot of inter-texting and stuff, just kind of feeling it out with the guys on my end. It turned out that [Slash] had to grab a flight to Europe early the next morning, so he wasn't coming at the last minute, it wasn't happening.
I mean, I wasn't that worried about it, because I'm just like, 'You know what?! Whatever is gonna happen is gonna happen.' You've just gotta kind of trust your gut in situations. And honestly, no matter what, the world is not gonna crumble. It's a bunch of musicians jamming and having fun. Ultimately, that's all it's about.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
FEBRUARY 13, 2013
THE BAND PLAYS AT SOHO HOUSE IN LOS ANGELESOn February 13, the band did an acoustic surprise show at Soho House, which was apparently a private house in Bel Air, to honor Tommy Hilfiger's new store in Los Angeles. The band played after Alicia Keys. Chris did not play this show. This was the first show of 2013.
Before the show, Tommy was unsure what would happen:
What happened it was supposed to be a stripped-down show and, you know, I wasn't sure if I was even gonna be needed on it, if it was gonna be that stripped down, maybe just guitar players that do it. And then it kind of kept coming back and forth and then the venue changed, it was like, "Now you gotta come out," and I was like, "Okay." [...] It's at the Soho House for some Tommy Hilfiger party, I'm not sure exactly, anything more than that, said it's kind of a one-off, you know. [...] You know what, man, I'm just gonna show up. I don't know what I'm gonna do yet, I don't know how I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna show up.
WTF podcast, June 6, 2013; interview from before February 13
February 13, 2013
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
FEBRUARY 22, 2013
THE BLOWOUT PROJECT WITH CHRIS, FRANK AND BUMBLEFOOTChris Pitman & Frank Ferrer & I have a band together called 'Blowout', we play electronic music mixed with classic rock & live guitar & drums.
On February 22, 2013, Chris, Frank and Bumblefoot did a show in Floriapolis, Brazil, named The Blowout Project [O Globo, February 20, 2013]. The project was about playing famous covers in a "modern context" and was Chris' idea [O Globo, February 20, 2013].
Let's bring together Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Guns, Sex Pistols, the Ramones and James Brown on the same stage, all placed in a modern context. People will surely know most of the songs.
After the show:
I came down to play a show Friday night at the Posh Club and it was fantastic. It's a electronic DJ show and as always it's amazing playing for Brazilian fans. People are just so receptive and nice. So we had a great time and my other buddies who play with me flew back to the United States, I stayed here to see the tennis match.
It was great to come back to Brasil in February with Blowout, we had a fantastic time in Florianopolis! Hope we can play more shows all around Brasil
Later in the year:
Chris was my very first friend in the band - from before I was even in the band. From 2004. We were talking back then, and he was the first hug I ever got in Guns N' Roses! He's my bro. He is a very artistic guy, a great painter, great artist. Very interesting with electronic music. Great singer, too, and songwriter. His band, SexTapes - I don't know if you've heard that album, but it's fucking fantastic. The only way I can describe it is Tool meets David Bowie. That's what I get out of it when I hear it. It's really cool. So, I have something with Frank and Chris. It's Chris' brainchild - his baby. It's this electronic music where he brings in all these rock elements. I play live guitar, Frank plays live drums, and Chris is making all the crazy sounds and he's like the dj. We throw in some vocals, and it's called Blowout. We did a show down in Brazil, and it was fun as hell. I'm hoping we can get to do more of that. That was a great time, just the three of us having fun.
In early 2015, Bumblefoot would be asked about the status of the project:
There is no status, that’s not happening. Yeah, we did one show and everyone is too busy doing other things so that’s just not going to happen.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
MARCH 2, 2013
BUMBLEFOOT: "I'M THE ONLY THAT DOESN'T BULLSHIT YOU"During a live chat at the National Fiery Foods and Barbeque Show, Bumblefoot claimed to be the only one in Guns N' Roses not bullshitting the fans about a new album, stating again that they still haven't worked on new music:
You know what?! Just forget about a new record until it happens. I mean, I can't even begin… How long have we been talking about a new fucking record? And I'm the only that doesn't bullshit you people about it and I say, no, we haven't been in the studio together; no, we haven't started writing together as a band.
Bumblefoot would also reiterate that all they had was old music and that he was pushing for the band to come together to write new music:
If something came out at this point, it would be very old material that is just being released now. So it would be unheard material, but to me, I don't consider that a new record, I consider that just releasing old material from a band that doesn't exist anymore. And we need to make an album of this band right now. And I hit up Axl again two days ago. I was, like, 'Hey, while we're in Australia, let's make some music. Let's work on some stuff.' But we'll see what happens.
I'm all about making music; that's why I make music — to make music. So I'd like to really do that. I would be very happy if Guns N' Roses could do that. We'll see what happens. That's all I can say. I mean, at this point, we're just doing shows and doing shows and doing shows. And the shows are great and we're having fun and everything. But I've got the itch. I've had the itch for a long fucking time. I wanna make some music with these motherfuckers. It's a damn good band and we should really have the opportunity to give what we can to all of you, and make some music for you.
If anyone reads any of my long-ass interviews where I am ranting like I am right now, you know how I feel about it and that's what I'm about. All I can say is, look, it's not up to me. It's gotta be unanimous, so I hope unanimously at some point everyone says, 'Alright, let's just put life to the side, everything to the side, and just focus on this and make it happen and make some music together.' I think it would be fucking great, and I hope it happens.
I'm all about making music; that's why I make music — to make music. So I'd like to really do that. I would be very happy if Guns N' Roses could do that. We'll see what happens. That's all I can say. I mean, at this point, we're just doing shows and doing shows and doing shows. And the shows are great and we're having fun and everything. But I've got the itch. I've had the itch for a long fucking time. I wanna make some music with these motherfuckers. It's a damn good band and we should really have the opportunity to give what we can to all of you, and make some music for you.
If anyone reads any of my long-ass interviews where I am ranting like I am right now, you know how I feel about it and that's what I'm about. All I can say is, look, it's not up to me. It's gotta be unanimous, so I hope unanimously at some point everyone says, 'Alright, let's just put life to the side, everything to the side, and just focus on this and make it happen and make some music together.' I think it would be fucking great, and I hope it happens.
And that it would take some time before the band was ready to release an album with newly written music:
But as far as seeing a new album in the future, I don't see it in the near future, no. It's gonna be a while — if it's gonna be with this band writing from the beginning.
So, yeah, there's reality for you. I wish I had something better I can tell you, guys, because we all want the same thing — we want new music; me and you.
So, yeah, there's reality for you. I wish I had something better I can tell you, guys, because we all want the same thing — we want new music; me and you.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
MARCH 9-20, 2013
THE 2013 AUSTRALIAN TOURAfter the one-off show at Soho House in Los Angeles in February, the 2013 touring started properly with six shows in Australia from March 9 to 20, The first show took place a the Perth Arena in Perth on March 9.
Excerpt of review from News Limited Network:
ARE Guns N' Roses days as a live band knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door?
Kicking off their national tour at Perth Arena last night, legendary frontman Axl Rose, the only remaining original member of the hard rock band, delivered a hit and miss vocal performance.
While there is little doubt the band know how to make an entrance - literally exploding onto the stage in a burst of pyrotechnics and launching straight into Chinese Democracy - the singer struggled to hit all the right notes.
However, the band, which includes DJ Ashba on guitar, Dizzy Reed on keys, Tommy Stinson on bass, Richard Fortus on guitar, Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal on guitar, Chris Pitman on keyboards and Frank Ferrrer on drums, were undeniably tight as they made their way through hits including Welcome To The Jungle, Estranged, Better, Live and Let Die and I Used To Love Her.
Kicking off their national tour at Perth Arena last night, legendary frontman Axl Rose, the only remaining original member of the hard rock band, delivered a hit and miss vocal performance.
While there is little doubt the band know how to make an entrance - literally exploding onto the stage in a burst of pyrotechnics and launching straight into Chinese Democracy - the singer struggled to hit all the right notes.
However, the band, which includes DJ Ashba on guitar, Dizzy Reed on keys, Tommy Stinson on bass, Richard Fortus on guitar, Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal on guitar, Chris Pitman on keyboards and Frank Ferrrer on drums, were undeniably tight as they made their way through hits including Welcome To The Jungle, Estranged, Better, Live and Let Die and I Used To Love Her.
After the show in Perth, one unlucky concert-goer, Darren Wright, got hit in his mouth when Axl tossed the microphone at the end of the show:
With the bright lights and explosions, I couldn't see anything. The next thing I knew, I was whacked in the mouth. I thought I had been punched. I was quite stunned and it took a few seconds to realise what was going on. I could feel bits of teeth in my mouth. Then someone is climbing through my legs to grab the microphone. [...] I don't think he intended to do it, but it came at me at a fairly flat and hard trajectory. Those cordless microphones are not light. I'm surprised it didn't do more damage. At the very least, I want someone to pay to get my teeth fixed.
Wright engaged a Perth law firm to start legal proceedings against Axl [The West Australian, March 13, 2013].
Then followed shows at the Allphones Arena in Sydney on March 12 and at the Hunter Stadium in New Lambton on March 13.
Excerpt of the New Lambton show in Newcastle Herald:
THE glory days and all but one of the original line-up may be gone, but rock classics like Sweet Child O’ Mine, Patience and Welcome to the Jungle ensure that Guns N’ Roses remain a force to be reckoned with live.
Newcastle Entertainment Centre was the place to be for rock fans last night, and Axl Rose was the man they came to see.
The question on everyone’s lips – would he be on time, if he showed at all?
Fortunately he did, trading the micro-bicycle shorts and hi-top sneakers that marked his early ’90s stadium days for ripped jeans, an open shirt, sunglasses and a black hat.
The legendary – and controversial – frontman knows how to put on a good show, giving an energetic display after taking to the stage accompanied by an impressive light show, even if his vocal cords strained to reach those famously high notes at times.
Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler and Duff McKagan no longer grace the stage with the infamous redhead, but the new Gunners crew have their own personalities and made an impression.
There wasn’t much talk, it was non-stop rock. Just the way it should be.
Newcastle Entertainment Centre was the place to be for rock fans last night, and Axl Rose was the man they came to see.
The question on everyone’s lips – would he be on time, if he showed at all?
Fortunately he did, trading the micro-bicycle shorts and hi-top sneakers that marked his early ’90s stadium days for ripped jeans, an open shirt, sunglasses and a black hat.
The legendary – and controversial – frontman knows how to put on a good show, giving an energetic display after taking to the stage accompanied by an impressive light show, even if his vocal cords strained to reach those famously high notes at times.
Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Steven Adler and Duff McKagan no longer grace the stage with the infamous redhead, but the new Gunners crew have their own personalities and made an impression.
There wasn’t much talk, it was non-stop rock. Just the way it should be.
While in Australia, Richard would talk about touring this country:
I’ve toured Australia a few times before. Once with the Psychedelic Furs, once with Rihanna and Chris Brown and twice with Gn’R. I love playing in Australia. Great crowds and it feels more like the US than any other country in the world. [...] Every time we’ve been here, the crowds have been very warm and welcoming and have a great energy. What’s particularly outstanding about the Australian crowds on this run, has been the large demographic that I have been noticing in attendance. It’s been really inspiring to see how many generations are so enthusiastically participating in the Gn’R concert experience.
Before the next show, Dizzy would be asked what fans could expect:
You’re going to hear the hits, cool, deeper cuts, and some new stuff.
When the interviewer reacted with surprise to "new music", Dizzy quickly explained:
By ‘new songs’, I was referring to songs from Chinese Democracy. I don’t think we’ll be trying out any new material but, you never know, anything could happen. We have a long repertoire that’s a little bit different every show. We don’t actually have a set list; never have.
Then followed two shows at Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne (March 16 and 17) and at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane (March 20).
In late 2014, Richard would talk about Rose Tattoo and having Angry Anderson join them on stage to sing Nice Boys:
[...] I think we're all pretty big fans [of Rose Tattoo]. [...] Yes, Rose Tattoo has opened for GN'R a couple of times, the last couple times we've been here. And it's great. We love having them. And Angry usually gets up and does Nice Boys with us. But a lot of times they'll do sound check with us and play, like, old Humble Pie songs and stuff. What a voice, that guy.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
THE HARD PARTYING DAYS ARE OVER
Most of us have all calmed out shit way down, aside from some cocktails here and there. None of those kind of shenanigans. Certainly no one shooting up dope.
When I joined the band, it was almost self-destructive. It was just consume, consume and do whatever the hell we wanted. It’s not really like that any more. It’s more of a business, but we’re still a band. That’s what people need to realize. I’ve mellowed out quite a bit. The booze and the drugs and whatever else, that’s not as much a part of it now.
We're older now, we're more mature and we've been through all that clichéd rock'n'roll stuff [chuckles]. Not that we don't have fun or still do crazy stupid stuff, but I think we're a little more discreet about things now. I can't go out partying every night and then still do what I do onstage. We're human beings at the end of the day, but we're still alive and we're still lucky to be doing this, and I'm always appreciative of that.
I think there is more strength in this line-up. I know happiness is relevant but we do still have our mix of good days and bad days but I love this new line-up. Well it’s not new so I love our current line-up, probably more than any of the other line-ups that we’ve had and I’m totally into it and hope that we can stay together for a long time, knock on wood.
I still enjoy having a few beverages now and then, but time will dictate what you can and can’t do. If you don’t adhere to that, then the side effects can be damaging. You’ve just got to go with the flow. Yes, we’re musicians and yes, we’re in a rock ‘n’ roll band and at the end of the day you’re just a human being and you can only do so much. But you can have a few drinks every now and then, and relax and have a good time. There’s nothing wrong with that.
I enjoy some drinks now and then, but certainly not like I used to. I probably take the chance to appreciate things more nowadays. Not that I didn’t appreciate what was happening back in the day; I just didn’t know what I was meant to be appreciating. Now I realise how damned lucky I am!
The nights of coming home after a show and just going to bed are a little more frequent than they used to be but we still like to have fun. We still like to party. This is rock ’n’ roll at the end of the day. Basically we let our bodies tell us what we can and can’t do. We still like to have a good time. We’re not total nincompoops just yet!
But, you know, I don't know about the whole 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas' thing these days, but, you know, a lot of times, you know, these days it's like we get done with the show and I'm like, "You know what? I'm gonna go to bed now." Maybe twenty years ago there's no way that would happen, but, you know, we all get older [...]
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
MARCH 24-30, 2013
SHOWS IN MALAYSIA, UAE AND LEBANONAfter having toured Australia the band travelled to Malaysia for their firsts how ion this country at Sepang International Circuit in Selangor on March 24.
The crowd here in Malaysia was insane last night!
Twitter, March 25, 2013[/url]
Then followed a show at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on March 28.
