2006.12.11 - Message from Bumblefoot (via Blabbermouth)

Guns N' Roses Guitarist: 'Life's Too Damn Short To Be Upset About What You Don't Have'

Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal has issued a response to the news that the Italian Guns N' Roses fan site Gnronline.it has gone "on strike" to protest the lack of official information regarding the band and its long-awaited album, "Chinese Democracy".

As previously reported, the Gnronline.it administrators are claming that GN'R management is playing favorites with the two big American fan sites, while other worldwide fan sites are being left in the dark despite their efforts over the course of the last ten years to support the group. The Gnronline.it web site is not being updated and the almost 3,000-user forum is not being moderated until January 1, 2007. After that day, the entire site will be closed.

In a message that was released yesterday (Dec. 11, 2006), Thal had the following to say:

"Ron here — this is not a statement on behalf of GN'R, just speaking for myself, me to you.

"For whatever it's worth, I love you guys and appreciate all the support you guys have given the band. I haven't been in the band very long, but long enough to experience how great it is to have fans that care as much as you. Maybe it's too-little-too-late to let you know that, but that's how I feel, and it hasn't changed.

"From what I've seen, if ya give out info before it's 100% confirmed, and things don't happen as planned, it leads to people feeling betrayed, so info should only come at the final moment when all the piece are in place. That's not a GN'R thing, it's everything, every business or band or anything else.

"If you're looking for daily or weekly updates on things that are in the works, it'll become a big mess for everyone. Meanwhile, we're touring. It's been fucking great.

"Since my first show with GUNS in May, we've played nearly 70 shows, in 20 countries (if I counted right, at 3am after being up 30 hours... [***]) The way I see it, for two-and-a-half hours each of those nights, it's our time to connect with each other — we get to say *fuck it* to everything else in life and enjoy ourselves — that's what it's about. It's not about business or setlists or critics or anything else — it's about saying FUCK IT and gettin' high off it from beginning to end and a long time after.

"Hope y'all have been enjoying it to the fullest. Life's too damn short to be upset about what you don't have — enjoy what you do have.

"Not trying to change anything by writing ya, not answering the questions you want answered, just letting ya know that your support hasn't gone unnoticed, and I just wanna say *thank you* to the moderators and members of your forum. For the years you've devoted to the band, and hopefully years to come..."

https://blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-guitarist-life-s-too-damn-short-to-be-upset-about-what-you-don-t-have/

Related article in TMZ, December 13, 2006:
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Guns N' Roses Fans Go On Strike

Reports that a new Guns N' Roses studio record titled "Chinese Democracy" was in the works first began to surface way back in 1997. In the years that rolled past since then, Axl and crew performed new songs and tracks have been leaked on the net, but no new record found its way into stores. Earlier this year, Rolling Stone reported a possible November release date. Despite the long wait, Guns fans, who've been snapping up concert tickets on the current Guns tour, seemed ready for the stocking stuffer. Now, here we are, just two weeks before St. Nick makes his rounds, and there is still no record from Axl and crew.

Guns fans in Italy, who say they've manned the GNRonline.it site for six years have had enough. They've posted a message on their fan forum saying they are stopping all posting and forum moderation on the site until they get some "clear" communication from the Guns camp on when the new record is coming out, and if they're not satisfied, they may soon stop the site altogether. A message on the site indicates that the fans who run the site seem quite unappreciated by a "band that does nothing to recognize the[ir] efforts."

Not a peep from Axl or anything on their official site, except to say tonight's show in Fresno is canceled. Guns' guitarist "Bumblefoot" reportedly issued a statement thanking fans for their support, but also seemingly chastised them for complaining about the record not being out yet, saying, "Life's too damn short to be upset about what you don't have - enjoy what you do have."

Easy for him to say, since he hasn't been waiting as long as the diehard "gunners" - but hey, at least he didn't tell them all they "need is just a little patience."

https://www.tmz.com/2006/12/13/guns-n-roses-fans-go-on-strike/