- The first album you bought (rock / metal)
I can't remember anything that goes farther back than this morning's breakfast (soysage, 2 vitamins and a can of Diet Dr. Pepper.) Just a quick point before I continue - there's no such thing as soysage. It was a soy product that resembled sausage, so I call it soysage. And Diet Dr. Pepper tastes just like the real Dr. Pepper. Good shit. OK, the first albums I remember owning were Kiss "Alive," followed by every other Kiss album, Boston's fist album, Yes "Going For the One," Blondie "Parallel Lines" and every Beatles album I could find. Then Led Zep, the Who, Queen, Yes, AC/DC, Ramones, Sex Pistols, then Rush, Maiden, Priest, Ozzy, then soysage, 2 vitamins and a Diet Dr. Pepper.
- Your Top 5 rock / metal abums of all time
That's a tough one... can't really say... need to think back to the albums that I would play 10 times in a row for 3 weeks straight...
Manowar "Battle Hymns"
Judas Priest "Sad Wings Of Destiny"
Jethro Tull "Aqualung"
Van Halen "Fair Warning"
Rush "Fly By Night"
- The last album you bought (brief comments on it)
I don't buy albums - I download them illegally. The last album I got (legally) was Outkast "Speakerboxxx / The Love Below" - The Love Below is fantastic!
- An album that changed your life (why?)
I'd have to say Soundgarden "Badmotorfinger." I was a teenager in the days of the big-hair bands, trying to do my thing musically, and everyone would say to me "guitarists can't sing, it's wrong, ya need a frontman who will act like a fucking cheerleader while you pose and strut" and all that bullshit. I was forced to try and fit that mold, but never did and didn't really want to. I wanted to make music with more substance. When grunge happened, I felt like the door opened, minds started to open, and what I was doing was finally ok. It made me more comfortable in my own skin. Badmotorfinger, Nirvana "Nevermind," Alice In Chains "Dirt" - it was the first time I actually felt fulfilled when I turned on the radio.
- The album that you listened to more times in your life
Beatles "Sgt. Pepper"
- The better artwork for the front cover of a disc
- An album that you would give to your biggest enemy
hmmmmmmmmmm... ya know, I spent days trying to think of an album, and I just can't think of any. Maybe I'd send one of mine...
- An album that you would like to have recorded
Queen "A Night At the Opera"
- Four bands that you would call for a festival
Earth Wind & Fire, Blood Sweat & Tears, Franki Valli, the Four Tops.
- A band that definitely should call it a day
Uh, no comment :P
- Three bands that you'd like to see doing a reunion
Soundgarden, Faith No More, Van Halen with David Lee Roth
- An album of the 70's that you recommend
First things that came to mind - Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here," Led Zeppelin III and Billy Joel "The Stranger"
- An album of the 80's that you recommend
Iron Maiden "Killers," Ozzy "Diary Of A Madman" and DLR "Eat 'Em and Smile"
- An album of the 90's that you recommend
TNT "Intuition," Mr. Bungle "California," Chili Peppers "Blood Sugar Sex Magik"
- Three freaky rock / metal anthems... (name of the songs and by who)
*Freaky* anthems? Shit, I don't know... how's about "Medium Pace" from Adam Sandler, "Face It, You're A Metal Band" from Anal Cunt... that's all I can think of. These songs aren't exactly anthems, but there's something special about them that makes you want to sing along....
- Besides your active projects, a band that you would like to be in sometime (in dreams, or for real, whatever!)
Foo Fighters or the Chili Peppers.
- A band that you would like to see doing a great and very original cover version for a song of Bumblefoot. How do you imagine it?
Stevie Wonder. I imagine it sounding A LOT better than me. :)
- Three songs that you like to play most (Bumblefoot songs)
Don Pardo Pimpwagon, Fly In the Batter and T-Jonez.
- A song that better define your career (being yours or not)
The theme to the old 70s TV show "Sanford & Son" - written by Quincy Jones, no lyrics, a sitcom starring Redd Foxx about people that own a junkyard. Every time anyone gets in my car, they see the old empty soda cans and garbage in it and start humming that song. I'm renovating the downstairs part of the studio and it's a big mess. Also works with the song.
- A song you really like, but you can't understand why... it's horrible and you know that!
"Who Killed Bambi" from the Sex Pistols. I think I like it because it annoys other people.
- A thing you dislike in society
Canned foods. I think there would be more "farm fresh" food available if things weren't stuffed in cans.
- A thing you like in society
Canned foods. It's a very practical method for prolonging the life of, for example, sliced pears.
- A band that is in the top of metal nowadays
So many... Meshuggah, Opeth, Megadeth...
- A guitarist that definitely doesn't please you
I don't dislike any guitarist. Everybody needs to be happy inside, and playing guitar does that - I wouldn't feel right about bashing and judging someone and taking any pleasure away from them.
- Complete this sentence: "I'm so fan of this band, that I'd buy their tribute album to Kenny G"...
I'd have to say Kenny G. I'm not a huge fan of his, I'd just like to hear him do a tribute album of himself. It would be the same as the original, just *louder.*
- How was your weirdest encounter with a fan? (tell us a good history)
I don't have too many encounters that are weird - I supply the weirdness usually. The weirdest encounter I can think of, unfortunately not an uplifting story, was this one time a guy in Holland came to a rehearsal and he brought a picture he drew of me with braids in my hair playing the Swiss Cheese guitar. It was very cool. When he gave it to me I didn't have braids in my hair and wasn't playing the Cheese guitar - he got all freaked out and started saying his picture sucked, it's terrible, all this bad stuff. I tried to tell him how much I appreciated the picture and how good it was, but he wanted to wallow in self pity. Then he quickly got drunk and started telling me how fat I got, and wouldn't stop. I didn't care, I thought it was kind of funny. But the band was pretty disturbed by it. We politely kicked his sorry ass out and that was that.
- Time to choose... (give a brief comment on your choice - you must have a choice even if you like both. You can explain that you think both are great, but you did choose this one because of some detail... if you don't like any of the mentioned, just say none and give brief comments)
* Benjamin Weinmann (The Dillinger Escape Plan) or Mattias IA Eklundh (Freak Kitchen)
Tough one - I know both personally and think they're both amazing. Ben is a fucking warrior and conquers the audience. Mattias speaks through his guitar and you truly know his personality from his playing. He's fun, quirky, but has depth. If I must choose, which I'd rather not, I gotta go with Mattias. Plus, we're supposed to work on some music together this year :P
* Ty Tabor (King's X) or Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
Ty is fantasic - love King's X. Also love Living Colour. Gonna have to go with Vernon - we've spoken a few times and he's an open, spiritual guy and a friend :)
* Mike Keneally or Scott Henderson
Both kick ass. Gonna say Mike.
- Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Rock most famous quote. Do you see this just as a cliche or as a real thing that happens in rock 'n' roll and that you live(d)?
From what I've seen, real hard-working musicians take good care of themselves - they eat right, sleep regularly, etc. There's no way to withstand the stresses of touring if you're partying every night. The cliche is for the roadies and crew to enjoy :)
- A song that you'd like to be played in your funeral
hmmmmmmmmmmmm... something funny, or offensive. Something that would be an emotional contrast to the funeral. Maybe "Just A Friend" from Bizmarkee, or "Too Drunk To Fuck" from the Dead Kennedys.
- What would you like to write on your tombstone?
I want to be cremated. Bodies take up too much space. But, if I had to have a tombstone, I'd want it to say "I wanted to be cremated. Bodies take up too much space."
Thank you Thiago!
BfoOt
12 MAY 2004