 With the Guitar Hero and Rock Band phenomenon surging across the country, I have been putting a lot of thought lately into who is the real guitar hero.
Who is the greatest guitarist? I love music, and I really love the guitar. To me, a song is weak if it doesn’t have a screaming guitar solo that causes my face to melt into a pool of bubbly bliss. So, who is the guitarist that all other aspiring guitar players should look up to and say, “Wow, that guy can shred?” There are so many fantastic players to choose from, but one guitarist sticks out in my mind above all others. It’s not Jimi Hendrix. It isn’t Eric Clapton. It’s not Slash, or Angus Young, or Kurt Cobain. Even Joe Satriani, Duane Allman, and Jimmy Page fall short, because the greatest guitarist of this era or any other is Buckethead. I know it hurts to see the founding fathers of guitar to be cast aside, but hold your screams of blasphemy and cries of rage until you know a little bit about my choice. Not quite as well known as Tom Morello or Kirk Hammet, Buckethead’s real name is Brian Carroll. Buckethead is a little weird, wearing a Michael Meyers mask and an upside-down Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket on his head, but that does not take away from his amazing guitar playing skills. Buckethead has released 38 solo albums, and performed on over 50 others. In addition to those albums, he has written music for several movies, including Mortal Kombat, Saw II, and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie. The majority of his music is entirely instrumental, so he entertains audiences with only his guitar. I have chosen Buckethead as the greatest guitarist ever for a number of reasons. One, his technical skills are spectacular. He finger taps with all 8 of his fingers and also uses his thumbs when necessary. He can play super fast but still keep his sound clean. He has been ranked the 8th fastest guitar shredder ever. Second, Buckethead can play all his music in concert just as well as he can in the studio. It kills me to hear great guitar on a CD, only to hear the same music sound atrocious when it’s live. Hernan Li of Dragonforce, for example, sounds awesome in recordings but can’t repeat it in concert. Third, Buckethead can play all genres of music. He has written 38 albums, containing songs ranging from country to metal to funk. Buckethead can do much more than just shred 14.5 notes per second. He is insanely creative and improvises much of his music on the spot.
I recommend everybody who loves guitar to check out his music, Soothsayer, Nottingham Lance, and Night of the Slunk are three of my favorites. If you feel I have made a terrible mistake, feel free to give your opinion. Soothsayer by Buckethead Nottingham Lace by Buckethead Hook & Pole Gang Live at the Mishawaka Amphitheater
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