this page : ron thal / paul gilbert / michael harris / stephen ross
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RON THAL Bumblee...Who ? - By Matt Cafissi
Ron , first of all tell me about your umpteenth strange cover of your
latest cd called "Uncool" !
hahahahahaha - hello Matt! Thank you for the interview. The picture is
Frank (our bassist) slipping on the ground while losing 7 oranges he bought
at a grocery store in Brooklyn. We had 5 other possible covers for the CD -
you can see them all in the photo "gallery" at Bumblefoot.com
Why don't more solo/albums or the Bumblefoot band is ... the true Ron Thal ?
I will do more solo albums. I've concentrated on Bumblefoot, and producing,
but I think it's time to release some "guitar music" - I'm working on a CD
with lots of strange fretless guitar in it - should be finished by January
2001.
What do you think about the new trend of Guitar & Techno Music ?
The trend started with Marc Pattison - he was doing that for years, and he
kicks ass. I hope he gets the recognition for it. I think it's a good
direction (but not the ONLY direction) for guitar music. I'd like it more if
I was a better dancer.
Do you like the music/videos as seen on MTV ? When Bumblefoot ... on MTV ?
I like some of it - we had some music used on the MTV show Undressed, over
the summer and we just finished a video - maybe MTV will play it? It's not
my goal to be on MTV - in the US, you have to become a slave to a major
record label to get recognized, and if the RIAA (organization made of 5 major
labels) doesn't get a piece of your money, they don't want you having success
without them. All I care about is that you, the GuitarChef readers, the REAL
people get to hear the music and see the video. That's what makes the
internet so important to independent musicians - it's our communication.
Now you are one of the most important artists of the Vigier Guitars ...
Do you think? I just try to do my best for them - they're an amazing
company, with so much integrity in what they do. I'm glad to know them as
friends - not just for their guitars.
The last question : you are very strange and crazy in your music but in
your private life the Ron Thal guitarist is Ron Thal ... guitarist ?
There are many sides to any person - I like to laugh and have fun with
friends, but I also like to be serious and take care of business, I like to
spend quality time with my wife, but I also like to live for music touring,
writing, recording. I like to be generous and help people when I can, but
when someone tries to screw me in business I hunt them down and eat them. If
you hear all that in my music - fun and laughter, hard work, love, energy,
kindness, and wrath - then maybe I am Ron Thal the guitarist. But I feel
that guitar is only 1 thing that we do - it doesn't define everything that we
are.Thank you for the interview. Give my warmest regards to the wonderful
guitarists of Italy!
PAUL GILBERT King Of Farm - By Matt Cafissi
Paul , tell me about your last album .
"Alligator Farm" was the fastest I have ever written and recorded an album. It was possible because I was having fun, and writing about things that were happening around me . Almost all of the music was recorded "live" in the studio. Even the guitar solos were mostly one-take live solos! It's so much fun recording this way! I played a Mozart piano sonata using two guitar tracks on the song "Whole Lotta Sonata". I think this is a very interesting song for guitar players to hear.Why a Shrapnel collaboration if your solo albums are with vocals ?I have vocals and pop melodies on my solo albums, but there is still lots of intense guitar playing!I want understand : we know your love for bluesy and Beatles sound and we have listen on last Mr Big albums . Now the new Mr Big (w/Kotzen) plays 70's and a true rock blues ... but your sound is more heavy ... you don't like more the sound of last Mr Big album ?I love rock/blues guitarists like Robin Trower, Pat Travers, and Frank Marino. I love the incredible songs of The Beatles, Cheap Trick, Queen, and Enuff Z'nuff. And I love heavier stuff like old Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Accept, and Saxon.Your official website is very friendly with much strange stories and crazy photos !!! I like it ...
Thank you! I have fun editing it myself. I will have rare sound clips on it soon!If you back on Mr Big don't forget your solo carrer because i like your solo sound ...I plan on doing my solo CDs and Racer X for a long time. Both situations are more fun and musically satisfying than anything else I've done!
MICHAEL HARRIS Distorted Ego - By Matt Cafissi
Michael , tell me about your last album .
My newest CD, “Sketches From the Thought Chamber”, is a major musical step for me, as it features some fresh new elements of my playing and composition skills, and truly expresses where my mind is at presently : fusing progressive, jazz, and metal influences. As usual, the compositions themselves are more important than the notes within them, and what surfaced here is a “sci-fi soundtrack-ish” sound to many of the tunes, some extremely twisted melodies, two acoustic numbers, several songs with serious grooves, and the most beautiful piece I have ever written, “A Soul’s Torment”.
I have listen a great differences from your first solo CD "Defense ..." at the other solo albums ... the last are more cool with great delay and great vibrato , more melodies ... true songs !
Well thank you. Those are always the 2 biggest compliments anyone can pay me : that I improve from album to album and that the songs and melodies are paramount. The guitar is just a tool of expression to me to get the songs out! Technique is important, but secondary to the music itself.
Do you like Hip Hop , Rap , R & B and other form of this trend as seen
on MTV?I have watched very little TV at all in months and certainly not MTV. I don’t like to stereotype musical styles. There are 2 kinds of music : good and bad. R&B has always had some exciting elements rhythmically. I’m not even sure what constitutes “Hip Hop” from rap or other styles, and rap has to be considered an entertainment form, but I have not heard any that I would even consider music, as there is no melody.
The Archrival project is died ? Why ? This is a great band , you don't know ?
Arch Rival is on hiatus at the moment. Right now I am too musically busy to devote any time to AR, but everyone is gathering ideas and we will record again hopefully. But thank you for acknowledging the band, as I feel we recorded some very relevant music.
Mmmmm ... When you come in Italy for a clinic or concert ...
I’m not much of a “clinician”, but would love to come to your country to play a concert or three !!!
STEPHEN ROSS Back Again - By Matt Cafissi
Stephen , why a long delay for the exit of new album ?
When I released my first album, I was young and still living at home. I had to time to practice and write music 10 hours a day or more. When it came time to move out and get some independence, SURPRISE! Things seemed to progress a little more slowly. On top of that, I want this next release to be something I am really proud of. I didn't want to release something just for the sake of releasing it. I wrote large quantities of material after my debut release, but didn't feel it represented where I wanted to go musically.
Which are the differences from the Shrapnel's debut cd ?
Probably the most obvious difference between the new stuff I am writing and the Shrapnel release, is the fact that I am going to be singing on it. Also, I feel I matured a great deal as a guitar player and can communicate much better musically then I could back then.
Do you like the latest work of Satriani ? Do you like the Techno , Jungle , R&B , Hip Hop , Rap and other types of this musical trends as seen on MTV ?
I think Satriani is a wonderful musician. My favorite release of his is "Surfin with the Alien", but anything he puts out is very high quality.To answer part B of this question, I am not too concerned about judging the music on what style it is, but rather on how well I think it is done. Variety is great and I really like it when there is a large palette of music to choose from. Some of my favorite contemporary artists are Tool, Limp Bizkit, Rage, Disturbed, Soundgarden and Alice and Chains.
In your opinion , the future of music is ... Internet ?
I think the Internet will play an extremelly important role in the future of music, Napster is a perfect example. The whole idea of file sharing is obviously turning the industry upside down. I think that eventually the Internet will help the bands, especially the ones just starting out, since it puts everyone on a more equal playing field.
Stephen ... we'll wait your new hot Cd ... come on ... !?!?
I am working hard on the new CD and should have it completed by early next year.
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