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{{Short description|American guitarist (born 1969)}}
{{other uses}}<!-- Specific mention in addition to other uses as may not otherwise be obvious they are different people-->
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Buckethead
| image             = Buckethead, 2006.jpg
| caption           = Buckethead performing in 2006
| birth_name        = Brian Patrick Carroll
| alias             = {{hlist|Death Cube K|Big B<ref name="sputnikmusic">{{cite web|last=|first=|title=A Beginner's Guide To Buckethead|website=sputnikmusic.com|publisher=|date=|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/list.php?memberid=252408&listid=135012|access-date=10 August 2023}}</ref><ref name="commonwealthtimes">{{cite web|last=|first=|title=Virginia Beach takes a trip to Bucketheadland|website=commonwealthtimes.org|publisher=|date=2 October 2006|url=https://commonwealthtimes.org/2006/10/02/virginia-beach-takes-a-trip-to-bucketheadland/|access-date=10 August 2023}}</ref>}}
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1969|5|13|mf=yes}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wpdh.com/wednesday-may-13-happy-birthday-buckethead/|title=Wednesday, May 13: Happy Birthday Buckethead|website=Wpdh.com|date=May 13, 2015 |access-date=May 11, 2021}}</ref>
| birth_place       = [[Pomona, California]], U.S.
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Experimental rock]]||[[progressive metal]]|[[funk]]|[[Bluegrass music|bluegrass]]|[[avant-garde metal]]|[[alternative rock]]|[[alternative metal]]|[[ambient music|ambient]]|[[heavy metal music|heavy metal]]}}
| occupation        = {{hlist|Musician|songwriter}}
| instrument        = Guitar<!--- If you think an instrument should be listed, a discussion to reach consensus is needed first per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Infobox musical_artist#instrument--->
| years_active      = 1987–present
| label             = {{hlist|Shrimper/PSST|TDRS|Hatboxghost|Bucketheadland|[[Avant Records|Avant]]|Day Eight|[[Sony Music|Sony]]|[[Higher Octave Music|CyberOctave]]|Sub Meta|Metastation|City Hall|Stray|Gonervill|Catalyst|Ion|Disembodied|[[Tzadik Records|Tzadik]]|Avabella|[[Serjical Strike Records|Serjical Strike]]}}
| past_member_of    = {{hlist|[[Deli Creeps]]|[[Praxis (band)|Praxis]]|[[Cornbugs]]|El Stew|[[Guns N' Roses]]|Thanatopsis|[[Primus (band)|Primus]]|[[Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains]]|The Frankenstein Brothers|[[Science Faxtion]]}}
| website           = {{URL|bucketheadpikes.com}}
}}
'''Brian Patrick Carroll''' (born May 13, 1969), known professionally as '''Buckethead''', is an American guitarist. He has received critical acclaim for his innovative and virtuosic electric guitar playing.<ref>Cooper, Sean, [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p60553/biography|pure_url=yes}} Buckethead Biography], ''AllMusic''. Retrieved January 6, 2009</ref>

Buckethead's extensive solo [[discography]] currently includes 31 studio albums. In 2011, Buckethead began releasing albums in the "Pike" series, mini-albums usually around 30 minutes in length, each with a sequential number similar to a [[comic book]]. As of October 2024, Buckethead has released 662 Pike albums, including almost 300 live recordings.

Buckethead has also released seven studio albums under the alias Death Cube K (an [[anagram]] of Buckethead). He has released collaborative albums with [[Brain (musician)|Brain]], [[Travis Dickerson]], [[Melissa Reese]], [[Viggo Mortensen]], [[Shin Terai]], [[DJ Disk]], [[Bootsy Collins]], [[That 1 Guy]] and albums with the bands [[Praxis (band)|Praxis]], [[Cornbugs]], [[Science Faxtion]], [[Guns N' Roses]], [[Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains]], and [[Deli Creeps]], in addition to many other collaborations with bands and artists. From 2000-2004, Buckethead was a lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses, recording on the long-delayed ''[[Chinese Democracy]]'' (2008)  album and performing with the band on the first legs of the [[Chinese Democracy Tour|accompanying tour]].

Buckethead performs wearing a [[KFC]] bucket on his head, sometimes emblazoned with an orange [[bumper sticker]] reading ''FUNERAL'' in block letters. This is accompanied by an expressionless plain white mask inspired by the 1988 [[slasher film]] ''[[Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers]]''.<ref name="MTV.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458813/kurt-loder-meets-gnrs-buckethead.jhtml |title=Beneath The Bucket, Behind The Mask: Kurt Loder Meets GN'R's Buckethead |publisher=MTV.com |date=2002-11-21 |access-date=2013-03-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510180030/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458813/kurt-loder-meets-gnrs-buckethead.jhtml |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He also incorporates [[nunchaku]] and [[Robot (dance)|robot dancing]] into his stage performances.<ref>[http://www.spinner.com/tag/Buckethead/ Craziest Costumed Acts: No. 17] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222030751/http://www.spinner.com/tag/Buckethead/ |date=February 22, 2012}}, ''Spinner'', Oct 19, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2009</ref><ref>Karevoll, Richard, [http://media.www.theechotimes.com/media/storage/paper347/news/2008/03/03/Ae/A.Closer.Look.At.Buckethead-3260934.shtml A Closer Look at Buckethead] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213000144/http://media.www.theechotimes.com/media/storage/paper347/news/2008/03/03/Ae/A.Closer.Look.At.Buckethead-3260934.shtml |date=February 13, 2009}} ''The Echo Times'', March 3, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2009</ref><ref name="mtv">{{cite web |url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458813/20021121/guns_n_roses.jhtml |title = Beneath The Bucket, Behind The Mask: Kurt Loder Meets GN'R's Buckethead |access-date = 2007-12-09 |author = Loder, Kurt |date = November 21, 2002 |publisher = MTV |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071225055457/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458813/20021121/guns_n_roses.jhtml |archive-date = December 25, 2007 |df = mdy-all}}</ref> Buckethead stays [[wikt:in character|in character]] in performances and interviews, and does not appear without some sort of mask.

Buckethead was credited by ''[[Guitar World]]'' as "ushering in [a] new era of virtuosity" while ranking the release of his 1992 debut album ''[[Bucketheadland]]'' the 45th greatest moment in electric guitar history.<ref name="Tolinski">{{cite web |last1=Tolinski |first1=Brad |title=The 50 greatest moments in electric guitar history |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-50-greatest-moments-in-electric-guitar-history |website=guitarworld.com |date=March 2, 2023 |publisher=Guitar World |access-date=19 March 2023}}</ref>  The magazine has also listed him among the "25 all-time weirdest guitarists"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/high-strung-25-all-time-weirdest-guitarists|title=High Strung: The 25 All-Time Weirdest Guitarists|last=July 2016|website=Guitarworld.com|date=July 21, 2016|access-date=May 11, 2021}}</ref> and the "50 fastest guitarists of all time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guitarworld.com/50-fastest-guitarists-all-time?page=0,5 |title=50 fastest guitarists of all time, ''Guitar World'', September 2011 |publisher=Guitarworld.com |date=September 18, 2011 |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229064725/http://www.guitarworld.com/50-fastest-guitarists-all-time?page=0,5 |archive-date=December 29, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

