The Most Common False Stories about Buckethead
Good evening everybody, as great as the internet is, it's also a place where you can say anything about anyone no matter how untrue, and have a bunch of people actually believe it and spread it like some deadly disease.
So today we're gonna take a look at the most common mistruths, stories and lies about guitar hero Buckethead that still linger on the internet. So, let's begin. Woo!!
1) Buckethead is Japanese?
Buckethead is Japanese! What?
In 2004 several news articles began listing Buckethead as being Japanese. After conducting an interview with frequent Buckethead collaborator and King Aragon himself, Viggo Mortensen, Vanity Fair magazine of all people listed Buckethead as a “Japanese guitarist” to which other publications then repeated.
Mortensen later commented on the mishap saying that Buckethead loved the idea that people thought he was Japanese, and so he chooses not to correct them, opting to say he was raised by Japanese chickens. Nice.
2) Buckethead Unmasked!
This is Buckethead unmasked! (see video for images)
Here's Buckethead with Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Bumblefoot, Shawn Lane and Paul Gilbert. It all makes sense, the hair, the height, the teeth. It's him! And that's why endless amounts of videos and blogs exist showing all the same photos of unmasked Buckethead, with some even adding age reconstruction. Oh boy. Problem is, as every long-term Buckethead fan knows, this isn't Buckethead.
This is a french guitarist by the name of Fanalo.
There's less than a handful of Unmasked images that Buckethead has officially released himself. And out of respect for the man, these should be the only ones that people choose to share publicly.
3) Buckethead is Paul Gilbert?
And speaking of people who aren't Buckethead. A tale as old as time that despite being proven beyond any doubt, mainly with logic, still exists today. Buckethead is Paul Gilbert.
Whilst this is another comical mistruth for long-term Buckethead fans, you'll often see the more casual fan drop this comment on videos, actually believing that the two are one.
In truth Paul Gilbert was one of Buckethead's early guitar teachers, they're both tall and both play like bad mother f'ers, but they don't share any DNA at all and certainly aren't the same person.
4) Does Buckethead play the Powers Rangers Theme Song?
Did you know that Buckethead played lead guitar on the Power Rangers Theme Song? Well, if you didn't. Good, because he doesn't.
The rumour of Buckethead playing lead guitar on the power rangers theme song has been around since the late-90's. And despite having no official credit for the song and his own website and DVD debunking the story, people still want to be believe.
We covered and debunked the story in-depth in a previous video, far too much to mention here. But despite the long standing rumour, Buckethead does not play lead guitar on the Power Rangers Theme song. It's still a great song though!
5) Does Buckethead do Drugs?
So Buckethead likes to sample some of the devils lettuce aye?
The idea that Buckethead is a drug user is again pretty comical for long-term fans. Everyone who has ever known Buckethead personally has stated he doesn't do drugs or drink alcohol, and he's never shown any indication that he does.
Yes, he has songs that are trippy and has even named one or two songs after certain plants, but by all accounts and despite what 35% of a random poll thinks, Buckethead is completely straight-edge. Except for anesthetic.
2017 Coming Alive Podcast Interview:
(Interviewer) I imagine that even though you were under the influence of the anesthetic there was still a lot of emotion going on?
(Buckethead) <Laughs>.
(Interviewer) What's so funny?
(Buckethead) The Anesthetic you know? Its weird stuff.
6) Did KFC stop Buckethead wearing their logo?
When Buckethead released his debut album 'Bucketheadland' in 1992, he could clearly be seen on the front cover wearing a KFC bucket. Then in subsequent appearances and album covers, the KFC bucket is either covered up, blurred out or re-imagined.
And so the story that KFC threatened Buckethead with a lawsuit for wearing their logo, especially as it was seen as anti-KFC, began. And, it isn't true.
Speaking in 2004 Buckethead stated that he's never been approached by KFC, and likewise KFC have on occasions shown their support of Buckethead.
The rumor would circulate again in 2016 when Buckethead began wearing a plain white bucket during shows, but was soon squashed when the KFC bucket returned, right up to his most recent 2019 tour.
So, there is no rift between Buckethead and KFC, other than Buckethead loathing them for the death of billions of chickens.
And speaking of KFC...
7) Buckethead angry for the attack on KFC?
In 2008 classic rock magazine printed a long interview with the piece opening up about an angry Buckethead sitting in the studio for Gun N Roses in 2001 watching the news of militants bombing a KFC. Buckethead stood up, dropped multiple F bombs, said he was joining the army and left. Sounds ridiculous? Indeed.
And this is one of the many silly, comical, spiteful and as you'll see, gross lies put out about Buckethead by Guns N Roses former sweaty, bloated A&R guy, Tom Zutaut.
8) Was Buckethead watching Porn in the studio?
If you've ever read the overly long and self serving interview of Tom Zutaut, it'll become apparent early on that this is not only a hit piece of the guitar legend, but one long Tom Zutaut ego boost.
Without question the most insulting of Zutauts claims and the most common false story out there about Buckethead, is of Buckethead watching hardcore pornography in the studio to get inspired, and then later being scolded by Axl Rose.
We've covered this story in-depth in previous videos, where it was debunked by then GNR drummer Bryan 'Brain' Mantia.
Brain: “Nobody liked Tom Zutaut”.
And despite numerous interviews with every other band member at the time, nobody has ever backed up Zutauts claims.
Zutaut was later fired by Axl Rose for lying to him, and is responsible for the 2019 leaked Chinese Democracy demo tapes. So, that should tell you all you need to know.
So, despite all these false stories, one thing is definitely true. Buckethead is the GOAT.