Ten Musicians Who Inspired/Influenced You and Why

[kayfabe58]

Luther Perkins ...my first guitar experience... Simple enough to understand, but what he influenced is beyond the scope of what he did.

Robbie Krieger...The first rock guitarist I ever was exposed to-he sounded like nothing I'd ever heard , he seemed to play with a sense of intelligence I never imagined existed (I was 14)-I dislike his live playing for the most part, but on record he is unique.I really enjoy his 70's post Doors playing-Jazzy, funky and surprisingly muscular.

Jerry Reed...I still can't do what he did! His comfort level was amazing.

Robert Fripp...I'll second the acoustic guitar in Cirkus-It opened more doors than I'll ever be able to say...lets not even get into to his overall influence and vision.

Tony Banks...Such a detailed composer in his realm...His underpinning chord blocks to add dimension to his solos is awe inspiring.

Queen: Freddy and Brian May had a sense of something I resonated with....Brian always played the mimicked guitar part like the true instrument(and not just the tone)-he understood purpose over posturing.
Freddy wrote great songs for the first five albums.
Night At The Opera IMO is the 70's Sgt Pepper because of what it ushered in
(production,big vocals, majestic guitars..)

Bill Nelson...He sounded like me! His ideas were in direct line with my creative vision(1978) A true genius at understanding dramatic effect with: smart flourishes that had a slightly askew harmonic approach for the time.(for rock guitarists)

Gary Numan...He wrote real songs and colored them in a unique and human way(juxtaposed against the cold synth back drops...on the first albums there was always real drums under the machine beats, along with guitars,violins, and piano)


Mick Karn...The most unique bass player I've ever heard...

David Sylvian...His sense of space is scary...

Nick Cave...Hit and miss, but his hits are out of the park. His band gets a lot of credit, so it's a toss up that works.He also sounded like my vision at the time (1992)

Tom Waits...I avoided him for almost 30 years...Hands Down:The Best...
He fails at times, he is over the top... it doesn't matter: His genius is evident once you really listen. I'll stop now because it will go on for pages.

[WytchCrypt]

I began musical life informally messing about with an organ at age 4, seriously took up drums at 15, switched to bass and started playing in prog bands at 16, back to keyboards at 20 and started doing the one-man-band thing, added electric guitar at 23 then spent the next 30 years writing/recording my own one man band projects and plan to continue to do so until...well, you know

Couldn't come up with 10 so here's the 9 musicians who influenced me the most.

1) Paul McCartney - when I was a kid the Beatles were the masters of music and Paul was my fave. His bass lines were like no one who had come before especially from Revolver on. And that voice, I always wished I could sing like him though I never really got there.

2) Keith Richards - I know he's become the punch line to a lot of jokes in the last few years but back in the 60's Keith was one bad Mofo. He virtually created the myth of the dark & disturbed electric guitar gunslinger.

3) Tony Iommi - seeing Sabbath play the '74 California Jam was the first time I wanted to be a musician. Tony made me want to play guitar and spread the gospel of doom.

4) Keith Emerson - What the hell was that thing at the end of Lucky Man? I want to play one of those! Then I became obsessed with ELP's Pictures at an Exhibition and that crazy Hammond organ sound. Keith could play upside down, backwards, or inside out...incredible!

5) John Wetton - when I was playing bass in prog bands I always kept a nasty distortion pedal nearby so I could get that mid 70's Crimso growl that JW got. He sounded like no other bassist I'd ever heard.

6) Robert Fripp - Iommi made me want to play guitar, Fripp made me want to scare people with a guitar.

7) Bill Bruford - the king of drummers to me...though I never enjoyed his electronic drum style beginning in 1980, his work in the 70's on an acoustic kit always inspired me to achieve things on drums I just never had the talent to really pull off!

8) Tony Banks - Tony may have been an awful improvisor (the opposite of Emo and Wakeman), but he was my fave kybd composer. From his logical chordal harmonic arrangements to the way his synth solos just made sense with his backing chords, no one could touch his classic 70's Genesis parts.

9) Frank Zappa - not for his guitar playing, but for his ability to "be the band" and write the pieces and orchestrate them his way. He inspired me to really believe I could do a one man band and handle all the parts myself.

[Bungalow Bill]

Great question. I've never really thought about this.

