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Buckethead Interview

Real Rock 101 One


Buckethead - DJ at Real Rock 101 one - Photo by Michael Montes - All rights reserved.

July 11, 2003

OFG: Where did you come up with the name Buckethead?

Buckethead: It was given to me. It is not a name I would choose. I started my radio career about 8 years ago with our sister station XL 106.7 as an intern with The Doc and Johnny morning show. I walked in and I was still going to school at UCF. A fraternity guy that had long hair and I knew these guys. And I knew they were gonna fuck with me hard. So, I walked in confident and they said I was cocky. They had an ongoing thing in the studio. You are being cocky - and then they went around trying to give me a name. There was names thrown out like Helmethead, Joe College and then someone in the background said Buckethead and I said NO and when I said no - they said "yup" and it just stuck.

It was cool, because it is a great ice breaker. People don't forget the name Buckethead. As much as I always said I was going to change it to a cool name ... when I got on the air, people know that I've been in this town. Eight years doing radio and people know the name Buckethead. At least I hope they do.

OFG: What position did you play in Football?

Buckethead: In high school I played offensive and defensive line. I was a lot bigger in High School. I weighed about 230 pounds. Then, when I went on to college ... I played at a small school in North Carolina called Wingate. Wingate College was a Division 2 School. I was 254 pounds and I played defensive end for 2 years until I left to came to UCF.

OFG: Do you watch The Bucs, Predators or UCF Golden Knights play football?

Buckethead: I watch all Football. Football is the best sport. I love football! Without football, my life would not be complete. I call them football Sundays.

I've got my fantasy football stats ready to go on Sunday at 11 o'clock. You get your food, drinks, beer and your fridge stocked. You have some people over ... if they want to come over and if they don't fuck 'em. You sit there on the couch at 12 noon and you start watching football early until midnight. It's the only reason I got Direct TV.

OFG: How did you get involved in the radio industry?

Buckethead: It was an accident. I was looking for an internship. I originally thought that I wanted to go into advertising or marketing. Do something creative. I'm a creative person and I interned with a fraternity brother of mine at UCF. I interned at Golf Week Magazine or some shit like that and I didn't like it. I hated it. Behind a desk was not my thing.

My roommate, another fraternity brother of mine was working at WJRR. He was on the air after 6 months and I was like ... that's cool. So, I thought I'd give that a shot. I sent in my resume to try and get an internship. I sent résumés to WJRR, XL 106.7 and the Orlando Predators. I got accepted to all three internships in the same hour on the same day. It was crazy. The Predators were going through some management changes and they called me and told me you can work with us, but we are going to be going through some management changes. He said to me that I probably wouldn't take it if I were you. Needless to say I didn't take that one.

The lady that called me at WJRR at the time was the promotions
girl. She was a bitch, but I still wanted to be here. I loved the music. That and my roommate and fraternity brother worked here. He kind of hooked it up for me, but she was just such a bitch.

I accepted it from her and then the lady from XL called me right afterwards. She was really nice and she's still in this town. She works for another radio station doing promotions. And she said the one thing that really got me. "If things don't work out there - call me back you still have it here." And I was like ... you got me, so, I called the other lady back and said "no" and went over to XL.

I started out in promotions. I was scrubbing banners and doing all kinds of stupid shit. Washing cars and then you would go out and do remotes and setting up and stuff.

I was at Chillers one night with Doc and Johnny on a remote. I was the promotions guy and that is were I met Johnny. I introduced myself to him and said, "It's pretty cool what you do and I saw how much he got paid for two hours and I said, "I think I can do that, can you teach me?" He said, "Let me know if you want to come in." So, I wrote him a note that night and I told him that I would like the opportunity to be in this business - can you help me out and he told me to come in the next day at 7 o'clock in the morning. I was like 7 in the morning! Little did I know that when I got hired a year later I was there at 3 o'clock in the morning. Those guys are there at three-thirty or four in the morning. That's how my radio career got started.

What locked me down was getting hired full time as Doc and Johnny's producer. I was and I am still good at finding people who don't want to be found. Especially celebrities when they are in town. I can manipulate the concierge, the bagboy and the chauffeur to tell me where they're staying.

Evander Holyfield, the boxer, was in town staying on Disney property and I got him on the air. At the time he was the heavyweight champion of the world. And I was able to get him on the air with Doc and Johnny.

The big boss man heard it and told me that he was impressed that I was able to get him on air. At this time I wasn't interning anymore. I wasn't getting credit for it or getting paid. I was at the station, because I enjoyed it and I was hoping that it would turn into a job and get a gig out of it. He said to me that the station was going to hire a new producer for Doc and Johnny. Hang out. You are the top candidate right now.

I still had six months of school left. And for six months I watched people come in and out of the building for job interviews. People that had 15 years experience, 10 years experience, 20 years whatever ... I'm like, son of a bitch, no way they are going to hire me.

And you know what? They did. They hired me for one sole purpose, actually two purposes. One was that I was pretty good at what I doing and I already had a chemistry with the guys. The second one was that I would work for cheap.

So, there you go. I was hired and they started including me more and more in the show and as time went on I kinda connected with the people listening. From there - I went on to do other things and got hired at Real Rock a year and a half ago.

OFG: Do you ever get nervous before going on air?

Buckethead: I always get nervous. It is a great feeling. It's kind of like when you are excited to do something. You are not really scared to do it and your not really nervous to do it. You are just excited to do it. It is more of an excited feeling that I get. When I lose that feeling - that means I think I have lost the passion for what I do.

You'll see me before I crack the mic and I'll move it around and wobble back and forth back and twitch my fingers. I love the energy that I get talking into the microphone even more.

(OFG can attest to this)

So, when I am on stage and I am doing a remote and I can see the people and their reactions ... it is a brain fuck. You are playing a game when you are on stage. Especially when you have hecklers. Who is gonna win the battle of the minds? I love that challenge and I challenge anyone to have a word war with me and I guarantee that I will brain fuck the shit out of you. That is something I know I'll win.

OFG: What is your most embarrassing on air moment?

Buckethead: It's not so much something that I have done. I've never dropped the F bomb on the air or anything like that. Every once in a while I screw up, but that, I think makes good radio.

If I go on and I screw up, I will admit it. I'm only human and I've done that. It's funny. I don't think that is embarrassing. I think it's more embarrassing when someone does something to you on air. Going back to my old XL days, there was a time when I moved in with a girl. We lived together for a couple of years and when we first moved in, she went out and bought his and her monogram towels and still to this day people talk about that to me. They think it's the funniest thing.

It is not really embarrassing ... it is just something you don't want the night guy at a rock station walking around knowing he lived with a chick who got him monogram towels. I mean - tattoo gay on my forehead. (laughs)

(Since this interview was conducted ... Buckethead told us that he has a new most embarrassing moment. You'll have to ask him about that one, but it relates to our next question. I will give you a hint though ... it relates to batteries and an interview w/ Metallica.)

OFG: So, you never did what we did tonight and forget to check the tape and make sure there is enough for the interview?

Buckethead: No, I don't think any of us have done that. (everyone laughs)

OFG: If you weren't a DJ - what would you be doing?

Buckethead: My Mom asked me that the other day. I don't know? Now that I have been bitten by the bug. I love this industry, I love what I do and the people I am around. The whole vibe of it. I'd probably get into the record label business. Or my own business and go from there. Maybe do marketing or something like that.

OFG: How much input do you have on the program list for your show?

Buckethead: Some. It all depends on your boss. I have a good boss and that is not kissing ass. He's cool. He allows me to do certain things if your feeling it. There's no true request shows out there anymore. I'm sorry to ruin the secret. That and there is no Santa Claus, but that is just how things work.

(Buckethead's boss has great enthusiasm - he called a couple times during our interview and he was coming up w/ ideas and Buckethead was throwing out ideas and it is definitely a great creative music environment at Real Rock 101 one.)

I'd like to throw in some Poison and Guns N' Roses every once in a while, but if someone calls, especially if your around a big concert date and you are able to play something that your competition doesn't play and we do, then why not? Music is music. If they liked it then ... I'm sure they will like it now. You definitely want to keep your hits going, but you have older songs that you play because people know them.

I do a segment at night called the "Rubber Room" at 11 PM. It's what I call, "One full hour of brand new alternative kick-ass music," and I have somewhat of a say in what songs I play.

