Brian Carroll, born May 13th 1969, better know as Buckethead, is a virtuoso guitarist from California. Carroll is capable of playing many instruments, including the banjo. To date he has 30 studio albums, and has performed on over 50 albums by other artists. His music spans everything from progressive metal and rock, to funk, jazz, and avant-garde.
Buckethead is most famous for wearing a KFC bucket on his head with a bumper sticker that reads ‘Funeral’, while wearing a plain white Kabuki mask. Recently however, he changed to a plain white bucket. During performances, Buckethead will often show of his robot dancing and Nun-chuck skills. Buckethead brings his audience closer to the show by performing toy trades with them. This involves the audience giving him toys while he’s on stage.
The story goes that Buckethead was “raised by chickens” and it is his “mission in life to alert the world of the ongoing chicken holocaust in fast-food joints around the globe”.
Carroll started learning guitar at the age of twelve; releasing his first demo, Giant Robot, in 1991. He went on to release his debut Bucketheadland in 1992. Since then, he has regularly release solo albums while being involved in other projects. Buckethead is most famous for his involvement with Guns N’ Roses from 2000 till 2004.
Buckethead plays many guitars, but he’s most known for using a white Gibson Les Paul with a killswitch. He also uses many effect pedals including a Digitech Whammy pedal as well as various Boss and Line 6 pedals. He uses a variety of amps, but mainly Mesa/Boogie.
Buckethead has cited many influences such as Larry LaLonde, Mike Patton, Michael Jackson, Parliament-Funkadelic, Shawn Lane, Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Paul Gilbert, Yngwie Malmsteen, Louis Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Jennifer Batten, Eddie Hazel, Randy Rhoads, The Residents, Eddie Van Halen, and Angus Young. He also cited many non-musical influences as well, such as George Gervin, Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Carroll has played with many artists including Les Claypool, Serj Tankien, Iggy Pop, and Bootsy Collins.