Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal is a guitar virtuoso, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. He is likely best known for his stint as lead guitarist for Guns N’ Roses. His tenth album Little Brother Is Watching features Dennis Leeflang on drums. With over 20 years of experience in the music industry Ron has collaborated with some of the most iconic musicians of our time. Most recently he has collaborations with DMC (Run DMC) and Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver, Art of Anarchy). Bumblefoot also has music appearing in TV, film, and videogames. He works with U.S Embassies around the world on cross-cultural music programs and works with dozens of international charities visiting orphanages and children’s hospitals.

Do you happen to remember what you very first favorite song was?

Probably the theme to Sesame Street. (laughs) I started listening to music very young.

What was it that first sparked your interest in music?
I heard a lot of classic ’60s and ’70s rock as a child, but it was hearing the KISS Alive! album for the first time that made me want to play music and follow that path. By age 6 I had a band together, we were writing songs and playing shows.

What is it like to work with the US Embassy to encourage musicians from all cultures? How did you first become involved in that?

I was doing workshops and charity work a lot on my own, working with musicians from all around the world. Two years ago I was approached by an organization that thought I’d be the right guy to do these things with US Embassies around the world. I met with delegates from around the world, we chatted, told stories about my travels, and we hit the road. I’m writing this on a plane heading home from Southeast Asia after weeks of concerts, workshops, playing at children’s hospitals in Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia with super-talented local musicians and singers. I’m coming home with wonderful memories! (smiles)

You also work with several charities. Do you think it is important that those in a position to help others do so?

Every bit helps, any time we can all get together and combine our efforts for a greater good…  Music is a motivator, and if I can do what I do to help others, then it’s worth doing what I do.
What do you love most about being a musician?

That. Helping kids’ needs, medical research, and of course teaching. Someone gives you a gift, they teach you how to do something that changes your life and others enjoy – pay that gift forward. Share the gift you’ve received, teach. Seeing a student go on to do great things, then they teach others and those students get out and play, charity and teaching, the best parts of being a musician.

What advice would you offer those wishing to pursue a career in the music industry?

Be as self-reliant as possible, get experienced in as many aspects as possible. Besides the independence it gives you, you’ll discover a lot more aspects of the business that you may enjoy and also want to pursue. Being a musician is much more than playing on stage.

When did you first develop your style of fretless playing?

I got my first fretless in ’98, after a year with Vigier Guitars (www.vigierguitars.com). I started writing and recording with it, and one of the first songs I recorded became the theme for That Metal Show.

Are there any little known things about you that your fans might be surprised to learn?

I think they probably know more about me than they want to know (laughs). I don’t know what would surprise people, hmmm…one of the first times I ever sang, I was probably 4 or 5, it was the opera Carmen.

What do you think is key to a life well lived?

Not being afraid.

What was it like to have the chance to collaborate with DMC and Scott Weiland recently?

I love making music with people, and am happy to have so much music being released this year – new Bumblefoot album Little Brother Is Watching, Art Of Anarchy album (with Scott on vocals), playing on & producing the DMC / Generation Kill rap metal song releases.

Can you tell us a little about the album Little Brother Is Watching? What influenced you to create it when you did?

Influences all came from personal stories, personal experiences. Everything from mortality to relationships and interactions. This one is a lot more melodic with longer songs than my past albums, more space, dynamics, harmonies, production. I like to have the audience singing along at shows and wanted to capture that aspect, when the album was nearing completion I got together with 100 people at a venue in NY and had a listening party where everyone sang parts of songs all together, and included their singing and chanting in the song recordings. There’s videos of it and ‘Making Of’ videos on YouTube at http://bit.ly/bbfnow. There’s a little MP3 sampler at http://www.reverbnation.com/bumblefoot , and the album is available on CD at http://bit.ly/bbf-merch and on iTunes at http://bit.ly/bbf-itunes

What projects are you currently working on?

Been doing some guest solos for different artists, and will keep putting out music with DMC / Generation Kill throughout the year, perhaps some shows and video as well. The Art Of Anarchy single Til the Dust Is Gone has been hitting radio and the music video is now on YouTube (http://youtu.be/HFT1tW3XsL4), as well as the Little Brother Is Watching music video (http://youtu.be/VmwLc6MiZY0). I’m looking to do more videos this year.

