I've listened to buckethead on and off for quite a while, but recently listened to him almost exclusively.
His music, ability to play any style, overall technical ability on the guitar is astounding. His playing is also full of emotion. For someone who has released over 300 albums, the phrase 'quantity over quality doesn't apply. It is all good.
What I don't understand though is that he is absent on any compiled lists of 'greatest guitarists'. Is this because of his low profile, anonymous and quirky persona or what? It can't be be due to his ability.
Any other buckethead fans out there?
'The Bomb' (These sounds fall into my Mind) was a cracker.
Pike 65 and King James!
I am working through his albums but I've only just scratched the surface.
Think the bomb was The bucketheads, not buckethead.
‘The Bomb’ (These sounds fall into my Mind) was a cracker.
This was my thought (what have I been missing out on?)
His playing is also full of emotion
‘Emotion/expression/mood etc’ is one thing I don’t normally detect in a lot of the virtuoso/technical guitarists (or drummers, or whatever) on account of the nature of style (usually fast, complex, precision, run like a race).
Will have to give him another listen (any album in particular?)
If you haven’t already check out Matthias Eklundh also - similar vein? Freak Kitchen etc
Have a listen to pike 65, which was written in tribute to his mother. You can hear his sadness and love for her in the music
Because any "best musician" list is entirely meaningless. As far as Les Claypool's guitarist mates go I'll always prefer the Ler.
I think I mentioned him on 'favourite shredders' thread a while back.
He gets listed in fastest shredders lists a lot but there's a lot more to his virtuosity than face melting shred.
I must admit his huge catalogue is off-putting. It's like getting into The Fall - where to start?
I've watched a lot of his YouTube clips as they're so weird and entertaining
I'm glad he took the GNR job as he must've got a big payday that paid for his solo stuff, but he was a complete fish out of water
He's still pretty anonymous. People seemed to think he was Paul Gilbert in disguise but he's called Brian Carroll and likes to throw some body popping and nunchuka dancing into his shows
It's his anonymity, low profile and quirkyness that appeals to me. He also appears very humble and quiet. Like you say, he did not fit into gnr. His nunchucka and robot dancing at the gnr rock in rio gig didn't fit in at all, but fair play to him for being himself and sticking to his guns.
I saw him when he was in Guns N Roses, and the nunchuck solo made me laugh, so he's alright by me.