“Metal Health” features Victor Wooten
Grammy-winning funk icon Bootsy Collins teams up with guitar virtuoso Buckethead and legendary bassist Victor Wooten for the release of a powerful new single, “Metal Health,” the title track from Collins’ forthcoming album via Bootzilla Records/Roc Nation. Marking the first official single from the project and the first-ever direct musical collaboration between Bootsy and Buckethead, the release represents an artistic milestone decades in the making.
At a time when the world feels increasingly chaotic, “Metal Health” emerges as a sonic escape hatch—a hard-hitting, psychedelic groove designed to uplift minds and soothe souls. With its explosive instrumentation and cosmic depth, the single centers around a deeper mission: raising awareness for mental health, particularly within creative communities.
“Through our music, ‘metal health’ is our way of putting the focus on a much more serious problem we have on our everyday streets! Mental Health is for real. ‘The bigger the headache, the bigger the pill,'” Collins says.
Blending funk, rock, and transcendental bass lines, “Metal Health” features a staggering lineup of collaborators, including Victor Wooten, Barbie T, Cob, and Tobe, the project’s lead engineer. Each brings a unique voice to a track that transcends genre and speaks to the soul.
“I’m so honored to be on a song with such incredible artists. What Bootsy’s doing with this LP and title track, ‘Metal Health,’ is so uplifting, along with his care for musicians, artists, and communities. Bootsy has the biggest heart. It’s such a great cause and he is a healing force unlike any out there!” Buckethead adds.
This new single continues Bootsy’s tradition of using music as a vessel for social awareness and emotional healing. Rooted in mindfulness, “Metal Health” is both a rallying cry and a release valve—a reminder that, even in madness, music can be medicine.
With over five decades in music, from his game-changing work with James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic to his continued influence across generations, Bootsy remains a cultural force. Recent projects include the mental health-focused single and podcast Is Anybody Out There?, co-hosted by his wife and longtime manager Patti Collins, as well as his philanthropic work through the Bootsy Collins Foundation and his community-driven initiative Funk Not Fight, aimed at reducing violence through creative expression.