1. John Lennon: Mostly for lyrics and composition but also for earnest vocal delivery. It's amazing how many of his songs have a funky little time change in an unexpected spot.
2. Paul McCartney: For bass playing, especially the use of a highly melodic style. Also, interesting chord choices on guitar. (Same with JL and GH.)
3. Ian Anderson: For acoustic guitar style and also for lyrics.
4. Andy Partridge: For lyrics, composition and odd guitar.
5. Adrian Belew: For lyrics, odd guitar and adventurous exploration.
6. Charles Mingus: For sheer genius.
7. Roy Harper: Again, for sheer genius. Love his lyrics and guitar style.
8. Billy Joel: For repeated ability to create strong earworms.
9. Pete Townshend: For lyrics, energy and integrity.
10. Donald Fagen/Walter Becker: For complexity wed to irresistible hooks.

Honorable Mentions

1. Bass players like Sting and Bill Wyman who use/used very idiosyncratic (even if simplistic) walking bass lines.
2. Ray Davies: Master lyricist and great composer within the confines of some musical limitations.
3. Rick Nielsen: For cleverness and good humor.
4. Robin Zander: Vocals...vocals...vocals...
5. John Entwistle: I can by no means play like JW but I learned from him not to rest on the easiest bass line but to push a bit with regard to note selection and bridging the guitar and drums.

[Mikhael]

Man, how can you just pick @#$% TEN?!? I know some have more sway over me than others, but there's probably hundreds of people that have influenced my musical life, one way or another...

[IncogNeato]

Hm...let's see if I can do this on the fly. Keep in mind, I'm a singer...so:

Daryl Hall - vocals and vibe
Steve Walsh - vocals and delivery
dUg Pinnick - vocals, lyrics and groove
Steve Perry - vocals, vocals and more vocals
John Elefante - vocals, studio harmony layering
Peter Gabriel - vocals, lyrics, and heart
Bono - vocals, lyrics and passion
John Lennon - lyrics and wit
George Harrison - melody and heart
Paul McCartney - melody and craft

[Mikhael]

Hm...let's see if I can do this on the fly. Keep in mind, I'm a singer...so:

Daryl Hall - vocals and vibe
Steve Walsh - vocals and delivery
dUg Pinnick - vocals, lyrics and groove
Steve Perry - vocals, vocals and more vocals
John Elefante - vocals, studio harmony layering
Peter Gabriel - vocals, lyrics, and heart
Bono - vocals, lyrics and passion
John Lennon - lyrics and wit
George Harrison - melody and heart
Paul McCartney - melody and craft

You wouldn't be a SINGER, by any chance?

[IncogNeato]

You wouldn't be a SINGER, by any chance?

Of course...I even said I was before my list.

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

I been playing the GTR for 40 years now but started on the drums way, way back. In order of influence:

1 Micky Dolenz: When the Monkees hit the TV air-waves, I was 8 and was TOTALLY taken in by it all. It didn't help (or hurt) that my neighbors were these twin teenage dudes who had a band (one played GTR the other drums) me and my Brother would sneak onto their front porch and "spy" on them as they jammed. I used to hear a TON a psychadelic music coming out of their bedroom windows. This experience definately made me want to play drums.

Hate to break this to you, but the guy who played the drums on all those early Monkees records was Eddie Hoh, so he's your REAL #1 influence. Eddie also played on many of the Mamas & Papas and Donovan records as well, along with the Bloomfield/Stills/Kooper "Super Session" and many of Harvey Mandel's solo albums. A superb player, and deserving to be an influence on most any rock drummer.

[trurl]

I thought Hal Blaine played most of the Monkees sessions.... And Mickey did play on Headquarters. Sort of. ;-)

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

I thought Hal Blaine played most of the Monkees sessions.... And Mickey did play on Headquarters. Sort of. ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Hoh

[Supersonic Scientist]

Hate to break this to you, but the guy who played the drums on all those early Monkees records was Eddie Hoh, so he's your REAL #1 influence. Eddie also played on many of the Mamas & Papas and Donovan records as well, along with the Bloomfield/Stills/Kooper "Super Session" and many of Harvey Mandel's solo albums. A superb player, and deserving to be an influence on most any rock drummer.

Dude, do REALLY think that that would have mattered to an 8 year old. I'm fairly certain that the point I was trying to make is that I connected with the Monkees music and the personas enough to be inspired to pursue music and the drums in particular.

[Calabasas_Trafalgar]

Dude, do REALLY think that that would have mattered to an 8 year old. I'm fairly certain that the point I was trying to make is that I connected with the Monkees music and the personas enough to be inspired to pursue music and the drums in particular.

Point not particularly well made. If it was, you should have been inspired to become an actor

[nosebone]

early influences:

1) Tony Iommi Tony inspired me to buy an SG , a Big Muff and the Black Sabbath Shattering Sounds song book ( standard notation pre tab 70s) I learned every riff in that rag.