Bumblefoot looking back at their time in Abu Dhabi:
We were there for a couple of days, and I remember we would go to this bar that was by the hotel. We made a lot of friends with other people that were there - some really nice, wonderful people. One of the women there was from Lebanon, and she didn't know anything about me, and I didn't know anything about her. We all had a wonderful time, just hanging out. Just being people, just being normal. She started talking to me and told me she was from Lebanon, and she'd never actually met a Jewish person before. And she was not young. She had to be in her 30's or 40's. And I was the first Jewish person she met. She said, “you know what, if you're an example of a Jewish person, then I like Jews”. [...] And you realize it's not about being a Jewish person. It's about being a person. We're all people first, and everything else is just a label that really does not define who we are. We are defined by the person we are. The more I travel, the more I tour, and the more people I meet in different parts of the world, the more I realize that we all have a common spirit. And it tends to be complicated by so many outside things. There are so many things that bring us together, and it's really a shame when we look at the things that separate us, or the things that make us different and look at them as something bad. Everybody's different, yet everybody's the same at the same time. There are the things that make us unique, there are the things that make us individual, yet they're the things that make us all part of this one entire web of humanity that is truly one being. It's good to acknowledge and accept all of that. Probably the greatest thing I've gotten out of touring is going to places where people tell you that you're not welcome. You realize that everybody has the same things in their spirit that they want and need, just as human beings. And it's consistent. It's something that's part of our genetics, part of our makeup, part of everything, and it's with everybody. And we tend to lose sight of it with all this other stuff, but if you take away the bullshit, all the little things, all the day-to-day crap, everything that we're told for some other reason, you will see that we're a common existence. Everyone's kind of tied together.
Unknown source, October 10, 2013[/url]
Then the band travelled to Lebanon for a show at Forum de Beirut in Beirut on March 30.
Curiously, before the show in Beirut, Richard would talk about having played in that city before:
Last time we were there [=in Beirut] it was an interesting experience! [...] We had a wonderful time there, the audience was fantastic, the people were beautiful, and then we went to leave, and they took our passports and told us to return to our hotel. We weren’t going to get on the plane, and they weren’t going to tell us anything. It turned out that somebody wanted us to meet their daughter!! We weren’t allowed to leave until that happened!!
But this was GN'R's first show in Lebanon, so most likely Richard is mixing it up with something that happened in another city.
And Tommy would not look forward to the show, although he could have been joking:
We’re going to Beirut. There’s a civil war happening, I think. Our gig is already hotly protested. I’m looking forward to it not really at all.
Review of the concert in Beirut Nightlife:
True Rock Stars Guns N’ Roses Shake Up Lebanon
The true legends of rock Guns N’ Roses performed at a massive concert in Lebanon at the Forum De Beyrouth on Saturday March 30. For those that couldn’t attend, we’re sorry to say you missed something historic and extraordinary! The concert was of epic proportions and gave the audience exactly what they were looking for – a real rock concert by the band that has been setting a flawless example for rock stars everywhere for almost 30 years.
Before the legends took to the stage, two opening acts from Lebanon wowed audiences with their talent. The Wanton Bishops opened the event with three of their original hit songs including “Smith and Wesson”, “Oh Wee” and “Sleep with the Lights On” as well as a cover. Shortly afterwards Near Surface took over the stage for an awesome and energetic performance of their hits, including the widely popular “Now You’re Here”.
After these were over, and as technicians began to bring on the Guns N’ Roses instruments, screams of unsurpassed excitement anticipation could be heard from the audience who could hardly contain themselves! These sounds of excitement could be heard through the sound check and as the instruments were tested.
And then the moment finally arrived when, one by one, the band members of the one and only Guns N’ Roses started popping up on stage, one by one – Axel Rose being the last. In his trademark cowboy hat, the one original member still left in the band appeared and began to belt out song after song in his characteristic shrill voice, only matched by the thrilled shouts of the crowd. Almost 30 years with the band, and Axel Rose has definitely still got it, with infinite amounts of energy and a voice that still has the same power and emotion as ever.
In his ripped jeans, sunglasses and leather jacket, Axel jumped around the stage and threw the mic stand around in true rock star style while singing epic GNR hits like Welcome to the Jungle, Live and Let Die, Better, Sweet Child of Mine, November Rain, Don’t Cry, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, and Paradise City. Fans really got an amazing and rich experience, with the band singing almost 30 songs during their 3 hours on stage.
During the concert Axel Rose stopped to introduce the other members of the band, at which point huge cheers came from the audience for each of the members, who included keyboardist Dizzy Reed, lead guitarists DJ Ashba and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, lead and rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus, bassist Tommy Stinson, drummer Frank Ferrer and keyboardist Chris Pitman.
The guitar players and bassists also maneuvered all over the stage, climbing on various parts of the set while playing, especially during their impressive solos during and in between songs, and even shaking hands with some of the spectators in the front rows. Their interaction with the crowd was really incredible and the band’s energy became one with that of the listeners.
Visually, the concert was stunning too. The graphics on the LED screens in the background featured amazing images that ranged from dolphins, Chinese symbols, explosions, roses and of course, hot women. Laser beams and great lighting beamed up through the venue and created an atmosphere perfect for a rock concert.
The diverse crowd included people of all ages, from the young who had always heard about the legends and wanted to see them in person, to the older crowd who grew up with GNR hits as the soundtrack to their young lives and wanted to relive those moments. Wide-ranging people with all kinds of fashion choices and hair styles could be seen, all coming together to celebrate the music of one of the greatest bands of the last few decades. Everyone collectively went wild when they heard their favorite songs being played, with many in the crowd jumping, head banging, dancing and just enjoying some of the best ever rock music.
Axel got the audience to do some of the singing too, not only encouraging them to sing along to popular records (not that they needed any encouragement) but also when he announced that it was drummer Frank Ferrer’s birthday and had everyone in the venue sing happy birthday to Frank.
The crowd got a sweet and unexpected surprise when Guns N’ Roses covered Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall, with Axel on the Piano. This musical wonder went strait into GNR megahit November Rain, and the audience could hardly handle their excitement for such a combination. After this the band paused their tunes for a few moments and played a rock version of the Lebanese National Anthem before sending the crowd into a frenzie with Don’t Cry. Many held up their hands and did a wave to the slow and beautiful melody.
Just when we thought the concert ended, the band came back out to perform some more for the audience who just couldn’t get enough. The last song was possibly the greatest and most energetic performances of all, Paradise City. It all ended with a bang when a gigantic cloud of red confetti and smoke was thrown into the air, covering the venue in an amazing red glow. The legendary and incredibly talented Guns N’ Roses took a bow, guitar picks were thrown into the audience, and Axel thanked everyone from coming out, wished Lebanon a Happy Easter and told them to stay away from the “popo”.
What an amazing night spent with talents that can never be equaled. We the Beirutnightlife.com team had the time of our lives making history with Guns N’ Roses and the real rock fans of the country. We hope you did too!
The true legends of rock Guns N’ Roses performed at a massive concert in Lebanon at the Forum De Beyrouth on Saturday March 30. For those that couldn’t attend, we’re sorry to say you missed something historic and extraordinary! The concert was of epic proportions and gave the audience exactly what they were looking for – a real rock concert by the band that has been setting a flawless example for rock stars everywhere for almost 30 years.
Before the legends took to the stage, two opening acts from Lebanon wowed audiences with their talent. The Wanton Bishops opened the event with three of their original hit songs including “Smith and Wesson”, “Oh Wee” and “Sleep with the Lights On” as well as a cover. Shortly afterwards Near Surface took over the stage for an awesome and energetic performance of their hits, including the widely popular “Now You’re Here”.
After these were over, and as technicians began to bring on the Guns N’ Roses instruments, screams of unsurpassed excitement anticipation could be heard from the audience who could hardly contain themselves! These sounds of excitement could be heard through the sound check and as the instruments were tested.
And then the moment finally arrived when, one by one, the band members of the one and only Guns N’ Roses started popping up on stage, one by one – Axel Rose being the last. In his trademark cowboy hat, the one original member still left in the band appeared and began to belt out song after song in his characteristic shrill voice, only matched by the thrilled shouts of the crowd. Almost 30 years with the band, and Axel Rose has definitely still got it, with infinite amounts of energy and a voice that still has the same power and emotion as ever.
In his ripped jeans, sunglasses and leather jacket, Axel jumped around the stage and threw the mic stand around in true rock star style while singing epic GNR hits like Welcome to the Jungle, Live and Let Die, Better, Sweet Child of Mine, November Rain, Don’t Cry, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, and Paradise City. Fans really got an amazing and rich experience, with the band singing almost 30 songs during their 3 hours on stage.
During the concert Axel Rose stopped to introduce the other members of the band, at which point huge cheers came from the audience for each of the members, who included keyboardist Dizzy Reed, lead guitarists DJ Ashba and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, lead and rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus, bassist Tommy Stinson, drummer Frank Ferrer and keyboardist Chris Pitman.
The guitar players and bassists also maneuvered all over the stage, climbing on various parts of the set while playing, especially during their impressive solos during and in between songs, and even shaking hands with some of the spectators in the front rows. Their interaction with the crowd was really incredible and the band’s energy became one with that of the listeners.
Visually, the concert was stunning too. The graphics on the LED screens in the background featured amazing images that ranged from dolphins, Chinese symbols, explosions, roses and of course, hot women. Laser beams and great lighting beamed up through the venue and created an atmosphere perfect for a rock concert.
The diverse crowd included people of all ages, from the young who had always heard about the legends and wanted to see them in person, to the older crowd who grew up with GNR hits as the soundtrack to their young lives and wanted to relive those moments. Wide-ranging people with all kinds of fashion choices and hair styles could be seen, all coming together to celebrate the music of one of the greatest bands of the last few decades. Everyone collectively went wild when they heard their favorite songs being played, with many in the crowd jumping, head banging, dancing and just enjoying some of the best ever rock music.
Axel got the audience to do some of the singing too, not only encouraging them to sing along to popular records (not that they needed any encouragement) but also when he announced that it was drummer Frank Ferrer’s birthday and had everyone in the venue sing happy birthday to Frank.
The crowd got a sweet and unexpected surprise when Guns N’ Roses covered Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall, with Axel on the Piano. This musical wonder went strait into GNR megahit November Rain, and the audience could hardly handle their excitement for such a combination. After this the band paused their tunes for a few moments and played a rock version of the Lebanese National Anthem before sending the crowd into a frenzie with Don’t Cry. Many held up their hands and did a wave to the slow and beautiful melody.
Just when we thought the concert ended, the band came back out to perform some more for the audience who just couldn’t get enough. The last song was possibly the greatest and most energetic performances of all, Paradise City. It all ended with a bang when a gigantic cloud of red confetti and smoke was thrown into the air, covering the venue in an amazing red glow. The legendary and incredibly talented Guns N’ Roses took a bow, guitar picks were thrown into the audience, and Axel thanked everyone from coming out, wished Lebanon a Happy Easter and told them to stay away from the “popo”.
What an amazing night spent with talents that can never be equaled. We the Beirutnightlife.com team had the time of our lives making history with Guns N’ Roses and the real rock fans of the country. We hope you did too!
Beirut Nightlife, March 31, 2013[/url]
Talking about the show in Beirut:
You can see the damage, building are blown out, there's bullet holes everywhere, cut to the people who promoted the show who could have been the nicest people on the planet. Totally gracious, hard-working, they took care of all of our needs. And we have a very big cast of characters in the Guns N' Roses camp, between the band and the crew. It was just awesome. And after the show I got to hang out with them a little, sightseeing such and stuff, and I got to really like them
CD102.5, April 11, 2013[/url]
Thank you SO MUCH #Beirut for being a fantastic audience!! It was an honor to be with you tonight Wish we had more time together...
Twitter, March 31, 2013[/url]
Lebanon was something I was definitely looking forward to, ‘cause that was my first time, and our first time together. You don't know what to expect, and people always fill your head with ideas - their own ideas - and it's always the people with the least experience that have the strongest opinions. Always. And the harshest opinions. [Being asked who] Anybody. Every human being in all walks of your life. Whether it's family, friends, strangers, people in the business, or people that have nothing to do with anything. They will all have the strongest opinions to give you about the things that they have the least experience with. They'll tell you what it's gonna be like there and what to watch out for. Yet they've never been there. They only go by what they see on the news. And if it's on the news, it's because the out-of-the-ordinary, most extreme situation is going on. I go to Israel, and people say, “don't go, everybody's just throwing rocks at each other all the time!”, and then I'm gonna go to Lebanon, and they're gonna say, “don't go, they're gonna shoot you on sight because, you know, you're you - you're an American jew, they're gonna kill you!”. [...] I couldn't have been treated more lovingly and more welcome - in both places. The funny thing I've noticed about Lebanon and Israel is that they're so close to each other, you can walk from one to the other, and the people are so similar. And what's in everybody's hearts is all the same. The only thing that separates them is a line on a map - and a lot of things that have nothing to do with the human spirit. It could be issues with history, issues with politics - and these are legitimate issues that people can have. But when you strip everything away, and you're just looking at the core of a human being, they're brothers and sisters. They really are. For the month before playing Lebanon, I was getting a lot of hateful messages from a small group that had their own agenda, that didn't want me to go because I had played the Israeli national anthem in Israel. It's not like I played it in Lebanon! And they were just looking for any reason that they could attack me, so that if I responded, it would bring more attention to their group. So we all just ignored it. We just didn't respond. And it turns out it's something they're doing to everybody that's visiting. That's their agenda - they're just trying to gain attention for themselves and for their own politics.
Unknown source, October 10, 2013[/url]
You can see the damage, the buildings are blown out, there's bullet holes everywhere. [...] the people that promoted our show, which couldn't have been nicer people on the planet, they were just totally gracious and hard working. They took care of all of our needs, and we have a very big cast of characters in the Guns N' Roses camp between the band and the crew. They were just awesome.
After the show, Tommy played some songs at a local bar:
And so, after a show I got to hang out with them a little bit, you know, a little sightseeing and such and stuff. And I just got to really like them. And after being there for an extra day or so, it's like, "You know, maybe I will go play," because them asked me, somebody had asked me to, you know, to come play this Radio Beirut place the night after we played. And I'm like, "Yeah, you know, I don't know. I don't feel like jamming with anyone necessarily. But thanks a lot, I appreciate the offer." Cut to a day after that, I'm thinking to myself, "You know, maybe I do feel like going and playing some songs in a pub or something. So maybe I'll do that." And I asked my promoter at [?] what she thought about she goes, "Oh, I'd figure it out." So I called Radio Beirut and I guess they didn't want me to do it so she found a bar that she knew the people that owned it. And I put the tables together and stood up and played a set [?]l Lots of people showed up. There was a lot of fun. [...] the cool thing is one of the bands that played with us is called the Wanton Bishops. You gotta check them out. One of the two of the guys, the singer and guitar player, man, were at my little pub show, great harmonica player this guy. So I had him play and sit in a couple songs and play, you know, two songs, I had. The key is E, you know, he had a C harp with him and it was just the fucking [?], it was awesome.
In May, Bumblefoot would talk about the various jams the guitarists would do between songs:
Those jams were all created spontaneously while on stage. No planning, someone will say “Bumble, go out there & do something” and I grab a guitar and start doing something that would make a nice intro to the next song. After a few times, something will stick and other guys start joining in. Over time it develops an arrangement and we improvise to it... watching those jams, you're actually watching the band write music – that's how it happens, only instead of us jamming in a studio, it's with all of you.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
THE MOST DANGEROUS UNPREDICTABLE BAND IN THE WORLD
In 2011, DJ would be asked if Guns N' Roses was still the most dangerous band in the world:
It’s pretty dangerous, but I think in a good way. I don’t think Axl is getting arrested as much anymore.
The shows are just unbelievable — tons of fire, rockets and bombs, and it’s just high energy from song one until the end. As soon as the lights go down, you see bomb fires going off and just crazy stuff, gates flying up in the air and people flying up in the air.
At Rockin’ Rio, we played to 100,000 people and it was just incredible, just the energy. I think what makes it so dangerous and reckless is you never know what song is coming up next.
The shows are just unbelievable — tons of fire, rockets and bombs, and it’s just high energy from song one until the end. As soon as the lights go down, you see bomb fires going off and just crazy stuff, gates flying up in the air and people flying up in the air.
At Rockin’ Rio, we played to 100,000 people and it was just incredible, just the energy. I think what makes it so dangerous and reckless is you never know what song is coming up next.
He would elaborate on this in 2013 when asked if they were still the most dangerous band in the world:
We’re the most unpredictable. [...] We’re naturally reckless. You never see the same show twice. Really. Even we never know what is going to happen.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
2013-2016
THE DEAD DAISIES WITH RICHARD AND DIZZY (AND FRANK)In 2013, Richard joined the "supergroup" The Dead Daisies together with Davy Lowy (guitar), Jon Stevens (INXS), Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake/Thin Lizzy; bass) and Charley Drayton (The Cult; drums).
I came in to it through Charley Drayton, whenever Charley calls!! For my money, he’s the greatest drummer on the planet, and whenever I work with him, I walk away with better vision.
Playing with the Dead Daisies is a total blast for me. I get to play with some great players and play some great songs. For my money, there is not a better drummer on the planet than Charley Drayton. Every time I play with that guy, I walk away a better musician.
I like to blame Charley Drayton for [getting me in the Dead Daisies]. [...] Yeah, Charley called me about it a while ago and said, "What's your next year looking like?" And I mean, when Charley calls... Charley's like my... He's like one of my favorite musicians on the planet. Like whenever I play with Charley Drayton, I know I'm gonna walk away a better musician, you know? Seriously, he's that kind of player, you know?
The shows Richard would do with the Daisies in the first half of 2013 took place in March-May.
Talking about his rig when playing with the Daisies:
For the Daisies, I wanted to go for a very classic type of tone. It’s a very similar set up to the rig I used last year when I was touring with Thin Lizzy. I’m using a ’68 50 watt Marshall PA head that was modded by Obeid Khan. It’s my favorite plexi that I own. The 1st channel is a stock plexi tone. The 2nd is like jumping the treble and bass inputs, but the bass is not flubby or squishy. It’s nice and tight and fat. It was the inspiration for the 1st channel of my Voodoo Signature head (R4-100), that I use in my main Gn’R rig. The 3rd channel of the head dumps in to the 4th and uses the extra preamp tube for a more saturated sound. It’s an incredibly fast and aggressive tone. I am using a Bonamassa wah into a Klon Klone that a buddy made for me (changed a couple of things that I didn’t like about my Klon), into a Strymon El Capistan. I’m playing a James Trussart Steel O Matic (strat) for most of the set. It’s a guitar that James built for me with a reversed headstock and the bridge pickup is angled backwards (like a left-handed guitar). The pickups are copies of my favorite sounding Strat that I own (a ’60 slab board). It’s an amazing sounding guitar. It’s very different for me, as I haven’t played a strat live in about 15 years.
The Dead Daisies LPAugust, 2013
LOCK 'N' LOAD FEATURING SLASH
One of the song off the band forthcoming album, Lock 'N' Load, would feature lead guitar work from Slash. When Richard was asked how this happened he would say it happened before he joined the band and that it had not been his idea:
trust me, it wasn't my idea! The song was done before I was asked to play with the band.
In 2015, Richard would talk about not wanting to play with Slash out of respect for Axl:
[Lock 'N' Load] was recorded before I was in the band. I wouldn't do that out of respect to Axl. Not that he would make a big deal out of it. But after all the s--- that's gone down between those two guys it would be a real slap in the face. Slash wanted to sit in when I was with Thin Lizzy and I told Scott Gorham, the other guitar player, 'If Slash wants to sit in he can use my gear, my amp, and my guitars.' But just out of respect for my friend I can't stand on the same stage with Slash. And nobody asked me to do that, it's just a personal thing. And it's no slight to Slash, he's one of the greatest guitar players ever. I just can't do it out of respect for my friend [laughs].
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2013: DIZZY AND FRANK JOINS FOR THE UPROAR TOUR IN THE STATES
When the band came to USA to join the Uproar tour together with Alice In Chains, Jane's Addiction and Duff's Walking Papers, among others, Dizzy joined them as keyboard player:
Well, I heard about this group when Guns N' Roses were here last time. Now, Richard was, on our off days, playing with this band called The Dead Daisies, and I was like, "Hmm, why the Dead Daisies?" They were opening for ZZ Top, who was opening for Guns N' Roses on off days. And then he told me he was in the band. And Jon Stevens, who I have known for a while, and Marco Mendoza was playing bass at the time, who I've known for a while. And it sounded very, very enticing. Just with Richard and Marco and Jon alone. It sounded like something else I might be interested in, so I said, "Do you guys need a keyboard player?" They said, "Well, we have one," you know. But when they got to the States, Richard gave me call, said, "Hey, they wanna have you play," and I said, "Absolutely I'm in, count me in." And I hadn't even really heard the music yet, and then I heard it and it was even better because the music's great. It's just good straight up rock'n'roll. So I jumped in.
It was so much fun doing that [Uproar] tour because, you know, Duff Mckagan's band was playing, Danko Jones were playing and Alice In Chains and, you know, I've just been friends with those guys for a long time and it was just great. It was a great hang, basically, you know, every day seeing everybody and seeing everybody play and, I mean, for the rock and roll concert fan, what a great ticket! It was so much fun, I really look back on that with fond memories.
The Dead Daisies, from Australia, are doing their first-ever go-around of the U.S. This is a rock-and-roll band of the finest cut, and even though they do originate from Down Under, some of the members may be recognizable: Dizzy Reed, Richard Fortus, and Frank Ferrer from the newest version of GNR and bass legend Marco Mendoza.
It was something that, I think, you know, Richard had started doing a couple years ago or last year, whatever it was. And he told me about it and and who was doing it and, you know, Jon Stevens, I'd met actually when he was singing with INXS and you know, he was just, he's just phenomenal singer. And Marco Mendoza is playing bass and, like, I've done like a couple of songs with him, one night in Chicago, we got up and played and, you know. So those are two guys I always wanted to play with. I think Charlie Drayton was playing drums at the time, and another guy [that's] always great to play with him. And so when he told me about this, I said, you know, "If you ever need a keyboard player, I'm not doing anything." And it turns out I knew their production manager, in front of house guy, real good old friends as well. So when they needed a keyboard player they called to see if I was still and I said, "Yes." And that's how it all started.
Well, you know, I first heard about the Dead Daisies, I was down in Australia with Guns N' Roses, ZZ Top and Rose Tattoo and on the off days Richard was said he was doing this thing called the Dead Daisies with Charlie Drayton and Jon Stevens and David Lowy and Marco Mendoza. And I knew Marco, I had jammed with him before. I had met Jon and we talked about doing some rock together. Heard about Charlie Drayton. And so I said to Richard, I go, "You guys need a keyboard player?" Because that's just sounded pretty inviting. So I guess a few months after that tour ended I got a call from Richard who said, "Hey, you know..." And also, I'm really good friends with the the production manager, the front of house guy, Tommy, he'd worked for Guns for years, you know, we know each other pretty well. And so they needed a keyboard player, my name came up and I said, "Let's do it!"
The band would continue on a tour in the UK in November, but now with Charley Drayton coming back into the band and replacing Frank on drums.
Being asked how long he would going to be touring with the Daisies:
As long as we can! We are having a blast. It's such a thrill to have the honor of playing with these guys every night. It's pretty hard to beat playing with a rhythm section like Charley Drayton and Darryl Jones!
AUGUST 2014: FACE I LOVE EP
In May, Dizzy would disclose the band was preparing the release of an EP:
Well, we are finishing up on some songs we wrote in [?]. And I think we have put out an EP or something along those lines and we're actually gonna be back that way in July, August with [?] Bad Company and Lynrd Skynrd [?] and Def Leppard and KISS.
And a few days later, a press release was published:
The Dead Daisies will release the "Face I Love" EP on August 5 via Caroline/Universal. The title track will drop June 24 along with an innovative interactive Facebook application that will allow fans to be a part of the album cover art and music video. That same day, the EP will be available for pre-order with the song "Face I Love" given away as an instant-grat track to those who pre-order the album. Summer is synonymous with the road for this rock collective and they'll be spending July on tour with Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd for seven East Coast dates starting July 10.
This is the first group of songs that Diz, Marco and I have recorded with the Daisies. I haven't been this excited about a recording in a long, long time and think they really capture what the band has developed in to over the last year of touring. It's new music for classic rock fans!
And Richard and Dizzy would talk about the EP:
I’m super excited about it. I haven’t been this excited about a project in quite a while. I love the new songs that we’ve written. We recorded them all live in the studio (for the most part). They have a real vibe and you can hear the excitement in everyone’s playing.
Well, that will [?] already completed three song. I think the plan is to put out an EP and definitely some singles. I know that the first single I think is coming out August 3rd, the song called Face I Love, it's a great song. A lot of emotion and stuff behind that. So it'd be worth checking out, you know, the Daisy's Facebook page and get involved with all that.
Face I Love EPAugust, 2014
As part of the touring the band would travel to Cuba:
For my entire life, Miami was as close to Cuba as myself and all Americans could get and I assumed it would remain that way for the rest of my time. Now, we are all coming down to Cuba to play some kick-ass rock 'n' roll and soak in the culture, the food, the rum and, of course, the music. And with the long-overdue changes in diplomacy just ahead, it feels like the right time to come and hang.
It's been a lifelong dream of mine to experience Cuba, so much history and influence in this part of the world, and now that is about to happen. Can't wait, amigos!
It's been a lifelong dream of mine to experience Cuba, so much history and influence in this part of the world, and now that is about to happen. Can't wait, amigos!
As an American, playing in Cuba is an incredible opportunity. To work and learn from Cuban musicians, and to experience their unique musical character is a dream of mine. I know this will be one of my greatest experiences yet!
Yeah, that's huge for us. For Americans it's sort of like the opportunity of a lifetime. I don't know anybody that's played in Cuba. So it's a big deal for us. Dizzy and I were just talking about it and it's something that we never thought we'd see in our lifetimes where, you know... We knew the borders would open up as far as tourism, but as far as being able to play there. This is a great opportunity. I'm really excited about it.
Talking about having played in Cuba:
It was pretty exciting for us to see Rock N Roll fans being so avid and enthusiastic about it. It was beautiful to witness it. I think the rest of the world has become somewhat jaded and sated. It's been ages since we've seen people get so excited and exhilarated by Rock N Roll. We absolutely loved it!
Our trip to Cuba was exhilarating, for sure — really. Just rubbing shoulders with the Cubans and playing for them was a fantastic experience. People were very responsive. We played with extremely talented musicians. These people exude passion. Cubans are passionate at heart, it was an extraordinary experience that inspired us a lot. We had a click there, a really special connection that has pursued us here. We became attached to the country and its people instantly. I can't explain that to you in detail, it was just nice to be there. Their enthusiasm and excitement infused us with energy, creative energy.
2015: REVOLUCIÓN
In February, 2015, Richard would talk about the band intending to have a record out by the summer [One On One with Mitch Lafon, February 16, 2015]. That album became Revolución and was released on August 31, 2015.
RevoluciónAugust, 2015
Talking about the new record:
As far as I'm concerned, it's true that I've been watching the feedback on the album and so far it's been excellent. But the record has only just been released, as you said, so I prefer not to declare victory too quickly. I hope the reviews will continue to be so positive. It feels good to read such kind words regarding the work we have done. It's really rewarding. [...] It sounds like a classic rock album. If you are a fan of this musical genre, you will necessarily like this disc. It's worth it!
It's like preaching to a believer. You can't really help it, help yourself to look at what is being said about what you are doing and have put so much energy into it. Fortunately for us, the reviews are very positive at the moment, we can only hope that it will continue like this. Fingers crossed! If you read this interview, don't hesitate to support our new album. You won't be disappointed, I promise. [...] I think we wanted to release something honest, authentic, direct, something that oozes passion. We wanted songs that come from the depths of ourselves, from our hearts. Because in the end, that's what we do best. As a general rule, if you give it your all all the time, it works. I think you can hear it on the album. Musically speaking, people can expect classic rock songs with a Rock N Roll spirit. If you find yourself there, in the rock wave from the 1960s to the 1980s and in what is done with passion, you will find your account. I don't know if it's objective on my part but 'Revolución' is a great album (smiles).
And Richard would explain the difference between working with the Dead Daisies and Guns N' Roses:
I feel much more free with DD compared to GNR.
Frank would be asked why he wasn't on the new album:
To be honest with you I'm not really too sure. I know that when I jumped on the Daisies it was a very last minute thing, something that happened with the drummer, I got a phone call from Richard who said, "Hey, you wanna come in and do the session, drummer's ill," or something like that. And I ran in and did it and it worked out great, I ended up doing the EP. And then I jumped on - they were on a run in the States - but at that point I had committed, because it was a last minute thing, I had committed to do, because I also subbed for Amina [?]. I subbed that gig and that's in Germany and they booked their gigs months in advance. So I committed to some gigs in Germany like in the middle of that tour so I had to leave the Dead Daisies' tour, I'm like six dates into it because I had this commitment in Germany, and then that's when Brian Tichy jumped on and I guess everything gelled with Tichy - he's a great guy. And I guess they just continued with that, you know. So I think it's just a matter of like, you know, they found a drummer that was able to commit long-term and who's a great guy and a great musician. So I think basically that's it, I don't think it's anything other than that. I haven't been asked back to play which, again, is not a big deal. But it's a good band and I loved doing that EP and I loved playing with Marco Mendoza. I know they will be in town later this month-
JANUARY 2016: RICHARD AND DIZZY QUIT THE BAND TO FOCUS ON GUNS N' ROSES
In January 2016, shortly after it had been confirmed by Dizzy and Richard that they would be part of the new Guns N' Roses lineup with Slash and Duff, it was announced that they had quit the band [Blabbermouth, January 27, 2016].
When we started speaking about finding someone to replace me, the first suggestion I had was Doug Aldrich. It doesn't get any better than Doug in my book. I am so happy that he is able and willing to step in and take over. I think that it will elevate the band to the next level. [...] Thanks to everyone that has supported the Daisies over the last couple of years. Stay tuned to see what they come up with next. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Looking back at having played in the band:
I did two records with them and did some touring, played Cuba, did the Kiss Cruise twice. And yeah, it was a lot of fun, a lot of great musicians.
And when I was with the Dead Daisies and we toured with Charlie Drayton playing drums and Darryl Jones on bass, that was also just an incredible experience. [...] I just said that was so much fun, it was like an adventure in music every night because it was different every night. [...] Just because it was so pure and so, you know, it was driven, you know, the same songs would be different every night and have a different feel because that's how [?] roll, that's how Charlie rolls, you know, and so it's very purist, where he's coming from that night, what he's feeling, what he's feeling from the crowd, and that's what it became. So it was very organic in that sense and that was such an incredible learning experience.
Talking about leaving the band to focus on Guns N' Roses:
But you know, that was always just, I wanna say temporary, but it was something that, you know, we did for fun. And we did some great one... We made some great music. We played some great shows. I got to play with some great musicians. But it was always sort of a, it wasn't, you know, a permanent thing, really. It was great, but it wasn't something that I was going to necessarily put all my eggs in that basket. I mean, as far as Guns N' Roses go, what else am I going to do really, that's better than that? What's beyond the horizon after Guns N' Roses? There's not much, if anything really.
2018: HOOKERS & BLOW OPENS FOR THE BAND
In May 2018, it was announced that Dizzy's Hookers & Blow would open for the Dead Daisies on their August 15-September 16 tour [Press Release/antiMusic, May 8, 2018].
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
APRIL-JUNE, 2013
THE PLAN IS TO WORK ON NEW MUSIC AFTER THE SUMMERIn late March, Richard would explain that the reason for only doing a few shows here and there was to allow for focusing on workin on the next album:
Yes, we are doing some dates sporadically, but we are trying to focus more on getting the next record ready, the next G ‘n R record. So, the touring has not been steady, and it won’t be for a while.
Tommy would confirm this plan of working on a new album when coming back to the US:
I think when we get back Stateside, we only have some small weekend runs for a while ... I think that should give people time to write some new material.
Tommy would also suggest that each band member should bring in one song, possibly to kickstart things and take pressure off Axl:
I don’t think we would need to spend that amount of time to make another record. The reason we took such a long time was because Axl was kind of assembling a band as the (Chinese Democracy) album was being made ... so you had a lot of guys coming in and things changing. Hopefully , each of us will write a song or two, throw them in the mix, then we all get together in one studio ... in short span of time, hopefully. That would be the goal. No one has 10 more years to spend making a record, you know.
But that people living different places makes it difficult:
That’s the hard part with everyone scattered about ... I live in Hudson, New York, (guitarist) DJ Ashba lives in Las Vegas (Nevada) and Axl lives in Malibu (California). You know, if everyone wrote one song and we went and recorded those eight songs, we would have more than an album’s worth of material. We have some leftover tunes from the last record. We could feasibly make a record quickly ... it could happen. But we’ll just have to accept it: our art is as big a stumbling block as anything.
Interestingly, around the same time, Richard would say they were actually working on the next album:
We are working on it! Hopefully within the next year we will have something out.
But about three weeks later he would say they were just preparing to record:
[...] we are preparing to record some new stuff. [...] We're working on it!
While Dizzy would say the next record would be out "soon":
A new album will be on the way soon, since ‘soon’ isn’t really an exact given or assigned amount of time. [...] When I‘m not touring, I spend the majority of my time writing and refining songs and song ideas. And when I have the courage, I bounce them off the other guys in the band.
Then in April, Tommy would say his goal for the "New Year" was to get a new GN'R record out:
My goal for the New Year is that there's going to be a Mats record and a Guns N' Roses record, just throwing that out there. [...] If either of those things or both things happened, I would be happy with that.
And around the same time DJ would claim they were working on the record:
Yeah, [a new record] is [in the works]. That’s our main focus, to collectively as a band put together what we feel is going to be the next best Guns N’ Roses record.
But as for when it would come out:
No idea. The way I look at it, you know, no matter what album I’m working on, we’re never going to be in a rush to put out a bad album. So it will be done when we feel it’s done and when it’s right. You know, but it’s art, and you can’t really put a time on that, I think. I mean, we’ll all know when it’s ready to go out, and as soon as it is, you guys will be the first to know.
In May, Bumblefoot would dismiss any rumours that the band was preparing to record, but suggest they might focus on new music when the planned summer shows in USA were over and reiterate that the band already had "lots of stuff":
There's a lot of stuff, it's just a question of all of us organizing. We're still doing shows, and I think once we clear our schedule and focus more on new music, it'll happen. We just have little things on the back burner, just waiting for the right time for us to organize and make something new out of it. Hopefully we can make more music – that's what it's about. [...] It's what the fans want, too. They want new music, and we can do it. It's not that we're done. I'm not ready for that. We need to keep making music. We have a great band that's ready to do it and can do it well. [...] Let's keep our fingers crossed that life will not get in the way and we can get this last batch of shows done. Looking forward to it, but I'm also looking forward to having the main priority of our Guns time be making new music.
As for his previous suggestion that the band would record one new song before each tour leg, Bumblefoot now indicated that not everyone in the band wanted to do that:
I would love to do that with Guns. I don't think it's in the cards, I don't think it's what everybody wants to do. But me personally, if we could put out a song every time we're about to hit the road, that would be a great way to do it. It would add relevancy to each leg of the tour as well, having a fresh song that we're playing on that leg.
I can't predict that [=when a new album comes out], and I'm not going to try to predict that. What I've wanted to do was put out one song every time we do a leg of touring - get together in the studio a week before, write and record a song, release it, play it on that tour, and do that every time. We would have had an album of music released by now if we did that, a little at a time, where it's easier to take on those small pieces than bite off the entire album-creating process at once. If I controlled the Universe that's what I'd have us do, haha.
Around the same time DJ would say he had been writing new music on his own and that Axl was coming out to visit him in Las Vegas and "hopefully" join him in the studio to work on new music:
Well, right now I'm just in the studio writing every day, you know, I mean, I'm writing every free moment I have. Since I've been off tour I've just locked myself in the studio. Axl's coming out in about a week and yeah we're just gonna have fun and hopefully get in the studio and make some magic so...
Later he would say he had written 12 songs intended for GN'R and was hoping they would get to work on new music after the touring was done:
Everybody has, like, Axl has tons of stuff that's already done, I've written, you know, all I can do is speak up for myself, I've written 12 songs that are fully done and demoed and... It's just we've been non-stop touring for five years so now, you know, we're finally taking a little bit of a break and I think everybody's main focus is to get together, go through everything, and collectively put together what we feel is going to be the next best Guns N' Roses record.
And around the same time Dizzy would restate that they hadn't actually started worked on new music together, just passing ideas around:
It’s just kind of hard to say really. I guess just because really everyone in the band now comes from different places. It’s going to be a band effort. At the end of the day you have good songs, no matter how they’re done. They are good songs and if Axl sings them, it’s going to be Guns N’ Roses. Everyone has just kind of been writing and passing some stuff around and, you know, that’s pretty much where we’re at right now, just compiling stuff for the new record before we go in and start tracking it.
We have been talking about [a new album] a lot. We have been kicking back ideas while on the tour bus—so it’s definitely in the works.
And Bumblefoot would echo this sentiment:
Hopefully this year we'll be able to put our ideas together and make a new album. We all talk about doing it, and are looking forward to it.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
MAY 17, 2013
TONY HARNELL AND THE WILDFLOWERS FEATURING BUMBLEFOOTIn late 2012 it was announced that Bumblefoot was collaborating with singer Tony Harnell on a new project:
Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal has joined forces with former TNT singer Tony Harnell and Harnell's unique New York-based acoustic/electric band.
Since leaving TNT in 2006, Harnell has been recording hard rock, metal and acoustic rock albums and has been putting on entertaining acoustic shows to sold-out crowds in the the New York City area with his current backing group, which features guitarist Jason Hagen, Amy Harnell (vocals, percussion) and newest member, Cassandra Sotos (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mark Wood), on seven-string electric violin.
Thal and Harnell met 20 years ago when Tony was forming a new band after TNT took a break in 1992, and in January 2012, Ron and Tony were reunited at the NAMM convention in Anaheim, California, where they started discussing the possibility of working together.
After Ron attended one of Tony's performances in August, which Thal proclaimed was "the best acoustic show he had ever seen," Tony, being a fan of Ron's otherworldly and original fretwork, asked if he'd like to join him on the project and contribute to his EP, which was already underway. Harnell states: "In addition to Ron's superhuman and beautiful guitar playing, he also happens to have a great voice and writes amazing songs, which will greatly add to this project both live and in the studio." Thal has also been a longtime fan of Harnell's songwriting and vocal artistry, so the new coalition seems more than natural.
The group has also announced the launch of a Pledge Music campaign, which allows the fans to contribute to and watch the making of the EP. A portion of the proceeds from the campaign will go to Breast Cancer Research.
With the new lineup and EP on the way, the group will tour nationally and internationally as a foursome featuring Harnell, Thal, Amy Harnell and Sotos under the name Tony Harnell And The Wildflowers Featuring Bumblefoot. Hagen will remain an integral part of songwriting and recording and will be appearing with the group for local performances. Harnell adds: "Ron's live appearances with this project will be subject to his schedule with GN'R, but he'll be with us for the live shows whenever possible."
The project already has shows booked in Vegas and Europe as well as the prestigious, soon to be re-opened Cutting Room in New York City, which has relocated and is being touted as one of the coolest new venues in the city.
Harnell and Thal have also been discussing other plans for a full electric band and have already started to reach out to some well-known musicians to join them. "That'll manifest after the acoustic EP, which is due out in early 2013," says Harnell.
Since leaving TNT in 2006, Harnell has been recording hard rock, metal and acoustic rock albums and has been putting on entertaining acoustic shows to sold-out crowds in the the New York City area with his current backing group, which features guitarist Jason Hagen, Amy Harnell (vocals, percussion) and newest member, Cassandra Sotos (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mark Wood), on seven-string electric violin.
Thal and Harnell met 20 years ago when Tony was forming a new band after TNT took a break in 1992, and in January 2012, Ron and Tony were reunited at the NAMM convention in Anaheim, California, where they started discussing the possibility of working together.
After Ron attended one of Tony's performances in August, which Thal proclaimed was "the best acoustic show he had ever seen," Tony, being a fan of Ron's otherworldly and original fretwork, asked if he'd like to join him on the project and contribute to his EP, which was already underway. Harnell states: "In addition to Ron's superhuman and beautiful guitar playing, he also happens to have a great voice and writes amazing songs, which will greatly add to this project both live and in the studio." Thal has also been a longtime fan of Harnell's songwriting and vocal artistry, so the new coalition seems more than natural.
The group has also announced the launch of a Pledge Music campaign, which allows the fans to contribute to and watch the making of the EP. A portion of the proceeds from the campaign will go to Breast Cancer Research.
With the new lineup and EP on the way, the group will tour nationally and internationally as a foursome featuring Harnell, Thal, Amy Harnell and Sotos under the name Tony Harnell And The Wildflowers Featuring Bumblefoot. Hagen will remain an integral part of songwriting and recording and will be appearing with the group for local performances. Harnell adds: "Ron's live appearances with this project will be subject to his schedule with GN'R, but he'll be with us for the live shows whenever possible."
The project already has shows booked in Vegas and Europe as well as the prestigious, soon to be re-opened Cutting Room in New York City, which has relocated and is being touted as one of the coolest new venues in the city.
Harnell and Thal have also been discussing other plans for a full electric band and have already started to reach out to some well-known musicians to join them. "That'll manifest after the acoustic EP, which is due out in early 2013," says Harnell.
Talking about his Harnell connection:
20 years ago. We were going to be putting a band together and he was... you know, TNT was on the rocks and I wasn't doing anything at the time of it in my own band, so we're gonna put something together but it didn't work out back then. But we always had each other in mind and I've always been a great fan and admirer of his. He is amazing. So yeah, years later we met up. Actually he was at a backstage at Nine Inch Nails a few years ago and we met again. And then more recently at NAMM, we met up there just in a year ago, in January of 2012, and we started talking about it. He was telling me what he's doing out here with this acoustic thing, I went to see and I loved it. It was just so good. And I was like, "Hey!" you know, we just started talking about working together and finally doing it 20 years later, and we're doing it so yeah. [...] we played a lot of each other's stuff, we just played demos to each other and just talked and that was it, but it never got past the talking. [...] But yeah, you know, I'm writing music, he's writing lyrics, and we're recording right now and we'll put out this this EP very soon. All acoustic with on Cassandra Sotos on violin, she kicks ass herself.
Tony was doing acoustic shows in NY, I went to one and it was the best show I had ever seen - so pure, authentic, it was all about the music, I loved it. Came up and did a song, and we it grew from there... he was already working on the album and I started writing music, adding guitar to the other songs, backing vocals. After the acoustic music, there's always the possibility to put a band together.
[Harnell]’s an incredible singer and I’ve been a fan of his for almost thirty years now – for about as long as he’s been putting out music. Someone gave me a copy of his first album when I was fourteen and I was just blown away. Then twenty years ago we were going to put a band together when TNT was kind of on the rocks but it didn’t happen. Then twenty years later – it was last year, we met up at NAMM and started chatting. He was doing some New York acoustic shows and I went to see them. They were some of the best shows I’ve ever seen. We started working together doing acoustic stuff. We’re working on putting out an acoustic album. We’ll see what happens from there.
The record would be fan-funded:
Currently, I'm working on an acoustic album with Tony Harnell, he's doing a fan-funding campaign instead of dealing with record labels.
Oh, so yeah, pledge music, so about 20 years ago I met up with one of my favorite singers guy named Tony Harnell from the band TNT. [...] I won't even dare try and sing his stuff. Though I have many times... actually last NAMM I was drunk and singing TNT to him at one of the booths, just going through like every song, like, "I love this song," I'm all drunk and he's just cracking up. It was bad. [...] But yeah, I don't drink anymore... because it makes me sing TNT songs to the singer of TNT. But yeah, yeah, so we met up 20 years ago and he was gonna be leaving TNT, like, they were kind of in a shaky spot. We were gonna put a band together but it didn't happen and then 20 years later we meet up at NAMM, reconnected a little bit before that but it was at NAMM that we started talking about really doing something together and we started talking about doing some acoustic stuff together, all kinds of things and then we started doing a couple of shows around New York, acoustic shows and now we're working on an acoustic album together. So Tony decided to go the route of fan funding. So he started a pledge music campaign and so far so good. I think it's up to like nine grand. It's getting pretty close to the mark of what he was shooting for and that's going to fund everything that needs to be done to do this album the right way, to get it out, to promote it, shows, whatever needs to be done for the album. [...] instead of [the fans] paying the label who pays a distributor who pays everyone and then the artist never gets paid, they just... let's just give it right to the artists and let the artists do everything himself and make sure it happens and they make the album happen. It is fun little incentives they get as well, you know, like all the little things that come with it, you know, "Get a guitar lesson", "Get a vocal lesson", whatever it is, "Come to a show," like all the things that you get in return-
It was great. I mean, a great way to have support from people and offer them incentives that aren't the usual thing. Like even tonight, you know, there's people here that pledged to be part of the sound check and they came and hung out for that and things like that. So it's good and then anything beyond a certain point, which we did hit, is going toward toward a breast cancer organization for a, you know, fundraising group there.
Being asked if it is a band thing or if he is just guesting on a Harnell project:
It's kind of a band thing, yeah. You're writing, playing, forming, everything a band does and and we do have the intention of stepping it up and getting electrical at some point, getting a couple of guys in there, you know.
But by April 2013, it was revealed that it was more of Bumblefoot guesting on the album:
I’m on an acoustic album called “Tony Harnell & The Wildflowers feat. Bumblefoot” with a portion of proceeds going to www.metavivor.org Metastitic Breast Cancer Research. Our record release party is April 19th at The Cutting Room in NYC.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
MAY 24-JUNE 8, 2013
SELECTED SHOWS IN THE USIn May and June 2013, the band played assorted concerts across the US. The first was at the Rocklahoma festival near Pryor, OK, on May 24.
