Musician Spotlight: Ron Thal, AKA Bumblefoot

A Look at the Promising Solo Career of Guns N' Roses New Lead Guitar

Dec 3, 2008 James Blake

Bumblefoot does much more than just shred for Guns N' Roses. As a solo artist, he released the concept album "Normal" in 2005 and the follow-up "Abnormal" this July

Ron Thal—better known by his stage name Bumblefoot—made his step into the spotlight in 2006 when he replaced fellow virtuoso Buckethead as lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses. Thal's playing style is very similar to Buckethead's; both guitarists are known for incredibly fast arpeggiating solos and have a style that derives a great deal from hard rock. The difference between the two artists, however, lies in their solo projects.

Thal's solo project, also Bumblefoot, is an exemplary display of both his creative and musical talent. The band, which has been active since the 1998 debut Hands, has gone through considerable sound changes. His influences are present, ranging from Mike Patton and Les Claypool to the “70s lounge” style evoked in 2002's Uncool, and each album brings out a different style of music. Thal's newest album, Abnormal, is a follow-up of sorts to 2005's Normal, which explored what being normal is.

Bumblefoot's 2005 Concept Album Normal

One of the major differences between Thal and other guitar virtuosos comes from the structure of his songs. While artists like Buckethead or Satriani tend to be mostly instrumental, focusing primarily on guitar work, Bumblefoot's albums include traditional verse-chorus-verse songs, showcasing both Thal's instrumentation and his songwriting prowess.

The biggest indicator of this is his 2005 album, Normal. In Thal's words, the album “brings you into the world of an insane musician who takes medication and experiences what it's like to be 'normal' for the first time.” The album is highly conceptual, but at the same time catchy and packed with solos.

Normal excels in being accessible, mainly because that is the concept behind the LP. Each of the tracks comes from a sort of cliché, from the love song “Pretty Ugly” to the closing ballad “Shadow”.

There's even the semi-acoustic track “Awake”, but these are all supported by Bumblefoot's signature playing style and quirky lyrics. The songs can most easily be summed up by the closing line of the title track: “It's so nice to be normal, but it still feels kind of strange.” Thal revels in the absurdity of being 'normal', and in doing so makes a killer album.

Tahl's Abnormal Follow-up Branches into Experimental, Punk

In July, Bumblefoot followed up to Normal with the band's sixth studio album, Abnormal. The CD does not explore being 'abnormal' as much as it is an outlet for a great deal of Thal's rage. Abnormal derives much of its sound from punk rock, which is quite interesting to hear behind Bumblefoot's guitar playing. The album is fast and angry, and there is also a great deal more vulgarity in Thal's lyrics.

It is also easy to tell that the LP is Tahl's first solo release since joining Guns N' Roses; his musicianship has turned to a more traditional hard rock sound. It seems like a downgrade at times, but Thal still whips out the occasional speedy solo. Another facet of the album is its musical diversification. “Glad to be Here” starts out with a tuba solo, and Thal samples vocalist ranging to opera singers. The album certainly deserves multiple listens, but it is not for everybody.

Bumblefoot is on Bald Freak Records, online, and on Myspace.

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Bumblefoot