Just Heard Buckethead for first time! Any thoughts or fans??

**gpeccary** · 08-01-2013

Originally Posted by Shadow

I saw these guys twice, and they never had an opening act.

Bastard 2X.

**davis** · 08-14-2013

I listened from 'Giant Robots' through some of 'Funnel Weaver'. I definitely like Colma, MaR, SOtS & what I've heard of FW. w/Praxis, I really dig T(MM) and Sacrifist.

**Zeuhlmate** · 08-14-2013

Here he goes ballistic with Tony Williams, Bill Laswell (Arcana - Arc of the testimony)

**rapidfirerob** · 08-14-2013

Originally Posted by gpeccary

Bastard...

I've seen him live, and as above, he's a trip! I have a bunch of his solo pieces, you can never really tell or imagine what you're going to get. My take is he's a killer player, without question, but hes a bit too ADD for my taste to listen to some of his electric work all the way through. It's like he can't follow a thought through to its conclusion before he changes direction. Its tough for me to follow and maintain my interest.
His acoustic work is sublime. Colma, named after the graveyard Wyatt Earp (I think) is buried in, of course, is really great.
Enjoy the discovery!

Colma was so named as his mother had colon cancer at the time. It is also a graveyard south of San Francisco.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colma_(album)

**Scott Bails** · 08-14-2013

I've been hearing about this guy for years now, but it's always the same thing - great but quirky, if not annoying. Brilliant, if you can find the right albums.

So, as someone who knows nothing about him, I've always been hesitant to buy anything.

Sounds like Colma would be a good place to start.

**Bake 1** · 08-15-2013

Colma strikes me as kind of a pretty sounding lightweight record... really not bad, but it probably won't burn into the brain as deep as Praxis Metatron or even Octave of the Holy Innocents.

**Koreabruce** · 08-15-2013

I just "discovered" Buckethead a few months ago because someone here posted a link to an entire album of his on YouTube. The album in question was Electric Tears (2002), which is rather atypical for him - no drums, largely acoustic but with tastefully restrained electric lead work, pretty laid back overall... and quite excellent. I ended up buying it. Watch some of the audience videos on YT of him performing; he's very quirky but nonetheless quite talented and, imho, very entertaining. Often he plays to backing tracks, but sometime you'll see him with a bassist and drummer. Not only does he shred like there's no tomorrow, he does these strange robotic dances, gives away toys, and he's also pretty good with nunchaku. I don't think there are too many other guitarists who do 10 finger tapping. According to wikipedia he's ranked 8th in the "fastest shredders" category - not that that means ANYTHING to me - but clearly he can also play with a great deal of emotion. His custom Gibson LP has arcade-style kill switches both on the upper bout and down by the pickup selector switch, and he uses these to great effect.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckethead

Soothsayer:

Binge and Grab:

**Koreabruce** · 08-15-2013

**Joe F.** · 08-15-2013

Originally Posted by Scott Bails

I've been hearing about this guy for years now, but it's always the same thing - great but quirky, if not annoying. Brilliant, if you can find the right albums.

So, as someone who knows nothing about him, I've always been hesitant to buy anything.

Sounds like Colma would be a good place to start.

Colma is an acoustic based album. A good one for sure. For electric albums I'd start with Population Override.

**davis** · 08-15-2013

Originally Posted by Scott Bails

I've been hearing about this guy for years now, but it's always the same thing - great but quirky, if not annoying. Brilliant, if you can find the right albums.

So, as someone who knows nothing about him, I've always been hesitant to buy anything.

Sounds like Colma would be a good place to start.

he's a brilliant guitarist. quirky? no doubt. I'd say eccentric or bizarre, both of which are turn-ons for me as long as I like the music. I'd recommend starting with 'Colma' and 'Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse' because a). of the contrast between them and b). both are great imo. I've just gotten into his music during the last 2 or 3 weeks; starting with 'Giant Robot' and moving forward. 'Bermuda Triangle' is next.

**Magic Mountain** · 08-15-2013

Originally Posted by Joe F.

For electric albums I'd start with Population Override.