Rocklahoma poster, May 2013
Rocklahoma is going to be a blast, I can't wait. [...] Axl doesn't do anything half-ass and and neither does the band, you know. So definitely be prepared to get your ass kicked for sure that night. [...] you're gonna get everything from Appetite to Chinese Democracy. Its, you know, it's just a kick-ass night of rock and roll and you're going to hear every classic hit, every new song that we're putting out you. Yeah, it's just a full-on well-rounded show for sure.
Well, you can expect 3 hours of, you know, just the songs we all grew up on, you know, just, you know, everything from Appetite to Chinese. And, you know, we've been doing anywhere from, you know, 2.5 to 3 hours shows and it's just nuts, high energy, nonstop. You know, just rockets and bombs, and it's just going to be the best night of rock and roll, you know.
Before the show, Oklahoma was hit by a tornado that caused much destruction.
A little sad with what's going on on over there in Oklahoma, but... you know, just been watching the news for the last few days. It's pretty incredible what's going on. [...] So I, you know, I just wanted to throw this out there. I want to urge all the fans and listeners to, you know, do whatever. Let's all come together, go to Red Cross. You know, I know Guns N' Roses, we're gonna donate a bunch of memorabilia and stuff to try to really help raise money to build some of these homes back. Yeah, it's a really sad thing that's going on. [...] I urge everybody go to the Red Cross and help. I'm gonna donate guitar and some things and I know Guns.... We're all pulling together and going to donate some memorabilia and try to help raise money for them.
The tornado is a tragedy. I urge all the fans and readers to go to Red Cross. Please help out. Guns N’ Roses, we’re going to donate a bunch of memorabilia to help build these homes back up and help out these families and stuff. It’s not going to affect [the concert at] Rocklahoma, because it’s about 150 to 200 miles away from Moore. But it is still really sad and our hearts go out to everybody over there.
After the show, Bumblefoot would thank the audience:
Thank you everyone at @Rocklahoma for a great night Off to San Antonio.... gnite!
Twitter, May 25, 2013
The next show took place at the River City Rockfest in San Antonio, TX, on May 26.
City River Rockfest poster, May 2013
Excerpts of review by Jay Nanda in the Examiner:
While it's unfortunate GNR is the only band in which fans who didn't attend a show are more likely to inquire "What time did they go on?" before asking "How was it?" and "What did they play?," the truth is Rose brought that on himself over the years. Still, Rockfest party-goers had the advantage of Sunday's show taking place at a festival and not strictly being a GNR headlining concert. In other words, the band had a tight window of when to take the stage and still put on a full performance, rather than being afforded the luxury of waiting three hours if it wanted knowing it was the only group there and that fans would hold out for them.
But Rose and Co. delivered the goods, and if San Antonians chose to let reputation override substance and entertainment by not showing up, it was their loss.
[...]
While Rose's voice, naturally, isn't what it used to be, it did the job. GNR played all the hits, and Rose didn't shy away from tackling the ever-tough-on-one's-vocal-cords "You Could Be Mine." Personal favorites were "It's So Easy" and "Estranged." The crowd cheered at the conclusion of seventh song "Rocket Queen" -- not just because of the tune and its performance, but because it marked the first time Rose took off his sunglasses (at 11 p.m.) to truly see the GNR faithful. The post-midnight "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" dragged on for roughly 12 minutes, and the band lost brownie points by partly covering Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall." That couldn't morph fast enough into the full version of "November Rain."
But Rose and Co. delivered the goods, and if San Antonians chose to let reputation override substance and entertainment by not showing up, it was their loss.
[...]
While Rose's voice, naturally, isn't what it used to be, it did the job. GNR played all the hits, and Rose didn't shy away from tackling the ever-tough-on-one's-vocal-cords "You Could Be Mine." Personal favorites were "It's So Easy" and "Estranged." The crowd cheered at the conclusion of seventh song "Rocket Queen" -- not just because of the tune and its performance, but because it marked the first time Rose took off his sunglasses (at 11 p.m.) to truly see the GNR faithful. The post-midnight "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" dragged on for roughly 12 minutes, and the band lost brownie points by partly covering Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall." That couldn't morph fast enough into the full version of "November Rain."
After this the band travelled to Houston, TX, for a show at the House of Blues on May 28.
TommyHouse of Blues, Houston, TX, May 28, 2013
Axl and BumblefootHouse of Blues, Houston, TX, May 28, 2013
Axl and TommyHouse of Blues, Houston, TX, May 28, 2013
Excerpts of review by Nathan Smith in the Houston Press:
Once Venomous departed, the waiting began. The wondering began. Would Guns N' Roses show up on time? Would Axl sound good? And if one or more of those things didn't happen, would a riot break out?
That was all put to rest fairly early, with the band hitting the stage promptly at 10:30 p.m. As if that wasn't enough of a clue that this wasn't the GN'R of old, the group opened with the title track to Chinese Democracy. Good song. The band sounded tight and focused. The crowd looked happy but confused.
That confusion turned into elation quick when Axl and crew roared into "Welcome to the Jungle" next. This was the shit people had paid to hear. It was immediately followed by "It's So Easy" and "Mr. Brownstone," two more indelible cuts from Appetite for Destruction. The audience rattled and shook ecstatically, pumping their fists in the air and hoisting their phones to capture snapshots and video.
What did they see through those digital viewfinders? Well, a band that looked a lot different from its original incarnation -- including the lead singer. At 51 years old, Rose isn't exactly cute anymore, and his lung capacity ain't quite what it used to be.
But he's hardly unrecognizable, either. Even mostly hidden behind a pair of shades and a collection of wide-brimmed hats, Axl Rose has still got the rock and roll mystique that made him famous. The stage moves are still there, too, even if they're a little slower and more subtle these days. He didn't say much to the audience, but he didn't need to, either.
The singer looked and sounded entirely in his comfort zone on "Estranged," a personal favorite of mine from Use Your Illusion II. In the song's quieter moments, Rose dropped the gravel from his voice entirely, crooning softly and sweetly. Whether that was by necessity or design, it worked. In total command, he sounded vulnerable without being weak.
It was obvious that a great deal of his confidence flowed from the musicians surrounding him. They didn't much resemble the guys that fascinated me on MTV decades ago, but they sure as shit sounded like them. Led by the triple-guitar attack of Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, DJ Ashba and Richard Fortus, the Guns N' Roses of 2013 is a well-oiled machine, drilled to precision and unfettered by the drugs and drama that helped end the original group's run.
What's more, they looked like they were having a hell of a lot of fun up there. Belying his public reputation as a bit of an egomaniacal control freak, Rose never hesitated to share the spotligt with his bandmates. Everybody got a turn to take a featured solo, and while Ashba and Fortus didn't quite make us forget Slash and Izzy, they didn't make us miss them, either.
It's taken quite a few years for Rose to assemble a group that he trusted to deliver his musical vision, but it was obvious on Tuesday that he'd done it. These guys were not simply hired hands. Fortus, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson and the others were shown a great deal of respect and deference onstage by their ostensible employer.
Together, they pumped out hit after hit. "Sweet Child." "Patience." "November Rain." The audience ate each of them up. In spite of a few hiccups here and there, Axl's voice held up well throughout a solid, two-hours-plus set. By the time the group closed the evening with "Paradise City," he sounded a little tired, but the crowd was singing along so loudly that it didn't matter.
That was all put to rest fairly early, with the band hitting the stage promptly at 10:30 p.m. As if that wasn't enough of a clue that this wasn't the GN'R of old, the group opened with the title track to Chinese Democracy. Good song. The band sounded tight and focused. The crowd looked happy but confused.
That confusion turned into elation quick when Axl and crew roared into "Welcome to the Jungle" next. This was the shit people had paid to hear. It was immediately followed by "It's So Easy" and "Mr. Brownstone," two more indelible cuts from Appetite for Destruction. The audience rattled and shook ecstatically, pumping their fists in the air and hoisting their phones to capture snapshots and video.
What did they see through those digital viewfinders? Well, a band that looked a lot different from its original incarnation -- including the lead singer. At 51 years old, Rose isn't exactly cute anymore, and his lung capacity ain't quite what it used to be.
But he's hardly unrecognizable, either. Even mostly hidden behind a pair of shades and a collection of wide-brimmed hats, Axl Rose has still got the rock and roll mystique that made him famous. The stage moves are still there, too, even if they're a little slower and more subtle these days. He didn't say much to the audience, but he didn't need to, either.
The singer looked and sounded entirely in his comfort zone on "Estranged," a personal favorite of mine from Use Your Illusion II. In the song's quieter moments, Rose dropped the gravel from his voice entirely, crooning softly and sweetly. Whether that was by necessity or design, it worked. In total command, he sounded vulnerable without being weak.
It was obvious that a great deal of his confidence flowed from the musicians surrounding him. They didn't much resemble the guys that fascinated me on MTV decades ago, but they sure as shit sounded like them. Led by the triple-guitar attack of Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, DJ Ashba and Richard Fortus, the Guns N' Roses of 2013 is a well-oiled machine, drilled to precision and unfettered by the drugs and drama that helped end the original group's run.
What's more, they looked like they were having a hell of a lot of fun up there. Belying his public reputation as a bit of an egomaniacal control freak, Rose never hesitated to share the spotligt with his bandmates. Everybody got a turn to take a featured solo, and while Ashba and Fortus didn't quite make us forget Slash and Izzy, they didn't make us miss them, either.
It's taken quite a few years for Rose to assemble a group that he trusted to deliver his musical vision, but it was obvious on Tuesday that he'd done it. These guys were not simply hired hands. Fortus, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson and the others were shown a great deal of respect and deference onstage by their ostensible employer.
Together, they pumped out hit after hit. "Sweet Child." "Patience." "November Rain." The audience ate each of them up. In spite of a few hiccups here and there, Axl's voice held up well throughout a solid, two-hours-plus set. By the time the group closed the evening with "Paradise City," he sounded a little tired, but the crowd was singing along so loudly that it didn't matter.
The next night they played a show at the House of Blues in Dallas, TX, on May 29 before coming to the Lonestar Amphitheatre in Lubbock, TX, for a show on June 1 and then to the Midland by AMC in Kansas City, MO, for a show on June 2.
Aidan Fisher, a 10-year-old boy attended the show in Kansas City, was invited up on stage by Axl at the end of the show to take a bow together with the band [The World-Herald, June 3, 2013].
The tour continued to Buffalo Outer Harbour in Buffalo, NY, on June 5.
Before the show, DJ would comment on how the tour was going:
[The audiences]’ve been amazing, because it’s been sold-out every night. The response has been overwhelming, really. The fans are always insane on tour.
And Dizzy would talk about how hard Axl works:
[Axl] pushes himself to the brink all the time. If only people realized how hard he works before and after the show and in the studio. I have an incredible amount of respect for him and it makes me better and push myself harder.
Excerpt of review in Buffalo News:
Yes, this is the version of Guns ‘n’ Roses that lacks founding member and guitarist Slash. And yes, so much has been said about singer Axl Rose over the years since Slash left to suggest that the G’n’R singer is pretty much a nut job. But Wednesday’s show suggested something different. This version of G’n’R came to kick butt and take names. And, flying in the face of Rose’s tendency to take the stage hours after the published time, the band arrived by 10:15 p.m., and tore into a set that could not have left diehard G’n’ R fans disappointed.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
AROUND APRIL 2013
DJ IS HOSPITALIZED WITH NICOTINE POISONINGIn June 2013, DJ would mention an incident from about April that he claimed had been deliberately kept out of the press [Blabbermouth, June 26, 2013]. Why he decided to talk about this incident and thus make a press story of it a few months later, is unknown.
A person had noticed DJ posting a picture of himself on Instagram where he was smoking a cigarette, prompting DJ to explain that he had recently returned to smoking normal cigarettes after having smoked "fake" cigarettes for nine months that he had bought while in Poland which contained dangerous levels of nicotine and anti-freeze:
I did quit [cigarettes] for 9 months. However, I was smoking fake cigarettes that I bought in a mall in Poland which contained high doses of nicotine and antifreeze, which kills people.
Well yeah, you know, it's one of those things where it's like, I was... poison control came back and to clarify it was e-cigarette that I bought in Poland and the ingredients had a high dosage, for some reason, of antifreeze in it and high dose of ethanol and nicotine, and I guess they were using the antifreeze to create the smoke or whatever it was, but it was just, you know, I'd smoke these things for nine months and I was, like, you know, smoking it all day long every day.
[...] unfortunately it had to be in Poland, I don't want to bag on them. But it was just a mall I walked into, they sold it a mall and I bought all this stuff and it's all in Polish so I couldn't read what was in it. Then Kari, my sister, was like, "Didn't the skull and bones on the thing give you a hint that maybe it was poison?" and I go, "Yeah, but I bought it in the mall," you know. It was kind of a weird thing.
These cigarettes were likely purchased in July 2012 when Guns N' Roses played a gig at Stadion Miejski in Rybnik, Poland.
Allegedly, DJ had then been hospitalized due to, assumingly, acute nicotine poisoning:
Nobody knows this, but I was rushed to the hospital put on heart monitors and I had eight of the best doctors trying to save my life. Poison control confirmed that the nicotine intake that was going into my body from the fake cigarettes was equivalent to smoking 33 packs of cigarettes a day.
And it came to the point where, you know, I came down and my system was, like, "What's wrong?" and I couldn't even put a sentence together, like, I was slurring. And they rushed me to the hospital and poison control and they had heart monitors on me and there are eight doctors racing around. They thought my kidneys were going to collapse and I didn't really know what was going on. And then poison control came back and said the equivalent of.... high doses of nicotine and basically poisoning from antifreeze was the equivalent of doing thirty three packs a day of nicotine. [...] So it was a super incredible high dose. And so that put all the doctors in fear so they had me doing full body cat scans and it was kind of a scary moment. They went through every organ and they're like, "We don't get it," you know, "your heart looks great, your lungs look great, kidneys look great," and I'm like, "Are you sure you get the right test?"
The doctors had, according to DJ, advised him to return to normal cigarettes to wean him off the dangerous amounts of nicotine and then to quit cigarettes alltogether:
After doing a full body CAT scan, the doctors were amazed that every organ in my body was in perfect condition. They advised me to start smoking real cigarettes because my body would go into shock if I just stop smoking, so now I can wean myself off of real cigarettes and hopefully quit for good this time.
[The doctor] also did said, "If you're going to smoke," you know, "you can't just stop," you know, "because the high doses, so either start smoking e-cigarettes that are made in America or," you know, "you're going to have to smoke cigarettes. It's one of the two because you can't just stop, your body will go into shock. And then you can wean yourself off of that," but he's basically like, "You can't smoke this, this stuff you found in Poland," you know. It was a weird, weird thing, you know. The one time I try to do something healthy about-
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
JUNE 2013
BUMBLEFOOT VISITS INDIA WITH POINT OF VIEWAfter the touring in May into June, Bumblefoot went on tour with the Dubai-based band Point of View. Bumblefoot got in contact with the band after Guns N' Roses visited The United Arab Emirates in 2010 and played with them on their release show on October 3, 2012:
My first time in Dubai was with Guns N' Roses in December 2010. It was a real eye-opener as to how much local bands there rocked - first hearing our support act Juliana Down, and soon after getting acquainted with the band Point Of View. Point Of View were releasing their debut album "Revolutionize The Revolutionary" & sent me a copy - first song kicked in with this RATM/Pantera groove, great recording, great playin', lyrics with a message, great album, and they did it all *DIY* which I've always been supportive of.
