Initial Negative Bias........

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Posted on January 10, 2021 at 23:55:45

Todd Krieger
Audiophile

Posts: 37333
Location: SW United States
Joined: November 2, 2000

There have been several music artists that I initially thought were "gimmick" or "overhyped" performers, based on either presentation or poor initial first impression.... But with closer listen, I've found out to be the real deal........

The rock group Rush was maybe the biggest example of this..... I initially didn't like them, until listening to the album "Signals" when I was back in college..... To make a long story short, Rush had become my all-time favorite rock band. (RIP Neil Peart.)

Other performers like this include rock band Led Zeppelin, pianist Sviatoslav Richter, country singer Johnny Cash, composer Anton Bruckner, and conductor Gustavo Dudamel......

Well there is a new performer to add to this list..... The guitarist Buckethead......

It turns out that the anonymous performer who wears a mask and "KFC bucket" on his head is a really brilliant guitarist...... Someone introduced me to his music a few weeks ago, a guy into guitarists like Michael Hedges and Joe Satriani, and Buckethead is in the same league..... I then purchased the CD "Electric Sea", and my latest impression was advanced further...... I can recommend this CD to anybody who enjoys solo guitar work, regardless of genre... And I will likely purchase more of Buckethead's albums in the future.

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RE: Initial Negative Bias........

AbeCollins

11:47:16 01/14/21

Try as I may, I just cannot get into his music

marc g.

12:38:50 01/12/21

2

You raise a greater point

RGA

18:09:06 01/12/21

...

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RE: Initial Negative Bias........

AbeCollins

11:47:16 01/14/21

Try as I may, I just cannot get into his music

marc g.

12:38:50 01/12/21

2

You raise a greater point

RGA

18:09:06 01/12/21

RE: You raise a greater point

marc g.

10:12:24 01/15/21

The good news there is that...

musetap

22:44:11 01/11/21

RE: Initial Negative Bias........

RGA

20:50:15 01/11/21

RE: Initial Negative Bias........

Goober58

10:29:41 01/11/21

I hated Rush. HATED them...

ghost of olddude55

10:06:06 01/11/21

2

RE: I hated Rush. HATED them...

Javier

15:29:43 01/11/21

Yes!

ghost of olddude55

04:18:22 01/12/21

When I saw the NY Dolls upstairs at Max's Kansas City East I thought they were the worst band ever.

viridian

07:54:36 01/11/21

5

My feeling exactly

Goober58

15:21:33 01/11/21

I love the Dolls. But...

ghost of olddude55

10:05:04 01/11/21

3

Mid 1970s, if I remember correctly. Sounds like some....

viridian

10:13:29 01/11/21

2

They weren't together long.

ghost of olddude55

10:18:09 01/11/21

In retrospect....

viridian

10:29:22 01/11/21

Supertramp

G Squared

07:12:19 01/11/21

2

RE: Supertramp

AbeCollins

11:48:21 01/14/21

RE: Supertramp

mikem

03:36:24 01/12/21

Buckethead as 315 studio albums

RGA

06:54:18 01/11/21

3

Which are HIGHLY variable, both in style and quality

Brian H P

11:43:03 01/11/21

RE: Which are HIGHLY variable, both in style and quality

RGA

16:19:48 01/11/21

RE: Buckethead as 315 studio albums

Todd Krieger

09:50:40 01/11/21

Yep, for me it was The Ramones

JohnKutheRN

06:16:44 01/11/21

+1 nt

dee eye why

07:45:32 01/11/21

Yep, for me it was The Ramones, posted on January 11, 2021 at 06:16:44
JohnKutheRN Audiophile Posts: 529 Location: MO Joined: September 16, 2019	At first listen me and my friends determined that all the songs sounded the same, and damn right they sounded the same! Rock and Roll! :-) John Kuthe, Gabba Gabba HEY!

Buckethead as 315 studio albums, posted on January 11, 2021 at 06:54:18

RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001

So you will have a lot of enjoyable listening ahead of you. I have enjoyed him for many years now.

I enjoy much of his playing. He can be quite a nice relaxing listen and he can rock out as well.

And he turned down a bunch of money offered by studios to go it on his own.

This is a nice short documentary on him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfFJahf3vHU&t=40s

Supertramp, posted on January 11, 2021 at 07:12:19
G Squared Audiophile Posts: 8478 Location: Washington, DC Metro Area Joined: November 16, 2004 Contributor Since: May 23, 2023	I never got into Rush despite their musicianship. Gsquared

+1 nt, posted on January 11, 2021 at 07:45:32
dee eye why Audiophile Posts: 1148 Location: so. ohio Joined: March 20, 2003	nt Freak out...Far out...In out....