I'm about to start a segment called "The Punk Rock Block" where I am going to play three punk rock songs and I'm pretty much going to have full control over that.

OFG: When will "The Punk Rock Block" show begin airing?

Buckethead: As soon as I get a library of music together. I'm looking for something old, something new, something underground. So, it's nice and neat.

OFG: How much time do you spend planning a show? And how long does it take for you to do your syndicated shows?

Buckethead: Well, I'm not syndicated. I wish I was. I do a thing called voice tracking.

You know Shasta? The cheap cola? Well, that's what I call this. The Shasta of syndication. It enables me to record a show and it gets played in another town. I use to do two. I did nights in Sarasota and mornings in Albany, GA. Both are Clear Channel Stations.

I dropped the night show in Sarasota recently. It got to be too much work for me. I was going crazy, but I still do mornings in Albany, GA. It is a real rock station and it doesn't take long to do most music for the morning shows. It is pretty quick and it gives me the opportunity to do other things that I do on this show.

As far as show prep - you are always doing show prep. Where
you are going the best show prep is when you least expect it. It happens when you are at a club or at lunch with friends ... when you are drinking with friends or laying in bed talking to your girlfriend. Actually, that is where I get my best show prep. I like to talk about sex. I like to talk about relationships. Men. Women. That bond. It is something we all think about and I like to talk about things people are thinking about, but they never say because that's how I think you connect with people. That's what I try to do.

I'm an honest person. I'm real and I don't lie. I think that's why people enjoy the show because I am honest person.

I was told by one of my mentors that when you open up the microphone that it is like you are talking to your best friend at a bar. That is some of the best advice that I have ever received. I feed off of that.

OFG: What advice would you give an aspiring DJ?

Buckethead: Find another line of work. No, radio is a great business if you can open up the right doors. It is all about being at the right place at the right time and of course you have to have talent. And if you get into this business don't trust anyone.

People will teach you that have been in the business longer, but almost everyone is out for themselves.

It depends on what you are learning. What that person is teaching you. If it is the right thing, just take what someone is teaching you and make it your own.

You can see what this dude is doing and what that chick is doing and you grab those things and make it your own. Don't steal their ideas. Just be yourself and don't try to be someone else. Talk like you would to a friend in a bar and connect with your listeners. The most successful DJ's in this town, for example are Doc and Johnny.

Why are they so successful? Because they are good at what they do. They have chemistry between the two of them. They talk about real life subjects and they're not talking down to you.

You look at "The Fiasco" at our station. Why are they so successful and why did they just get syndicated? It's because they're talking to people like you are at a keg party.

You take Crash. Why is he one of the most popular personalities in this town? It's because he is just a regular dude that comes in and talks on the radio, spins some tunes and has some fun. That's what it's all about.

If you are reading a commercial, don't read it verbatim ... don't just say it. You have to make it your own and put some inflection in your voice. If you get into this business make sure you stay real.

OFG: What's the best thing about working at Real Rock 101 one?

Buckethead: We have a great team here at Real Rock 101 one. We have a goal and we know what that goal is. We are here to be the number one rock station in town. That and to entertain our listeners. We want to give out listeners the music that they want to hear and make sure we take care of them for listening to our radio station. We are also here to work together as employees and I like that.

I like knowing that I can call my boss at home at 11 o'clock at night and even if he is sleeping and I have a problem with something in the studio or something like that. It doesn't stop there, you have other people here, our promotions department bust there ass everyday and play their part. Then there is engineering, production, programming, promotions and sales ... it is a full circle.

It is a well oiled machine that keeps running and it doesn't seem like there are any bad parts in it. It is a good thing to be part of a really good thing. Plus the music is great. I can sit in the studio for hours and it's like listening to my favorite CD's in my car. I can just sit back and chill and our listeners are awesome!

When you are able to have die-hard fans of the station and of your show come out and hang out with you at appearances ... that is one of the best feelings you can ever have in your entire life.

Especially when I get to go on stage at the shows that we put on and say "Hi, how are yo?," And get the response I get from them. It is one of the best feelings in the world and this station has all that.

