Ron Thal (AKA ‘Bumblefoot’) has revealed that he hopes to release a new solo instrumental album next year – and also that he’s open to a third album with super group, Sons of Apollo.
“Personally, I would love to get a third album going,” Thal told Brazilian YouTuber Igor Miranda. “But with the pandemic, there was this unexpected gift of time where we got to all get on with the things that we wanted to do.”
The former Guns N’ Roses guitarist says he’s been kept busy producing other artists, teaching and recording guest solos for other artists (indeed he plays a clip of a lead he’s recorded for a Carmine Appice project).
However, Thal says he’s also been working on a new solo instrumental record – his first since debut solo album The Adventures of Bumblefoot was released, over 27 years ago.
“I haven't done a full instrumental album since 1995, so it's pretty overdue,” he tells Miranda.
“I’ve been working on that slowly while doing everything else and collaborating with people… I tend to put myself last. If I have a load of work to do, rarely will I say, ‘Nope. Can't do that. I've gotta work on my own thing.’ [But] I'm trying to do that more, because my own album is never gonna get done [otherwise].
“So I'm trying to put myself into that equation as well and say, ‘Oh, let me do something for me,’ and not forget about me and my own music. So I'm working on that. I'm slowly getting there. Hopefully, next year I'll have an album to release of my own music, I'm hoping…”
In the same discussion, Thal also discusses the technicality, for which he and his Sons of Apollo collaborators (including Mike Portnoy, Derek Sherinian, Billy Sheehan and Jeff Scott Soto), are renowned.
“It can become a bit of a sport,” says Thal. “You have to remember that that’s not what it’s about. It’s fun in a self-indulgent way, but really whether you’re playing fast or playing slow, play something progressive or really straight and simple, as long as you’re making people feel something, that’s what it’s about that’s what counts.
“I like people to feel like there’s a circus in a tornado. Just total insanity. So sometimes I go in that direction with things, but sometimes it’s just about a nice melody. As long as you’re giving people something, some musical piece of you who are, then you’re doing the right thing – and the rest is just dressing.”
We look forward to hearing the results of Thal’s efforts, though the next job on his to-do list is a five-date tour of South America with Sons Of Apollo in support of their second album MMXX, taking in Brazil, Argentina and Chile.
Head to Sons of Apollo’s Facebook page for more information.