==Early and personal life==
Brian Patrick Carroll was born on May 13, 1969, to Tom and Nancy Carroll; he is the youngest of five siblings along with Lynn, Lisa, Lori, and John.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.laverneonline.com/2009/11/09/death-taxes-and-athletic-director-tom-carroll/ |title=Death, Taxes and Damien Athletic Director Tom Carroll |publisher=Laverneonline.com |date=2009-11-09 |access-date=2014-07-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140307134550/http://www.laverneonline.com/2009/11/09/death-taxes-and-athletic-director-tom-carroll/ |archive-date=March 7, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> His father was the athletic director at [[Damien High School]] in [[La Verne, California]] from 1973 until his retirement in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailybulletin.com/sports/20140905/longtime-damien-athletic-director-tom-carroll-passes-at-84|title=Longtime Damien athletic director Tom Carroll passes at 84|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810013655/http://www.dailybulletin.com/sports/20140905/longtime-damien-athletic-director-tom-carroll-passes-at-84|archive-date=August 10, 2017|df=mdy-all|date=September 5, 2014}}</ref>

Carroll grew up in a Southern California suburb near [[Disneyland]]. In his youth he was an introvert and spent most of his time in his room with books, games, martial-arts movie memorabilia, and toys. He also spent a lot of time at Disneyland.<ref name="MTV.com"/>

Carroll began playing guitar at the age of 12. He learned to play from an elderly man down his road. He is quoted saying that he became serious a year later after moving from [[Huntington Beach, California]], to [[Claremont, California|Claremont]]. His playing improved with lessons from various teachers at a local music store. His early teachers included Max McGuire, Johnny Fortune, Mark Hammond, Pebber Brown, [[Joey Tafolla]], and [[Paul Gilbert]]. In 2003, Buckethead played a tribute to all his early teachers as the Deli Creeps played a show at Styles Music's 25th anniversary. He then began making demo recordings of both his playing as well as his writing styles, which would later be released in 2007–2008.{{Citation needed|date = January 2022}}

The Buckethead persona came to be when Carroll saw the 1988 slasher film ''[[Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers|Halloween 4]]'' and was inspired by the film. He went out right after seeing it and bought a [[Michael Myers (Halloween)|Michael Myers]]-like white mask. The bucket idea came later that night while eating chicken:<ref name="spin.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2017/10/buckethead-heart-condition-podcast/|title=Buckethead Talks Struggles With Heart Condition in Rare Out-of-Character Interview|date=October 12, 2017|access-date=October 13, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013123630/https://www.spin.com/2017/10/buckethead-heart-condition-podcast/|archive-date=October 13, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

{{blockquote|I was eating it, and I put the mask on and then the bucket on my head. I went to the mirror. I just said, 'Buckethead. That's Buckethead right there.' It was just one of those things. After that, I wanted to be that thing all the time.|Buckethead, 1996, ''Guitar Player'' Magazine <ref name="MTV.com"/>}}

In October 2017, Carroll gave a rare out-of-character interview discussing all ranges of his life, the Buckethead character, his parents' deaths, his health problems, and how he copes with overcoming fear.<ref name="spin.com"/> During the podcast, he revealed he has been diagnosed with the potentially life-threatening condition of [[heart arrhythmia]]. He stated he had a [[cardiac ablation]] performed and uses medicine to control the problem.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/buckethead-life-threatening-heart-condition/|title=Buckethead Reveals Life-Threatening Heart Condition|website=Loudwire|date=October 12, 2017 |access-date=October 13, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012173306/http://loudwire.com/buckethead-life-threatening-heart-condition/|archive-date=October 12, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

==Career==
===1988–1994: Early solo career and Praxis===
In 1988, after leaving the band Class-X, Carroll entered a home recording of his song "Brazos" into a ''[[Guitar Player]]'' magazine contest. It was a runner-up, with editors writing:

{{blockquote|An astonishingly skilled guitarist and bassist, he demonstrates post-[[Paul Gilbert]] speed and accuracy filtered through very kinky harmonic sensibilities. His psychotronic, demonic edge is very, very far removed from the clichés of classical metal and rock. A real talent to watch, also known as "Buckethead."<ref>''Guitar Player'' magazine 1988</ref>}}

In the same year, the magazine's editor, Jas Obrecht, came to know of Buckethead when Carroll and his parents left a demo recording at the magazine's reception desk for Obrecht. Impressed with this demo, he rushed into the restaurant where Buckethead and his parents were having lunch and encouraged him to make the most of his talent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://youngbuckethead.com/ |title=YoungBucketHead Premium Cigarettes |publisher=Youngbuckethead.com |date=2013-11-10 |access-date=2014-07-11 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521110157/http://www.youngbuckethead.com/ |archive-date=May 21, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> They soon became friends. In 1989, a song called "Soowee" by Buckethead got honorable mention in another song contest. In 1991, Buckethead moved into Obrecht's basement. The song "Brazos" was eventually released on the 1991 demo tape of his band [[Deli Creeps]], titled "Tribal Rites", and again as bonus material in Buckethead's ''Secret Recipe'' DVD in 2006. Luke Sacco was his teacher.

In 1991, Buckethead contributed to [[Derek Bailey (guitarist)|Derek Bailey]]'s [[Company (free improvisation group)|Company]] project alongside, among others, [[John Zorn]] and [[Alexander Bălănescu]], resulting in a triple album called ''Company 91''.

After his first two demo tapes, called ''Giant Robot'' and ''Bucketheadland Blueprints'', Buckethead released ''[[Bucketheadland]]'' on [[John Zorn]]'s Japanese Avant record label in 1992. Though available only as a pricey import, the record received positive reviews and earned some attention. At about this time, Buckethead fell into the orbit of prolific bassist/producer [[Bill Laswell]], himself an occasional Zorn collaborator; Buckethead was introduced to Laswell by Limbomaniacs drummer [[Brain (musician)|Brain]], who gave Laswell a video of Buckethead playing in his room.<ref>[http://www.tedkurland.com/pbuild/linkbuilder.cfm?selection=doc.271] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061215182308/http://www.tedkurland.com/pbuild/linkbuilder.cfm?selection=doc.271|date=December 15, 2006}}</ref> Buckethead soon became Laswell's second staple guitar player, besides [[Nicky Skopelitis]].

In 1992, Buckethead, with Bill Laswell, [[Bernie Worrell]], [[Bootsy Collins]], and Brain, formed the [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] [[Praxis (band)|Praxis]]. Their first album, ''[[Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis)]]'', released the same year, was well received. The project was Bill Laswell's concept, and has since involved other guests such as [[Serj Tankian]] of [[System of a Down]], among many others. Buckethead participated in every release except the initial ''[[1984 (Praxis album)|1984]]'' release and ''[[Mold (Praxis album)|Mold]]'' (1998).

In 1993, Buckethead auditioned to play for the [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]. The band eventually ended up with [[Arik Marshall]],<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kiedis|first1=Anthony|last2=Sloman|first2=Larry|title=Scar Tissue|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VUSZAAAAQBAJ|year=2004|publisher=Hachette|isbn=9781401381769}}</ref> and later [[Dave Navarro]]. After some legal complications with [[Sony Music Entertainment]], Buckethead decided to release his 1994 album ''[[Dreamatorium]]'' under the name of Death Cube K (an [[anagram]]).

{{blockquote|Death Cube K is a separate entity that looks like a photographic negative version of Buckethead with a black chrome mask, like Darth Vader. This apparition haunts Buckethead and appears in his nightmares.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/index.html#anchor1786800 |title=Buckethead FAQ v 1.0 |publisher=Bucketheadland.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230003000/http://bucketheadland.com/faq/index.html#anchor1786800 |archive-date=December 30, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>}}

Buckethead released a second studio album that year, ''[[Giant Robot (Buckethead album)|Giant Robot]]'', which features many guest appearances by artists such as [[Iggy Pop]] and [[Bill Moseley]]. The name of the album came from the Japanese series ''[[Giant Robo (tokusatsu)|Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot]]'', of which Buckethead is a fan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/index.html#anchor6301 |title=in the lower part were it says " Acknowledgments" |publisher=Bucketheadland.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230003000/http://bucketheadland.com/faq/index.html#anchor6301 |archive-date=December 30, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He also released two other albums with [[Praxis (band)|Praxis]], their second and third studio efforts: ''[[Sacrifist]]'' and ''[[Metatron (Praxis album)|Metatron]]''.