2) Jack Stenta Jack was three years older, lived five houses down, had a beautiful SG custom and was the king of rock guitar at my high school. His favorite guitarist was Hendrix and Jack just nailed his style.
He took me under his wing and showed me a million songs and all of the legit rock guitar techniques of the day.

3) Duane Allman & Dickey Betts I learned the Dorian mode and basics of looong improvisation from jamming along for hours with the Fillmore East album.

4)John "the cat" Gatto & Mickey Marcello These two were in the excellent underrated Long Island NY band The Good Rats.
I saw them live more than any other band and their twin guitar approach, songwriting skills really blew me away. Huge influence til this day.

5) Mark Hitt Mark played in a great LI cover band called Rat Race Choir . He was my gateway guitar influence to Prog.
They covered Utopia, UK, Bruford & Gentle Giant. They also did a killer set of Who and Led Zep material. A lot of there old shows can be found on Youtube.

6)John Goodsall I was a Brand X freak, and I transcribed many of Johns songs & solos in high school.

7) Frank Zappa His aesthetic still haunts me everyday.

8) Steve Morse Heavy Dixie Dregs transcribing with a two speed Marantz cassette deck. I learned so much from that work period.

9) Allan Holdsworth Allan was so different from everybody else that I was listening to at the time. I loved the Bruford albums, Jean Luc Ponty's Enigmatic Ocean and the first UK. I still don't know what the hell he's doing, but still one of my all time favorite players.

10) Larry Carlton His first solo album and Steely Dan's The Royal Scam were must learn guitar material for serious late 70s guitarists.


That brings me to about 1981.

[Mikhael]

Point not particularly well made. If it was, you should have been inspired to become an actor

I thought he made the point just fine. I know; I wanted to BE Mike Nesmith. And Micky did become the drummer for the Monkees; after all, they were touring before the show ended. BTW, Micky played guitar and sang in a band before the Monkees; none of the four were strangers to music before the show, although their instruments may have changed. But no matter who played on the records, it was those four we looked up to.

Aside from that, they had some of the best songwriters in the business writing for them, and some of the top studio cats working on their albums. There were some damn good songs that came out of that effort; Carole King still gets miffed after she performs "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and poeple ask her why she's singing a Monkees song...

So yeah, I can see them being an influence easily. Call it the Monkees Machine or whatever, if you wish, but they did influence a lot of young and pre teens to grab an instrument and annoy the crap out of their parents...

[No Pride]

I thought he made the point just fine. I know; I wanted to BE Mike Nesmith. And Micky did become the drummer for the Monkees; after all, they were touring before the show ended. BTW, Micky played guitar and sang in a band before the Monkees; none of the four were strangers to music before the show, although their instruments may have changed. But no matter who played on the records, it was those four we looked up to.

Aside from that, they had some of the best songwriters in the business writing for them, and some of the top studio cats working on their albums. There were some damn good songs that came out of that effort; Carole King still gets miffed after she performs "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and poeple ask her why she's singing a Monkees song...

So yeah, I can see them being an influence easily. Call it the Monkees Machine or whatever, if you wish, but they did influence a lot of young and pre teens to grab an instrument and annoy the crap out of their parents...

Andy Partridge of XTC cites The Monkees as a big influence.

[Supersonic Scientist]

early influences:



5) Mark Hitt Mark played in a great LI cover band called Rat Race Choir . He was my gateway guitar influence to Prog.
They covered Utopia, UK, Bruford & Gentle Giant. They also did a killer set of Who and Led Zep material. A lot of there old shows can be found on Youtube.

Rat Race Choir....holy crap......I remember them. They played the Jersey shore ALOT (I grew up right outside of Asbury Park) Must have seen them 20+ times back in the day. They were REALLY GOOD!!!!!

[Phlakaton]

Being a drummer - this will be drummer heavy -

1. Frank Zappa --- Not much to say other than my all time favorite guitarist and composer. Nobody will ever do as much for music - for me at least - than this man.
2. Vinnie Colaiuta --- Yup - Most drummers would list this man - but why spend time saying why... he's just incredible on so many levels - and can sight read while eating sushi with one arm.
3. Neil Peart --- Not my favorite drummer anymore but when I was a kid he was the man. I got inspired by everything he played. He's still great and brought a unique style to rock.
4. Robert Wyatt --- Not only a risk taking player - warts and all - also a fantastic song writer and performer. Creative as hell.
5. Jan Hammer --- If I had to pick someone by a nose in the photo finish between George Duke and Jan - it'd be Mr. Hammer. He's just my favorite keyboardist hands down. Mahavishnu Orchestra was quite the beast and without him - not the same.
6. Chris Cutler --- Wow... he laid the foundation for some of the most interesting playing inside a band I've ever heard. Ridiculous player. Inventive and what a style to watch.
7. Dave Kerman --- Another player that I'm sure was influenced by Cutler - it so happens everything I've heard from Dave is something I can totally get into. Laying down some great simple beats among the chaos is always a great thing.
8. Miles Davis --- Just another one of those people who had a nack for putting the right people and elements together for my enjoyment. His solos were amazing in their simple approach too.
9. Simon Phillips --- Other than being a stellar player - he was instrumental in how drums were recorded and sounded. Love all his solo work. The latest Protocol II is hot.
10. Robert Fripp --- What a band King Crimson is. SO many flavors and sounds over the last 40 years. They stand alone with this guy driving the bus.

