Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal is set to release a new album, ‘Bumblefoot …Returns!,’ on January 24. The first single, ‘Simon In Space,’ is now available for streaming, accompanied by a video created by Bumblefoot and animator Radek Grabinski.
“From an early age, my passions were guitar and astrophysics, cosmology – the song ‘Simon in Space’ merges the two,” Bumblefoot said in a statement. “Simon is my cat haha, that’s him featured in the artwork.”
In addition to collaborations with Brian May and Steve Vai, the album features contributions from Guthrie Govan, Derek Sherinian, and Jerry Gaskill. Bumblefoot reflected, “It’s been 30 years since releasing the debut ‘Adventures of Bumblefoot’ on Shrapnel Records, and I haven’t done a fully instrumental album since.”
He continued, “Writing during the pandemic, these songs became a soundtrack to my life – from heavy fretless growls to bluesy tributes to legends like Lonnie Johnson. It’s a reflection of the moments that shaped me.”
The first single from the album has received positive reactions from fans. One fan commented on YouTube, “There are no words to describe how I am feeling right now after hearing this …. From my teenage years, I’ve been waiting for something extraordinary to happen in the world of music, and it has always been Bumblefoot that delivered the goods!”
Another shared, “Unique, outstanding, revolutionary in terms of composition: Ron is more than a guitar player, he is one of the few musical composers that can come up with things that have been unheard before…”
One more fan added, “This is what I’ve needed. Can’t wait for the album Ron.” Another said, “A masterpiece both sonically and visually. What a great ride!” Some fans even mentioned the track’s length, with one noting, “For over an 8-minute track it got over way too soon! Amazing Ron! Genius!”
The album is now available for pre-order on vinyl, CD, and cassette, with exclusive merchandise bundles at bumblefoot.com.
