Other people's take on your music

[Billster]

So over the years, various people have compared my music to various well known artists, and I'm always surprised at what they hear. I mean, I know who influenced the various things I play - what other people hear is always interesting. Over the years, unprovoked comparisons have included the following:

 

Two people have said Jeff Beck at various points. Thank you, thank you.

One person said I had my own style. Double thank you :love:

Somebody said Larry Carlton.

Another person said Boston (the band, not the city I live in). I'm okay with that, it was a pop song.

 

And tonight, a new one: Mose Allison. Never expected that one. I like Mose, so I have to guess there's some influence there on a subconcious level. You never know what people are going to hear.

 

[Dr. Ellwood]

Yes sometimes it takes you by surprise! Lets see... well a writer on the Blues Ring network compared something I did to SRV and Mike Bloomfield. Another time in the Detroit Free Press a writer said I reminded him of Johnny Winter meets Mike Bloomfield? (his words not mine LOL) one time a writer covering some outdoor concerts in local parks said I reminded him of Terry Kath. In my case though I think it is just how well I cover these players doing cover songs. Hay but I'll take the comparisons and smile!!

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Well, people hearing me play the bass often tell me I have my own style, or just assume I'm playing guitar.

 

For what it's worth, my bass playing's been compared to Ani DiFranco's guitar work (yeah, right) And for a while in the 90s, people asked if I was a big Pat Metheny fan, which was puzzling because I've never actually liked his stuff.

 

But what do people know? *shrug*

 

Personally, I think my guitar stuff sounds a bit like JJ Cale, he's not exactly a fretboard god, but then again, neither am I

[Gruupi]

I've had my slide playing compared to a dieing cat, does that count?

[Michael Patrick]

Last year at a gig this very drunken (but damn fine looking...) woman insisted repeatedly and with increasing vehemence that we sounded like Styx. I don't know where she got that from, but I guess there are worse bands to be compared too...

[Darcy H]

I tend to remind people of someone who has been playing for far less longer than I have.

[Trucks]

I tend to go through phases of working on something specifically, like a style or whatever.

 

When I am going through my Open tuning 12 string phase, I get likened to John Butler. When I go through my cross tuning delta blues phase, I get likened to Skip James.

 

I have been working on Jazz for a while, and am yet to be likened to anybody lol Maybe that is sayin something... :-)

 

I had a comment on youtube the other day which simply said "you are very talented." but im not sure if that comment is sarcastic or not lol

[Bluesape]

People keep telling me they hear Johnny Winter, Jimi, Alvin Lee, and Buddy Guy in my playing. I can live with that.

[Phil W]

When you play fretless bass you get the Jaco thing a lot. I was very conscious of that and systematically avoided learning any of his licks for many years, but any fretless player is influenced by him. I heard a guy say Stanley Clarke - which is either mistaken or very, very perceptive as I love Stanley. I used to get 'Jack Bruce' a lot but not anymore. Last comparison I got was James Jamerson so I immediately fell in love with that guy Maybe it's the flatwound strings.

[Billster]

And for a while in the 90s, people asked if I was a big Pat Metheny fan, which was puzzling because I've never actually liked his stuff.

 

That's what I'm getting at. I wouldn't call Boston or Mose Allison major influences, but if that's what people take from it, who am I to argue?

 

I'd probably be worried if they heard any Styx in there though.

 

People keep telling me they hear Johnny Winter, Jimi, Alvin Lee, and Buddy Guy in my playing. I can live with that.

 

...compared something I did to SRV and Mike Bloomfield. Another time ... Johnny Winter meets Mike Bloomfield? ... reminded him of Terry Kath.

 

See, all of those guys are pretty closely related. It's not a big stretch from Johnny Winter to Alvin Lee. But for one person to take "Boston" and another "Mose Allison" is quite a distance!

[The Bear Jew]

I think sometimes people hear with their eyes--that's when people say I sound like Darrell (Pantera.) That's just dumb--I don't sound anything like him at all. He played really clean and fast, and I do neither. I am a bendy, sloppy mess. When people listen to my recordings, I get comparisons to Buck Dharma (Blue Oyster Cult), Joe Walsh, Duane Roland (Molly Hatchet), Greg Ginn (Black Flag) and Tony Iommi. I think all of these are actually accurate.

 

As a bassist, nobody ever says I sound like anyone else. I think that's because I don't really do anything particularly amazing or overly identifiable on bass.

[dave251]

I always get accused of trying to play beyond my talent level!!!

 

 

[smirk]

I have a tune people always say sounds like Rush and I'm cool with that. I have been told I sound like Jerry Garcia and Carlos Santana and I will humbly accept that and keep practicing till I think I hear it.