===1995–1999: Collaboration work, movie soundtracks and Praxis===
In 1995, Buckethead did not release any solo albums but collaborated with several artists like [[Jonas Hellborg]] and [[Michael Shrieve]] (''[[Octave of the Holy Innocents]]''). He also contributed to several movie soundtracks, such as ''[[Johnny Mnemonic (film)|Johnny Mnemonic]]'' and ''[[Mortal Kombat (soundtrack)|Mortal Kombat]]''.

Later, in 1996, Buckethead released his solo album ''[[The Day of the Robot]]'' with the help of English producer DJ Ninj and Laswell, plus another album with [[Bryan Mantia|Brain]] and keyboardist Pete Scaturro on the small Japanese label NTT Records, called ''Giant Robot''. Both albums were printed only in small quantities and are collectors' items now. A second demo tape by the [[Deli Creeps]] was also recorded.

Also in 1996, several [[Sega Saturn]] television ads featuring a screaming mask-like face pressing through the blue orb of the Saturn logo was released, with music by Buckethead.

In 1997, Buckethead began working on the album ''Buckethead Plays Disney''; however, the album has not yet been released. According to his Web page:

{{blockquote|This highly anticipated album, once listed in an Avant catalog, has yet to be completed. It is Buckethead's most precious personal project, so he won't record or release it until he knows he is ready.<ref>{{cite web |first=Robert |last=White |url=http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/faq2/FAQ_2_0.html#34 |title=FAQ 2.0 |publisher=Bucketheadland.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115151612/http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/faq2/FAQ_2_0.html#34 |archive-date=November 15, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>}}

Also in 1997, Buckethead continued to contribute to movie soundtracks, appearing on ''[[Beverly Hills Ninja#Music|Beverly Hills Ninja]]'' and ''[[Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (soundtrack)|Mortal Kombat: Annihilation]]'', the sequel to ''Mortal Kombat''.

Further releases were [[Arcana (jazz band)|Arcana's]] second and final studio album ''[[Arc of the Testimony]]'' in which he played with noted drummer [[Tony Williams (drummer)|Tony Williams]] and the one-off project ''Pieces'', with [[Bryan Mantia|Brain]]. Two live albums by Praxis, called ''[[Transmutation Live]]'' and ''Live in Poland'' (featuring recordings from European concerts) were also issued.

Death Cube K released an album that year called ''[[Disembodied (Buckethead album)|Disembodied]]''.

In 1998, Buckethead released ''[[Colma (album)|Colma]]'', an album dedicated to his mother, who at the time was suffering from [[colon cancer]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/111199/feat.20q.shtml |title=Buckethead |publisher=Archives.citypaper.net |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130109100522/http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/111199/feat.20q.shtml |archive-date=January 9, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> A compilation album by Praxis called ''Coll'' ''ction'' also came out that year.

In 1999, Buckethead released his fifth album, a collaboration with [[Les Claypool]] from the band [[Primus (band)|Primus]], titled ''[[Monsters and Robots]]''—currently the best-selling album of his career. The album includes the song "[[The Ballad of Buckethead]]", for which his first music video ever was made.<ref>{{cite web |first=Robert |last=White |url=http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/faq2/FAQ_2_0.html#18 |title=FAQ 2.0 |publisher=Bucketheadland.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115151612/http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/faq2/FAQ_2_0.html#18 |archive-date=November 15, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
Buckethead began three new projects that year, the first being the band [[Cornbugs]], a collaboration with actor [[Bill Moseley]], drummer [[Pinchface]], and later keyboardist [[Travis Dickerson]]. Another project, Cobra Strike with an album called ''The 13th Scroll'', featured Pinchface, [[Bryan "Brain" Mantia]], [[DJ Disk]], and [[Bill Laswell]]. Buckethead also began a collaboration with actor [[Viggo Mortensen]], whom he first met through a recording project called ''Myth: Dreams of the World''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.specialrealms.com/VM/interviewarchive75.html |title="The Many Faces Of Viggo Mortensen" Interview Archive |publisher=Specialrealms.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421031050/http://www.specialrealms.com/VM/interviewarchive75.html |archive-date=April 21, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> in 1996. Together they released ''One Man's Meat'', ''One Less Thing to Worry About'', and ''The Other Parade''. Buckethead contributed to the 1999 album [[Devil Dub]] by the San Francisco Bay Area band [[Ben Wa (band)|Ben Wa]] consisting of "Dr. Ware" and "House"(Limbomaniacs, [[Tommy Guerrero]], Buckethead's Giant Robot, MCM & the Monster).<ref>{{cite web|last=Spano |first=Charles |url={{AllMusic|class=artist |id=p485306 |pure_url=yes}} |title=Ben Wa – Music Biography, Credits and Discography |publisher=AllMusic |date=2001-08-21 |access-date=2012-06-26}}</ref>

===2000–2004: Guns N' Roses and other projects===
Buckethead achieved a higher public profile as lead guitarist for [[Guns N' Roses]] from 2000 to 2004.<ref>{{cite web |last=Saidman |first=Sorelle |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429767/20000315/guns_n_roses.jhtml |title=MTV news on "Buckethead in, Freese out" |publisher=Mtv.com |date=March 15, 2000 |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510012948/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1429767/20000315/guns_n_roses.jhtml |archive-date=May 10, 2009 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He recorded the often-delayed album ''[[Chinese Democracy]]'' with the band and appeared live on stage in 2001 and 2002, including ''[[Rock in Rio 3]]'', [[MTV]]'s ''[[MTV Video Music Awards#2000s|Video Music Awards]]'', and parts of the [[Chinese Democracy Tour]]. His guitar solo on "[[There Was a Time (Guns N' Roses song)|There Was a Time]]" received acclaim, with several publications listing it amongst the best solos of the decade.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2008/11/album-review-chinese-democracy/|title=Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy Ends a Complicated Era &#124; Review|date=November 19, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-greatest-guitar-solos-of-the-21st-century-so-far|title=The greatest guitar solos of the 21st century... so far|first1=Jenna ScaramangaContributions from Amit|last1=Sharma|first2=Ellie Rogers|last2=published|date=July 17, 2023|website=guitarworld}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |date=June 2023 |title=The People's Choice! Revealed! The top 50 guitar solos of the 1st century as voted by TG readers |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/best-guitar-solo-21st-century-readers-poll |magazine=Total Guitar}}</ref>

Despite being a member of GN'R, Buckethead released his sixth studio album, called ''[[Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse]]'' in 2001, and also his only [[Extended play|EP]], called ''KFC Skin Piles''. He also released two albums with his band [[Cornbugs]], and a third under his 'Death Cube K' pseudonym. In 2000, Buckethead released the second and last album by Cobra Strike, called ''[[Cobra Strike II - Y, Y+B, X+Y]]''. He joined two new projects during this period. The first was the progressive rock band Thanatopsis (named after a poem by [[William Cullen Bryant]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tdrsmusic.com/thanatopsis.html|title=Thanatopsis|website=Tdrsmusic.com|access-date=May 11, 2021}}</ref>) with Travis Dickerson and drummer Ramy Antoun;<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p508886|pure_url=yes}} |title=Thanatopsis > Overview |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2008-11-13}}</ref> this group went on to release four albums. Some Thanatopsis material has also appeared on albums released by Buckethead and Dickerson.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tdrsmusic.com/forum2/index.php?topic=2893.0|title=Thanatopsis "Requiem"|website=Tdrsmusic.com|access-date=May 11, 2021}}</ref>
Buckethead's second side project during this period was with Bill Laswell and Japanese producer [[Shin Terai]], released as the album ''[[Unison (Shin Terai album)|Unison]]''.

In 2002, Buckethead released three studio albums: ''Funnel Weaver'', a collection of 49 short tracks, ''[[Bermuda Triangle (album)|Bermuda Triangle]]'', and finally, ''[[Electric Tears]]'', a calming album that is similar to his earlier release, ''Colma''.
When Laswell was not able to play with Praxis at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts festival, Les Claypool asked to jam with Brain, Bernie Worrell, and Buckethead, forming a new [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] called [[Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains]]. The [[jamband]] experiment was successful enough to do some further live dates.

Later, in 2003, marking the release of his tenth studio album, Buckethead released the sequel of his debut ''[[Bucketheadland]]'', simply called ''[[Bucketheadland 2]]''. Together with actor [[Viggo Mortensen]], he did ''[[Pandemoniumfromamerica]]'', and with Thanatopsis, its second release, called ''Axiology''.

Buckethead's relationship with Guns N' Roses was somewhat erratic in its last year, despite contractual obligations. According to an interview with Rose, he seemingly 'left' the band in January 2004 without telling anyone, and 'rejoined' in a similar manner in February. "His transient lifestyle has made it impossible for even his closest friends to have nearly any form of communication with him whatsoever."<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=104 |title=Guns N' Roses Not Able to Perform at Rock in Rio |publisher=Here Today... Gone To Hell! |date=2004-03-30 |access-date=2014-07-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706043050/http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/articles/showarticle.php?articleid=104 |archive-date=July 6, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In March 2004, Buckethead left Guns N' Roses. His manager cited Guns' inability to complete an album or tour.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wiederhorn |first=Jon |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1485811/20040317/guns_n_roses.jhtml |title=Buckethead's Hand Puppet Says Goodbye To Guns N' Roses |publisher=Mtv.com |date=March 17, 2004 |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204112403/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1485811/20040317/guns_n_roses.jhtml |archive-date=December 4, 2010 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Since that time, his [[cult following]] in the [[underground music]] communities has steadily increased. He frequently performs at festivals and in clubs nationwide and often tours as the feature performer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/03.13.03/buckethead-0311.html |title=Metroactive Music &#124; Buckethead |publisher=Metroactive.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002123315/http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/03.13.03/buckethead-0311.html |archive-date=October 2, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bingebuddies.com/Promo_index.htm |title=Buckethead at Bingebuddies.Com – Binge Goodies |publisher=Bingebuddies.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311002516/http://www.bingebuddies.com/Promo_index.htm |archive-date=March 11, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

The year 2004 saw the release of three new studio albums: ''Island of Lost Minds'', which was his first tour-only album being later re-released by TDRS Music; ''[[Population Override]]'', a blues-rock tour de force with Dickerson; and ''[[The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell]]'', considered his heaviest effort to date. The latter includes "[[Spokes for the Wheel of Torment]]," for which Syd Garon and Eric Henry made a music video based on the famous [[triptych]]s by [[Hieronymus Bosch]]. Buckethead also recorded the final two albums by the [[Cornbugs]], ''[[Brain Circus]]'' and ''Donkey Town'' as well as another release with [[Viggo Mortensen]] called ''Please Tomorrow'' and a second with [[Shin Terai]], titled ''[[Heaven & Hell (Shin Terai album)|Heaven & Hell]]''. [[C2B3]] also released their only album, ''[[The Big Eyeball in the Sky]]'', and toured it in North America.

In an interview with ''[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]]'', [[Ozzy Osbourne]] said that he had offered to have Buckethead play guitar in his band at [[Ozzfest]], but changed his mind after meeting with him and realizing that he would not remove his costume:
{{Quote box
 | quote  = "I tried out that Buckethead guy. I met with him and asked him to work with me, but only if he got rid of the fucking bucket. So I came back a bit later, and he's wearing this green fucking Martian's-hat thing! I said, 'Look, just be yourself.' He told me his name was Brian, so I said that's what I'd call him. He says, 'No one calls me Brian except my mother.' So I said, 'Pretend I'm your mum, then!' I haven't even got out of the room and I'm already playing fucking mind games with the guy. What happens if one day he's gone and there's a note saying, 'I've been [[beam up|beamed up]]'? Don't get me wrong, he's a great player. He plays like a motherfucker."<ref>{{cite web|title=OZZY OSBOURNE Says Ex–GUNS N' ROSES Guitarist BUCKETHEAD Auditioned For His Solo Band|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=31127|work=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=2008-02-26|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329100534/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=31127|archive-date=March 29, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
 | source = [[Ozzy Osbourne]], ''[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]]''.
 | width  = 70%
 | align  = Left}}
{{Clear}}

===2005–2006: Buckethead & Friends===
[[File:Belly up 2006 with that 1 guy.jpg|thumbnail|Buckethead and That 1 Guy, performing as The Frankenstein Brothers in 2006]]
In 2005, Buckethead released the album ''[[Enter the Chicken]]'' through [[Serj Tankian]]'s record label, [[Serjical Strike Records|Serjical Strike]]. The album features Tankian himself, [[Maximum Bob (singer)|Maximum Bob]] (of the [[Deli Creeps]]), [[Death by Stereo]] singer [[Efrem Shulz]], [[Bad Acid Trip]] and others.<ref name="Buckknows">Leroy, Dan, [https://web.archive.org/web/20070212011322/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/7702911/buckethead_knows_chicken Buckethead Knows Chicken], ''Rolling Stone'', Oct 13, 2005. Retrieved January 6, 2009</ref> It is marked by its leaning toward more traditional song structures while still featuring typical Buckethead guitar skills. "[[We Are One (Buckethead song)|We Are One]]" was released as a single and also appeared on the soundtrack of ''[[Masters of Horror (soundtrack)|Masters of Horror]]''. "[[Enter the Chicken#Three Fingers|Three Fingers]]" was used for the soundtrack of the horror movie ''[[Saw II]]''. The final track, "Nottingham Lace", was first made public via his home page and soon became a concert staple and one of his most popular songs. Buckethead also released two further solo albums in 2005, ''[[Kaleidoscalp]]'' and ''Inbred Mountain''—the latter being the first album as a solo artist released on the label TDRS Music. Both albums originally were sold exclusively at concerts and only later got an official release through the label's website.

Buckethead released albums with other bands that year: with [[Cornbugs]], he released two compilation albums, called ''[[Rest Home for Robots]]'' and ''Skeleton Farm''. Gorgone's ''self titled album'' was released that year' itself based upon recording sessions from the album ''[[Population Override]]'' that Buckethead released in 2004.

{{Listen
 |filename     = Buckethead - Jordan (GH2 Version).ogg
 |title        = Excerpt of "Jordan"
 |description  = First two bars of "Jordan"
 |header = Main guitar riff of "Jordan"
}}

In 2006, the cross-console video game ''[[Guitar Hero II]]'' was launched, featuring Buckethead's song "[[Jordan (Buckethead composition)|Jordan]]" as an unlockable bonus track. Although the song has been performed live in the past, the video game version is the only known studio recording of the song. When playing it live, Buckethead would almost always simply perform the verse and chorus of "Jordan" before transitioning into the next song. However, the ''Guitar Hero II'' version contains a special solo created specifically for the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guitarworld.com/guitar_heros_marcus_henderson_the_guitar_world_interview?page=0,3 |title=Guitar Hero's Marcus Henderson: The Guitar World Interview – Page 4 |publisher=Guitar World |date=2007-06-20 |access-date=2014-07-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224234842/http://www.guitarworld.com/guitar_heros_marcus_henderson_the_guitar_world_interview?page=0%2C3 |archive-date=February 24, 2012 |df=mdy}}</ref>

Also the same year, Buckethead released two DVDs, titled ''[[Young Buckethead Vol. 1]]'' and ''[[Young Buckethead Vol. 2]]'', featuring rare footage from 1990 and 1991. The DVD also contains three complete [[Deli Creeps]] shows, a sound check, backstage footage, and solo footage of just Buckethead. He also released the albums ''The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock'' and ''[[Crime Slunk Scene]]'', both sold on his tours but later sold on the TDRS Music website. The last album has the song "Soothsayer (Dedicated to Aunt Suzie)"; this song (along with "Jordan" and "Nottingham Lace") is one of his most popular songs and is often played live. Buckethead released his final compilation album with the band [[Cornbugs]], called ''Celebrity Psychos''. He also released an album with [[Travis Dickerson]], called ''Chicken Noodles'', a move that would see the start of a four-year long collaboration with the keyboardist. Buckethead's band Thanatopsis would also release ''[[Anatomize]]'' that year.