Proceeds from their album will be going to animal welfare, something I'm also very supportive of. So when their album release concert was confirmed for early October a few weeks before Guns N' Roses was hitting the road again, and the idea of getting on stage with them came up, I was happy to do it.
Proceeds from their album will be going to animal welfare, something I'm also very supportive of. So when their album release concert was confirmed for early October a few weeks before Guns N' Roses was hitting the road again, and the idea of getting on stage with them came up, I was happy to do it.
Life has a way of taking you places you don't expect. It was after playing there two years ago, Nik Uzi, singer of local Dubai band Point Of View reached out. They were working on their album, I'd give my thoughts here n' there, and we stayed in touch. When they were ready to release the album, we tossed around the idea of flying out to join them on stage. It was at a time between legs of GNR touring, so why not be spontaneous and have some fun, right? So glad it worked out, Nik, his band, family & friends all gave me a great personal love for Dubai.
After the last time we were here, we met people and you keep in touch - you know, email, Twitter, Facebook - and people say 'Hey, check out my band'. Point of View was one of those bands. They were different, and we stayed in touch.
When Point Of View visited India for a five-city tour in June 2013 (11th-15th), Bumblefoot joined the band:
The band Point Of View (www.pointofviewonline.net) have become good friends of mine, they're a great band. They're also smart, kind, responsible, hard-working, socially conscious - they deserve support.
Comparing playing with POV to playing with GN'R:
It’s funny because in a lot of ways touring with Point of View is easier than touring with Guns – because even with a crazy schedule, at least I knew what was going on. Think of it like moving a mountain – the bigger the mountain is, the harder it is to move.
It’s definitely a lot more spontaneous, which I like. We can just break into a riff of something. At the very first show, we finished the show and someone in the audience really wanted to hear a Led Zeppelin song and refused to accept that the show was over. There was somebody else in the audience that had an acoustic guitar, so we took the guitar and did a version right there for the guy.
Being asked why he would spend time touring with a Dubai band:
For one thing, it’s always been in my nature – the things I enjoy most are teaching and producing and things that help others and raise them up. Playing for the sake of playing isn’t enough, it has to serve some purpose over and above. [...] I like that fact that they’re kind of the same – they’re socially conscious, they do more with their music, it’s not just making music for attention or fame – they care about things. I felt a certain affinity. And they’re a good band.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
JULY 12-15, 2013
THREE SHOWS IN CANADAIn July, the band returned to Canada for three shows.
We are really focused and excited about coming to Canada, play for everybody and just putting on the best shows. We approach every show as a brand new one and we always keep in mind that people spend a lot of money to come and see us, so we really give 300% on stage! And it’s exciting, you know, my bags are packed already!
The first show took place at Festival D'ete De Quebec in Quebec City on July 12 and the second show took place at Métropolis in Montréal on July 14.
Review in blogs.montrealgazette.com:
Patience is a virtue. Patience is a grace.
Patience is two hours and 20 minutes-plus into a Guns N’ Roses epic in Métropolis on a Sunday night, and conjures now-receding memories of other numbers. Like the 15-year delay between albums and 8 guys onstage doing the work of 5 druggies from 1990 and…
But why dwell on those when Axl Rose and his band – really, the more accurate designation despite the hits catalogue and the brand name – had come to a club to unload an arena in it.
An initial start time of 11 p.m. had been dialed back to 10:15 by promoters and yeah, there were the numerals again and some eye-rolling from the vets in the crowd… but lo, here was Chinese Democrazy – sorry, Democracy – crunching out of DJ Ashba’s amp and here was the star in broad-brimmed hat, ripped jeans and leather jacket in the hot, hot heat of Métropolis. And all bets were off, because they were on.
Questions: would Axl dial down the pyro from the Dresden saturation-bombing of the Bell Centre show 2½ years ago, given we were in, you know, an enclosed space roughly 1/10th the size? Kaboom-wise, yes, but not in scope and length of the set list. Because here was Ashba in his Slash-lite hat cueing the stutter-riff to Welcome to the Jungle. So relax (an anagram, I’m afraid, but it was late).
Or ignite, as the crowd did, when It’s So Easy and Mr. Brownstone followed in short order, and 28 million global copies sold of Appetite were in the house. Initially, it was hard to tell how Axl’s voice was holding up, simply because the packed house was singing every lyric. A video backdrop behind the drum riser, another on it, and one each behind bassist/stage general Tommy Stinson stage left and guitarist Richard Fortus stage right broadcast the visuals, but Axl was front and centre anyway, executing a wider-stanced snakehips slide on the monitors and clearly at ease. Little banter, lots of three-guitar attack.
You could hear the lingering half-life of the original band’s lurid gutter allure in those three songs, and then you would learn that Axl’s version of pacing is actually spacing. There would be many mini-exits by the singer, and longer ones as each axeman took a solo turn. Welcome to the Jumble.
The crowd may have loved the bombast of Richard Fortus shredding frets somewhere between Rocket Queen and Live and Let Die, but by the time keyboardist Dizzy Reed had wheeled out his own version of No Quarter, one wearily wanted a sprint rather than a marathon. Each of those stage-crafted breaks only meant the momentum had to be rekindled. And when Rose took to the piano in a purple Liberace jacket to ease from Pink Floyd and Elton into November Rain (3 keyboards, 3 guitars…), when he covered Neil’s Don’t Let it Bring You Down before Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, when the axemen went acoustic with Angie into Patience, you realized the goal here.
All those classics were meant to remind everyone who hadn’t noticed that Axl insists he and his GnR belong among the Colossi of Rawk. Listen as the crowd howls Sweet Child O’ Mine. Listen to concert highlights You Could Be Mine and Night Train, revealing the voice is indeed still there, if tempered. But still there. Watch as he refuses to go jacketless, which was kind of heroic in that heat. A music biz guy referred, affectionately, to “sweatin’ to the oldies.” Listen and listen as this epic-length show eventually promises to pull into Paradise City as many of these folks risk missing the last train home. And as Axl outlasts the world to win something on his terms. The most interesting truth here is that this 160-minute show housed a 110-minute one that would have better cemented his rep.
Patience is two hours and 20 minutes-plus into a Guns N’ Roses epic in Métropolis on a Sunday night, and conjures now-receding memories of other numbers. Like the 15-year delay between albums and 8 guys onstage doing the work of 5 druggies from 1990 and…
But why dwell on those when Axl Rose and his band – really, the more accurate designation despite the hits catalogue and the brand name – had come to a club to unload an arena in it.
An initial start time of 11 p.m. had been dialed back to 10:15 by promoters and yeah, there were the numerals again and some eye-rolling from the vets in the crowd… but lo, here was Chinese Democrazy – sorry, Democracy – crunching out of DJ Ashba’s amp and here was the star in broad-brimmed hat, ripped jeans and leather jacket in the hot, hot heat of Métropolis. And all bets were off, because they were on.
Questions: would Axl dial down the pyro from the Dresden saturation-bombing of the Bell Centre show 2½ years ago, given we were in, you know, an enclosed space roughly 1/10th the size? Kaboom-wise, yes, but not in scope and length of the set list. Because here was Ashba in his Slash-lite hat cueing the stutter-riff to Welcome to the Jungle. So relax (an anagram, I’m afraid, but it was late).
Or ignite, as the crowd did, when It’s So Easy and Mr. Brownstone followed in short order, and 28 million global copies sold of Appetite were in the house. Initially, it was hard to tell how Axl’s voice was holding up, simply because the packed house was singing every lyric. A video backdrop behind the drum riser, another on it, and one each behind bassist/stage general Tommy Stinson stage left and guitarist Richard Fortus stage right broadcast the visuals, but Axl was front and centre anyway, executing a wider-stanced snakehips slide on the monitors and clearly at ease. Little banter, lots of three-guitar attack.
You could hear the lingering half-life of the original band’s lurid gutter allure in those three songs, and then you would learn that Axl’s version of pacing is actually spacing. There would be many mini-exits by the singer, and longer ones as each axeman took a solo turn. Welcome to the Jumble.
The crowd may have loved the bombast of Richard Fortus shredding frets somewhere between Rocket Queen and Live and Let Die, but by the time keyboardist Dizzy Reed had wheeled out his own version of No Quarter, one wearily wanted a sprint rather than a marathon. Each of those stage-crafted breaks only meant the momentum had to be rekindled. And when Rose took to the piano in a purple Liberace jacket to ease from Pink Floyd and Elton into November Rain (3 keyboards, 3 guitars…), when he covered Neil’s Don’t Let it Bring You Down before Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, when the axemen went acoustic with Angie into Patience, you realized the goal here.
All those classics were meant to remind everyone who hadn’t noticed that Axl insists he and his GnR belong among the Colossi of Rawk. Listen as the crowd howls Sweet Child O’ Mine. Listen to concert highlights You Could Be Mine and Night Train, revealing the voice is indeed still there, if tempered. But still there. Watch as he refuses to go jacketless, which was kind of heroic in that heat. A music biz guy referred, affectionately, to “sweatin’ to the oldies.” Listen and listen as this epic-length show eventually promises to pull into Paradise City as many of these folks risk missing the last train home. And as Axl outlasts the world to win something on his terms. The most interesting truth here is that this 160-minute show housed a 110-minute one that would have better cemented his rep.
The music journalist Mitch Lafon attended the show at the Métropolis:
[...] it was definitely the best show I saw all of last year. And I see 100-150 shows a year. It was just absolutely phenomenal.
Yeah, and I gotta say that show at the Montreal Metropolis, which I guess was a year or two ago, it was like from 10:00 to 2:00 in the morning, and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen.
Frank would comment:
Dude, it was like 160 thousand degrees in that club.
And talk about playing small venues compared to stadiums:
Let me tell you something, I love, obviously, the stadium rock and, you know, every time we play one of those big outdoor festival like, you know, KISS '77, for me, obviously, but man there's nothing like getting in a club and just blowing the roof off of a club. I mean, I'm still in my soul, deep inside my soul, a club punk rock-ish type of drummer, you know. And to be in there, I mean, to be in those tight places that you could see everybody - in the big stadium shows you can't see everybody - but like in a club you can see and you could look all the way back, and that dude in the back is losing his mind, and it's just a great experience. We did that run... we did the Brooklyn Bowl in New York and the Hiro Ballroom and it was just, like, you know, and then the guy in the back of the room at those shows are friends of mine, you know, people that I... [?] "I know who that guys is" [laughs] [?]. I love doing the smaller venue shows, I just love them. It is more fun for me as a musician. A lot more fun.
The last show of this Canadian mini-tour, and the last show of 2013, took place at the Sound Academy in Toronto on July 15.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
AUGUST 2013
DJ GETS MARRIEDPREVIOUS RELATIONSHIP
In 2011, DJ was dating Australian actress Nicky Whelan:
I had really given up on love when I met Nicky. I had a vision of finding that one person, falling in love and living happily ever after but after years in LA, in my mind I started to really doubt it. I've been screwed over like the next guy many, many times. It was hard for me to trust it. But she came in and took a broken soldier and gave me a lot of love. She taught me there is a lot of unconditional love out there, still.
Whelan and DJ
The couple split later in 2011 [Perth NOW, February 19, 2013]:
We met for a reason and we gave it a good run. She is a really cool girl and she helped me grow. [...] She is a great actress and we're still buddies. I will wish her nothing but the best.
DJ then moved to Las Vegas:
I just bought a house in Vegas and we just finished wiring up the studio here. So now the house is finally done and it’s kind of back to work for me.
I could have lived in L.A., or anywhere else in the world, but I bought a house in Las Vegas. It never closes, everything you can dream is here. There is nowhere else I feel like I fit in than Las Vegas, and the one place I’ve always gone when I want to cheer up, it’s Las Vegas. I’ve found my lot in life in Vegas. It’s my happy place.
2013: DJ PROPOSES TO HIS GIRLFRIEND NATHALIA HENAO; LEADS TO RETIREMENT OF POLICE OFFICER
On August 8, 2013, it was reported that DJ was now engaged to his girlfriend Nahtalia Henao [Blabbermouth, August 8, 2013]. Allegedly, they met in Rome, Italy, in 2010 [Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 23, 2013].
We can't thank you all enough for the beautiful love and support that you show us! Much love!!
DJ and Nathalia Henao
Later it was reported that DJ and Henao had been flown in a Las Vegas Police Department helicopter as part of the proposal [Las Vegas-Review Journal, August 11, 2010]:
That was the most incredible day of our life!! Special thx to the Las Vegas Police Dept. for the most amazing helicopter private tour over Vegas! We landed in a field at Police headquarters were I had a table set up covered in roses n a bottle of the bubble stuff for @naty_yummi8 as we walked up to the table @karikaisner slipped me the ring, and thats when I proposed! it was beautiful she didn't expect a thing, it was magical. And thanks to our good friends for helping making it all happen!! Dave and @nitaoleary @tommyoleary #AshbaFamily #RnR#blessed #shesaidyes #HolyCrapWereGettingMarried #engaged#forever #miamor #thejewelersLV
DJ's Instagram account, August 10, 2013
DJ also personally thanked Captain David O'Leary, of LVPD, for arranging the tour [Las Vegas-Review Journal, August 11, 2010; Loudwire, Aug. 12, 2013]. This lead to the pilot and O'Leary being investigated for misuse of a police helicopter [Las Vegas-Review Journal, August 11, 2010; Loudwire, Aug. 12, 2013]. The result of the investigation was that O'Leary would be demoted at least one rank, but O'Leary resigned before this took effect [Las Vegas Review-Journal, December 31, 2013].
In February 2014, DJ would comment:
They act as if we jumped a fence and stole a helicopter late at night, and that's not even what happened. I'd taken a helicopter ride a year before, posted a 'Thank You' on my Instagram — not a peep. They offered up a ride again, and I said, 'Sure, that'd be great. It's a big day for me.' [...] There is a lot of false information that was fed to the public. We followed protocol. It was an approved ride.
And again in May:
They treated me as if I’d jumped a fence at night with Capt. Dave O’Leary and stole a helicopter. It couldn’t be further from the truth. They offered the ride. I went down there. We watched the police instructional videos that were made specifically for ridealongs. We followed protocol. All the police officers were happy I was there. They all took pictures with me out by the helicopter. Everybody was aware we were going to land in a field. There was a whole proposal set up. Nobody was in the dark about anything.
SEPTEMBER 2013: DJ AND HENAO MARRIES
DJ and Hena married on September 23, 2013 [Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 23, 2013].
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
JULY-DECEMBER, 2013
NO WORK ON NEW MUSIC; BAND MEMBERS SPEND TIME ON SIDE PROJECTSThe plan -- or hope -- had been for the band to come together when all touring was done in the summer to work on new music. But this didn't happen. In early July, Bumblefoot would say they had planned to write together in June, but that he travelling to India to tour with Point of View [see previous chapter], had ruined those plans:
Well we were supposed to start writing after the end of this last run – but I went to India! When I get back, I hope we can all get together, and live it and focus on creating new music together. Fans don’t want to hear about new shows, they want to hear about new music.
