Monsters and Robots

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Monsters and Robots
MonstersAndRobotscover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 20, 1999
Recorded1998–1999
Genre Experimental rock, funk rock, electronic rock, alternative metal
Length50:54 (standard release)
55:12 (Japanese release)
Label CyberOctave, Higher Octave Music, Virgin, EMI
Producer Pete Scaturro, Les Claypool, Extrakd, Bill Laswell
Buckethead chronology
Colma
(1998)
Monsters and Robots
(1999)
KFC Skin Piles
(2001)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]

Monsters and Robots is Buckethead's fifth studio album, released April 20, 1999, by Higher Octave records. A large part of the album was co-written with Les Claypool, who also plays bass on several tracks and lends his vocals to the track "The Ballad of Buckethead".

Contents

Buckethead promoted the album by opening for Primus in October and November 1999. [2] Monsters and Robots is listed in the German National Library's catalog [3] and is Buckethead's best selling solo album to date. [4]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Jump Man"Buckethead, Pete Scaturro 4:21
2."Stick Pit"Buckethead, Les Claypool, Bryan Mantia 3:40
3."The Ballad of Buckethead"Buckethead, Claypool, Mantia3:59
4."Sow Thistle"Buckethead, Steve Freeman, Bootsy Collins 4:30
5."Revenge of the Double-Man"Buckethead, Claypool, Mantia, DJ Disk 3:34
6."Night of the Slunk"Buckethead5:43
7."Who Me?"Buckethead2:08
8."Jowls"Buckethead, Scaturro, Mantia4:26
9."The Shape Vs. Buckethead"Buckethead, Freeman, Collins5:40
10."Stun Operator"Buckethead, Claypool, Mantia4:17
11."Scapula"Buckethead, Scaturro, Mantia4:04
12."Nun Chuka Kata"Buckethead, Claypool, Mantia, DJ Disk4:30
13."Remote Viewer #13" (Japanese edition bonus track)Buckethead, Claypool, Mantia, DJ Disk4:18
Total length:55:12

Notes

Personnel

Production

The Ballad of Buckethead

"The Ballad of Buckethead"
Song by Buckethead
from the album Monsters and Robots
ReleasedApril 20, 1999
RecordedRancho Relaxo studios
Genre Experimental rock, funk metal
Length3:59
Label Higher Octave
Songwriter(s) Buckethead, Les Claypool, Bryan Mantia
Producer(s) Les Claypool

"The Ballad of Buckethead" was chosen to promote Monsters and Robots. It is one of the few Buckethead songs to prominently feature vocals, which are performed by Primus' Les Claypool. Drums were performed by long-time Buckethead friend (and then Primus drummer) Brain.

The song is split into three verses, with the chorus following the first and third verse. The song, as its title suggests, tells the (fictional) story of Buckethead's life, [5] particularly his upbringing. According to Buckethead's official biography, [6] he was raised in a chicken coop by chickens, and the lyrics to the narrative [7] continue this theme:

Buckethead found his freedom at the age of 17

When he burned the chicken house down with a quart of gasoline
He did puppet shows on corners and bought a real guitar

And with the help of Colonel Sanders he's bound to be a star

A video clip using 3D models and reassembling themes from the lyrics was made by English artist Dave McKean, [8] and gained airplay on several music related television stations.

The song was included to Primus' live set in October and November 1999, when Buckethead made stage cameos. [9]

"The Ballad of Buckethead" features samples from the 1996 movie Sling Blade .

The music video was nominated for the "Best New Artist - Modern Rock" on Billboard's Music Video Awards. [10]

Credits

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Claypool</span> American musician

Leslie Edward Claypool is an American musician, best known as the founder, lead singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the band Primus since its formation in 1984. Frequently considered to be one of the greatest bassists of all time, his playing style mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends, and slapping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bootsy Collins</span> American bassist

William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American bass guitarist, singer-songwriter, and record producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primus (band)</span> American rock band

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brain (musician)</span> American drummer

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Praxis is an experimental rock project, led by producer/bassist Bill Laswell and featuring guitarist Buckethead and drummer Brain in nearly every incarnation of the band.

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References

  1. Huey, Steve (1999-04-20). "Allmusic review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  2. Ives, Brian (1999-09-29). "MTV News, September 1999". Mtv.com. Retrieved 2011-11-11.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. "Katalog des Deutschen Musikarchivs". Dispatch.opac.d-nb.de. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  4. Robert White. "FAQ 2.0". Bucketheadland.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-15. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  5. "Buckethead Album Reviews". Guypetersreviews.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-19. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  6. "The Buckethead Story". Bucketheadland.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-26. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  7. "United Mutations, a Buckethead interview by Jason Pettigrew, Alternative Press #139, February 2000". Bingeandgrab.com. 2000-02-28. Archived from the original on 2011-11-23. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  8. McKean, Dave; Neil Gaiman; Lisa Henson (2005). The Alchemy of MirrorMask. Collins Design. ISBN   0-06-082379-8.
  9. Hi kids, do you like Primus?, Kyle Kipp, November 1999 Archived 2007-11-09 at archive.today
  10. "Buckethead Videography". Bingeandgrab.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-08. Retrieved 2011-11-11.