===2007–2010: Continued solo work and Michael Jackson tribute===
[[File:Insearchofthe910.JPG|left|thumb|190px|The massive ''[[In Search of The]]'' box set, a set of 13 albums by Buckethead, along with each copy's cover being hand-drawn differently]]

In 2007, Buckethead released an unprecedented amount of new material. In February, a box set titled ''[[In Search of The]]'', containing 13 albums of original material, was released. It was handcrafted, numbered, and monogrammed by Buckethead and contained over nine hours of music. A regular solo album, called ''Pepper's Ghost'', was released in March. A disc of acoustic improvisations called ''[[Acoustic Shards]]'' was also released, becoming the twentieth studio album that the artist had released so far in his solo career. In midyear, he reissued his demo tape ''Bucketheadland Blueprints'', with two alternative album covers: a special edition with a hand-drawn cover made by him, or a standard edition with the original cover art. In October, he released his final two albums of the year, called ''Decoding the Tomb of Bansheebot'' and ''Cyborg Slunks''. The latter again came in both a hand-drawn limited edition and (some weeks later) as a normal CD. Buckethead wrote three songs dedicated to Aunt Suzie in 2006-07: the aforementioned "Soothsayer" (Crime Slunk Scene), "Aunt Suzie" (Cyborg Slunks), and "Sail On Soothsayer", (Decoding The Tomb Of Bansheebot).

As ''Death Cube K'', Buckethead released two albums in 2007: an album called DCK, limited to 400 hand-numbered copies and released in August; and in December, the 5-CD box set ''Monolith'', which consisted of one unbroken track per CD.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://travisdickersonmusic.com/store/monolith.html |title=Monolith |publisher=Travisdickersonmusic.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206184107/http://travisdickersonmusic.com/store/monolith.html |archive-date=February 6, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

During 2007, Buckethead also collaborated and appeared on numerous albums with other artists. The sequel to ''Chicken Noodles'' (a collaboration with [[Travis Dickerson]]), simply called ''Chicken Noodles II'', was issued by TDRS in December.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://travisdickersonmusic.com/store/chicken_noodles2.html |title=Chicken Noodles 2 |publisher=Travisdickersonmusic.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206184044/http://travisdickersonmusic.com/store/chicken_noodles2.html |archive-date=February 6, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> A live record by [[Praxis (band)|Praxis]], titled ''[[Tennessee 2004]]''; the third album with [[Shin Terai]], called ''Lightyears''; and another album with drummer [[Bryan Mantia]], called ''Kevin's Noodle House'', were also released through the year.

That same year, it was revealed that Buckethead joined a project by the name of [[Science Faxtion]], a band featuring bassist [[Bootsy Collins]] and drummer [[Bryan Mantia|Bryan "Brain" Mantia]], with [[Greg Hampton]] supplying lead vocals. Their first album, called ''[[Living on Another Frequency]]'', was delayed several times and was finally released in November 2008.
[[File:Wakarusa 2008.jpg|thumbnail|right|Buckethead live at [[Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival|Wakarusa]], 2008]]
On January 1, 2008, the band [[Praxis (band)|Praxis]] released the long-awaited album ''[[Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)]]'' in Japan. The album had actually been recorded in 2005, but had to be put on hold when the original label went bankrupt. That year Buckethead released ''[[From the Coop]]'' through the label Avabella (where he released ''Acoustic Shards''), consisting of the demos Buckethead gave to Jas Obrecht back in 1988. This CD also included the first ever "official" biography of/by the artist. Later that same year, he announced the release of the album called ''Albino Slug'' (a tour-only CD until official release on December of the same year). Along with this album, he appeared on the album ''The Dragons of Eden'', with Dickerson and Mantia, and in collaboration with [[That 1 Guy]] as the ''Frankenstein Brothers'', an album called ''[[Bolt on Neck]]'' was released. [[That 1 Guy]] and Buckethead toured together through fall 2008, playing songs from this album.

Buckethead also appeared in the [[Documentary film|documentary]] ''[[American Music: Off the Record]]'', in which he appears only playing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://imdb.com/title/tt0887710/ |title=American Music: Off the Record (2008) |publisher=Imdb.com |access-date=2012-02-29}}</ref> [[Serj Tankian]]'s label, [[Serjical Strike]], reissued the album ''[[Enter the Chicken]]'' with an extra song. Furthermore, Buckethead contributed to one track of actor [[Viggo Mortensen]]'s album ''At All'', and with Travis Dickerson and filmmaker Alix Lambert on the album ''Running After Deer''.

Buckethead appeared with [[Bootsy Collins]] in [[Cincinnati]], [[Ohio]], to promote the vote for the [[2008 United States presidential election]] for the organization [[Rock the Vote]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gvpLaMdc3M|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113232511/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gvpLaMdc3M|url-status=dead|title=- YouTube|website = [[YouTube]]|archive-date=November 13, 2015|access-date=May 11, 2021}}</ref>
He also joined Collins on ''Fallen Soldiers Memorial'', an album with proceeds going to the ''National Fallen Heroes Foundation''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bootsycollins.com/newsfull.php?newsId=119 |title=Bootzilla Productions &#124; News |publisher=Bootsycollins.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224054158/http://www.bootsycollins.com/newsfull.php?newsId=119 |archive-date=February 24, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

More than four years after his departure from the band [[Guns N' Roses]], ''[[Chinese Democracy]]'' was made available. Buckethead appears on all but two songs and was given writing credits on "Shackler's Revenge" (which appeared in the popular video game ''[[Rock Band 2]]''); "Scraped"; and "Sorry", which features guest singer [[Sebastian Bach]]. The album features eleven of Buckethead's [[guitar]] [[Solo (music)|solo]]s.

On December 30, 2008, Buckethead released two new tracks via his website to honor basketball player [[LeBron James|LeBron James']]s 24th birthday.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/fantasy/01/15/thursday.clicks/index.html | work=CNN | title=Fantasy Clicks: Chickens, a king and free throws – SI.com – Fantasy | date=January 15, 2009 | access-date=April 27, 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629104819/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/fantasy/01/15/thursday.clicks/index.html | archive-date=June 29, 2011 | df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://bucketheadland.com/home_for_hemorrage.html |title=Welcome to Bucketheadland |publisher=Bucketheadland.com |date=December 30, 2008 |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304023249/http://bucketheadland.com/home_for_hemorrage.html |archive-date=March 4, 2012 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> These tracks were later made available on the album, ''Slaughterhouse on the Prairie'', which was released a month later through TDRS Music. In 2009, he released the albums ''A Real Diamond in the Rough'', and ''Forensic Follies'', which was first sold at some of his tour dates but later released on TDRS. He also released the track ''[[The Homing Beacon]]'' that year; the song is a tribute to [[Michael Jackson]], who had been an early influence on him. The song was later included on his 2012 album ''[[Electric Sea (album)|Electric Sea]]''.

