Artist collaborations have always been a prominent aspect of the music industry. Nowadays it is extremely common for artists from all genres to engage in some sort of collaboration with another musician. Although it's up to debate whether these collaborations become successful enough to be their own side project, most of us can agree that musicians today have worked together to make music more frequently than in the past.
A few good collaboration examples I can think of are Knife Party (MartyParty and Ooah), ZZT (Tiga and Zombie Nation) and Black Star (Talib Kweli and Mos Def). Although these examples are collaborations between electronic and hip-hop artists (as that is my specialty), I would like to dedicate this week's Sound Drip to something a little different and edgier. With that said, let's talk about the Frankenstein Brothers, a collaboration born back in 2008 between two very talented and unique instrumentalists: Buckethead and That 1 Guy.
Photo from Last.fm
Born Brian Carroll, Buckethead is a true music mystery and, simultaneously, an old-school guitarist whiz. He is notable for his work with Guns N' Roses on their most recent album, "Chinese Democracy," and known for his impressive and lengthy solo career, which saw the release of over 30 studio albums. In addition, he has also released numerous film score contributions, including "Saw II" and "Mortal Kombat," and has done several successful collaborations with artists like Les Claypool of Primus and Iggy Pop.
"The Ballad of Buckethead" off his album Monsters And Robots, 1999. One of the few released Buckethead tracks with vocals, this track features vocals by Les Claypool of Primus
Buckethead is now sharing the stage with Las Vegas-based pipe master Mike Silverman, also known by his music alias, That 1 Guy. Silverman's talents stem from his abilities to perform and incorporate his own homemade, seven-foot "Magic Pipe" into his one-man shows.
That 1 Guy plays "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" at the Railway Club in Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2008
They first joined forces in 2008 with the release of the album, "Bolt on Neck: Prototype #1." The Frankenstein Brothers are now going on tour and will be making a few stops in Florida very soon. With the clash of Silverman's experimental gypsy-jazz and Buckethead's heavy-metal funk, this collaboration is sure to be one of the most virtuous and remarkable ones you will ever experience. Click here for the full list of their U.S. tour dates this spring.
Official studio album cover artwork
The duo will be making their first appearance in our small, college-driven town as the Frankenstein Brothers on March 10 at Double Down Live (previously known as Common Grounds). The last time the two were in Florida together was at Blackwater Music Festival back in September at The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak.
Unfortunately, however, the duo did not perform as the Frankenstein Brothers that weekend, so their Gainesville show is your first chance to check them out! Who knows how long this project will hold together, so don't miss out on this exceptional rock 'n' roll adventure. If you're still not convinced, here's one more video to try and change your mind.
The Frankenstein Brothers performing the Willy Wonka and Star Wars themes live at Neumos in Seattle, Washington, 2008.
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