There are no negatives working here at Real Rock 101 One. If there was ... I probably wouldn't tell you, but you could hear it in my voice as we are doing this interview. I have a passion for what I do. If someone wants my job, they can try and take it away from me, but they are gonna have to fight me hard. Everyone here has great work ethics and it's a great team to be on.

OFG: What's some of the more memorable promotions you've done with Real Rock 101 One?

Buckethead: Earth Day Birth Day Nine was my first EDBD here at Real Rock 101 One. It was one of the most incredible times I've ever had in my entire life.

You take a field and turn it into the biggest rock concert this town every year ... it is incredible. That and of course this year's EDBD X.

There was a show at Hard Rock Live with Drowning Pool and Soil. It was when I first started at Real Rock 101 One. I got up on stage and for some reason that really stands out in my mind. I had just come over to Real Rock and it was one of those things where I felt that the listeners and I connected and I having only been on the air a couple of months ... it was a cool feeling.

Meeting Dave Williams of Drowning Pool before he passed away. That was cool. Very nice guy. He will be missed.

Then to meet the bands and to actually befriend a lot of the bands. For the most part - they are just normal people and of course don't forget female mud wrestling every Thursday night at Calico Jack's in Casselberry. You haven't lived life until you've done female mud wrestling ... let me tell you! (laughs)

Everything you do here ... even a two hour remote with Buckethead at a bus stop with homeless people. If I'm getting paid for it I'm still having fun. I can have fun anywhere and the listeners make it fun when they come out and hang out with you.

The listeners like to come and bullshit about the music or bitch about something that you did at the station and that is cool. It is like having a lot of friends and you get to hang out with them all the time. It is like your calling them on the phone and saying, "Hey man, I'm gonna be at Calico Jack's on Thursday, come hang out with me." We just hang out, party and drink and that's cool.

OFG: Who are some of the local bands that you think will make it nationally?

Buckethead: There is so much talent in this town as far as local bands. I am not even going to attempt to single out a couple of them that I think will go nationally.

There are some bands that I have seen on more than one occasion that I particularly enjoy. There is the music by bands like Naive, The Boxelder and bands like that, but, I have not that I know of heard of a bad band come from this town or even a bad performance. I heard a cover band the other night and they were great.

They say Austin, Texas is the live music capital of the world.

BLOW ME, because that's not true. Orlando has so much talent in this town that has not been tapped yet and I think that this music industry we all work in continues to go in the direction of rock, then I think you will see more bands from Orlando being signed nationally and going mainstream soon.

OFG: What are some of your favorite things about Orlando?

Buckethead: Orlando is a big town trapped in a small world. Does that make sense?

OFG: That makes total sense.

Buckethead: Okay, or a small town trapped in a big world. One of those two. I still haven't been able to figure that out.

To be honest with you, Orlando has got everything and more, but it's a hard driving distance and it still blows me away.

You might have to wait 3 hours to get 4 miles on I-4 during rush hour traffic, but still your gonna get there. Unlike cities like Atlanta or where I am originally from ... up in Baltimore, traffic is crazy. Traffic might be crazy here, but it's like small world traffic.

Orlando is a great place. You have your downtown area, which is bigger than it seems. You have everything you need to do. You can live in Altamonte like I do and go to Orlando and get home, then go back to your quiet life or you can go down to the theme parks. And you can get there in like 20 or 30 minutes, so, Orlando is just a great town. I don't ever want to leave here. If I ever get fired, it might happen, I guarantee it will happen someday. I don't know if I want to leave town. I might just get out of radio and try to do something else in this town. As much as I love radio, I love this town just as much. But, I would like to live in a town with an
NFL Football team.

OFG: We have a really big concert coming into town this Sunday. The Summer Sanitarium tour. What's your thoughts on this concert and how is Real Rock helping to promote the show?

Buckethead: It's our show. That's how were promoting it. It is our show. We've been in this town as Real Rock 101 one, WJRR. The frequency 101.1 has been in this town over a decade and we've been playing Mudvayne, Linkin Park, Deftones, Limp Bizkit and Metallica for all those years and there is no one that can come into this town and say that it is their show. That answers that question and people know it. This is a huge concert. To see five bands of this magnitude on one stage at one time in one day one night. It's probably a once in a lifetime opportunity.