On February 5, 2010, Buckethead released an album called ''Shadows Between the Sky'' and later that month, [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] released the Buckethead Signature [[Gibson Les Paul|Les Paul]] guitar.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Buckethead-Signature-Les-Paul.aspx |title=Gibson Buckethead Signature Les Paul |publisher=Gibson.com |access-date=2013-03-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210022814/http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Buckethead-Signature-Les-Paul.aspx |archive-date=February 10, 2013 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

On April 29, 2010, Buckethead's website was updated<ref name="http://www.bucketheadland.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.bucketheadland.com/ |title=Bucketheadland.com |publisher=Bucketheadland.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020721125950/http://www.bucketheadland.com/ |archive-date=July 21, 2002 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> with a picture with the message "Greetings from Bucketheadland... Buckethead wants you to know he appreciates your support all these years, it means so much to him. Buckethead is having some animatronic parts replaced, Slip Disc snuck into the park and caused some mayhem." The mention of Slip Disc is a reference to a Bucketheadland nemesis found on the ''[[Bucketheadland]]'' album. Bootsy Collins continued to update his Twitter Web site about Buckethead's condition, stating that he had recently gone into therapy for a few months.

Nevertheless, after returning from injury on July 15, 2010, Buckethead, along with Brain and Melissa Reese, released the first of a series of three 5-CD box sets called ''Best Regards''. On August 25, 2010, Buckethead announced his 28th studio album titled ''Spinal Clock'', which showcased his banjo skills. In October, two albums with Brain were released in collaboration, the first called ''Brain as Hamenoodle'', and the second installment of the "Regards" series with Brain and Melissa Reese called, ''Kind Regards''. Eventually, both projects were released on October 13. That month also saw a new solo album titled ''Captain EO's Voyage'' first available only on [[iTunes]]. It was later announced that a physical edition would be released on December 1.<ref name="itunes.apple.com">{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/captain-eos-voyage/399552461 |title=Captain EO's Voyage by Buckethead – Download Captain EO's Voyage on iTunes |publisher=[[iTunes]] |date=October 20, 2010 |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110070218/https://itunes.apple.com/album/captain-eos-voyage/id399552461?v0=9988&ign-mpt=uo=1 |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> This, along with Buckethead's final Travis Dickerson album were released on November 29.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tdrsmusic.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=TDRS;action=display;num=1291045707;start= |title=Travis Dickerson Recording Studios Forum – Index |publisher=Tdrsmusic.com |access-date=2012-02-29 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501062903/http://www.tdrsmusic.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=TDRS |archive-date=May 1, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In May 2010, Buckethead started to release albums as part of the concept of a kiosk within Buckethead's fictional "abusement" park called "Buckethead Pikes". The albums released under this concept were to resemble a comic book style and be shorter in length than his previous works - around half-an-hour each.

===2011–2015: Focus on solo ''Pikes''===
[[File:Buckethead Syracuse.jpg|thumbnail|right|Buckethead live in Syracuse, 2011]]

Buckethead left Praxis in 2011, the Frankenstein Brothers in 2012, and Brain in 2013. He contributed to two tracks on [[Lawson Rollins]]'s album ''Elevation'' in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lawsonrollins.com/elevation.html |title=Lawson Rollins |work=lawsonrollins.com |access-date=January 22, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125152627/http://www.lawsonrollins.com/elevation.html |archive-date=January 25, 2016 |df=mdy}}</ref> He also departed from his live touring schedule, with his final performance taking place  on December 31, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bucketheadland.com/tour/|title=Buckethead on Tour|work=bucketheadland.com|access-date=July 26, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823044607/http://bucketheadland.com/tour/|archive-date=August 23, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref> During his absence from touring and other projects, Buckethead's solo release schedule increased speed dramatically- reaching a peak in 2015 with 118 albums, around one every three days on average. Notably, the cover of ''Pike 13'' contains a photograph of Buckethead unmasked; the first such image released to the public. The cover of ''Pike 13'' does not feature the common elements of the Pikes series, and is simply a photograph of Buckethead during his teenage years, carrying an acoustic guitar and hugging his father. Buckethead continued to release albums throughout the year, breaking the numerical order occasionally (for example, Pike 34 ''Pikes'' was released three weeks after Pike 35 ''Thank you Ohlinger's''). The final album of the year ''Wishes'' was released on December 24, free of charge for a limited time.

{{Bar graph
| title = Solo albums released each year
| float = right
| bar_width = 20
| width_units = em
| data_max = 120
| label_type = Year
| data_type = #
| label15 = 2010
| data15 = 4
| label16 = 2011
| data16 = 4
| label17 = 2012
| data17 = 6
| label18 = 2013
| data18 = 31
| label19 = 2014
| data19 = 60
| label20 = 2015
| data20 = 118
| label21 = 2016
| data21 = 24
| label22 = 2017
| data22 = 30
| label23 = 2018
| data23 = 2
| label24 = 2019
| data24 = 0
| label25 = 2020
| data25 = 10
| label26 = 2021
| data26 = 9
| label27 = 2022
| data27 = 26
| label28 = 2023
| data28 = 119
| label29 = 2024
| data29 = 45
| label30 = 2025
| data30 = 9
}}

During 2014, Buckethead continued releasing albums at an even faster pace. Sixty albums were released throughout the year, averaging one album every six days. The sixty-fifth installment, ''Hold Me Forever (In memory of my mom Nancy York Carroll)'', honored Buckethead's mother, who had recently died.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rawckus.com/bucketheads-artistic-madness/|title=Buckethead's Artistic Madness - Rawckus Magazine|website=Rawckus.com|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814070913/http://www.rawckus.com/bucketheads-artistic-madness/|archive-date=August 14, 2017|df=mdy-all|date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> The final release of the year, Pike 101 ''In the Hollow Hills'', took place on December 31.

Buckethead's release schedule increased in speed again, almost doubling his output during 2015. The 150th release in the series and 180th overall, ''Heaven is your Home (For my Father, Thomas Manley Carroll)'', was released free on June 21 (Father's Day) and in dedication to his late father.

On October 1, Buckethead started ''The Silver Shamrock Series'', a Halloween-themed series in which the guitarist released one dark ambient album per day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metalinjection.net/upcoming-releases/celebrate-halloween-with-31-new-buckethead-albums|title=Celebrate Halloween with 31 New BUCKETHEAD Albums! - Metal Injection|date=October 29, 2015|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812213447/http://www.metalinjection.net/upcoming-releases/celebrate-halloween-with-31-new-buckethead-albums|archive-date=August 12, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Starting with Pike 176, ''31 Days Til Halloween: Visitor From The Mirror'', each subsequent album continued the countdown to Halloween's eve;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/pike_176.html|title=Pike 176 "31 Days Til Halloween: Visitor From The Mirror"|work=bucketheadpikes.com|access-date=October 1, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005015605/http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/pike_176.html|archive-date=October 5, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref> it culminated with Pike 206, ''Happy Halloween: Silver Shamrock''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/pike_206.html|title=Pike 206 "Happy Halloween: Silver Shamrock"|access-date=September 9, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428033815/http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/pike_206.html|archive-date=April 28, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Buckethead's next release, ''365 Days Til Halloween: Smash'' (released on November 1) referenced the countdown, but is not considered part of series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/pike_207.html|title=Pike 207 "365 Days Til Halloween: Smash""|access-date=September 9, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208123737/http://bucketheadpikes.com/pike_207.html|archive-date=February 8, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref> A physical edition of the series was released in October 2017 on a pumpkin-themed USB key that contains all 31 albums on it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/halloween_usb.html|title=31 Days of Halloween: The Silver Shamrock Series|publisher=bucketheadpikes.com|access-date=August 11, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812100410/http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/halloween_usb.html|archive-date=August 12, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The last album of the year was Pike 219, "Rain Drops on Christmas". The album originally released as a free digital download on December 24 (Christmas Eve), included a dedication "to those who lost loved ones" in the title track.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/pike_219.html|title=Pike 219 "Rain Drops on Christmas"|work=bucketheadpikes.com|access-date=December 24, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225162853/http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/pike_219.html|archive-date=December 25, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

