Buckethead
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Suggest New Bands and Artists
Forum Description: Suggest, create polls, and classify new bands you would like included on Prog Archives
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37186
Printed Date: July 19 2025 at 16:50
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Buckethead
Posted By: Fight Club
Subject: Buckethead
Date Posted: April 23 2007 at 18:31
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He should definately be added to the site. There are many bands/artists on here who are less progressive than Buckethead, particularly a lot of prog metal artists. Look at the criteria for being progressive! "Long compositions, sometimes running over 20 minutes, with intricate melodies and harmonies that require repeated listening to grasp."
Buckethead has a good amount of EPICS. Just look at his new (and extremely ambitious) collection he released of 13 albums. 18 of the songs clock at over 10 minutes and one of them is over 40 minutes! They all include massive amounts of improvisation, and lots of jazz/fusion integreation and/or influence
"Progressive rock was largely a European movement, and drew most of its influences from classical music and jazz fusion"
"Lyrics that convey intricate and sometimes impenetrable narratives, covering such themes as science fiction, fantasy, history, religion, war, love, and madness."
Many of Buckethead's lyrical albums incorporate the weirdest and most impenetrable narratives found not only in prog, but anywhere. Definately cover science fiction themes (he is extremely fond of robots, monsters, space, etc.) Obviously fantasy, as many songs include battles between mythical creatures and other things of that nature. Clearly war and madness are a common lyrical/musical theme as well.
"Concept albums, in which a theme or storyline is explored throughout an entire album in a manner similar to a film or a play."
If anyone has a doubt about this listen to Bucketheadland, Giant Robot or any of Buckethead's other lyrical albums. They all tell stories, and though they may make little sense, they are stories nonetheless. Even Buckethead's most classic style prog album, Population Override is an instrumental concept album, like Camel's The Snow Goose. It continuously has an underlining theme of well... population override. There's no doubt that Buckethead has used the concept album formular quite often.
"Unusual vocal styles and use of multi-part vocal harmonies."
Half of the vocals that appear in Buckethead's music are strange and robotic often inhuman. No matter what way you look at it, the vocals on Buckethead albums are very different from those appearing in modern rock/pop.
"Prominent use of electronic instrumentation"
Buckethead often incorporates synthesizers into his music. Population Override is a prime example of this with it's extended synth solos, very similar to the classic prog style we all know and love.
"Use of unusual time signatures, scales, or tunings"
I am not sure how much time signature changing Buckethead uses, but he's used just about every odd scale one can think of. He's used scales ranging everywhere from standard to middle eastern style being able to touch on almost every style of music, making him more versatile than most prog musicians. If prog isn't about constantly changing and evolving then I guess I don't know anything.
Honestly the least we could do is add him to Prog Related. No one can say artists like The Doors and Blue Oyster Cult are more varied and progressive than Buckethead. One may not enjoy his music, and may find him a joke, but the truth is at one point or another he has touched the genre of prog. ------------- 
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Replies:
Posted By: Tony R
Date Posted: April 23 2007 at 18:33
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I think he has been proposed, not sure of the outcome...probably on the "to add" list.
Maybe a Collab can confirm or deny this?
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Posted By: Atkingani
Date Posted: April 23 2007 at 18:42
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Check this poll:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9667&get=last#2482020 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9667&get=last#2482020 ------------- Guigo ~~~~~~ |
Posted By: Fight Club
Date Posted: April 23 2007 at 18:51
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Hmm is a poll really how we decide? I figured the collaborators were the ones who decided this stuff. -------------
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Posted By: Atkingani
Date Posted: April 23 2007 at 18:55
It can be a poll or a thread but generally one topic for each band. Collaborators work with a Master List prepared by the Band Admissions Team.
Anyway, the pulse of all forum members are always checked! ------------- Guigo ~~~~~~ |
Fight Club wrote:Posted By: TheProgtologist
Date Posted: April 23 2007 at 18:59
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He was proposed to the Prog Metal Team but was essentially rejected for Prog Metal.I like Buckethead,and definitely thinks he deserves to be here,just not in PM.
If you look at his large body of work you can see that genre-wise he could be pretty hard to pin down,because he crosses quite a few boundaries.I think based on his solo work he could go into jazz rock/fusion. -------------  |
Posted By: Fight Club
Date Posted: April 23 2007 at 19:08
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Or maybe Avant, or prog related since he falls under so many categories. -------------
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Posted By: Atkingani
Date Posted: April 26 2007 at 23:12
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Go here:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9667 - http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9667
Thanks!  ------------- Guigo ~~~~~~ |