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VH1 Style Poll


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Just shows how picking the wrong topic title can ensure not getting any replies...now you know why book publishers agonize over titles so much .

 

But it's a good question. Here are some of my main influences over a long period of time:

 

Segovia. Made me want to learn guitar.

Wes Montgomery. Turned me on to the softer side of jazz.

Miles Davis. Taught me about unconventionality and simplicity.

Syd Barrett. Ever heard a more creative, out of the box songwriter?

Jimi Hendrix. Made me realize I had a long way to go before I could consider myself a guitarist.

The Who (before Keith Moon died). So much energy and stage presence.

The Stax-Volt label. Gave me a better clue about soul than Motown.

John Coltrane. The Rosetta Stone for single-note solos.

JS Bach. The Rosetta Stone for harmonies.

Beethoven. The inventor of heavy metal.

Dr. Walker. German mixer player who showed me a whole new way of looking at electronic instruments.

David Bowie. Made me realize I didn't have to have a great voice as long as I had a distinctive one .

George Martin. I think he sense of arranging has always been spot on.

John Muir (the one who wrote "How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive: A Guide for the Complete Idiot"). I couldn't have written any of my books if I hadn't read that first, and realized who to write a book that truly explains a subject.

And it's corny, but my biggest influence was my Dad. He was a jazz drummer, writer, and aeronautical engineer. He was also the most moral person I've ever met, and I don't mean in the Pat Robertson way, I mean the real deal of knowing the difference between right and wrong. I could not have asked for a better role model.

 

[This message has been edited by Anderton (edited 10-15-2000).]

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Originally posted by Anderton:

Just shows how picking the wrong topic title can ensure not getting any replies...B]

 

Ha...

 

It's also a vague question though - what kind of influence - like Brigit Bardot, or the time I saw my sister's friend in her undies as she was changing into her cheerleader outfit, or my fifth grade science teacher, or the spell my wife put on me, or...I think musical influences would be more focused.

 

Otherwise you get the "I'd like to thank my Mom, my Dad, my Producer, the roadies, blah blah blah" thing.

 

My list would be long, but I'd have to say it was the Beethoven and Mozart (thanks Dad)that started my spiral Into The Void - set up me up for that Jon Lord solo in Highway Star.

 

That was a pivotal moment. It's pretty strange to reflect back on something like that - the very fork in the road.

Steve Powell - Bull Moon Digital

www.bullmoondigital.com

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Okay, okay, already...I stand corrected http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif...I was talking about influences, although I do think that perhaps seeing someone changing into her cheerleader outfit at an early age could be considered a musical influence http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif...

 

I was thinking with all of the VH1 "The List", and 100 greatest this or that, that people would know what I was getting at. I was going to title the post something like "Better alfalfa production through crop rotation management" http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif I think I meant, whatever you play now, who more than anyone else inspired you to pick it up? Who'dja wanna be when you were a kid?

 

Great list, Craig, I mean, who could top choices like that? And to think I was going to say The Archies...HAHAHAHAHA....

 

I think my point in asking the question, is, we're all products (whether successful or not) of our influences. I'm one of those who was influenced by those who were influenced by others, and had to go back to get to the "originals" (who of course were yet influenced by others)...and so on.

 

But when you read lists of this sort, you kinda go "Oh yeah, I forgot about him/her", and realize that some of these people were a bigger influence than you thought!

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My Influences:

 

Keyboard/Piano:

Harlan Rogers

Bill Evans

Bob James

Robbie Buchanan

Edwin Hawkins

Joe Sample

 

General Musicianship:

All the keyboardists plus:

Abraham Laboriel (bass)

Joel Smith (bass)

Pino Palladino (bass)

El Debarge (vocals)

Ricky Lawson (drums)

Jeff Porcaro (drums)

Cece Winans (vocals)

Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar)

 

Production:

David Foster

Tommy Lipuma

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One thing about listing influences is you also get to pay some respect to cool people, as well as possibly turn people on to someone they might not be familiar with.

 

Actually, I left out two pretty important influences...back in the 70s, the Sex Pistols were a real breath of fresh air (or vomit, or whatever). They just shook things up and brought back that DIY kind of spirit. And Public Enemy was another one of those "slap you upside the head" kind of groups. When I heard what they were doing with samplers, it totally blew me away.

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Well, I've been silent on the matter so far, but I'd have to say for me...the main band that got me wanting to do something musical was The Beatles...

 

After that, guitar influences include:

 

Duane and Dickey

B.B. and Freddie

Terry Kath

Johnny Winter

Danny Gatton

 

(How come so many people I idolized are DEAD?)

 

Vocal influences:

Johnny Winter

John Fogerty (I like 'em raw)

 

Songwriter and/or other influences include

Todd Rundgren

Frank Zappa

John Hiatt

Stevie Wonder

Antonio Carlos Jobim (Ain't no sexier music in the world than Bossa, especially when some sexy young lass is singing it)

 

I mean, yep, I listened to (and still do) a lot of folks like Steve Morse, Pat Metheny, and John McLaughlin, but playing like that is another matter. Danny Gatton, too...

 

There are more, but these are probably the main ones

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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baroque classical - counterpoint, variation & fugue

Beach Boys - Production / harmonies / counterpoint

Rolling Stones - attitude / riffing / production

Sex Pistols - slammin sounds

Country & Western - shit kicking

 

An ever present very strong influence is - pop radio (1964 - present day)

 

http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

Jules

Jules

Producer Julian Standen

London, UK,

Come hang here! http://www.gearslutz.com

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Overall influence: JS Bach

Guitar: Hendrix, Page, Syd Barrett, Lou Reed, Robert Frip, Paul Leary, Helios Creed, John McLaughlin, Lee Renaldo

Vocals: Diamanda Galas, Laurie Anderson (great characters), Rick Ocasik (not only do not have to be able to sing, you don't have be all that good looking either.. there is hope!), Gibby Haynes (vocal sound designer extraordiaire)

Drums: Keith Moon, Terry Bozio, Billy Cox

Bass: Buddy Miles, Tony Levin

Keys: Greg Allman, Ray Charles, Rick Wakeman, Rick Wright, John Cage

 

Biggest influence: Albert Hoffman

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So, I guess I'll take this opportunity to thank the musicians who have always inspired me:

 

Bob Mould

J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.)

Jeff Buckley

the minutemen / fIREHOSE

Nick Drake

James Patrick Page

The Wedding Present

HUM

Ben Harper

They Might Be Giants

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Originally posted by Anderton:

One thing about listing influences is you also get to pay some respect to cool people, as well as possibly turn people on to someone they might not be familiar with.

 

Yeah, that's true, and Craig this is a great site/forum! I joined when it first launched as musicplayernetwork.com, it wasn't quite ready then but yeow this is superb! I can learn a lot here.

 

Thanks

-david abraham

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