Buckethead, (c. 1969) born Brian Carroll, is a prolific Avant-Garde American guitarist. Mostly known for his wide spectrum of solo guitar recordings, Buckethead is also a notable writer and composer of film music, and a former member of the band Guns N' Roses. He has also collaborated with artists such as Iggy Pop and Serj Tankian, and is close friends with Primus members Les Claypool and Bryan "Brain" Mantia.
The myth of Buckethead begins with his childhood; Buckethead was raised in a chicken coop, where he learned how to manipulate the strands of hay like the strings of a guitar. Even though his interactions with other humans were rare, the parties involved were always repulsed by Buckethead's face, and he donned the featureless white mask shortly after he realized his detachment from the socially constructed status quo, hiding his face and soul from the rest of the critical world. Once he gathered the courage to venture into the establishments of human society, he bore a simple Kentucky Fried Chicken helmet on his head, through which he could channel the ethereal power of his spiritual brethren. To honor both Crispy and Original Recipe spirits, he attached a paper to the bucket -- on it, the word "Funeral" scrawled in black ink. It is said that, without his bucket, Buckethead is powerless.
Since his departure from the chicken coop so many moons ago, Buckethead has lived a transient lifestyle, and tours constantly, playing live shows in order to merge the minds of willing humans with the souls of deceased poultry. He is known for being a versatile guitarist, capable of transitioning between a tender lament to a face-melting solo within the single beat of a heart. His most notable piece -- one he only chooses to play live, and has never recorded for an album -- broke the aspirations of many Guitar Hero players who thought themselves talented enough for a real instrument. "Jordan", named after Michael Jordan, of whom Buckethead is an avid fan, culminates with a blinding guitar solo that reaches a speed of 15.47 notes per second. Buckethead has since been featured in a downloadable content package in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The track "Soothsayer", made available in the Virtuoso Pack alongside Joe Satriani's "Surfing With the Alien" and Steve Vai's "For the Love of God", has over 2200 notes, and is over nine minutes in length.
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