Good evening everybody, today we’re taking a closer look at the time guitar hero Buckethead auditioned for metal god Ozzy Osbourne.

In 1999 shortly after Buckethead released his classic album Monsters & Robots, he was hired to make guest appearances by Les Claypool’s Primus. Both Les Claypool and then-Primus drummer Brian Brain Mantia were good friends of Buckethead and thought the appearances would help promote Bucketheads new album and Buckethead himself.
The majority of those shows included appearances on Ozzy Osbournes festival ‘Ozzfest’ which ran from May to July and was headlined by Black Sabbath. Which is where Ozzy first became aware of Buckethead.

Less than 6 months later Buckethead joined Guns N Roses and In mid 2003 whilst on hiatus from GNR, auditioned for Ozzy. At the time Ozzy was looking to tour and record a covers album for his 4 disc box set ‘the prince of darkness’.
Buckethead auditioned alongside ex-metallica bassist Jason Newstead who had just joined Ozzy’s band.
(see video for excerpt of Jason talking about Buckethead)

Ozzy spoke about bucketheads audition for Revolver magazine in 2005 stating.
(see video for excerpt of Ozzy talking about Buckthead).

Bucketheads longtime friend and collaborator bryan brain mantia further shed light on the audition in our interview with him in 2018.
(see video for excerpt of Bryan Mantia talking about bucketheads Ozzy audition)

So, while it was ozzy who wanted buckethead to take off the mask, its seems he might have had a devil on his shoulder chirping away.  (oh, piss off).
Ozzy eventually hired Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell and Jason Newstead would leave the band a few months after Bucketheads audition. So unfortunately, we never got to see a Jason, Ozzy, Buckethead line-up. Which personally I think would’ve be awesome. What do you guys think?