So what's up with Buckethead?

I have just seen for a while now that there's been lot's of new reviews of this artist, Buckethead. To my surprise, at some moments I could se 3 or 4 different albums being reviewed recently, and I noticed that they were all from this year, which would be strange for an artist to have so many new albums in one year... but then I check out his page in PA, and he's released more than a hundred albums in the year. I mean, how is that possible? How could anyone keep a minimum of quality on his output releasing such a colosal amount of music. To be perfectley fair, I haven't heard anything from him, nor would I know were to start with such an amount of albums... just because of the numbers I'm intimidated, and I feel it would be too much effort to try and look for anything good he may have. So, mainly, do you think that even releasing so many albums in a year, an artist can maitain an acceptable quality of music? Have you known of anyone else doing such a crazy thing?

I like how he released an album a day as a countdown to Halloween.

Who the hell does that? Buckethead, that's who.

I got my first album back in 2005 and even then he had an enormous discography if you count all the albums he appeared on even though the solo discography was only up to 16 albums that year.  But yeah the amount he puts out is insane. 

I have read, with some fascination, but without ever really being tempted to listen to any of them, Mr Silly Puppy's reviews of the hundreds of "Pike" albums released by Mr KFC Head.

An incredible output. But are they any good?

I listened to an interview with David Gilmour today, in which he said he continually wrote down and recorded ditties that came into his head. When he comes to making an album of music, he said that the vast majority of these notes and songs were discarded, as not being worth very much. Those that were good, of course, formed the basis of the work of art that followed.

It strikes me that Chicken Meal Deal Bucket Bonce simply records, and releases, every single thought that comes into his head immediately, which does not strike me as being the best quality control in the recording world.

As an ignorant of his work, is my impression a fair one?

^ He got the idea for his mask first, from one of the Halloween movies. He bought the mask, and happened to also get a bucket of KFC. That night, once he finished the chicken, he happened to put on the bucket after he put on the mask, and when he looked in the mirror he knew that's how he wanted to present himself to the music world.

AEProgman wrote: ^Crazy!  Hope it was after KFC stopped using trans fat oil

The mind doth truly boggle!!

This is a decent album. Dragons of Eden is good too.

BTW my favorites are:
Arcana - Arc Of The Testimony
Hellborg + Buckethead + Shrieve - Octave Of The Holy Innocents
Les Claypool's Bucket Of Bernie Brains
Self titled albums -
Giant Robot, Colma, Monsters And Robots, Bucketheadland 2, Electric Tears, Bermuda Triangle, population override.  The one from his slew of downloadable albums I have tried is Listen for the Whisper, and it's good.  But after going on a binge of sorts in 2005 I had to back off.


Edited by Slartibartfast - December 01 2015 at 18:50

I don't want to be a wet blanket here, but to both Dellinger and lazland - why are we scoffing someone for being creative? He is creating music, and if he wants to record and release it why should it deserve your disrespect? I am not telling you not have an opinion on the man, by all means that is your right; but to me, mocking someone for doing something that you deem is not of quality, well I do not agree with that. Especially when neither has listened to any of his music, only read about his extensive discography. Also, one could argue he is being very progressive, for who in recorded music history has put out that many records in that span of a time? Doing sh*t nobody has currently done in rock is what progrock is about. Whether you have or have not listened to his music, he should at the very least be commended for his commitment, no matter how much "quality" he puts in.

I do realize you were interested in, and were reaching out to find more about this aberrant individual, and I may be taking this too seriously, so sorry to call you guys out on what may be a non issue. I'm not even a Buckethead fanboy by any means....


Edited by zachfive - December 02 2015 at 00:11

His dedication is admirable.