When I saw the NY Dolls upstairs at Max's Kansas City East I thought they were the worst band ever., posted on January 11, 2021 at 07:54:36
viridian	Come to think of it, still do. No evolution here.

RE: Buckethead as 315 studio albums, posted on January 11, 2021 at 09:50:40
Todd Krieger Audiophile Posts: 37333 Location: SW United States Joined: November 2, 2000	I guess he might be the Franz Joseph Haydn or Georg Philipp Telemann of guitarists............

I love the Dolls. But..., posted on January 11, 2021 at 10:05:04
ghost of olddude55 Audiophile Posts: 32546 Joined: July 14, 2017	photographer Bob Gruen who chronicled a lot of NY punk acts said they were the worst band he'd ever seen and the best band he'd ever seen. I never got to see them with Thunders, Nolan, and Kane. Did get to see them here in Pittsburgh about 10-12 years ago, but they're just David Johansen's backup band now. The blissful counterstroke-a considerable new message.

I hated Rush. HATED them..., posted on January 11, 2021 at 10:06:06
ghost of olddude55 Audiophile Posts: 32546 Joined: July 14, 2017	also loathed jazz. Now, I probably listen to more jazz than anything else. And I've got nearly all of Rush's LPs. I'd have to say probably a third of my record collection, if not more, is stuff I initially hated but now love. Conversely, a lot of stuff I loved 40 years ago is unlistenable to me now. The Eagles are a prime example. The blissful counterstroke-a considerable new message.

Mid 1970s, if I remember correctly. Sounds like some...., posted on January 11, 2021 at 10:13:29
viridian	.....audio components, the worst and the best.

They weren't together long., posted on January 11, 2021 at 10:18:09
ghost of olddude55 Audiophile Posts: 32546 Joined: July 14, 2017	1972-1975, maybe 1976. At the end, they were managed by Malcolm McLaren and he had them dressed in red patent leather with a big hammer and sickle stage prop hanging behind the drum kit. When Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan quit, Thunders was replaced by Blackie Lawless from Wasp. The blissful counterstroke-a considerable new message.

In retrospect...., posted on January 11, 2021 at 10:29:22
viridian	.....I'm not even sure The Dolls were the worst band to play Max's. I remember walking out on both Klaus Nomi, and Devo, on different nights of course. Stiff competition.

RE: Initial Negative Bias........, posted on January 11, 2021 at 10:29:41
Goober58 Audiophile Posts: 5576 Joined: November 15, 2016	I'm not a Rush fan but 2112 and Moving Pictures are great albums that I enjoy today as much as when I first heard them.

Which are HIGHLY variable, both in style and quality, posted on January 11, 2021 at 11:43:03

Brian H P
Audiophile

Posts: 1291
Location: Oregon
Joined: December 18, 2012

Colma is a very nice, mostly acoustic venture. Population Overdrive has some great instrumental rock on it. The Death Cube K projects with Bill Laswell (another incredibly prolific musician) are suitably spooky dark ambient. But I've heard some other stuff of his that is just bad cartoonish funk. Couldn't get past the first half-minute of any of the songs on some of those albums.

As for the bucket and mask bit -- it's an attention-grabbing gimmick for sure, intended to set him apart from the thousands of other talented guitarists. Put me off initially, until I started hearing some of his better stuff.

My feeling exactly, posted on January 11, 2021 at 15:21:33

Goober58
Audiophile

Posts: 5576
Joined: November 15, 2016

X sounded like nonsense to me back in 1980. By the early 90s I thought they were pretty great. One of maybe 4 bands I can name all the members.

RE: I hated Rush. HATED them..., posted on January 11, 2021 at 15:29:43
Javier Audiophile Posts: 338 Location: Laredo Joined: December 14, 2005	It took me almost ten years to get into rush and another ten to start buying their albums moving pictures started the love

RE: Which are HIGHLY variable, both in style and quality, posted on January 11, 2021 at 16:19:48
RGA Reviewer Posts: 15177 Location: Hong Kong Joined: August 8, 2001	My understanding is that the bucket came about due to stage fright. One of those documentaries on him notes it. I am sure with 300+ albums playing a variety of genres they won't all appeal to everyone. But then not everything Beethoven did is my cup of tea either.

RE: Initial Negative Bias........, posted on January 11, 2021 at 20:50:15
RGA Reviewer Posts: 15177 Location: Hong Kong Joined: August 8, 2001	A fair number had to grow on me: Johnny Cash, Sinead O'Connor, Willie Nelson, Don Henley, Chopin, Dire Straits, Lady Gaga, Ray Charles, Cyndi Lauper, Tina Turner, Marianne Faithfull, KD Lang, Blue Rodeo, Lucinda Williams among others. I would not say I "Hated" them but I didn't care for them until time went by and I heard them more and not I have several albums.

