Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Bumblefoot ready to rock Cape Town
Former Guns N’ Roses guitarist will tune in to local musicians and share his wizardry
WORLD-renowned guitar virtuoso Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal is looking forward to his first South African tour.
The former Guns N’ Roses lead guitarist is set to rock Cape Town and Joburg while carrying on the tradition of offering master-classes whenever he tours around the world.
“This will be my first time in South Africa, hopefully, the first of many more times. I’m greatly looking forward to this introduction, getting to know everyone musically and personally at the concerts, jams and clinics,” says Bumblefoot.
Speaking from his New York home, Bumblefoot says he’s mostly looking forward to South Africa because of the food, especially “spicy biltong”.
The US musician and producer shares that over 12 years ago, he missed the chance to visit Mzansi but is thrilled that the opportunity came knocking again.
“I was supposed to come to South Africa with Guns N’ Roses. Sadly, the show was cancelled. So I missed the opportunity then but I’m glad it’s finally happening.”
On what should be expected during his tour, he said: “We will be doing a bunch of my solo songs and a bunch of covers with local musicians, which I love doing. When you’re playing with different people, they have their own take on the music. And that makes the show unique and special. So this will be a very special show.”
Bumblefoot, who is a music professor at the State University of New York at Purchase in Harrison, New York, says that he is very passionate about teaching.
“Teaching is the most important thing. Education is forever and it fully builds somebody. The thing I love most is teaching.
“And I have something called the Bumblefoot Rock Project in England, where we help and mentor kids in making music videos, songwriting and recording. It’s the most valuable and inspiring thing for me and every time I’m touring, I always love doing workshops and clinics. I started doing my own music camps.
“Last month, I did a week-long camp in Ireland, where it was all about the mathematics of music and the science of how a string works and how to apply it to guitar and guitar techniques, but also singing, the music business and studio production.
“So, definitely, when I tour I like to do a lot more than just play a show and go.”
Quizzed about what he hopes fans will get out of the workshops, Bumblefoot expressed: “I’d like to show them new ways of playing the guitar.
“I will also share some different techniques that I’ve developed to get more notes out of the string than just the standard way of playing.”