Tension in the early 2000's lineup

[Ericstacey]

I've been watching a lot of clips from the 2001 Rock in Rio-does anyone remember an interview Tommy did years later trashing Bucket? I think it even had the quote where Tommy said Bucket thought Axl would basically be singing over songs only Bucket would write, or something like that? There were also stories that Fink and Bucket hated each other, and of course that no one really liked Paul, because he had never really toured before, been in a band long. I always thought it was odd Axl brought Paul into the band, which was a big reason Axl and Slash were fighting-then after 3 shows, suddenly is out because he isn't into touring? I just found it strange, I wonder if he just wanted out of the whole Guns experience. We haven't heard Robin, Bucket, or Paul talk about those years at all really.

[DieselDaisy]

Vaguely.

I also remember something about Fink and Buckethead despising each other.

Nugnr also bullied Bumblefoot when he joined. 

[Ericstacey]

2 minutes ago, DieselDaisy said:

Vaguely.

I also remember something about Fink and Buckethead despising each other.

Nugnr also bullied Bumblefoot when he joined. 

I for sure remember reading Bumble talking about that. I think Fink and Fortus didn't want a 3rd guitarist after Bucket left. I guess this is what happened when you hire guys and kind of throw them together-I think I read on a post last year even Paul only talks to Axl once every couple of years now?  Even Matt and Gilby seem to have kept on good terms with Slash and Duff all this time, but you get the feeling some of these lineups will never talk to one another again. It's a business.

[lame ass security]

I never really understood the dynamics with Buckethead in the band.  How did they communicate with him?  Was he that persona all the time?  With the mask and well, the bucket on his head.  Don't get me wrong, I think the character of Buckethead is cool and pretty ingenious really.  He can go anywhere and be anonymous, doesn't get hassled. But I assume there is a separation between Buckethead and Brian Carroll.

[The Matinator]

19 minutes ago, lame ass security said:

I never really understood the dynamics with Buckethead in the band.  How did they communicate with him?  Was he that persona all the time?  With the mask and well, the bucket on his head.  Don't get me wrong, I think the character of Buckethead is cool and pretty ingenious really.  He can go anywhere and be anonymous, doesn't get hassled. But I assume there is a separation between Buckethead and Brian Carroll.

There is very little separation between them, even his closest friends like Freese & Bootsy Collins call him bucket. Ozzy said he once called him Brian & he replied ' only my mom calls me that" or something. He also usually communicates through a "puppet" that looks like a old Halloween mask. You can see it in his tutorial videos on YouTube.

[MalibusMostWanted]

22 minutes ago, lame ass security said:

I never really understood the dynamics with Buckethead in the band.  How did they communicate with him?  Was he that persona all the time?  With the mask and well, the bucket on his head.  Don't get me wrong, I think the character of Buckethead is cool and pretty ingenious really.  He can go anywhere and be anonymous, doesn't get hassled. But I assume there is a separation between Buckethead and Brian Carroll.

There’s a great interview out there with Josh Freese that talks about Bucket and his relationship with Axl and how rarely he turns his persona off. Axl had to take him to Disneyland to get him to sign on and a bunch of other weird shit. 

[lame ass security]

8 minutes ago, MalibusMostWanted said:

There’s a great interview out there with Josh Freese that talks about Bucket and his relationship with Axl and how rarely he turns his persona off. Axl had to take him to Disneyland to get him to sign on and a bunch of other weird shit. 

Hilarious. It's fascinating that he rarely breaks character or if that is really the way he is.  Either way, I can imagine it grows thin with people who have to deal with him on a professional basis. But there's no denying his off the chart talent.

[History2010]

I recall reading that Robin posted some art of a bear with a KFC bucket on his head. No doubt based on how he viewed Buckethead at the time. 