What direction would you most like to see your career take next?

Just want to keep doing what I’m doing, more of it (smiles). I’d like to do more to support the independent music scene globally, I have a plan for a festival that would bring attention to international independent artists, but that’s a big undertaking and will require a strong team.I’ve also been doing more film music, for indie horror films and have been taking on some acting roles in them as well – just finishing filming for one called Clean Cut (http://www.facebook.com/cleancutthemovie) which will be out 2016.

Is there anything you’d like to say in closing?

A big thank you to everyone for being such a big part of my life, I look forward to seeing you all soon! I’ll be at Corfu Rock School (http://www.CorfuRockSchool.com) August 1^st – 8^th. We spend a week at a resort together on the beautiful Greek island of Corfu, doing guitar workshops in the morning, then spend the afternoon at the beach and relaxing, a chef prepares lunch and dinner, and in the evening we work on songs and then we play gigs together at local pubs, jamming all night. I’ll also be doing 2 days of workshops at Raleigh Music Academy (http://raleighmusicacademy.com/2015-rma-summer-guitar-workshop/) June 12^th & 13^th in Raleigh, North Carolina – hope to see you all, thanks so much!

Billboard.com debuts “Little Brother Is Watching” music video
http://blbrd.cm/i1PCXx

New Bumblefoot album “Little Brother Is Watching” now on iTunes

http://itunes.apple.com/album/little-brother-is-watching/id964582062

 Bumblefoot headlines Pattaya Bike Week festival in Thailand for children’s charity, raises $163,000

http://t.co/lpk5PjEpbn

 Bumblefoot on BBC

http://t.co/uOLEBut9SB

 Bumblefoot on playing and giving

http://t.co/OqIbVlNXcZ

 Bumblefoot dazzles all ages at free SXSW show

http://t.co/FycvRTmCPq

 Bumblefoot visits orphanage in Jakarta

http://youtu.be/pJHDBlcBLX4

 DMC (Run DMC), Generation Kill, Bumblefoot release rap metal collaboration

http://itunes.apple.com/album/lot-lizard-feat.-bumblefoot/id976176756

 “Art Of Anarchy” supergroup to release album ft. Scott Weiland, Bumblefoot, John Moyer

http://bit.ly/1FK32xF

 Bumblefoot: Behind the Scenes ~ That Metal Show (VH1Classic)

http://youtu.be/L71H4Lp2x_E

Watch ‘Making Of’ Bumblefoot “Little Brother Is Watching” album on YouTube

 http://bit.ly/bbfnow

www.bumblefoot.com

www.twitter.com/bumblefoot

www.facebook.com/bumblefoot

www.instagram.com/bumblefoot

www.youtube.com/bumblefoot

www.reverbnation.com/bumblefoot

Try JamPlay for FREE – complements of Bumblefoot

jamplay.com/bumblefoot

 Bumblefoot Guitar Cases

bit.ly/bbfguitarcase

 Bumblefoot Hot Sauces

bit.ly/bbfsauce

 BBF Merch store

bit.ly/bbf-merch

 BBF iTunes

bit.ly/bbf-itunes

For more information on the works of Chris Mars please see Facebook or http://www.chrismarspublishing.com/.

Bird on a Wire

I was told when I was very young
That I suffered from too much native fire
And this would, in fact, explain over the years
why the world inside me turned at a different rate

Why I would notice a universe unfolding amongst what others would consider trivial things:
Like the distance between two birds on a wire,
for example.
I have witnessed respect and love suspended,
no human I know dare dream of.
Or why while others looked at the ground while walking
my eyes always curl to the sky and write the story of two sparrows passing in flight
Making them return to each other in spring
After the fall
After the long winter journey southward.

They also said
When I was young
That this affliction would cause others to burn
That my native fire was too much to show at once
That my goal was
temperance
and caution
and patience
I have found over the years this to be true
And I’ve left a trail of embers to prove it.
I have told those weak of heart and low on imagination to keep their distance-
I have explained from the start that I feel too much
and my heart doesn’t quit-
Ever.
I go on to explain this affliction I own-
This over abundance of fire,
This thing that has kept me rising through the toughest parts of my life
and will burn long after I’m gone-
Is something that is sacred;
Something that I’m saving for one who can handle it with native gloves.
And if they move me, then I write for them.
And I say that I am much safer on the page.
Keep me there-
Here, where it’s safe . . .
But they don’t listen.
They want to know.
They want to see where the words come from.

