Buckethead
Young Buckethead Vol. 1 DVD
Review by Greg Olma
My first introduction to Buckethead was when he was a member of Guns ‘n Roses and I just didn’t get the gimmick. He wears a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket on his head and a plain white mask on his face. He doesn’t perform without these “pieces” of stage clothes and, ultimately, it is really just kind of silly. The one thing that isn’t silly is this guy’s guitar prowess. Axl Rose always surrounds himself with top quality musicians and Buckethead is no exception.
The DVD contains 4 parts and with the first 2 containing his band the Deli Creeps; part one is the actual show while the second part is the soundcheck. Even during the soundcheck, his face is blurred out so you don’t get a glimpse of it. The music is definitely quirky but the musicianship is top notch. Part 3 is young Buckethead playing keyboards with a creepy clear mask on. I don’t know why this part was added unless they wanted to show his versatility but for my money it is pretty much soundtrack noise. The last part is pretty interesting in that it is Buckethead just jamming solo in his backyard. This is the kind of stuff guitarists eat up. He goes through a number of riffs and styles that include “When You Wish Upon A Star” and the themes from “Halloween” and “Star Wars.” I find the Deli Creeps material the best of the bunch but the backyard footage will keep the gear-heads happy. For those looking to discover the “genius” of Buckethead, the Young Buckethead DVDs are well worth the cost.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2008 Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
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