[WhazUp]

1 hour ago, The Matinator said:

There is very little separation between them, even his closest friends like Freese & Bootsy Collins call him bucket. Ozzy said he once called him Brian & he replied ' only my mom calls me that" or something. He also usually communicates through a "puppet" that looks like a old Halloween mask. You can see it in his tutorial videos on YouTube.

https://www.thetoolsbook.com/blog/a-conversation-with-buckethead

This is the only time I have heard Buckethead speak without any of the puppets or Buckethead persona, it is a really interesting listen

[RageKage]

I wonder if he talks through a puppet at a supermarket aswell

[Italian girl]

probably

[Azifwekare]

4 hours ago, lame ass security said:

I never really understood the dynamics with Buckethead in the band.  How did they communicate with him?  Was he that persona all the time?  With the mask and well, the bucket on his head.  Don't get me wrong, I think the character of Buckethead is cool and pretty ingenious really.  He can go anywhere and be anonymous, doesn't get hassled. But I assume there is a separation between Buckethead and Brian Carroll.

Brain was the only guy in the band who knew how to contact him and all communication ended up having to go through him. I remember one funny story where Axl and/or management had been wanting to talk to Bucket during one of the times he would go AWOL, and Bucket saw a car appear (which may or may not have been them) outside his house, got paranoid and phoned Brain "They're following me, they're at my house". He then decided to find a mask to put on, stepped outside and just stood there staring at them, and whoever was in the car got scared and drove away.

But apparently once he got to the studio communication was normal, just as long as he had some sort of mask on. It made him more comfortable to have some kind of distance I guess.

[soon]

1 hour ago, Azifwekare said:

Brain was the only guy in the band who knew how to contact him and all communication ended up having to go through him. I remember one funny story where Axl and/or management had been wanting to talk to Bucket during one of the times he would go AWOL, and Bucket saw a car appear (which may or may not have been them) outside his house, got paranoid and phoned Brain "They're following me, they're at my house". He then decided to find a mask to put on, stepped outside and just stood there staring at them, and whoever was in the car got scared and drove away.

Epic!!!! Lol

I think he tells that story here, on I'd Hit That. Incredible Bucket and Guns tales:

And since I was already there, here is Freese telling some great Bucket and Guns stories:

 

[soon]

6 hours ago, Ericstacey said:

I've been watching a lot of clips from the 2001 Rock in Rio-does anyone remember an interview Tommy did years later trashing Bucket? I think it even had the quote where Tommy said Bucket thought Axl would basically be singing over songs only Bucket would write, or something like that? There were also stories that Fink and Bucket hated each other, and of course that no one really liked Paul, because he had never really toured before, been in a band long. I always thought it was odd Axl brought Paul into the band, which was a big reason Axl and Slash were fighting-then after 3 shows, suddenly is out because he isn't into touring? I just found it strange, I wonder if he just wanted out of the whole Guns experience. We haven't heard Robin, Bucket, or Paul talk about those years at all really.

I love the mystery and rumours of that era too. Tommy was hard on Brain initially. Finck called Bucket a "Stunt Guitarists" in a guitar magazine. Bumble pulled a knife on the band bullies. Id really like to know about Tobias' unexpected departure too.

Lots of amazing CD era info here on Chinese Whispers, maybe you've checked it out:

http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=5059

[F*ck Fear]

Say what you want, but I miss Bucket in Guns. The guy should have had more of a featured spot on Chinese Democracy.

[default_]

7 hours ago, Ericstacey said:

I've been watching a lot of clips from the 2001 Rock in Rio-does anyone remember an interview Tommy did years later trashing Bucket? 

Who wouldnt feel uncofortable next to that guy? He's a fuckin weirdo. 

[SoNobodyToldYaBaby]

2 minutes ago, default_ said:

Who wouldnt feel uncofortable next to that guy? He's a fuckin weirdo. 

Yeah because you know him so well? 

[default_]

4 minutes ago, SoNobodyToldYaBaby said:

Yeah because you know him so well? 

