Bumblefoot knew about Guns N’ Roses reunion with Slash and Duff when he quit

Bumblefoot

Former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal knew that Slash and Duff McKagan were returning to the band when he decided to quit.

But even that didn’t keep him from making the decision to move on – because he believed the time was right.

And he’s revealed that one of his favourite memories from his eight-year stint with Axl Rose is the time he helped a nine-year-old girl sing with them.

Before discussing his departure, Bumblefoot tells Loudwire: “Anything I say will end up turned into something bad, that’s hurt people I don’t want to hurt. That’s what ends up happening, even if I don’t mean it to. So I try not to say too much about it.”

He continues: “You reach a time when you just know it’s time to move on, and you know that what you’ve seen for your life, and what that is, it’s not what you’ve pictured for yourself.

“When I started playing music I was six years old. I thought about what I wanted, what my goals were, and what makes me alive inside making music. I was looking at what I was doing and it didn’t match up. I needed to go.”

Asked if he knew about the reunion, he replies: “Yeah, I did.”

But he hasn’t seen the latest lineup perform. “That would just be weird,” he says. “It’s like going to watch your ex-girlfriend get married. I moved on, they moved on, I hope everybody’s happy, that’s all.”

In 2012 Bumblefoot brought young fan Chloe Paris to a rehearsal, where she sang with the band. He recalls: “The things I remember the most was when something bad happened and it turned into something good.

“There was a sweet girl, and all the kids in school picked on her. I brought her into a rehearsal and she was a big fan of the song Catcher In The Rye. She’s pretty much the only other person who sang with Guns N’ Roses.”

The band’s Not In This Lifetime tour continues. Original drummer Steven Adler rejoined the band for a guest appearance earlier this week.

Tour Dates

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Saturday, July 9, 2016 at 8:00PMNissan StadiumNashville, United States
Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 7:30PMHeinz FieldPittsburgh, United States
Thursday, July 14, 2016 at 8:30PMLincoln Financial FieldPhiladelphia, United States
Saturday, July 16, 2016 at 8:30PMRogers CentreToronto, Canada
Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 7:00PMGillette StadiumFoxborough, United States
Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at 7:00PMGillette StadiumFoxborough, United States
Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 8:30PMMetLife StadiumEast Rutherford, United States
Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 8:30PMMetLife StadiumEast Rutherford, United States
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 8:30PMGeorgia DomeAtlanta, United States
Friday, July 29, 2016 at 8:00PMCamping World StadiumOrlando, United States
Sunday, July 31, 2016 at 8:00PMMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, United States
Wednesday, August 3, 2016 at 8:00PMAT&T StadiumArlington, United States
Friday, August 5, 2016 at 8:30PMNRG StadiumHouston, United States
Tuesday, August 9, 2016 at 6:30PMAT & T ParkSan Francisco, United States
Friday, August 12, 2016 at 7:30PMCenturyLink FieldSeattle, United States
Monday, August 15, 2016 at 8:00PMUniversity of Phoenix StadiumGlendale, United States
Thursday, August 18, 2016 at 6:30PMDodger StadiumLos Angeles, United States
Friday, August 19, 2016 at 6:30PMDodger StadiumLos Angeles, United States
Monday, August 22, 2016 at 7:00PMQUALCOMM STADIUMSan Diego, United States

Axl Rose presents new material to Guns N' Roses bandmates

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Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.