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Monsters and Robots

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Released
  
April 20, 1999

Monsters and Robots (1999)
  
KFC Skin Piles (2001)

Release date
  
20 April 1999

Recorded
  
1998–1999

Artist
  
Buckethead

Label
  
Higher Octave Music

Monsters and Robots httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumbb

Length
  
50:54 (standard release) 55:12 (Japanese release)

Producer
  
Pete Scaturro, Les Claypool, Extrakd, Bill Laswell

Genres
  
Experimental rock, Funk rock

Similar
  
Buckethead albums, Experimental rock albums

Buckethead monsters and robots


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. Monsters and Robots is listed in the German National Library's catalog and is Buckethead's best selling solo album to date.

Monsters and robots 01 jump man


Notes

  • The songs "Jowls" and "Scapula" are both re-recorded versions of songs of the same names on Giant Robot (NTT).
  • The song "Night of the Slunk" has a similar riff as "Jump Man", but longer with less distortion.
  • Version of the song "Revenge of the Double-Man", named "Silent Scream" also appeared on the album The 13th Scroll released in 1999 by Buckethead's side project Cobra Strike.
  • Content of the track "Revenge of the Double-Man" is a reference to an arcade game Sinistar.
  • "Scapula" uses several samples taken from the movie The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

    • Personnel

  • Buckethead — guitar (all tracks), bass (tracks 1, 8 and 11)
  • Les Claypool — bass (tracks 2, 3, 5, 10, 12 and 13), vocals (track 3)
  • Bryan "Brain" Mantia — drums (tracks 2, 3, 5, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13)
  • Phonopsychograph Disk — turntables (tracks 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 and 13)
  • Bootsy Collins — vocals (tracks 1, 4, 7 and 9)
  • Ovi-Wey — rap vocals (track 9)
  • DJ Eddie Def — turntables (tracks 4 and 9)
  • Max Robertson — vocals (track 11)
  • The Chicken Scratch Choir — background vocals (track 3)

    • Production

  • Tracks 1, 8, 11 recorded at Horn of Zeus.
  • Produced & mixed by Pete Scaturro & Rob Beaton.
  • [Jowls originally recorded by Howard Johnson @ Different Fur Recording]
  • Recording assistance on 8 by Mark Weber, on 11 by Mark Weber & Eric Ware.
  • Tracks 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 13 recorded at Rancho Relaxo studios.
  • Produced by Les Claypool.
  • Engineered by Oz Fritz.
  • Tracks 4 & 9 recorded at the Embalming Plant.
  • Produced by Extrakd.
  • Track 6 recorded at Orange Music.
  • Produced by Bill Laswell.
  • Engineered by Robert Musso.
  • Additional production on tracks 1, 4 & 9 by Bootsy Collins at Bootzilla Re-hab P-form School.
  • Mastered by Don E. Tyler at Precision Mastering.
  • A&R direction: Warren Schummer.
  • Design, illustration & photography: Dave McKean @ Hourglass.
  • Cover illustration for Buckethead No. 2: Bryan Frankenseuss Theiss.
  • Photographs on pgs. 3, 6, 7 & back inlay: Warren Schummer.
  • 3-d programming: Max MacMuffin.
  • Production manager: Gina Grimes.
  • Product marketing manager: Kenny Nemes.

    • The Ballad of Buckethead

    "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) Bryan "Brain" Mantia.

    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, particularly his upbringing. According to Buckethead's official biography, he was raised in a chicken coop by chickens, and the lyrics to the high-octane narrative continue this theme:

    A video clip using 3D models and reassembling themes from the lyrics was made by English artist Dave McKean, 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.

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

    Also, the music video has been nominated for the "Best New Artist - Modern Rock" on Billboard's Music Video Awards.

    Credits

  • Buckethead — guitar
  • Les Claypool — vocals, bass
  • Bryan "Brain" Mantia — drums
  • Phonopsychograph Disk — turntables
  • The Chicken Scratch Choir — background vocals

    • Songs

    1Jump Man4:21
    2Stick Pit3:40
    3The Ballad of Buckethead4:00

    References

    Monsters and Robots Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA