Typically, when someone is thinking of a classic guitar player, Slash is the first person that comes to mind. Although there are technically more skilled musicians than him, the top-hat-wearing guitarist remains one of the icons of why rock and roll is so iconic in the first place, both in terms of playing technique and overall image when performing. Even Slash, who played for Guns N’ Roses for a long time, acknowledged that Buckethead, his replacement, was superior to him technically.
Slash, though, never shied away from playing down his ego when the opportunity presented itself. There has never been a guitar player as willing to downplay his ego as much as he does. He spends half his onstage time with his hair in his face, avoiding eye contact with anyone. Even though he knows he could hold his own next to some of the greatest of all time.
However, Buckethead could honor that desire for seclusion. Although this is a man that very few people have seen other than his collaborators, it doesn’t exactly say “Don’t Look At Me” when he goes to the extent of placing a KFC bucket on his head before a performance.
Although it’s amazing how Axl Rose didn’t notice Buckethead when he was working on Chinese Democracy. The amount of leads he put into each song is simply incredible. Slash praised Buckethead for producing unprecedented guitar sounds. He found a strange medium ground between Steve Vai and Joe Satriani.
“Anybody who knows me knows that technically I couldn’t play my way out of a paper bag”. Slash said in an interview with LA Weekly, acknowledging that Buckethead could perform like a pro. [Giggles] Or a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken, really. I’m able to accomplish what I do because of a particular feel and sound. He’s better, even though I’m getting better at it. I’ve never been what you’d call a technical guitarist.
Buckethead may have had more breathtaking moments, but Chinese Democracy didn’t really make the most of them. Though the leads still sound amazing, listening to Buckethead lines is frequently like staring into the sun. You’re bound to get hurt if you stare too closely. However, if you’re trying to fit everything into one room, the entire record can be a chore because Rose believed that any solo by Buckethead would do.
It made no difference to Slash either, who chose to record his solo album alone using a rotating cast of singers. He formed Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators to support him in his solo endeavors. In terms of technical prowess, Buckethead could easily outplay most guitarists whenever he performed. However, when considering the band’s heyday, Slash may have been more of the ideal guitarist for Guns N’ Roses’ sound than any other member of the band.