Pop

You just can’t take ’em seriously Son
And lemme tell you why
They wake up and they paint their face
Their beauty is a lie
I pondered what my Father said
I guess it could be true
But she don’t paint her face at all
So now what do I do…

Huh?

I wanna be the kinda man
You once wanted to be
before the liquor and the pain
Was all that you could see
I never thought that I’d grow up
and be a guy like you
But sometimes your words
fall from my lips
And some of them ring true
But I’ll never lay a hand on her
Or criticize while drunk
You say it’s weak to let her win
Does that make me a punk
So Pop you think I’ve fallen short
of your measure of the man
But if you heard her voice
And saw her eyes
I think you’d understand…

Right?

One day the two of you might meet
At the bottom of my drawer
Of memories and photographs
Of things I’ve done before
Cause everything that’s good must end
Thank God the bad ends too
One day I may miss her as much
As I wish I could miss you…
Pop.

Leslie Jordan has been delighting the world with his work as an actor/playwright since 1986. He has appeared in countless television shows and films, such as, Star Trek: Voyager, Reba, George Lopez, American Dad, Desperate Housewives, Sordid Lives: The Series, Raising Hope, American Horror Story: The Coven, Supernatural, Sordid Lives(the film), and Southern Baptist Sissies.

How do you feel about your career at this point in your life?

I am at a wonderful place in my life where anything that happens career-wise is just GRAVY!

What was it like going from Chattanooga, TN to Hollywood?

When I stepped off a bus at the corner of Vine Street near Hollywood Blvd in 1982, I had $1,200 pinned into my underpants, a small suitcase, and some really big dreams.

How does it feel to have had the chance to bring more laughter to the world through your work? Do you feel privileged to have been able to do that?

As an actor, I have achieved everything I set out to achieve. I have been awarded an Emmy for my TV work, I have done quite a bit of New York theatre, I have been in a movie that was nominated for an Academy Award (The Help) I have toured the country doing what I really love best and that is standing in front of folks making them laugh.

Are you looking forward to resuming you role in the Sordid Lives franchise?

I just got off the phone with Del Shores and he is looking at dates to shoot a sequel of sorts to Sordid Lives and I am really happy to be back with “the family.” We have had so much fun in the last 18 years reaping the rewards from the first Sordid Lives.

I think the best compliment I have ever received came from a woman in Palm Springs. Apparently, they had a club called “The Gays and The Greys” where gay people and senior citizens would gather at The Camelot Theatre every Saturday afternoon at 3pm and watch the movie. Every time they attended a showing they got a lug nut to put on a chain and wear as a necklace. The significance of the lug nut came from Beth Grant’s character Aunt Sissy saying, “Tom Ed told me he had to reinforce that bar stool with LUG NUTS!” Well, this woman came up to me and said, “I’m 83 years old. Whenever I get sad, I come and watch your movie. Look! Twenty-three lug nuts!” Does it get any better than that! I love what I do and I am so honored and blessed to be able to do it!

The Pearls of Aphrodite

as the glimmering moonlight loves the deep black ocean of night
under the jewels in the sky
showing me the depth of my own heart, effortlessly she
slides the outer layers off,
the daughter of adoration incarnate, her
beauty shining upon my fervent skin, warmth
knowing no match even in the depths of the sun

she, the moon and the stars, the radiance overwhelming
as a soothing, blessed peace overtakes
true to her word with the promise of bliss and love

the passport is in her hands, clasped with mine
we shall soon see what is to be:
everything falling into place
with a passionate embrace, she whispers to me
showing me the splendor of creation
showing her the splendor of the us,
the us that grows like the tree of life
alive are we, together we shall be
living in knowledge
living in love
they know no bounds in her

