So I have a live show with Les Claypool, but mostly I've just ignored him, especially since he had that cup of coffee with GnR. Lately though a friend has been sending me some youtubes that are nothing short of badass. I never even realized.

Where to start?

I think he's asking for Buckethead recommendations, not Les/Primus. I think.

Of which I have none.

Ditto. The Primus is all I've got. The original post is confusing.

Sorry if I wasn't clear.
Yes, I'm looking for Buckethead recommendations.

I first discovered his awesomeness hearing Praxis for the first time. I'd recommend starting there with their first record Transmutation.

"Don can do anything Buckethead is doing, better probably." -Ryan

"No he can't, no way." -drug dealing, tattoo artist, wigger, hipster, buckethead fan giving us free lines that day and playing buckethead music on his stereo at his parent's house.

Monsters and Robots is probably my favorite followed closely by Giant Robot.

Colma is cool, but it's completely different. It's a real chill instrumental record with none of the weirdness of Buckethead.

I did not really like Enter the Chicken or Kaliedoscalp.

For me it's all about the live experience. Seeing Buckethead doing the robot while playing the guitar is one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

This is a fine place to start. Praxis has/had a really impressive lineup on that album.

That Praxis album is a little weird of a starting point, in my opinion. I heard "Monsters and Robots" first, so I'd recommend that. Also saw him live, both solo and wth GnR. One cost me a lot less than the other.

Call me shallow or naive, but I can't get over the fucking bucket on head thing.

^ I think that's what has kept me away too, if subconsciously.

Thanks for the recommendations. Sounds like I'll start with Monsters and Robots and Transmuations and go from there.

There are some great live you tubes as well.

The stuff between Electric Tears (2002) and The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock (2006) is (for the most part) my favorite.

here's a good place to go to check out live shows from that era:

http://www.archive.org/browse.php?colle ... field=year

I LOVE Buckethead! :)





He's like what if Joe Satriani smoked a bag of drugs and put a KFC bucket on his head?

Monsters and Robots is definitely the place to start. I also like the Buckethead and Friends' Enter the Chicken album that came out a while back.

Giant Robot is cool, but watch out because he's got a ton of either self released or very small label stuff and it's not all good. I honestly stopped trying to piece out the good stuff from the dregs on that a while back. He tends to delve into a lot of weird trance type stuff (see Death Cube K) where it doesn't really sound like he's playing guitar for the most part.

I'd also mention Col. Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains as being a really cool Primus-esque band where Buckethead shines. Their only album is The Big Eyeball in the Sky and it's one of only two albums that Clapool's done since the turn century that's worth a shit IMO.

Definitely Monsters and Robots and Praxis albums - Transmutation, Metatron, and Profanation; there're also live albums Transmutation Live, Live in Poland (Warszawa), Live at Bonnaroo (Tennessee 2004).
I saw Buckethead live once w/ Brain and somebody on bass, w/ special guest Rammellzee that was one of the best shows ever. Then I saw Buckethead the next tour, basically solo w/ a prerecorded backing band. That was lame.

Nice.

Praxis. Second. Can we get a standing ruling on this one?

Praxis for sure... And there are a few other releases on the Axiom label the Buckethead appears on too that are well worth seeking out.

this might be helpful...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckethead

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axiom_%28record_label%29

One more...

http://www.amazon.com/Transmutation-Mutatis-Mutandis-Praxis/dp/B000000GAR

Here is the full show from SF's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass fest this year. Good stuff.

if you eat at KFC you'll be as sweet as him.