The Pink Panther Theme
 
Performed by Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal, Frank Ferrer, Tommy Stinson, Richard Fortus, DJ Ashba
Written by Henry Nicola Mancini ©1963 EMI-U Catalog, Inc. (ASCAP) c/o EMI Music Publishing, Inc. of New York, NY; Northridge Music Company (ASCAP) c/o Universal-MCA Music Publishing
(p)2011 Published by Neanderthal Noise Inc (ASCAP). 
Cover art by Dan Verkys
  THE PINK PANTHER THEME (FULL MIX)
  $0.99 ADD TO CART MP3 (320kps) / AAC SAMPLE MP3
  $1.49 ADD TO CART Hi-Quality (FLAC, Apple Lossless, WAV...) SAMPLE WAV
THE PINK PANTHER THEME "PLAYER PACK"
  $4.99 ADD TO CART
  Includes a transcription of the entire lead guitar track - 11 pages (PDF file) of musical notation, TAB, fingers, picking, and helpful hints. Includes a 'Backing Track' mix with everything except the lead/solo guitar parts, so you can play along.  There's also a 'Lead Guitar' mix, with the lead guitar boosted as an audio guide for the transcription. All audio files are included in both WAV (44.1kHz/16-bit) & MP3 (320kps) format. .

SAMPLE PDF ● Lead guitar transcription (PDF file)
SAMPLE WAV ● The Pink Panther Theme (Backing Track - no lead guitar)
WAV (16-bit / 44.1kHz)
SAMPLE MP3 ● The Pink Panther Theme (Backing Track - no lead guitar) MP3 (320kps)
SAMPLE WAV ● The Pink Panther Theme (Lead Guitar Boosted)
WAV (16-bit / 44.1kHz)
SAMPLE MP3 ● The Pink Panther Theme (Lead Guitar Boosted) MP3 (320kps)
THE PINK PANTHER THEME "PRODUCER PACK"
  $4.99 ADD TO CART
  Mixed 'stems' - 5 files included (drums, bass, rhythm guitar 1, rhythm guitar 2, lead guitar) that you can load into your multi-track software and play with levels, make your own mixes, or just see what the song is made of.  Each file is a 24-bit / 48kHz Stereo WAV.

SAMPLE WAV
I never liked taking guitar solos. Ya wouldn't think so considering, but it's true. I always cared more about a song in its entirety, the musical aspect, I've never been comfortable with the 'attention' of standing on stage alone and noodling away. Maybe it's insecurity or lack of belief in myself, maybe it's obstinacy and an overly idealistic stance to my own detriment about the importance of a song, maybe it's just how I'm wired and I shouldn't psycho-analyze. Regardless, that's me. The 'song' is everything to me, I'm the anti-rockstar, I'd rather be heard than seen, I'm not about mystique or larger-than-life idol worship, although a good chunk of that philosophy goes out the window once I hit the stage and the switch is flicked. But ultimately I love music, making it, giving it, feeding souls, bringing smiles, it's that basic.

It was November 2009, Guns N' Roses was rehearsing at the LA Forum for the start of the next year(s) of touring, and we were to come up with our own solo spots for the show. Richard [Fortus] had his James Bond inspired spot, DJ [Ashba] had a song he made specifically called “Ballad Of Death” and I had nothing prepared, I had avoided it throughout the year, and was unwilling to bend on my anti-solo attitude. I'd spout off, “People didn't come here to see me screw around, they came to hear GNR songs...”, “I'll walk before doing something I don't believe in...” Methinks I doth protest too much. Perhaps I read too many YouTube comments.

Three days left of full-production rehearsals before we go home and our gear floats to Taipei for the start of the tour, and I give in. “Has anyone done a version of the Charlie Brown theme?” I ask. “Pretty much every kid in GIT [guitar school]” Fortus responds. “OK, how's about the Pink Panther?”  Nope, hasn't been done. “OK, Frank, gimme a 'tsss, ts, t-tsss, ts, t-tsss' on the cymbals, Tommy, go 'dammmm, dommmm, dummmm' on the octave 5th & root, Rich, gimme the...” (Rich was already playing the part before I finished the sentence), “Deej, hit the heavy 'duh-dah, duh dah!' and we quickly threw the song together. And that was my solo for the next two years of touring. And I enjoyed it! It was a *song*, and it was fun.

I'd finish 'November Rain', the lights would go down, I'd carefully climb around the piano and swerve through the oncoming flurry of crew rushing to move the piano off-stage, McBob [my tech] would be meeting me half-way with my Vigier fretted/fretless double-neck and thimble in hand [thimble goes over my picking hand 4th finger for tapping high notes on the string past the fretboard], I'd be removing the single-cutaway guitar and he'd be strapping the 30-pound behemoth over my neck, and I'd get to the front the stage as Axl would be announcing me in an ever-changing amusing fashion, “The one, the only...”, or some twist on my name, “Ron 'Thalshank Redemption'...”

And half the time I'd be taking a solo Axl would be telling jokes into the band's in-ear monitors that only we hear. He'd do that to us all from time to time. So, if you ever see us bursting into a random laugh, shaking our head as we play, or looking behind us toward the side of the stage in mid-solo, that's why.

“The Pink Panther Theme”, written by Henry Mancini – featuring my GNR bandmates Frank 'Thunderchucker' Ferrer on drums (recorded August 2011, while laying drum tracks for the debut album 'Rise Above' of an artist I produced 'Poc'), Tommy Stinson on bass, Richard Fortus & DJ Ashba on rhythm guitars and myself on lead (recorded September 2011 between rehearsals and the start of the 2011 tour of the Americas.) Right now I'm on a plane to Phoenix, squashed in a middle seat with a glass of red wine in one hand, typing this with the other...  got a show tonight, heading to Vegas tomorrow, this is the final release of 2011 Bumblefoot songs, days away from New Years' Eve. Been quite a year, I hope you enjoy this song and have a wonderful 2012!!  All the best!

~ Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal