Buckethead Leaves GNR

[1234-5678 0]

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.

 

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.

 

—Jon Wiederhorn

 

 

 

This might fuck up their next show May 30th in Lisbon. Fellow Gunners, what to think now?

[NoCalMike 0]

Who.......left WHO?

[Use Your Illusion 0]

You'd think this would be the kick in the balls Axl needs to get off his sorry ass and release the damn album already.

 

Twenty bucks says Axl pouts and cancels RIR just so everyone can be as pissed off as he is now.

 

UYI

[Guest El Satanico]

ahahahaha

 

Axl always chases away the best things in "GNR"

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

doesn't a band have to actually exist before they can hire and fire people?

[1234-5678 0]

You'd think this would be the kick in the balls Axl needs to get off his sorry ass and release the damn album already.

 

Twenty bucks says Axl pouts and cancels RIR just so everyone can be as pissed off as he is now.

 

UYI

Eh, when was Rock In Lisbon announced? If it was announced after Bucket already quit, then everything should be alright, and Axl should be there as planned.

 

 

But I doubt it.

[jimmy no nose 0]

I just threw this in some other GNR thread here yesterday evening. My question was will Brian follow soon? I thought they were kind of a package deal.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

I really hope so. Axl Rose is an embarassment at this point, and I hate seeing him drag down good musicians.

[MrRant 0]

Eh. Just release the album finally. I don't care if Buckethead or Bowlhead is the guitarist... just release the goddamn album.

[Use Your Illusion 0]

Has anyone seen the latest Axl Rose pic of him leaning against a drum kit with his guitar? I saw it the other day, but cannot remember where the hell I found it.

 

It's arguably one of the saddest and funniest photos I've seen in a long time of Axl, and even a GNR fanboy like myself can admit it is a bleak reflection of the current state of Guns N' Roses.

 

UYI

[Guest Man Of 1,004 Modes]

Axl should just give up...again.

 

GnR is DEAD! DEAD DEAD DEAD DEEEEEEEAD!

[1234-5678 0]

 

 

Please God, don't let him try to play guitar............

 

I never thought I'd say this, but since he, Duff and Slash all worked together trying to stop the Greatest Hits.........

 

Reunion? Please?

[Use Your Illusion 0]

THAT'S the one. Doesn't Axl's head look big in that photo as well?

 

I have to hold back the laughter everytime I look at that.

 

UYI

[BUTT 0]

Please God, don't let him try to play guitar............

Well, how do we know he can't play guitar now? He's supposedly been learning for several years, plus he did play on a couple of Use Your Illusion songs (Dead Horse and Shotgun Blues).

[Guest Vitamin X]

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.

 

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.

 

—Jon Wiederhorn

 

 

 

This might fuck up their next show May 30th in Lisbon. Fellow Gunners, what to think now?

Fuck GNR! That is the fucking awesomest band name of all time~! And an awesome band lineup to boot....

[1234-5678 0]

Please God, don't let him try to play guitar............

Well, how do we know he can't play guitar now? He's supposedly been learning for several years, plus he did play on a couple of Use Your Illusion songs (Dead Horse and Shotgun Blues).

It's just not Axl unless he is swaying and spinning and running around stage (even if he can't keep his breath).

[haVoc 0]

That picture looks fake.

[BUTT 0]

I don't think there's any question that it is fake.

[Guest El Satanico]

Axl himself looks fake

[1234-5678 0]

Axl himself looks fake

Oh c'mon, that's just a part of natural aging..........

 

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