Yet, after the three shows in Canada in July, the band still didn't convene to work on new music with Bumblefoot going back to his solo career:
GNR seems to be having a rest, but anything could change at any time. Meanwhile, I’m starting to ease back into doing my own solo shows again. During the break I’ve got Bumblefoot shows scheduled in August for Italy, Greece, Albania, and Tunisia. Hoping to do more in the next few months.
Around the same time, Chris would talk about how unimportant it was for band's like Guns N' Roses to come out with fresh material:
It's just out-of-control amazing [the next Tool album]. And what is really nice now, you don't have to be in a hurry to make a record now. Because people don't buy it. There is no record shops. So why the fuck put a record out? Just do what you want to do. And that is nice. It works both ways. People don't want to buy it, so you don't have to put it out. And when we do, we just relax and take our time...just like Guns, we don't care. We go out and play songs that people know, but we're not knocking ourselves out to release music. There's no need to that now, it's not the time and place.
Bumblefoot would also be asked about his idea to record "one song at the time" with GN'R, and again state that this would not happen:
I don’t think that’s gonna be the plan for GNR.
Also in August, Chris did an interview with Planet Rock where he talked about how unimportant it was for the band to release a new album:
And what is really nice now, you don't have to be in a hurry to make a record now. Because people don't buy it. There is no record shops. So why the fuck put a record out? Just do what you want to do. And that is nice. It works both ways. People don't want to buy it, so you don't have to put it out. And when we do, we just relax and take our time...just like Guns, we don't care. We go out and play songs that people know, but we're not knocking ourselves out to release music. There's no need to that now, it's not the time and place.
And in October, Bumblefoot be asked if it was "only" 10 years until the follow-up would be released:
Hopefully! Ten years, give or take nine! It's hard to say, because anything can happen in life. It's easy to joke about it and say “2019! Here we come!”, but honestly, you don't know what's gonna happen. You don't know what set of circumstances are gonna motivate or take away from a process. People can get sick. People can die. People can lose a limb. Or people can have the road completely cleared in front of them where there is nothing distracting the focus of making it happen. Or anything in between. [...] Sure, if you look at the past, you can start making predictions and assumptions on what might happen, or how long it might take to happen - but that's an impossible question. And I don't have the answer.
While Bumblefoot kept busy with solo shows, Dizzy and Frank joined Richard in Dead Daisies and toured in August-September, and then without Frank in November-December. Dizzy would suggest that while Richard, Frank and he were out touring, "they were getting tracks together":
You know, [a new album is] in the works and, you know, right now things are kind of on hold for a little bit as far as playing while I think they're getting tracks together. And so I'm out here doing this.
And Richard would say they were working on new stuff:
Working on new stuff now. So I'm trying to balance all this out. But so far it worked out alright, you know.
When asked if this would result in a new album in 2014, Richard prevaricated and would admit that GN'R had intended to continue touring in the fall of 2013 but that Richard's touring with Dead Daisies had got in the way:
So far everything is, you know, it's good. Actually, Guns wanted to be touring right now in South America, and I'd already committed to this so we had to postpone that to next year, but yeah, I'm hoping that we get an album out pretty soon.
A bit later, Bumblefoot would be asked about the band's plans for 2014 and not seem optimistic about new music:
The future is completely unpredictable; you all should know that. It's just trying to say, 'Alright, what direction is the tornado gonna turn?' Anything can be. I'm sure that 2014… Actually, I shouldn't say 'sure,' because it's unpredictable. But I can assume, but when we assume, we make an ass out of… Probably there will be some shows in the future, and I'm hoping that there will be some completed recordings in the future. I would like to see the band write as a band from the ground up and put some music out there. I've been saying for years that we shouldn't even tackle an entire album because it's too big a bite to take. It's too much — it takes too much time, too much of an investment of life that just doesn't exist. Not in this day and age, and not where things are with the band. We'd be better off just doing a song at a time and putting that out. What I've always wanted to do was, before each time we go out and do a leg of touring, that we get together for a week in the studio, we write a song, we finish that song no matter what it takes, we finish it and we put it out and we play it on that leg, we give it to radio. Every single time we go out and play, we have a new song that we're doing. And if we did that, it would be an album worth of material done that would be done by this band right now. Yeah, if I was master of the universe, that's what would have happened. I mean, you're dealing with seven other people and everybody's gotta be on board and everyone has to agree on a strategy. And it has to coincide with any existing, or preexisting business agreements that are there as well. I mean, it's complicated.
Aligned with his no-bullhit stance [see previouys chapter], Bumblefoot would give a frank answer when asked if the band had recorded any new songs since 2009:
Together, that we finished? No. Playing on each other's song ideas? Yes.
And when a new album could be out:
Honestly, I don't predict a new album soon, unless they release unreleased Chinese Democracy era songs..........
And in response to fans' frustration:
I feel your frustration, you're not asking anything unreasonable. I do these things with everything else I do, but GNR works a different way. All I can say is, when GNR does something, enjoy it Smile Don't be upset about the things GNR doesn't do, enjoy what it does. [...] GNR defies all logic sometimes, lol. But it's that same chaotic energy that people love about it. It's a very intense positive and negative, no other band like it. All I can say is, enjoy the good parts.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
SECOND HALF OF 2013
BUMBLEFOOT RETURNS TO HIS SOLO CAREERAfter the GN'R Canadian dates in July 2013, Bumblefoot would go back to his own solo career.
GNR seems to be having a rest, but anything could change at any time. Meanwhile, I’m starting to ease back into doing my own solo shows again. During the break I’ve got Bumblefoot shows scheduled in August for Italy, Greece, Albania, and Tunisia. Hoping to do more in the next few months.
He explained his decision to Rock Your Lyrics in August, talking about his frustration with the erratic nature of GN'R operations that had made it hard for him to sustain his solo career in parallel to being in GN'R, and how he felt a need to push himself more after having enjoyed the comfort of not having to front the music anymore:
I always say I prefer the studio, the endless creative possibilities, and prefer it above playing live. Until I’m on stage, and realize how rewarding the personal connection is with the audience and the energy from them and the band combining.
It’s been eight years since I did a Bumblefoot tour – I toured in early 2005 and again in the Fall after the release of the “Normal” CD, and had another tour planned in May 2006. But it was conflicting with the GNR tour and I had to cancel mine, which before that I had only canceled one show in my whole life (due to illness), so that was tough.
I squeezed in a NYC show that year between legs of GNR tours and recording, and the next thing was going to be appearances in early 2007 in South Africa and Japan, everything was arranged – then on a few days notice the GNR shows were canceled, which meant I had to cancel mine as well… gaaaaaahhh!!!!!! When GNR touring finished in the Summer of 2007 I played one show in the Boston area at the Locobazooka festival, and then started writing & recording the “Abnormal” CD.
At this point, I was playing with a lot of people as guests, which I had always done, but I was barely playing my own music live. For me, nothing is more demanding than my own music guitar-wise, vocally, doing both at the same time, and feeling natural doing it.
Add to that, having to deliver fully at the highest level of what you’re capable of when you’re going for weeks without sleep, being touched by hundreds of people daily and getting sick, panicking every night about how you’re gonna be able to sing with a torn-up throat, and in the end coming home after a month with as much pay as most people make in a day – solo tours were never easy.
I was getting admittedly ‘comfortable’ with simply being a guitarist – there was less weight on my shoulders when someone else is the frontman and carrying all the burdens of the business, and it was a welcome vacation from the pressures of doing it on my own.
Every year offers from all over the world would come in to have me perform my own music, and every time I’d always have a scheduling conflict where GNR was touring, and had a secret sense of relief. But in the back of my mind, I knew I was letting myself slip away.
And as time went on it felt like it would be more of a monumental task to take on regaining what I had let go. The last two years were filled with health challenges that had me questioning if I could ever play my own music again – a permanent spine injury where it was painful to have a guitar around my neck, and painful to push out notes vocally.
I got that under control, it’s a second chance at life, as long as I live carefully – I had to re-learn how to move my body.
So this year, GNR finished touring and the rest of the year is open, so I took the leap. I started practicing my songs hours every day, slowly getting reacquainted with my own music, not sure if I’d ever get the songs nailed, not sure if I had lost it for good.
But by the time I hit Italy in August and was rehearsing with the band, it all felt natural, like I was doing what I always did. And it turned out to be the most fun, stress-free, comfortable tour I ever did.
I’m ready to take the next step, bigger tours, more parts of the world, and write new music to play on those tours.
It’s been eight years since I did a Bumblefoot tour – I toured in early 2005 and again in the Fall after the release of the “Normal” CD, and had another tour planned in May 2006. But it was conflicting with the GNR tour and I had to cancel mine, which before that I had only canceled one show in my whole life (due to illness), so that was tough.
I squeezed in a NYC show that year between legs of GNR tours and recording, and the next thing was going to be appearances in early 2007 in South Africa and Japan, everything was arranged – then on a few days notice the GNR shows were canceled, which meant I had to cancel mine as well… gaaaaaahhh!!!!!! When GNR touring finished in the Summer of 2007 I played one show in the Boston area at the Locobazooka festival, and then started writing & recording the “Abnormal” CD.
At this point, I was playing with a lot of people as guests, which I had always done, but I was barely playing my own music live. For me, nothing is more demanding than my own music guitar-wise, vocally, doing both at the same time, and feeling natural doing it.
Add to that, having to deliver fully at the highest level of what you’re capable of when you’re going for weeks without sleep, being touched by hundreds of people daily and getting sick, panicking every night about how you’re gonna be able to sing with a torn-up throat, and in the end coming home after a month with as much pay as most people make in a day – solo tours were never easy.
I was getting admittedly ‘comfortable’ with simply being a guitarist – there was less weight on my shoulders when someone else is the frontman and carrying all the burdens of the business, and it was a welcome vacation from the pressures of doing it on my own.
Every year offers from all over the world would come in to have me perform my own music, and every time I’d always have a scheduling conflict where GNR was touring, and had a secret sense of relief. But in the back of my mind, I knew I was letting myself slip away.
And as time went on it felt like it would be more of a monumental task to take on regaining what I had let go. The last two years were filled with health challenges that had me questioning if I could ever play my own music again – a permanent spine injury where it was painful to have a guitar around my neck, and painful to push out notes vocally.
I got that under control, it’s a second chance at life, as long as I live carefully – I had to re-learn how to move my body.
So this year, GNR finished touring and the rest of the year is open, so I took the leap. I started practicing my songs hours every day, slowly getting reacquainted with my own music, not sure if I’d ever get the songs nailed, not sure if I had lost it for good.
But by the time I hit Italy in August and was rehearsing with the band, it all felt natural, like I was doing what I always did. And it turned out to be the most fun, stress-free, comfortable tour I ever did.
I’m ready to take the next step, bigger tours, more parts of the world, and write new music to play on those tours.
And in November:
Before Guns, I was touring all the time, doing my own stuff, putting out my own albums, doing all kinds of things. And then once Guns got busy with all the touring, it slowly… there were too many conflicts with the schedule and everything else that I did in my life slowly sort of fell to the side until it reached a point that I just was not really putting anything into it. And in the second half of this year, Guns kind of went into hibernation — as sometimes happens — and I was, like, 'You know what? I've gotta get back on the horse. I've gotta start doing my thing again and becoming me again.' And I started doing a lot of clinics and master classes and jamming and just going all over the world, jamming with local musicians and doing shows. And that is what brings me here this evening.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
AUGUST 2013
'GOING DOWN' LEAKSAccording to The Pulse Of Radio, a previously unheard Guns N' Roses song called "Going Down" surfaced briefly on YouTube earlier this week before being quickly taken down. The track reportedly features bassist Tommy Stinson on lead vocals, although Axl Rose can be clearly heard doing background vocals. It is not clear whether the tune is an older one from the sessions for the band's last album, "Chinese Democracy", or something brand new.
Guns guitarist Ron Thal confirmed on Twitter that the tune was indeed a Guns N' Roses song, although that his tweet was later deleted as well.
Guns guitarist Ron Thal confirmed on Twitter that the tune was indeed a Guns N' Roses song, although that his tweet was later deleted as well.
In December, Bumblefoot would be asked about his personal views on leaks and how they affect the decisions made by the management and the band?
They don't help progress.....
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
Albums:
Unreleased.
Written by:
The song was written by Tommy Stinson and then presumably worked on by the band.
Musicians:
Tommy is on lead vocals and Axl on backing vocals for one of the versions. The rest of the musicians are unknown and likely vary between the versions.
Live performances:
This song has to our knowledge never been played live.
Notes:
A song recorded in the Chinese Democracy era but that didn't make it onto the 'Chinese Democracy' album. Consists of at least two leaked versions, one with Axl on background vocals (leaked in 2013, supposedly featuring Bumblefoot and hence from 2006 or later), named as "Going Down", and one version without Axl (leaked in 2019 as part of the Village discs and likely recorded in 1999 or 2000) and simply named "Tommy Demo #2". It's legal status today is unknown.
Unreleased.
Written by:
The song was written by Tommy Stinson and then presumably worked on by the band.
Musicians:
Tommy is on lead vocals and Axl on backing vocals for one of the versions. The rest of the musicians are unknown and likely vary between the versions.
Live performances:
This song has to our knowledge never been played live.
Notes:
A song recorded in the Chinese Democracy era but that didn't make it onto the 'Chinese Democracy' album. Consists of at least two leaked versions, one with Axl on background vocals (leaked in 2013, supposedly featuring Bumblefoot and hence from 2006 or later), named as "Going Down", and one version without Axl (leaked in 2019 as part of the Village discs and likely recorded in 1999 or 2000) and simply named "Tommy Demo #2". It's legal status today is unknown.