===2016–present: Continued ''Pikes'', return to touring, and reissues===
[[File:Buckethead killswitch.jpg|thumb|Buckethead letting fans use the [[Kill switch#Musical instruments|kill switch]] on his guitar during his show at the [[Granada Theater (Lawrence, Kansas)|Granada]] in [[Lawrence, Kansas]] on April 15, 2016]]

Throughout 2016, Buckethead's release output declined sharply, with only 24 albums being released. Pike 226, "Happy Birthday MJ 23" was released on the 53rd birthday of basketball player [[Michael Jordan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://music.bucketheadpikes.com/album/happy-birthday-mj-23|title=Happy Birthday MJ 23, by Bucketheadland|website=Bucketheadland|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814061038/http://music.bucketheadpikes.com/album/happy-birthday-mj-23|archive-date=August 14, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref> 2016 also saw Buckethead return to touring, after a four-year absence.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/04/buckethead-announces-first-tour-dates-in-four-years/|title=Buckethead announces first tour dates in four years|date=April 12, 2016|access-date=September 9, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160908045415/http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/04/buckethead-announces-first-tour-dates-in-four-years/|archive-date=September 8, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

2017 saw a slight increase in pace compared to the previous year, with 30 albums being released in total. In addition, Buckethead began to repress part of his older catalogue in vinyl format, the first time in over a decade that his albums have been pressed in a physical format other than CD. Inbred Mountain, The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock, Crime Slunk Scene, Decoding the Tomb of Bansheebot, Albino Slug, Slaughterhouse on the Prairie, A Real Diamond in the Rough, and Shadows Between the Sky have all been announced so far. Several reissues come in a variety of different packages, unique to each release. Some of these included signed copies, limited-edition posters or photographs, personalized recordings, among other things. As part of these reissues, the albums Albino Slug and [[Decoding the Tombs of Bansheebot]] underwent major changes with songs being re-recorded, and their album cover and title changed as well. Pike 241 "Sparks in the Dark" has also been announced on vinyl.

Also announced was the release of "Bucketheadland 5-13 10-31", an entirely new album to be released on Halloween 2017 exclusively on vinyl. It was the first album since 2012's [[Electric Sea]] not to be a part of the Pike series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/BHland_vinyl.html|title="Bucketheadland 5-13 10 31" Vinyl Edition Pre Order|website=Bucketheadpikes.com|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818060721/http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/BHland_vinyl.html|archive-date=August 18, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref> In addition, [[Bootsy Collins]] announced he was working with Buckethead once again on a collaborative album set to be released in that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://liveforlivemusic.com/news/bootsy-collins-buckethead/|title=Bootsy Collins And Buckethead Have A Collaborative Album In The Works|date=May 17, 2017|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811104148/http://liveforlivemusic.com/news/bootsy-collins-buckethead/|archive-date=August 11, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

In August 2017, Buckethead announced his fall US tour would be in September and October.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jambase.com/article/buckethead-announces-2017-fall-tour|title=Buckethead Announces 2017 Fall Tour|date=August 2, 2017|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806181352/https://www.jambase.com/article/buckethead-announces-2017-fall-tour|archive-date=August 6, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Buckethead played with a live band consisting of [[Bryan "Brain" Mantia]] on drums and [[Dan Monti]] on bass during the tour, departing from his traditional touring routine in which Buckethead was the only performer on stage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/shows.html|title=Shows|website=Bucketheadpikes.com|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810052957/http://bucketheadpikes.com/shows.html|archive-date=August 10, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pollstar.com/article/buckethead-books-fall-tour-132620|title=Buckethead Books Fall Tour|date=August 4, 2017 |access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404040148/https://www.pollstar.com/article/buckethead-books-fall-tour-132620|archive-date=April 4, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Shortly after the tour announcement, Buckethead also announced the release of "Live from Bucketheadland", his first live album, was released on vinyl in January 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/BHland_vinyl.html|title="Live from Bucketheadland" Vinyl Edition Pre Order|website=Bucketheadpikes.com|access-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818060721/http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/BHland_vinyl.html|archive-date=August 18, 2017|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Buckethead's tour continued in 2018, reverting to a solo show.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jambase.com/article/buckethead-announces-march-april-2018-tour-dates|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110174227/https://www.jambase.com/article/buckethead-announces-march-april-2018-tour-dates|url-status=dead|title=Buckethead Announces March & April 2018 Tour Dates|archive-date=January 10, 2018|access-date=May 11, 2021}}</ref> Buckethead also toured in 2019 across the [[United States]].

==Influences==
[[file:Bux Live 2018 2.jpg|thumb|left|Buckethead wearing a [[Michael Jordan]] jersey, a major influence on his songs]]
Buckethead cites a wide variety of musical influences, including [[Michael Jackson]], [[Parliament-Funkadelic]], [[Shawn Lane]], [[Michael Schenker]], [[Uli Jon Roth]], [[Paul Gilbert]], [[Yngwie Malmsteen]], [[Joe Satriani]], [[Eddie Hazel]], [[Randy Rhoads]], [[Larry LaLonde]], [[Mike Patton]], James Cutri, [[Louis Johnson (bassist)|Louis Johnson]], [[Jimi Hendrix]], [[Jennifer Batten]], [[The Residents]], [[Eddie Van Halen]], and [[Angus Young]] as well as the many artists he has collaborated with over the years.<ref name="Buckethead FAQ">{{cite web |title=Buckethead FAQ v 1.0 |url=http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/index.html#anchor1777417 |publisher=www.bucketheadland.com |access-date=July 25, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230003000/http://bucketheadland.com/faq/index.html#anchor1777417 |archive-date=December 30, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In addition to his musical influences, Buckethead cites a diverse range of non-musical influences, out of which dedicated songs to said inspirations have been a staple of Buckethead's discography, with  particular attention to basketball players like [[Michael Jordan]] (songs "[[Jordan (Buckethead composition)|Jordan]]" and "[[Monsters and Robots|Jump Man]]", album "Happy Birthday MJ 23"), [[George Gervin]] (on "Iceman"), [[Blake Griffin]] (on "Crack the Sky" and "Griffin's Spike"), [[Pete Maravich|"Pistol" Pete Maravich]] (on "The Mark of Davis"), [[LeBron James]] (with four songs dedicated to him), and [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] (album "Kareem's Footprint"). Other influences include martial artist and actor [[Bruce Lee]] (on "The Game of Death" song and inspiration behind the use of nunchakus on stage), author [[H. P. Lovecraft]] (on the "Lurker at the Threshold" suite, and his 55th Pike, ''The Miskatonic Scale''), numerous [[science fiction]] and [[Horror fiction|horror]] TV shows and movies including ''[[Little House on the Prairie (TV series)|Little House on the Prairie]]'', [[Alejandro Jodorowsky]]'s ''[[The Holy Mountain (1973 film)|The Holy Mountain]]'' (on [[Kaleidoscalp]]), and ''[[Giant Robo (tokusatsu)|Giant Robo]]t'' (mentioned on several songs, albums, and episodes shown on stage).<ref name="Buckethead FAQ" /> [[Disney]] and [[Disneyland]] are also major influences on Buckethead's career.<ref name="Buckknows" /> Buckethead is also inspired by Japanese filmmaker [[Takashi Miike]], to whom a song on Pepper's Ghost is dedicated. ''[[The Texas Chain Saw Massacre]]'' franchise of movies is also a big inspiration to him and he has written many songs such as Jowls, which are heavily inspired by those movies. The song "To Infinity and Beyond" from ''Out Orbit'' was dedicated to then-recently deceased basketball reporter [[Craig Sager]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bucketheadpikes.bandcamp.com/track/to-infinity-and-beyond-dedicated-to-craig-sager|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317165110/http://music.bucketheadpikes.com/track/to-infinity-and-beyond-dedicated-to-craig-sager|url-status=dead|title=To Infinity and Beyond (dedicated to Craig Sager), by Bucketheadland|archive-date=March 17, 2018|access-date=May 11, 2021}}</ref>

