Friday 20 February 2015

BUCKETHEAD


The amazing guitarist Buckethead (real name Brian Patrick Carroll) - born May 13 1969, is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who has worked within many genres of music and bands such as Guns N' Roses, Praxis and Serj Tankian. Like most kids, Buckethead spent his shy childhood days locked away in his room filled with comic books and video games. For me Buckethead is definitely in my top 3 guitarists of all time, just leading behind Slash & Steve Vai.

At the age of 12 Buckethead started to play the guitar, but wasn't serious until a year later when he moved to Huntington beach CA. He began having private lessons with guitarists such as the famous Paul Gilbert who formed the band Racer X and also rated as the fourth best guitarist of all time.


Buckethead's image came about from watching one of his favorite films Halloween which inspired him to go and buy a Micheal Myers mask and also the bucket came about whist eating the very yummy KFC. Buckethead has released over 142 studio albums including 4 special releases and one EP. 

Personally I would recommend listening to the album COLMA, the album is a personal favorite of mine and it consists of slow relaxing melodies that send you into a spacious frame of mind. I believe this album was dedicated to his mother at the time as she had fallen ill with Colon Cancer. Two of my favorite tracks on that album are For Mom & Watching boat with my dad, have a listen and you'll see why.




Buckethead  contributed to several movie soundtracks, such as Johnny Mnemonic and Mortal Kombat. He has also contributed towards Sega Saturn television ads by creating various sound tracks.
In 2000 Buckethead joined Guns N' Roses appearing on the Chinese Democracy Album but then leaving in 2004 due to band difficulties.
Non the less, Buckethead still surprises us with videos emerging on YouTube of his live performances and never failing to amazing us. The majority of Buckethead's songs/full albums can be found on YouTube and are well worth a watch. If you can, try and pick up a copy of his albums online and see what you make of him, but please be prepared to have your socks blown off. ENJOY.