There is Earth Day Birth Days - then there is Real Rock Summer Sanitarium Tour. Life doesn't get better than that on a Sunday. You start drinking at noon and pass out around one in the morning. It is going to be huge.

OFG: Will you be on stage tomorrow night?

Buckethead: No, but I do get to interview the bands and I will be on the air from 3 to 7 and I will get to interview the bands. So, I get to sit across from James of Metallica and we can talk about Metallica for as much time as I have. So, I am definitely looking forward to that. It goes back to those memorable moments of my radio career and I have a crazy feeling this Sunday will be one of them.

(OFG Note - If batteries for the mini-cd disc are fully charged. You'll have to ask Buckethead about this one...)

I'd love to interview Fred Durst, but I heard there may not be any
interviews with him. It is unfortunate, because I am a huge Limp Bizkit fan. But, either way, if I still get to talk to the other bands I will be happy. It is definitely going to be another successful Real Rock 101 one show.

OFG: What artists would be in your ultimate concert festival?

Buckethead: Well, depending on when this interview runs ... Metallica, Linkin Park, Mudvayne, Limp Bizkit and Deftones. (Laughs)

Some of my favorites I have seen on stage so far? I would say Saliva. They have an absolutely wonderful stage presence. Soil. Shinedown, the guys from Jacksonville ... they have a new cd coming out this Tuesday. They're great. Disturbed was powerful. You almost went to another world with them. A punk rock band that hasn't really hit mainstream yet is Starting Line. I was at the House of Blues for the Sum 41 concert. They were backing them up and I had to go backstage and meet those guys, because I was so blown away by their music. So, I'm doing what I can actually can to get those guys on the air. I think they need some credit where credit is due. Authority Zero is good on stage too. I'm sure I have missed a couple, but, oh well ... Oh, wait a minute! Sevendust, I can't believe I forgot to mention them!

OFG: How effective do you think an online publication like Orlando Florida Guide is at promoting Real Rock 101 one and the music industry in general?

Buckethead: Well, if people go to your site it's effective.
(Orlando Florida Guide has over 35,000 readers a day)
The internet is pretty much the next TV - if not already. You drive people to the site and to the information and they will go. I think it all matters about the information your giving them. Hopefully this interview will be pretty good. It is just a matter if they go there or not. So, I think it's great. The Internet is powerful. The work of the friendly devil.

OFG: Is there anything that you would like to say to the readers of Orlando Florida Guide and the listeners of Real Rock 101 one?

Buckethead: Well, I appreciate you guys coming in here and interviewing me. It is flattering. I don't get this opportunity often in the position that I am in. It's flattering and so thank you very much. For your readers ... if you are enjoying it, I appreciate that and like you asked me before it is a great way to get information and if your digging this show and Real Rock 101 one. Maybe we can do this again.

As far as my listeners go ... the Real Rock 101 one listeners - they'll read this interview because I told them to go there - obviously they are listening to my show.

The people who listen to Real Rock. Let me explain something first of all ... If you pay attention to how I talk on my show ... I do my best 99.9% of the time. I do my best not to say Y'all, you people, everyone out there, you guys listening? I do my best to say I appreciate you listening. I appreciate you being here. I've got something to give away to you later on. There is a reason why I do that and I don't know if anyone realizes why I do that.

It is because I am trying to talk to that one person who is listening where we are all on the same wave length and I like to tell my listeners this is their show as much as it is my show and I don't know if they believe me or not when I say that, but it is the God's honest truth.

I'm here to have good time. Give some information. Spin some tunes. Hang out. Get paid - go home and walk my dog and hang out with my girlfriend. That is all I'm here to do. So, if we can have a good time together I don't mean any malice by some of the things I say. It is all in good fun. So, I appreciate my listener's more than I think they'll ever know. They have no idea if I can get just one person to applaud or yell or scream. That when I go up on stage and they actually appreciate this show and this radio station, then that makes me feel good. But, obviously it comes down to the masses, so if you could all clap along I'd really appreciate it.

OFG: Buckethead, thank you for your time and letting us come back into the studio and redo the parts of the interview we lost. (long story)

Buckethead: I just hope this makes the interview that you guys fucked up the first time. (Everyone laughs)

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