I am in heaven, witnessing how Aphrodite envies her

Abandoned

I
Inside my house, the many walls,
things that interrupt other things

Outside my house, the lines
of my poems, walking on them

II
I see something random
in the garden, nameless

Shoots of new tulips,
a cock-necked starling

In Fancy

(after Enfance)

why on earth would i blow open the safe
of childhood? as lord of metallic silence
sitting pretty & blue-balled in a stairwell
twiddling thumbs for the building to succumb
to its own foundations meanwhile comets
moon & sea generate a new mythology outside
think of the thickness of the globe red &
black monstro-cities clogging the way back
to the Gulf the long distance my life takes
root here in tongue-tied smoke a phone in
my wrist gleams there will be no headlines
tomorrow what a relief! but i will have to pay
some serious rent to re-carpet this womb

Toby Fitch is the author of various chapbooks and the full-length collection of poems Rawshock, which won the Grace Leven Prize for Poetry 2012. His latest collection is Jerilderies and he has a book of inversions forthcoming with Vagabond Press called Bloomin’ Notions.

Born in London, Fitch grew up in Sydney, Australia, attending the University of Technology as an undergraduate, and the University of Sydney for his Doctor of Arts for which he wrote his thesis on the concepts of play, rebellion, and ghosts in contemporary Australian poetry.

He is an editor for Southerly, a secondhand bookseller at Gleebooks, and he runs a monthly poetry reading series at Sappho Cafe.

Wayne Nelson playing for St. Jude’s.

Wayne Nelson is best known from his work as the lead singer/bassist for Little River Band. Founded in Australia in 1975, the band has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, and are the first band to achieve the record of having Top 10 hits for 6 consecutive years.

When did you first discover your love of music?

My earliest memories are infused with music. My parents constantly had music in playing in our home…Chopin, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, et al from my mom, and marching music from my dad who was a drum major in college. And both loved Broadway music and plays. They also both sang in the church choir, and were active in local theater groups. So I went with them to rehearsals and services. Rhythm, harmony, and composition were in the air on a regular basis.

Who were some of you earliest influences?

Once I was able to choose new music that I wanted to hear, I loved the Four Seasons, The Beach Boys, The Turtles, and Dion…lots of vocal harmonies and great songs. Next came Motown, The Beatles, The Stones, and Cream. Then horn bands like Chicago, BS&T, EWF, and Chase. From there I started listening to jazz and more esoteric music like Yes, Weather Report, Miles Davis, Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny, Spyro Gyra, and Michael Walden.

What was it like to have had the chance to hone your musical skills in Chicago? Do you feel privileged to have had the chance to play in an area so rich in rhythm and blues?

Chicago was a great town for seeing bands and soaking up live music. Although there was a lot of blues on Lincoln Ave at the time, it hadn’t become as commercialized and popular as it is now. I spent more time seeing CTA and Styx and Cheap Trick at clubs and college venues. What was very hard for any young band in Chicago was to play R&B, which is what all of my friends and fellow musicians were into…Stevie, Motown, EWF, etc. And it was never an easy town to work in…6 sets a night, loading in and out with wind chills of -10, ice on the pavement and at the doorways. Chicago was boot camp for me.

Where do you think you would be today if you hadn’t have become a musician?

In college I became fascinated with Audiology…how our ears work, how important to us they are, how they get damaged, and how to help people overcome that damage. I was studying for my Masters, but had to give up playing music to concentrate on the course load. It became obvious real quickly where my heart was…so I chose the music. Had I not, I’d be an audiologist.

Are there any little known things about you that your fans might be surprised to learn?

Surprised? I am not sure about that. From a musical perspective, people might be surprised that I never wanted to be a lead singer…or really sing very much at all. I’m a bass player at heart, and have loved the few opportunities in my career where I could just stand next to the drummer and play without having to think about singing. But they’ve been few and far between. Otherwise, I’m a pretty quiet homebody when the band isn’t touring.

How do you think the music industry has changed most since you first started your career?

Without a doubt technology has turned the industry inside out. Recording can now be done virtually anywhere, with files shared over the internet and overdubbed by others to create music. Live performances can be streamed for free or for a fee. Individual songs or whole CDs can be downloaded. Bands can exist and market themselves on a virtual basis…if you don’t want to tour, you can have a virtual following and stay home. It’s changed how bands interact with record labels and the public. Gone are the days when you HAD to get in a van, sleep on the gear, play endless gigs and hope that a label or agent saw you and got you a recording contract, and booked you into a studio with a producer that you never met. In many ways it frees up the whole process…but for old school musicians, the change in structure to the music business can seem very random and frightening.