[trurl]

Plus- Jan Hammer was a pretty darn good drummer too! I love that list.

[Phlakaton]

Plus- Jan Hammer was a pretty darn good drummer too! I love that list.

Oh ya man. I dig his drumming a lot too. I guess those years of sitting with Billy Cobham were very instructional.

[cavgator]

Played drums since junior high school in the band. In order:

* Ringo: Jest because...
* Buddy Rich: My band director's favorite, and with good reason.
* Mitch Mitchell: Loved that swinging style, a perfect complement to Jimi's wailing
* Don Brewer: Very active back there, and with that big afro, he just LOOKED cool.
* Michael Giles: My Gawd, listen to that pattern! And how clear and full the drums sound on the record!"
* Carl Palmer: My first hero. "He's like Buddy Rich and only a couple of years older than me!"
* Billy Cobham: "Oh wow; there's no way I can do that. Where does he get the power and speed?"
* Michael Walden: "It's IMPOSSIBLE to replace Cobham. Oh wait..." Absolutely explosive, yet stylish and unique. Can hear his distinct sound from anyone else's.
* Bill Bruford: The cleanest, most precise drummer in prog. When he left Yes, the Yes sound partially left with him.

A whole slew of great drummers as I got older and more educated. Many were alums of the University of Zaapa, many pure jazzers, others were longtime session aces. I love 'em all!

[Phlakaton]

Played drums since junior high school in the band. In order:

* Ringo: Jest because...
* Buddy Rich: My band director's favorite, and with good reason.
* Mitch Mitchell: Loved that swinging style, a perfect complement to Jimi's wailing
* Don Brewer: Very active back there, and with that big afro, he just LOOKED cool.
* Michael Giles: My Gawd, listen to that pattern! And how clear and full the drums sound on the record!"
* Carl Palmer: My first hero. "He's like Buddy Rich and only a couple of years older than me!"
* Billy Cobham: "Oh wow; there's no way I can do that. Where does he get the power and speed?"
* Michael Walden: "It's IMPOSSIBLE to replace Cobham. Oh wait..." Absolutely explosive, yet stylish and unique. Can hear his distinct sound from anyone else's.
* Bill Bruford: The cleanest, most precise drummer in prog. When he left Yes, the Yes sound partially left with him.

A whole slew of great drummers as I got older and more educated. Many were alums of the University of Zaapa, many pure jazzers, others were longtime session aces. I love 'em all!

Michael Giles --- his playing is just ridiculous. The McDonald and Giles album blows me away.

[augdimsus]

In chronological order as the influences occurred, often via specific tracks...

1. Scott Joplin via the soundtrack of The Sting as presented by Marvin Hamlisch (see #4).
2. Elton John for the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album, and especially...
3. "Funeral for a Friend" with David Hentschel and the ARP 2500.
4. Marvin Hamlisch, again with a soundtrack ("Nobody Does It Better") for pop sensibility.
5. David Stone "Gates of Babylon" solo for chord choice.
6. Rick Wright "Celestial Voices" for chord choice.
7. Jan Hammer "Crockett's Theme" and Miami Vice for expansion of keyboard utility.
8. Steve Stevens "World's Forgotten Boy" for synth-programmed structure and color.
9. Enya "Aldebaran" and the Juno-60 for outer space, arpeggiated.
10. Tori Amos "Siren" for agitation.

[the winter tree]

1) Dee Murray - the greatest rock bassist ever. Made me want to learn bass as a 13 year old.

2) Greg Lake - loved his style as a bassist/guitarist/vocalist

3) Jimmy Page - I learned many of his open tunings on acoustic guitar

4) Alan Parsons - a master of the studio

5) Tony Banks - love the symphonic grandeur and and his style of keyboard playing

6) David Gilmour - Although he's a great guitarist, it's his acoustic playing and voice that influeneced me the most.

