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Buckethead's Hand Puppet Says Goodbye To Guns N' Roses
MTV News ^ | 3.17.2004 | Jon Wiederhorn

Posted on 03/19/2004 12:39:32 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick

After fours years as a member of Guns N' Roses, during which time the band canceled more shows than it played and released no original material, guitarist Buckethead has had enough.

The eccentric musician, who wears a fried-chicken bucket on his noggin and talks only through a hand puppet, has walked out before but has always returned to the fold. This time, however, it looks permanent. At the end of last year, Buckethead became fed up with Guns' inability to complete an album or tour and stopped working with them, his manager said.

Buckethead appeared on the green carpet at the Grammy Awards last month and was introduced by Parliament/Funkadelic bassist Bootsy Collins as a member of Guns N' Roses, but by that time Buckethead had already told Guns frontman Axl Rose he no longer wanted to be in the band, the manager said.

Guns N' Roses are scheduled to headline the Rock in Rio festival in Lisbon, Portugal, on May 30. It is unclear whether the band will have a new guitarist by then. Guns N' Roses' label would not comment on Buckethead's departure.

The guitarist will now focus on numerous projects, including two solo albums — Population Overdrive and Cuckoo Clocks of Hell — which are due this summer. In addition, a group called Col. Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, which features Buckethead, Primus bassist Les Claypool, Guns N' Roses drummer Brain (ex-Primus) and legendary funk keyboardist Bernie Worrell, will release a debut studio album this summer (see "Buckethead's Brains On Hold During GN'R Tour, Claypool Says").

The record was mostly recorded last year in Northern California at Claypool's home studio, Rancho Relaxo, and includes the songs "Buckethead," "Tyranny of the Hunt," "The Big Eyeball in the Sky" and "Hip Shot From the Stab."

"There are slices of all of our worlds," Claypool said. "We're talking about four pretty strong personalities, so you can hear Primus with Buckethead flailing over the top and Bernie Worrell's monster tidbits over the top of what we're doing. It's unbelievable."

Half of the Col. Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains album will be instrumental. The band has played various live improvisational shows, but this will be the first time audiences will hear the band performing structured material.

"It's not as chaotic as you would think," Claypool said. "You'd think, 'OK, here come these four guys and they're just gonna start flailing,' but Brain is a very structured player, so everything tends to be very groove-oriented."

Also on Buckethead's plate are shows and recordings with his recently reunited high school band, Deli Creeps, which features a singer named Maximum Bob, drummer Pinchface and bassist Tony.

And Buckethead will likely join bassist Bill Laswell, Brain and others for a show as Material at this year's Bonnaroo festival, which is scheduled for June 11-13 in Manchester, Tennessee, according to the guitarist's manager. The festival may also feature a reunion of Praxis — a band featuring Laswell, Buckethead, Collins, Worrell, Brain and DJ Flip — who haven't played together in five years.

Buckethead will start a solo tour Wednesday (March 17), opening for Particle in Austin, Texas. Dates run through April 15 in Atlanta.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: buckethead; gunsnroses; music; rock
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1 posted on 03/19/2004 12:39:32 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick
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Buckethead (file)
Photo: MTV News

2 posted on 03/19/2004 12:40:48 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick
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To: NYC GOP Chick
Is that the Original Buckethead, or the Extra Crispy?
3 posted on 03/19/2004 12:41:39 PM PST by Constitution Day ("Carolina Blue" is just the past tense for "Carolina Blows".)
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To: Constitution Day
Looks pretty fried to me! ;)

So, how are you doing these days? Long time, no see!

4 posted on 03/19/2004 12:42:26 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick
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To: NYC GOP Chick
I thought they had a new name for James Carvell.
5 posted on 03/19/2004 12:42:52 PM PST by Zathras
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To: NYC GOP Chick
G'n'R has gotten steadily more erratic since they began "Dancing With Mister Brownstone."
6 posted on 03/19/2004 12:43:31 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: Zathras
This is not Guns-n-roses, this is Axl rose and a bunch of guys. Buckethead is funny though.
7 posted on 03/19/2004 12:44:33 PM PST by Pikamax
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: NYC GOP Chick
Doing okay. Working too much, and been taking care of my sick daughter this week.
How about you?

On a positive note, I'm looking forward to Freeping the ANSWER idiots tomorrow, though!

Counter-rally planned to show respect and support for our troops (Fayetteville, NC)

Should be a blast!

9 posted on 03/19/2004 12:45:58 PM PST by Constitution Day ("Carolina Blue" is just the past tense for "Carolina Blows".)
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To: Zathras
James "Buckethead" Carville:


10 posted on 03/19/2004 12:46:54 PM PST by So Cal Rocket (If consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds, John F. Kerry’s mind must be freaking enormous)
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To: Zathras
I thought they had a new name for James Carvell.


11 posted on 03/19/2004 12:48:00 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick
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To: Constitution Day
Hanging in there...Keeping busy and *trying* to stay out of trouble, but you know how difficult that can be for me! ;)

I hope your daughter gets better soon, and that you have a great time sticking it to the cANSWER goons!

12 posted on 03/19/2004 12:49:23 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick
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To: NYC GOP Chick
1. Calls himself "Buckethead.

2. Wears a USED KFC bucket on his head while performing.

3. ONLY talks through a sock puppet.


This guy should run for the Democratic Presidential Ticket. He's just crazy enough to succeed!
13 posted on 03/19/2004 12:55:58 PM PST by JustPlainJoe
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To: JustPlainJoe
This guy should run for the Democratic Presidential Ticket. He's just crazy enough to succeed!

Nah. He's quite sane in comparison and would make the 'rat rank and file feel even more inadequate than they already are.

14 posted on 03/19/2004 12:57:58 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick
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To: NYC GOP Chick
What is this gibberish? Who are these freakish, damaged people? Why should I give a $#!t what any of them do or say?

-ccm

15 posted on 03/19/2004 1:00:27 PM PST by ccmay
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To: NYC GOP Chick
Guns n' Roses was a great band. I've never heard what the new incarnation sounded like. I guess Axl's ego strikes again.
16 posted on 03/19/2004 1:00:55 PM PST by TheSpottedOwl (Until Kofi Annan rides the Jerusalem RTD....nothing will change.)
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To: TheSpottedOwl
I guess Axl's ego strikes again.

Either that, or too much anesthesia from his extreme face lift!

17 posted on 03/19/2004 1:04:46 PM PST by NYC GOP Chick
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To: Billthedrill
Was it Guns and Roses that was out at NASA before the Super Bowl? The story was that they got caught doing cocaine in a restroom on the site. Nobody did anything about it. Some NASA employees were not happy about that.
18 posted on 03/19/2004 1:09:54 PM PST by isthisnickcool (Guns!)
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To: isthisnickcool
That was Aerosmith.
19 posted on 03/19/2004 1:11:59 PM PST by Xenalyte ("Marsa Stert is a britch and and I sit on the exhange")
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To: NYC GOP Chick
He had a face lift? I guess it has been a long time. A face lift???? Good Lord...
20 posted on 03/19/2004 1:13:48 PM PST by TheSpottedOwl (Until Kofi Annan rides the Jerusalem RTD....nothing will change.)
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