What advice would you offer the musician of today in regards to cultivating a lasting career?

Play what you believe, write your own music, and practice your craft so that when an opportunity comes your way you’re ready to step in and make a contribution. The more times that happens, the wider your perspective becomes and the more valuable you become to your peers…and to yourself as a solo artist.

How did you come to be a member of Little River Band?

I was in Jim Messina’s band, and we opened for LRB for two weeks straight in 1979 while they were recording a live CD called Backstage Pass. Having the same opening band for the whole West Coast helped every day to run smoothly for the recording process. We were playing some interesting latin rhythms in Jimmy’s new music, and singing over the top of those. LRB’s bass player had left the band earlier that year, and they were touring with a substitute. So they saw an opportunity to add a singing bass player to the band and augment the live vocals. In April of 1980 I went to Australia for rehearsals and a subsequent world tour.

What have you loved most about the experience so far?

The opportunity to sing in such a great vocal band was and is a constant thrill. And we’ve travelled the world and worked with some of the greatest bands in rock and roll. Meeting fans and hearing their personal stories about what the band’s music has meant to them over the years is always wonderful, and continues to be humbling.

Do you have any interested stories you are at liberty to share with our readers?

There are so many…but one that never leaves my memory is the experience of performing behind what was then the Iron Curtain. One of the venues in East Germany was an amphitheater actually built for Hitler to make speeches…the original podium was still there. After having seen so many different countries, I was struck by how different the earth looked when we crossed into the Eastern block. The land truly looked depressed and sad. And when we left the venue that night, there were on lights on in the nearby city. Total darkness…no candles or lights to read by…no street lights…no porch lights. It was very sobering.

Do you still enjoy touring as much as ever? How has your touring style evolved over the years?

I do still enjoy the show as much as ever. Every night is another crowd of people that connect the music to their memories and we have a ball with them. However, the travel will always be a nuisance. Airports and vans are not our favorite ways to get around, but sometimes we’re stuck with them. Busing is still our preferred mode of travel because we’re able to determine our own schedule and rest between cities. A lot of bands ask us “why are you still on a bus”? Our answer is “why are you still waiting at an airport”?

What does it take to put in a truly good show?

I think the primary component to a good show is to remember who we’re there to please…the audience. So the show needs to be engaging and interesting to them, while still challenging and fun for us. There’s nothing more boring than watching a band go through the motions when you know they’re not really enjoying themselves…or if they’re too self-absorbed to relate to the crowd. The last element is being able to physically do the job and present a quality performance. So we have to take care of our health and our voices and show up ready to play and sing with energy and quality.

What do you think it is that separates the wannabe musicians from the professional ones?

Being a professional means you get paid for what you do. In this business that takes a lot of determination and confidence…there’s always someone ready to reject you or your music. A certain level of talent and competence can’t hurt, but even people with mediocre skills can put together a song or a presentation that strikes a chord with their audience. And people with great skills might never leave the basement because they don’t want to devote the time to the chores of being a musician. The drive to keep going plus a bit of luck are key elements.

Do you have a dream project you’d most like to accomplish?

A solo CD is something I’d like to create. I enjoy the process of writing and recording, but get very little time to do either while LRB is touring and traveling as much as we do. Some artists can constantly lock themselves away and use spare time for studio work. I’m not one of those, so the solo CD will be something I focus on when there’s less time spent touring.

What projects are you working on at the moment?

I’m the tour manager for the band, so my daily project is getting us to and from shows and making sure all the travel details are covered…hotel rooms, ground transport, buses, meals, etc. LRB is 40 years old this year, so there are a lot of extra requests for interviews and such that I also coordinate with our publicist. My guess is another new band CD is on the horizon for year 41.

Is there anything you’d like to say before you go?

Just that it’s an honor to be part of this band’s history…and that our show is a lot of fun!! I promise that you’ll hear songs that you forgot were ours, that your scrapbook will get opened up, and we’ll have you singing before you leave!

Rare Rubies