He will never be considered one of the all time greats like the Mount Rushmore of guitarists (Hendrix, Page, Clapton, and Beck). He doesn't have the popularity, hasn't sold the records, and hasn't had even remotely close to the impact the all time greats have had. But I believe he may be better than any of them.
Unfortunately for him, he is a gimmick. No matter how good he is or gets, his ability will always be overshadowed by his gimmick.
Does anyone even remotely agree with me on this or am I alone here?
Captain_Pollution
Title: Hugh
Joined: Sep 23 2007
Posts: 1591
Posted:
Oct 20 2009 11:12 pm
It's because first and foremost, Buckethead's a shredder. All the guitarists you listed were bluesmen. He'd be compared to guys like Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai if anyone, and he very often is. A lot of people say he's one of the best guitarists out there, and he's pretty well known. Music fans know him for his solo stuff and his work with bands like Guns N' Roses, and casual people know him from when "Jordan" was in Buckethead. I don't know why you think he's so obscure or that he isn't revered.
But yeah, he kicks a lot of fucking ass. He's easilly in my top ten favorite guitarists of all time, I mean... shredding with feeling seems to be very hard for most everyone to do, and he does it in spades.
<Drew_Linky> Well, I've eaten vegetables all of once in my life.
scamrock
Title: Space Bastard
Joined: Jan 26 2008
Location: Planet Druidia
Posts: 2392
Posted:
Oct 20 2009 11:29 pm
Captain_Pollution wrote:
It's because first and foremost, Buckethead's a shredder. All the guitarists you listed were bluesmen. He'd be compared to guys like Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai if anyone, and he very often is. A lot of people say he's one of the best guitarists out there, and he's pretty well known. Music fans know him for his solo stuff and his work with bands like Guns N' Roses, and casual people know him from when "Jordan" was in Buckethead. I don't know why you think he's so obscure or that he isn't revered.
But yeah, he kicks a lot of fucking ass. He's easilly in my top ten favorite guitarists of all time, I mean... shredding with feeling seems to be very hard for most everyone to do, and he does it in spades.
I don't necessarily think he is obscure. But for the most part, casual fans didn't really know Buckethead until Jordan was on GH.
But I have to admit, even though I've been listening to Buckethead for a while now, I never really considered him as good as I do now. I'm not exactly sure why I just now decided this,
JStrangiato
Title: El Hombre Strangiato
Joined: Jun 12 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 1291
Posted:
Oct 20 2009 11:51 pm
I was never the biggest fan, but when my band played "Give It Away" for an 11th grade talent show, my guitarist (who was also my brother) played the intro to "Soothsayer", so that's got to account for something.
I also owned the album he did with Les Claypool, but lost it before I listened to it all the way.
I remember seeing a video of him collaborating with Mike Patton. It was fucking incredible.
Adrock4
Title: Mostly Lurks, Now
Joined: Sep 13 2009
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 427
Posted:
Oct 21 2009 05:39 pm
Can't really say I'm a fan of his music in particular (Welcome to Bucketheadland is great, though) but he is pretty god damn talented.
sidewaydriver
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Title: ( ͡� 
Joined: May 11 2008
Posts: 6160
Posted:
Oct 21 2009 05:46 pm
I've known of Buckethead since the 90's, for a gimmick he's sure been around for a long time.
Shake it, Quake it, Space Kaboom.
Greg the White
Joined: Apr 09 2008
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 3112
Posted:
Oct 23 2009 02:21 am
He's incredibly talented, but I can't really dig on his shredding stuff. It's too much of a mix of boring and annoying. I actually really liked that acoustic album he did, though.
So here's to you Mrs. Robinson. People love you more- oh, nevermind.
scamrock
Title: Space Bastard
Joined: Jan 26 2008
Location: Planet Druidia
Posts: 2392
Posted:
Oct 23 2009 02:28 am
Greg the White wrote:
He's incredibly talented, but I can't really dig on his shredding stuff. It's too much of a mix of boring and annoying. I actually really liked that acoustic album he did, though.
I haven't listened to his acoustic album. I may have to check it out.
FNJ
2010 SLF Tag Champ
Joined: Jun 07 2006
Posts: 12294
Posted:
Oct 23 2009 05:15 am
he wrote the power rangers theme. he's okay in my book.
Syd Lexia
Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posts: 24887
Posted:
Oct 23 2009 10:18 am
I hate to admit it, but Wes Borland is a similar case. Another guy who dresses up in somewhat creepy, moreso goofy costumes but is actually a very good guitar player. Of course, it also doesn't help that Borland was in one of THE WOST BANDS EVER FORMED.