Lyrics:
I know the shape you're in
It's a crown of thorns
It never seems to break the skin
There's no blood, there's no scars
And just your broken feet
You used to be so sweet
And you walked with a smile
The Ashtray's full and the coffee's cold
And the things you say... make you look so old
You've got nothing good to say
Keep your mouth shut
Nothing good to do
Do it to yourself
Nothing's ever good enough for you
Sick of everything you say as you're going down
Sorry for everything
Sick of everything that you do as your going down
You look like a fool
Never meant to hurt no one
Just happened to be there next to you
As you were going down
I know this dark place
I heard these words
I've heard them before a million times
I've heard them yelled I've even heard them sung
Get into your car and drive just as fast as you can
You had your 15 minutes you tried to take an hour
Now no one takes your call
You've got nothing good to say
Keep your mouth shut
Nothing good to do
Do it to yourself
Nothing's ever good enough for you
Sick of everything you say as you're going down
Sorry for everything
Sick of everything that you do as your going down
You look like a fool
Never meant to hurt no one
Just happened to be there next to you
As you were going down
As you're going down
As you're going down
Sick of everything you say as you're going down
Sorry for everything
Sick of everything that you do as you're going down
You look like a fool
Never meant to hurt no one
Just happened to be there next to you
As you were going down
As you were going down, going down
As you were going down, going down
As you were going down, going down
As you were going down, going down
Nothing's good enough for you
I know the shape you're in
It's a crown of thorns
It never seems to break the skin
There's no blood, there's no scars
And just your broken feet
You used to be so sweet
And you walked with a smile
The Ashtray's full and the coffee's cold
And the things you say... make you look so old
You've got nothing good to say
Keep your mouth shut
Nothing good to do
Do it to yourself
Nothing's ever good enough for you
Sick of everything you say as you're going down
Sorry for everything
Sick of everything that you do as your going down
You look like a fool
Never meant to hurt no one
Just happened to be there next to you
As you were going down
I know this dark place
I heard these words
I've heard them before a million times
I've heard them yelled I've even heard them sung
Get into your car and drive just as fast as you can
You had your 15 minutes you tried to take an hour
Now no one takes your call
You've got nothing good to say
Keep your mouth shut
Nothing good to do
Do it to yourself
Nothing's ever good enough for you
Sick of everything you say as you're going down
Sorry for everything
Sick of everything that you do as your going down
You look like a fool
Never meant to hurt no one
Just happened to be there next to you
As you were going down
As you're going down
As you're going down
Sick of everything you say as you're going down
Sorry for everything
Sick of everything that you do as you're going down
You look like a fool
Never meant to hurt no one
Just happened to be there next to you
As you were going down
As you were going down, going down
As you were going down, going down
As you were going down, going down
As you were going down, going down
Nothing's good enough for you
QUOTES REGARDING THE SONG:
I'll say what I always say about GD - it sounds 'Earthy' to me, whatever that means, lol
From this quote it can seem like Going Down inspired a song on Bumblefoot's Barefoot EP which was released in 2008:
You know what? Here's the problem. And this is why I say that I am also a bigger pain in the ass to Axl, because when it comes to something like this, when something leaks, that is an illegal activity which could possibly, depending, lead to legal [issues], in which anything I say could be used against [us]. So when something leaks, it's very important to say nothing because it could affect legal issues, and it's better not to talk about that. But I tend to talk…
Here's the thing: Before 'Chinese Democracy' came out, which, as we know, was exactly five years ago yesterday, I started working on an acoustic album called 'Barefoot' that I ended up releasing the following month, after 'Chinese' was released. So I have a little acoustic EP called 'Barefoot'. There was an additional song that I recorded on that album, along with everything else, where pretty much that album, it was just two guitar tracks, maybe some bass in the background and vocals; it was very raw — just acoustic guitar, acoustic lead guitar, vocals. I did it all myself. While I was at it, I kind of recorded an extra song. From what I understand… yeah… So, anyway, if you listen to the 'Barefoot' album, you might notice a similarity in tone and playing and everything to other acoustic songs that might have escaped the… Yeah. But I don't know anything about anything.
Here's the thing: Before 'Chinese Democracy' came out, which, as we know, was exactly five years ago yesterday, I started working on an acoustic album called 'Barefoot' that I ended up releasing the following month, after 'Chinese' was released. So I have a little acoustic EP called 'Barefoot'. There was an additional song that I recorded on that album, along with everything else, where pretty much that album, it was just two guitar tracks, maybe some bass in the background and vocals; it was very raw — just acoustic guitar, acoustic lead guitar, vocals. I did it all myself. While I was at it, I kind of recorded an extra song. From what I understand… yeah… So, anyway, if you listen to the 'Barefoot' album, you might notice a similarity in tone and playing and everything to other acoustic songs that might have escaped the… Yeah. But I don't know anything about anything.
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
NOVEMBER 2013
ERIN EVERLY AUCTIONS OFF PERSONAL AXL ITEMSIn 2013, Everly would auction off personal items from her time with Axl:
Who wants to buy Axl Rose's marriage certificate? How about the actual wedding video of the singer's marriage to former actress and model Erin Everly? What about a domestic abuse report? Or break-up letters penned by Rose after the marriage didn't work out? All of this and more can be yours! Seriously.
Celebrity memorabilia is a pretty lucrative industry, and there's honestly no telling what weird stuff fans will purchase and for what price. For anyone obsessed with Guns N' Roses vocalist Axl Rose, a mass of unique items from his marriage to Erin Everly has become available at Julien's Auctions.
The items of for grabs are pieces from "the collection of Erin Everly" and you won't believe how deeply personal some of them are. More "normal" items such as Axl Rose's leather pants, the shirt he wore in the 'Welcome to the Jungle' video and old backstage passes are being offered for a price, but these are just tips of the iceberg.
Numerous love letters written by Axl Roses for Everly can be purchased for a few hundred bucks, as can clusters of hand-written poems and lyrics from Rose. The pieces start to get weirder, however, as a copy of Rose and Everly's 1990 wedding video is priced at $2,000 - $3,000. Additionally, the couple's marriage certificate is also being auctioned off for the same estimated price.
Strangest of all has got to be a copy of a domestic abuse report filed by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1988. The paper details an alleged incident in which the victim was kicked and beaten with fists. This particular package comes with a bill for the sale Everly's wedding ring, an "I Love You Erin" note written by Rose, a $5,027 receipt from Franklin Fuller Properties and another receipt from Crown T.V. for the repair of a television that Everly claims Rose broke.
Celebrity memorabilia is a pretty lucrative industry, and there's honestly no telling what weird stuff fans will purchase and for what price. For anyone obsessed with Guns N' Roses vocalist Axl Rose, a mass of unique items from his marriage to Erin Everly has become available at Julien's Auctions.
The items of for grabs are pieces from "the collection of Erin Everly" and you won't believe how deeply personal some of them are. More "normal" items such as Axl Rose's leather pants, the shirt he wore in the 'Welcome to the Jungle' video and old backstage passes are being offered for a price, but these are just tips of the iceberg.
Numerous love letters written by Axl Roses for Everly can be purchased for a few hundred bucks, as can clusters of hand-written poems and lyrics from Rose. The pieces start to get weirder, however, as a copy of Rose and Everly's 1990 wedding video is priced at $2,000 - $3,000. Additionally, the couple's marriage certificate is also being auctioned off for the same estimated price.
Strangest of all has got to be a copy of a domestic abuse report filed by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1988. The paper details an alleged incident in which the victim was kicked and beaten with fists. This particular package comes with a bill for the sale Everly's wedding ring, an "I Love You Erin" note written by Rose, a $5,027 receipt from Franklin Fuller Properties and another receipt from Crown T.V. for the repair of a television that Everly claims Rose broke.
Axl's sister, Amy, would react to the auction in a tweet that was deleted afterwards:
I'm so, so sad tonight that my brother, Axl's ex-wife, Erin Everly is preparing to auction off his belongings that were left behind in the breakup over 10 yrs ago. Any decent person would have thrown the stuff away, burned it, or mailed it back in a box years ago. I don't understand why she would make such a public choice. Seems like a cruel, bitch ass move to me. WTF, EE. Are you broke, or needing attention????
Facebook, November 21, 2013
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
NOVEMBER 2013
BUMBLEFOOT THREATENS TO LEAVE GUNS N' ROSESAs discussed in an earlier chapter, in the fall of 2013 Bumblefoot returned to touring and in an interview with radio Futuro he would complain about what he had given up joining Guns N' Roses:
It's funny… Before GUNS, Dennis [Leaflang] and I would be touring, mostly around Europe, and things were building up — I was putting out more albums and everything was growing. And then I joined that other band… [laughs]
I didn't want to slow everything down, but every time I tried to book anything [with my solo project], it seems like the running gag was, 'Hey, if you want GUNS N' ROSES to hit the road, all you have to do is book your own tour. And they'll [GUNS N' ROSES] book one at the same exact time and you'll have to cancel yours.' And it reached a point where we got so busy with the [GUNS N' ROSES] touring that I just wasn't able to plan anything.
Also, the rest of humanity tends to plan things in advance where GUNS N' ROSES tends to plan things the day before. So it's really tough. We could be planning something [for my solo project] for next April, and then GUNS will book something March 31 for April, and all your plans are just… Suddenly you're in this situation where you have to choose. [...]
We were supposed to tour… We had this tour [booked for my solo project] in January/February that I changed for GUNS stuff in December and January and then that stuff got canceled. And all the changes were for nothing, and the changes came at a very big loss. And it also came at a detriment to my name. It's, like, you book something with booking agents and promoters, and their biggest concern is that you're gonna cancel because GUNS is gonna book something, and then you do that, they're gonna be very reluctant to wanna book again, 'cause they're worried about the same thing happening. So I can't let that happen anymore. So I'm in a situation now…
I think what happened was, I was doing the solo stuff and everything was growing, and as soon as I joined GUNS, it's, like, everyone just hit 'delete' on my entire life and everything I did and I just became, 'Oh, he's the new guy in GUNS.' Even after 15 years, 20 years of putting out music, people say, 'Oh, I didn't know you sang. Oh, I didn't know you did other things.' And that's not right, that's not good, because I've put out more music than GUNS.
I just feel like I need to introduce myself to the world as who I am and say, 'Yeah, I'm the guitar player in GUNS N' ROSES, but this is who I am now. And I want you to know me, my music, and it's all starting in South America here, in Chile.
I didn't want to slow everything down, but every time I tried to book anything [with my solo project], it seems like the running gag was, 'Hey, if you want GUNS N' ROSES to hit the road, all you have to do is book your own tour. And they'll [GUNS N' ROSES] book one at the same exact time and you'll have to cancel yours.' And it reached a point where we got so busy with the [GUNS N' ROSES] touring that I just wasn't able to plan anything.
Also, the rest of humanity tends to plan things in advance where GUNS N' ROSES tends to plan things the day before. So it's really tough. We could be planning something [for my solo project] for next April, and then GUNS will book something March 31 for April, and all your plans are just… Suddenly you're in this situation where you have to choose. [...]
We were supposed to tour… We had this tour [booked for my solo project] in January/February that I changed for GUNS stuff in December and January and then that stuff got canceled. And all the changes were for nothing, and the changes came at a very big loss. And it also came at a detriment to my name. It's, like, you book something with booking agents and promoters, and their biggest concern is that you're gonna cancel because GUNS is gonna book something, and then you do that, they're gonna be very reluctant to wanna book again, 'cause they're worried about the same thing happening. So I can't let that happen anymore. So I'm in a situation now…
I think what happened was, I was doing the solo stuff and everything was growing, and as soon as I joined GUNS, it's, like, everyone just hit 'delete' on my entire life and everything I did and I just became, 'Oh, he's the new guy in GUNS.' Even after 15 years, 20 years of putting out music, people say, 'Oh, I didn't know you sang. Oh, I didn't know you did other things.' And that's not right, that's not good, because I've put out more music than GUNS.
I just feel like I need to introduce myself to the world as who I am and say, 'Yeah, I'm the guitar player in GUNS N' ROSES, but this is who I am now. And I want you to know me, my music, and it's all starting in South America here, in Chile.
And more:
I wanna do more shows. I wanna get out and tour more. And I wanna build up what I didn't maintain and let fall to the side. I wanna get back to doing what I do and doing it everywhere I can. I wanted to do a full South American tour in November/December, but when I had to reschedule the European stuff, it kind of squashed everything.
Furthermore, Bumblefoot would reveal that he was trying to come to an arrangement with Guns N' Roses, otherwise he would quit the band:
And I'm actually trying to work out something with [the GUNS N' ROSES] management now so I don't have to choose. Because if I do have to choose — and I'm saying it here first — I'm choosing my own life; I have to. If I'm gonna be painted into a corner where I have to choose between being in GUNS N' ROSES and the entire rest of my life, and if they're not willing to help me keep the two functioning well together, then I'm out. So hopefully they're willing to do that. And I've reached out a few days ago and I'm just waiting to hear back.
Some days later, Bumblefoot would comment on the Blabbermouth article on twitter with a positive note:
We all want to work it out - we'll work it out...
Twitter, November 30, 2013
Actually, Bumblefoot's own solo plans had come in the way of Guns N' Roses' plans to work on a new album earlier in the year, if we are to believe Bumblefoot:
Well we were supposed to start writing after the end of this last run – but I went to India! When I get back, I hope we can all get together, and live it and focus on creating new music together. Fans don’t want to hear about new shows, they want to hear about new music.
Still, it is quite possible that Bumblefoot felt that whatever plans the band had for working on new music in July, and we don't know how solid those plans were, would not actually come to fruition and that he might as well take off and do his own thing.
Interestingly, Richard had been in a similar situation as Bumblefoot with his work with The Dead Daisies, but here Guns N' Roses seems to have yielded to the Dead Daisies tour in November 2013:
Actually, Guns wanted to be touring right now in South America, and I'd already committed to this so we had to postpone that to next year, but yeah, I'm hoping that we get an album out pretty soon.
Some days later, Bumblefoot would introspectively suggest he was a pain in the ass to Axl:
I think I've been a much bigger pain in the ass to Axl than he's been to me. That's for sure. I am very honest and probably honest when I shouldn't be. Kind of like when you should say nothing and be silent, instead of being silent, I'll [say something] usually on the radio. And he'll get a hundred e-mails about it. Or probably just hear from everyone else. I think he kind of, in a weird way, probably likes that I am a pain in the ass. Because even in the beginning, when we had the big management fight, before joining the band, I remember hanging out with him and he liked the fact that I went after his team of lawyers that the manager sent after me to try to take me down, and I just came out swinging at them. And I remember he said to me, we were hanging out one time, he was, like, 'Your balls, when they touch, they go, 'Clang.'' But he knows what he's gonna get with me. I'm not gonna give him lip service and be dishonest. If he asks me something, I'm gonna tell him [what I think]. And he's a human being. He's like everyone else. You just want the truth. Nobody wants games or anything like that. You'd rather have honest bad news than be strung along with things that aren't true. And that's one thing about him is that… He's a human being. I know him as a person. I know what my flaws are, I know what his flaws are, I know what everybody's flaws are. And we're all just human.
In December, Bumblefoot would be asked if he had ever considered quitting the band:
Dozens of times, yes. Would rather keep things positive & not elaborate tooooooooooo much, but it's been from late show starts, to health issues, to bizz issues...... once you hit the stage you seem to forget all the bad stuff though
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Re: 33. DECEMBER 2012-DECEMBER 2013: MORE TOURING, BUMBLEFOOT IS FRUSTRATED
DECEMBER 2013
DJ AND BUMBLEFOOT FIGHTSIn early December, DJ would tweet a message that could be understood as a comment to Bumblefoot trying to force Guns N' Roses into accommodating his solo plans [see previous chapter]:
If you bite the hand that feeds you.....you will go hungry
Twitter, December 2013
Then Bumblefoot posted this message that seems to be directed towards DJ:
Anyone who uses your conflicts as their pedestal is just revealing their own opportunistic character... ever have to work w some1 like that?
Twitter, December 11, 2013
Interestingly, Bumblefoot had been asked about whether the current GN'R lineup was "definite" in April 2013, and talk about how it wouldn't be because "people needing something else" and also about how there were "wolves in the fold" who "manipulate their way into a buddy position" and "weaken other relationships":
The only thing that’s definite is that nothing is definite. Life isn’t definite. People get sick, people die, people disagree, people need something else. And there are always wolves in the fold, usually not the people you’d think… one will always get in, manipulate their way into a buddy position, then try to weaken other relationships. Those people eventually show their true colors. It’s fine, part of life – I’m in it for the love of music, the love of playing, and to give the best moment I can for the fans. And no one has the power to take that away.
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Similar topics
» 15. MAY-DECEMBER 1992: TOURING AND FEUDS
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