==Equipment==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Guitars===
* Gibson Buckethead Signature Les Paul<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Buckethead-Signature-Les-Paul.aspx|title=Gibson Buckethead Signature Les Paul|publisher=Gibson.com|access-date=2014-07-11|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140704073905/http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Buckethead-Signature-Les-Paul.aspx|archive-date=July 4, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* [[Jackson Guitars|Jackson]] Buckethead Signature [[Jackson King V|Roundhorn V]]
* [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] SST<ref name="upa">{{cite web|url=http://www.uberproaudio.com/who-plays-what/219-buckethead-guitar-gear-rig-and-equipment|title=Buckethead Guitar Gear Rig and Equipment|publisher=Uberproaudio.com|access-date=2014-07-11|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714114514/http://www.uberproaudio.com/who-plays-what/219-buckethead-guitar-gear-rig-and-equipment|archive-date=July 14, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* [[Gibson Les Paul|Gibson]] 1969 Les Paul Custom<ref>{{cite web|first=Robert|last=White|url=http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/faq2/FAQ_2_0.html#20|title=FAQ 2.0|publisher=Bucketheadland.com|access-date=2014-07-11|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115151612/http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/faq2/FAQ_2_0.html#20|archive-date=November 15, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Custom built [[Jackson Guitars|Jackson]] Doubleneck<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gigwise.com/article.php?id=45036&image=4|title=The Coolest Guitars In Rock! &#124; Gigwise|date=May 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527113224/http://www.gigwise.com/article.php?id=45036&image=4|access-date=May 11, 2021|archive-date=May 27, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bucketheadland.com/bucketheadscoop/doubleneck1.jpg|title=Bucketheadland|access-date=2012-02-29|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927120108/http://www.bucketheadland.com/bucketheadscoop/doubleneck1.jpg|archive-date=September 27, 2011|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

===Effects===
* [[Boss Corporation|BOSS]] NS-2 Noise Suppressor<ref name="upa" />
* [[Electro-Harmonix]] Micro Synthesizer<ref name="bucketheadland.com">{{cite web|first=Robert|last=White|url=http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/faq2/FAQ_2_0.html#20|title=FAQ 2.0|publisher=Bucketheadland.com|access-date=2012-02-29|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115151612/http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/faq2/FAQ_2_0.html#20|archive-date=November 15, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* [[MXR]] Phase 90<ref name="upa" />

===Amplifiers===
* [[Mesa/Boogie]] [[Triple Rectifier]]<ref name="Griffiths">{{cite web |last1=Griffiths |first1=Charlie |title=5 ways to shred like Buckethead |date=May 25, 2022 |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/lessons/buckethead-shred-lesson|publisher=Guitar World |access-date=19 March 2023}}</ref>
* [[Marshall Amplification|Marshall]] cabinets<ref name="Griffiths"/>
* EVH 5150III 50-watt 6L6 Tube Head - Ivory cabinet
{{col-end}}

==Bands and projects==
[[file:Bux 6.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Dan Monti|Brewer]], [[Brain (musician)|Brain]], and Buckethead in 2017.]]
* Solo career (1987–present)
* with Class-X (1987–1988)
* with Limbomaniacs (1990)
* with [[Deli Creeps]] (1990–2007)
* with [[Praxis (band)|Praxis]] (1992–2011, 2022)
* with [[Zillatron]] (1993)
* as [[Death Cube K]] (1994–1999, 2007–2009, 2022–present)
* with [[Jonas Hellborg]] and [[Michael Shrieve]] (1995)
* with [[Cornbugs]] (1995–2007)
* with Giant Robot & Giant Robot II (1996–1998, 2004–2006)
* with [[DJ Disk]] (1996–2001)
* with [[Brain (musician)|Brain]] (1997–2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://idhitthatpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2015-03-03T09_15_15-08_00|title=PodOmatic|access-date=July 26, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402162900/http://idhitthatpodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2015-03-03T09_15_15-08_00|archive-date=April 2, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>)
* with El Stew (1999)
* with Cobra Strike (1999–2000)
* with [[Shin Terai]] (1999–2007)
* with [[Viggo Mortensen]] (1999, 2003–2005, 2008–2013)
* with [[Guns N' Roses]] (2000–2004)
* with Thanatopsis (2001–2006, 2016)
* with [[Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains]] (2002–2004)
* with [[Travis Dickerson]] (2004–2010)
* as ''The Frankenstein Brothers'' (with [[That 1 Guy]]) (2006–2012)
* with [[Science Faxtion]] (2007–2008)
* with [[Lawson Rollins]] (2011)
* with [[Dan Monti|Brewer]] and [[Brain (musician)|Brain]] (2017)
* with Madeline Cyrille Miller (2024)

==Discography==
{{Main|Buckethead discography}}

Buckethead has released 31 solo studio albums, as well as over 650 albums in the "Pike Series."

;Solo studio albums
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* ''[[Bucketheadland]]'' (1992)
* ''[[Giant Robot (Buckethead album)|Giant Robot]]'' (1994)
* ''[[The Day of the Robot]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Colma (album)|Colma]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Monsters and Robots]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Somewhere Over the Slaughterhouse]]'' (2001)
* ''Funnel Weaver'' (2002)
* ''[[Bermuda Triangle (Buckethead album)|Bermuda Triangle]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Electric Tears]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Bucketheadland 2]]'' (2003)
* ''Island of Lost Minds'' (2004)
* ''[[Population Override]]'' (2004)
* ''[[The Cuckoo Clocks of Hell]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Enter the Chicken]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Kaleidoscalp]]'' (2005)
* ''Inbred Mountain'' (2005)
* ''The Elephant Man's Alarm Clock'' (2006)
* ''[[Crime Slunk Scene]]'' (2006)
* ''Pepper's Ghost'' (2007)
* ''Decoding the Tomb of Bansheebot'' (2007)
* ''Cyborg Slunks'' (2007)
* ''Albino Slug'' (2008)
* ''Slaughterhouse on the Prairie'' (2009)
* ''A Real Diamond in the Rough'' (2009)
* ''Forensic Follies'' (2009)
* ''Needle in a Slunk Stack'' (2009)
* ''Shadows Between the Sky'' (2010)
* ''Spinal Clock'' (2010)
* ''Captain EO's Voyage'' (2010)
* ''[[Electric Sea]]'' (2012)
* ''Bucketheadland 5-13 10-31'' (2017)
{{div col end}}

;Pike Series
{{further|Buckethead discography#Pike Series}}
''Buckethead Pikes'' are mini-albums. Over 650 have been released since 2011. They have an average runtime of 30 minutes.

== See also ==
* [[List of ambient music artists]]
* [[Lord Buckethead]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Buckethead}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{allmusic}}
* {{discogs artist}}
* [http://www.bucketheadpikes.com/ Bucketheadland official musical adventures website (Pikes for sale)]
{{refend}}

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