Speaking of guitar players looking creepy, I love how Robin Finck went from looking like Marilyn Manson to looking like Dimebag Darrell. I wouldn't even be able to tell it was the same guy if I didn't know.
Syd Lexia
Site Admin
Title: Pop Culture Junkie
Joined: Jul 30 2005
Location: Wakefield, MA
Posts: 24887
Posted:
Oct 23 2009 12:34 pm
Pic? When I saw him play with Guns N' Roses, he still had the whole spaceman thing going on.
I know right. It's like complete opposite of that Ziggy Stardust look he had going.
Alowishus
Joined: Aug 04 2009
Posts: 2515
Posted:
Oct 23 2009 05:20 pm
There's something i find different with Buckethead than other guitarists but firstly i bring up this point (which is sort of related).
The guitarists you mentioned (Hendrix, Page, Clapton, and Beck) all wrote "actual" songs. Now this is not to degrade Buckethead or say that he doesn't make "music" but it is different in respect to the music that they made.
Just think of any song by aforementioned artists they would have singing and would be well a bit more normal.
E.g. Compare say Stairway to Heaven to anything by Buckethead. He may be able to play an acoustic guitar and write something similar to Stairway to Heaven but it will always be different. My point here is quite hard to put across but this is the best i can explain it.
I also feel there something different with Buckethead. Compare him to Satriani, Vai, Malmsteen etc. People who listen to them from what i have noticed tend to be guitarists. I have never ever ever ever met anyone who even knows who they are unless they are a guitarist or look really deep into different types of music.
Buckethead is set apart from them. His music isn't just how many notes can i fit in or how technically brilliant is this. There is something else about him.
scamrock
Title: Space Bastard
Joined: Jan 26 2008
Location: Planet Druidia
Posts: 2392
Posted:
Oct 23 2009 05:33 pm
Alowishus wrote:
There's something i find different with Buckethead than other guitarists but firstly i bring up this point (which is sort of related).
The guitarists you mentioned (Hendrix, Page, Clapton, and Beck) all wrote "actual" songs. Now this is not to degrade Buckethead or say that he doesn't make "music" but it is different in respect to the music that they made.
Just think of any song by aforementioned artists they would have singing and would be well a bit more normal.
I agree with what you said above. Instrumentals aren't the most popular thing with the mainstream. Buckethead may not care one way or another. Some of his hipster fans who may not want him to get too popular may not care. I just think it sucks because I think he is good enough to be one of the all time greats, but I don't think he will get his due because he isn't mainstream. Even guys you mentioned like Satriani, Vai, and Yngwie seem to get more appriciation.
I'm not saying I want Buckethead to change, but I think being in a band like GNR would have been good for his legacy had he stayed in the band and had the band actually done more for PR with the album release.
NERO
Title: Mark Hamill
Joined: Apr 28 2008
Location: Chilliwack
Posts: 176
Posted:
Nov 17 2009 03:46 pm
The avant-garde never gets the attention it deserves.
Buckethead simply does some of the most interesting things with a guitar any man, man-tiger, demigod, or robot is capable of.
It's not rape if you rape everyone who accuses you.
MouthForWar
Title: The People's Champ!
Joined: Apr 03 2008
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 235
Posted:
Nov 20 2009 07:56 pm
I've always thought very highly of Buckethead. I actually saw him live, and he was solo. It was him, his guitar and a beat machine. I believe it was the Incubus/Primus show way back when. I loved the material he did with Les Claypool and I still think Bucketheadland II was a masterpeice! Haha!!
-Gettin' Jiggy Wit' It!!-
JRA
Joined: Sep 17 2007
Location: The Opium Trail
Posts: 3475
Posted:
Nov 21 2009 05:19 pm
Syd Lexia wrote:
I hate to admit it, but Wes Borland is a similar case. Another guy who dresses up in somewhat creepy, moreso goofy costumes but is actually a very good guitar player. Of course, it also doesn't help that Borland was in one of THE WORST BANDS EVER FORMED.
I did hear good things about his Black Light Burns album. Too bad he pretty much erased anything good he accomplished with that album by reforming with you know who like 3 weeks later.
There are a lot of what if's in life Donny. What if I hit you really hard in the face, knocked yo shit to the back of yo skull? What if I....had you girl gargle my nuts? The fact remains, you are a fuckin mutant.