I would add "Pepper's Ghost" also.

**davis** · 08-15-2013

Neato, fella! 15 minutes into Bucketheadland 2. This is easily my favorite so far.

**UnderAGlassMoon** · 08-15-2013

Holy crap! I had no idea how prolific this guy is, over 50 albums plus all of the side projects. Also had no idea he has recorded with Viggo Mortensen, anybody heard any of that?

I have heard very little of his music, but with the massive quantity of releases does the quality suffer?

**davis** · 08-15-2013

^ Little if at all in my experience. Some of what I'm hearing doesn't hit the spot, but the majority of it definitely does. I'm making lists of what to buy at Amazon and at iTunes. Just added 'Inbred Mountain' to the iTunes list. (fortunately, we're pretty slow at work right now)

**Koreabruce** · 08-15-2013

**proggosaurus** · 08-15-2013

there's some good Buckethead shows available at the internet archive. I haven't listened to all of them but I like this one a lot. Buckethead Live at Club Infinity on 2008-07-28

**ScottAM** · 08-18-2013

Originally Posted by Bake 1

Colma strikes me as kind of a pretty sounding lightweight record... really not bad, but it probably won't burn into the brain as deep as Praxis Metatron or even Octave of the Holy Innocents.

It's amazing how many times I've listen to Colma since it was released so long ago, and it certainly has burned its way into my brain. I love the simplicity of the guitar and the drum kit, it kicks. Does he have any other albums or tracks on other albums that approaches this vibe on Colma?

**Splicer** · 01-01-2019

Thread revival:

I'd heard of him, but not really being fan of Metal had not thought it would work for me. Um, I have no idea why I didn't listen sooner because I am completely blown away by this. I don't even know if there's rhyme or reason about which album to listen to or not although Bandcamp had a nice feature about him this week. Suffice it to say I'll be busy in 2019 listening to this music.

**Crawford Glissadevil** · 01-01-2019

Buckethead psychologically stifled me. He put out so many albums I totally turned off to him. (Like over a hundred albums in a year?) Not his fault...My bad, I guess. Felt like I was stuffing my face with freshly cooked donuts while working at Dunkin Donuts. Too much.

**Mister Triscuits** · 01-01-2019

I've seen him live a couple of times, one of which was the Progfest appearance alluded to earlier in this thread. Didn't do a lot for me.

I used to see a wagon regularly parked in my neighborhood with a mural on the side involving Buckethead. I always wondered if it was his and he was a neighbor of mine. Since he called an album Colma, I gather he does hail from this neck of the woods (San Mateo County).

**Dave (in MA)** · 01-01-2019

I mentioned in 2013 that I'd seen him open for H/L/S, and that his drummer Pinchface was fun.

He was kind of a comedy emcee for the set. I understand that he's now a real estate agent, which I find somehow hilarious.

https://www.zillow.com/profile/sunsethomes1/

**Millie1968** · 01-02-2019

Originally Posted by Splicer

Thread revival:

I'd heard of him, but not really being fan of Metal had not thought it would work for me. Um, I have no idea why I didn't listen sooner because I am completely blown away by this. I don't even know if there's rhyme or reason about which album to listen to or not although Bandcamp had a nice feature about him this week. Suffice it to say I'll be busy in 2019 listening to this music.

Thanks for reviving this thread. I'd always meant to check him out but didn't know where on Earth to start. I bought Colma due to the mentions on this thread. and think it's amazing. I too will be busy in 2019 listening to his music

**Bake 1** · 01-02-2019

Originally Posted by ScottAM

It's amazing how many times I've listen to Colma since it was released so long ago, and it certainly has burned its way into my brain. I love the simplicity of the guitar and the drum kit, it kicks. Does he have any other albums or tracks on other albums that approaches this vibe on Colma?

You might like the Electric Sea and Electric Tears releases. Some of the tracks, (like The Interworld And The New Innocence) from Praxis / Mutatis Mutandis could work too. He has a massive discography and there could quite a bit more stuff from him that really resonates w/ your particular skull contents.