The good news there is that..., posted on January 11, 2021 at 22:44:11
musetap Audiophile Posts: 31874 Location: San Francisco Joined: July 8, 2003 Contributor Since: January 28, 2004	you'll probably never run out of Buckethead material (including Material) to listen to. Not sure it will all be to your taste, but he is one of the most recorded musicians ever. He used to shop (sans bucket) at a record shop a friend worked at and is supposed to be a very nice guy , too. "Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure

RE: Supertramp, posted on January 12, 2021 at 03:36:24
mikem Audiophile Posts: 170 Joined: September 23, 1999	Totally underrated group.. Supertramp was overshadowed by Zepplin, who, etc.. Never liked Rush either..

Yes!, posted on January 12, 2021 at 04:18:22
ghost of olddude55 Audiophile Posts: 32546 Joined: July 14, 2017	Moving Pictures was my gateway drug, too. The blissful counterstroke-a considerable new message.

Try as I may, I just cannot get into his music, posted on January 12, 2021 at 12:38:50

marc g.
Audiophile

Posts: 3330
Location: New Orleans
Joined: October 14, 1999

I guess I'm not a giant fan of the electric guitar. I get that the guy is talented, but everything (well not everything if he's got hundreds of albums) just sounds the same to me, just going up and down the scales. Kind of like irritating jazz musicians who technically can play their instruments but just fail to move me. I get bored with it rather quickly. Because of your post, I'm going to try and give him another shot.

I too have a number of albums that initially failed to impress me only to be deemed almost masterpieces later on in life. Timing is everything!

voolston - audiophile by day, music lover by night!

You raise a greater point, posted on January 12, 2021 at 18:09:06

RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001

When thinking about artists and musicians. The industry tends to like to put people into slots. You're a rock singer - you're a pop singer - you play jazz etc. And if you move around the genres people complain.

The electric guitar like most instruments have a limited range of sound and there is only so much you can do with it - but that is true for the clarinet and violin too. As you say they "just going up and down the scales." or they play say Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

Well this has been played to death by everyone and if played correctly should be played the way Beethoven composed it and he wanted it to be played the way he wanted it played - not "interpreted"

Yet people argue about which of the 8 bazillion versions of it is best.

The piece is memorable because of Beethoven and IMO not nearly as much as the people playing it. They are the tools to bring Beethoven to life.

Buckethead and I like him, hasn't composed, IMO, stuff that is memorable in the sense that it is recognizable as a Moonlight Sonata. So for me, I enjoy some of his playings as background relaxing music. But again - you can take a great pianist or cellist or violinist and you can say the same thing.

If they just played what came to them or composed their own music - it may come across the same as Buckethead. Whether it is a Violin or Cello etc.

The reason these classical music instrument musicians are considered great is largely due to skill yes - but more so what they are playing. They have the advantage of playing beloved well-known pieces of music - Buckethead is not. If this makes sense?

RE: Initial Negative Bias........, posted on January 14, 2021 at 11:47:16
AbeCollins Audiophile Posts: 46280 Location: USA Joined: June 22, 2001 Contributor Since: February 2, 2002	I like Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. Never heard of Buckethead but I'll do a search.

RE: Supertramp, posted on January 14, 2021 at 11:48:21
AbeCollins Audiophile Posts: 46280 Location: USA Joined: June 22, 2001 Contributor Since: February 2, 2002	I enjoy Supertramp. Not a big fan of Rush but I haven't listened lately.

RE: You raise a greater point, posted on January 15, 2021 at 10:12:24

marc g.
Audiophile

Posts: 3330
Location: New Orleans
Joined: October 14, 1999

Sorry for the late response. Yes, makes perfect sense! I suppose a composers score/composition should leave no imagination of what was intended.

A pet peeve of mine relates to Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. I can't read music and thus have no idea what was intended, but in my heart I believe the performance of the version on the Philips White Nights - Romantic Russian Showpieces CD is an accurate portrayal and most others are a disgrace. Most versions seem hurried, whereas this one allows time for each and every note to be fully developed. Of course, this is only speculation on my part and just shows my preference. Mind you, I'm the most impatient person in the world, but this is not a time to hurry something up. Respect, please!

As for Buckethead, I did give the album the OP mentioned a listen and my opinion remains the same - yes he's very talented, but he bores me to tears. Guitar may not be my thing, but give me some Charlie Byrd or Laurindo Almeida over BH any day!

voolston - audiophile by day, music lover by night!

General Asylum

Initial Negative Bias........

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