7) David Sylvian - His use of atmospheric synths was a huge influence on me.

8) Tangerine Dream - My favorite electronic artists. Another huge influence.

9) Bob Dylan - a profound influence when I was a young kid.

10) David Cassidy - David was the first one to show me the connection between being a musician and meeting girls ;-)

[julioscissors]

I was going to list the Beatles first, but that would've been stupid because OF COURSE they are first...

2. Jimmy Page - The absolute pinnacle in slinging that guitar low, druggin', drinking, and rock and roll. Sloppy? Yes. Who cares!

3. Tony Banks - Those chord changes; there's nothing like them and no one like him. Best rock keyboardist of all time as far as I'm concerned and it's not even close.

4. Chicago - Grew up on Chicago II and TERRY FUCKING KATH! Man, he was such a great talent.

5. Stevie Wonder - Song in the Key of Life is one revelation after another. "Contusion" and "As" is (or "are" if you're editing for grammar) mandatory for musicians.

6. Neil Finn - Best pop songwriter ever. Better than McCartney and YES I SAID IT.

7. John Lydon - He's really one a kind, and he knows it. Plus, PiL's "Album" is one of my all time favs. Where else could you have John Lydon, Steve Vai, Bill Laswell and Ginger Baker all on one track

8. Fish - His lyrics really influenced me as a young dude

9. Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique" - Not trying to be "hip" here... but this is a masterpiece of sampling by the Dust Brothers. I have no respect for hip hop or rap, but this CD is the exception to the rule for me. I've probably listened to this CD more then any other non-Beatles CD.

10. Prince - he's just a inspiration. There is no one like him on the planet. And... Vanity, Sheen Easton, Appolonia... man is a BEAST

[tigermoth]

Hi. I'm also a mutli instrumentalist, or even a multi instrumentalist, and a singer.

!.
1.Phil Collins. The first singer I had a real passion for. So many of my friends slag him off, but they're usually people who only know in the air tonight and another day in paradise. Apart from his awesomeness in Genesis, his contribution to british pop can't be denied and he's so direct in his emotion. If you disagree, i'd erge you to take a listen to Face Value, then if you stil disagree i'd erge you to chop your ears off as you clearly no longer have a use for them.


2. George michael. I just think his singing and writing is outstanding.

3. Steve Hackett. For me, the king of Prog, and the biggest link we have now to the 70s genesis that is so lamented. A great influence on me, and a stunning player of electric and nylon.

4. Tony Banks. I make no apologies for including 3 members of Genesis. I think when I was young I actuallly wanted to be Tony Banks. I remember earnestly trying to learn the Cage solo as a 12 year old on my old yamaha. The textures and his melodies have influenced me since then.

5. Brian may, My biggest influence when it comes to guitar playing. In my early days as a guitarist I was determined to master his solos. With all the technology and quality instruments we have these days and with guitar moddling putting tons of new sounds at our finger tips, it stil seems hard for guitarists these days to have an individual sound, but Brian May didd and does.

6. George benson, An incredible jazz guitarist and singer. It seems like he's never changed his sound from day one, yet it's stil fresh and his technique is flawless. I saw him in the UK last year and he blew me away. It's no coincidence that if you were to ask me to name my top 5 guitarists, George, Steve and Brian would be in there (Along with Brad Paisley and Roin Stolt)/

7. Walter Afanasieff. An excellent keyboard player, but mainly for his production. People have this big problem with keyboard drums, and strings etc. I can see why to an extent. But if Walter had thought that way we might not have had some of the greatest pop albums ever made. His sounds, programmes and textures are lush. Strangely many of the artists he produced I didn't really care for at first, but I grew to love them all, owing in no small part to Walter's production.

8. Phill Colin, Def Lepperd's guitarist. (Oh, there's my top 6)

9. Kirk Walem, An amazing sax player. I bought his solo album in 2001, not knowing who he was but having heard him on Jazz fm. I found him to be my ideal sax player and i took alot from him in my sax playing. He reminded me of some of those great sax breaks in the 80s, then I found out later that he had in fact played many of them.

10. Art Tatum, Just an amazing pianist.

Of course I could go on as could we all. Great to see other people's choices, and Trurl, you made yourself a sale. I love it. Just wish i'd payed more now. I love the piano intro on track two. Debussy an influence? and when I got to the Moses supposes bit I nearly died. Lol Brilliant. Lots of variation which is what I love.

So I may as well put a link on here to my album teaser:
https://soundcloud.com/tiger-moth-tales/album-teaser
This will demonstrate perfectly how some of the artists above have influenced my playing, so not atall off topic.