"The pièce de résistance, meanwhile, was a pile of faeces left in the coop by Rose's timber wolf puppy. "One of the engineers says, 'Bucket, we'll get it cleaned up' and Buckethead says, 'I love the smell of dog poop - leave it right here'," recalls Zutaut. "Three days later, the studio stinks to high heaven…" "
 

Do we need more?

[SoNobodyToldYaBaby]

2 minutes ago, default_ said:

"The pièce de résistance, meanwhile, was a pile of faeces left in the coop by Rose's timber wolf puppy. "One of the engineers says, 'Bucket, we'll get it cleaned up' and Buckethead says, 'I love the smell of dog poop - leave it right here'," recalls Zutaut. "Three days later, the studio stinks to high heaven…" "
 

Do we need more?

And Axl brought a witch doctor to check a room to make sure it didn't have bad energy before an interview once and calls an old Brazilian lady his mother.. What a fucking weirdo of course you'd feel uncomfortable around him right? 

[default_]

2 minutes ago, SoNobodyToldYaBaby said:

And Axl brought a witch doctor to check a room to make sure it didn't have bad energy before an interview once and calls an old Brazilian lady his mother.. What a fucking weirdo of course you'd feel uncomfortable around him right? 

Absolutelly, Axl is nuts no doubt about that. 

[TeeJay410]

7 hours ago, lame ass security said:

I never really understood the dynamics with Buckethead in the band.  How did they communicate with him?  Was he that persona all the time?  With the mask and well, the bucket on his head.  Don't get me wrong, I think the character of Buckethead is cool and pretty ingenious really.  He can go anywhere and be anonymous, doesn't get hassled. But I assume there is a separation between Buckethead and Brian Carroll.

I know this is very “I know a guy who knows a guy” but my buddy runs sound at a venue bucket played in the past couple years and he got to talk with Bucket’s tour manager. Bucket really liked Axl but hated being in Guns N Roses because he can’t stand drinking or drugs. He’s never touched the stuff. Essentially up until 2009 Axl had been calling him and offering ungodly amounts of money (evidently Ozzy does, too). 

Bucket also stays in cities minimum 30 minutes away from where he is playing that night so he isn’t recognized. All Bucket wants is to play guitar and be left alone. His tour manager has to take him to the store just to make sure he gets some social interaction, otherwise he wouldn’t at all. But by all accounts he is a super sweet and gentle guy. He gave my buddy a toy, he assumed it was bucket’s way of saying he liked the sound.

Of course, take this all with a grain of salt. The tour manager has no interest other than making his artist look good, and I’m sharing this through another person, but it seems to track with other things we’ve heard.

Edited January 11, 2019 by TeeJay410

[Billly B]

Great players but a lot of personal issues that affected how they interacted with each other in a negative manner.

[Ericstacey]

3 hours ago, soon said:

I love the mystery and rumours of that era too. Tommy was hard on Brain initially. Finck called Bucket a "Stunt Guitarists" in a guitar magazine. Bumble pulled a knife on the band bullies. Id really like to know about Tobias' unexpected departure too.

Lots of amazing CD era info here on Chinese Whispers, maybe you've checked it out:

http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=5059

I have read Chinese Whispers, which is an amazing read-didn't know about this Robin quote. Interesting. I mean, Robin joined when Duff was still in the band (and I think Matt)-so he started out in a totally different band than the one he left.  I think to be in the band at this time just had to wear some of these guys out. Even as Brain said, as far as Axl going on late all the time, it got to be pretty old-he said he just wanted to play the gig, eat his pizza, and go to bed, and these guys were probably leaving the arena at 3 or 4 in the morning. Tommy has a lot of interesting stuff to say-it sounds like he hated Roy Thomas Baker. I would love to read a Paul Tobias interview someday.

[Ericstacey]

8 hours ago, History2010 said:

I recall reading that Robin posted some art of a bear with a KFC bucket on his head. No doubt based on how he viewed Buckethead at the time. 

I totally forgot about this.

[rocknroll41]

I already knew about some of this drama, but not all of it. 

Wow, what a shit show this band has always been behind the scenes...