Who or What Influenced Your Style?

[henwrench]

This isn't meant to be a list of bands or musicians you love, more a list of bands and musicians who sub consciously influenced the way you express your own music.

    When I first thought about this, it seems like the list could be huge. But stop and really think about why and how you play/sing/write. Stop thinking about shit you like and concentrate on your own creativity and expression.

    For anyone who cares, here are a few of my own direct influences...

    Why I play the guitar the way I do...
        Malcolm Young. Without even being aware of it, when I first started to play the electric guitar I was keeping my right hand moving between chords to aid with timing and adding that 'chock' sound in the gaps. This technique was a direct result of having listened to and loved so much AC/DC, that it filtered through, subconsciously and naturally into my own playing.

       Mike Oldfield. My Dad loves his stuff and as a very young child I was constantly exposed to his music. An awful lot of Oldfield stuff consists of 5-12 note simple melodies that spiral over and around each other. Very effective. I was also intrigued by the fact he pretty much played everything himself. Even as a child. So, years later and after being in bands as a guitarist, I found myself subconsciously and naturally deciding to make all my own noises.

    Why I 'write' songs the way I do...
       Another result of early childhood, quite simply, 'The Point' by Harry Nilsson. One of the greatest albums of all time, especially if your about 5 years old and are sick to the back teeth of hearing Tubular Bloody Bells. 

    There are a few more, but I'll stop for now. I think you get the idea...

     I'd love to hear about your subconscious influences...


                                                                   henwrench

[maxit]

is not easy to discover subconsious, but the truth is that everyone writing a song is trying to connect to it, so the question makes a lot of sense ! it'll take the whole dinner time to think about it ... i'll come back with some answers ;-) 

[henwrench]

is not easy to discover subconsious, but the truth is that everyone writing a song is trying to connect to it, so the question makes a lot of sense ! it'll take the whole dinner time to think about it ... i'll come back with some answers ;-) 

   Good answer!

                                                     henwrench

[Hook]

Like Maxit, it's a pretty deep question. Elvis Costello is the name that pops out for me. I've been a huge fan since I discovered his albums at the library when I was about 10. I didn't understand what he was always/ever talking about then, but how he communicated his ideas with his music made a huge impact. i never get tired of his lyrics & music and I'm always finding traces of him in mine. I too will think on this for others, but it's morning here so it will be through breakfast and work.
Rock on!

[thetworegs]

Decided to condense thoughts further ... my main subconscious influence is Jim Morrison the American prayer after hearing that I was changed and never been the same since ......

[maxit]

ok, I really had this in mind, I think is th truth: the sweetness and honesty of J. Denver music shoot me down when I was only about 10 years old - I never had listened something so tender, and made me stay dreaming for other 10 years. He won the battle over mr. Michael Jackson that was the edge in those years and signed my heart for the future and made myself swim the river in the opposite direction. Now I have other musician that I love (and maybe I not love Denver the same way now-never dislike him), but this is not important - this is my imprinting, I think.

[ODH]

It's a very interesting line of thought I'd not really considered before.  And I should probably give more credit to my mother's record collection than I previously have.  I was born in '65, so the early 70's in our house musically consisted of 5 or 6 key albums, thinking about it;
- Paranoid, Black Sabbath
- Led Zepelin III
- Pictures at an Exhition, Tomita
- Rubicon, Tangerine Dream
- A Clockwork Orange, Soundtrack
- Switched on Bach, Walter (Wendy) Carlos

So a smatering of classic rock and a bunch of pioneering electronic music.  There was so much change in music in the 70's that I picked up loads of influences.  I subsequently 'became' a punk, goth, new romantic, etc, etc in turn and there are much of these in my music now, but it's probably that early rock and electronica which 'informs' it.  I should add the Ramones 'It's Alive', which was massive to me in the late 70's and which I used to teach myself guitar.  And the John Peel show.  Peel was the father I never had.

[Flash Harry]

This is a tricky one.

Probably Debussy, sound's really pretencious, but I had a classical music upbringing.

And David Byrne, his way of using tonal rhythms I really like, difficult to emulate. I can't write lyrics.

[Tony W]

Interesting thread. My answer is probably too simple to even contribute, but here it is. I don't know yet. I am still in the infancy stages of music. I wasn't surrounded by it growing up, I really didn't listen to music much as a young adult. My eyes are wide open now, and I absorb everything as if I were an inquisitive toddler. I have barely written any lyrics, and my skill is extremely rough, but I have noticed that everything I've penned out becomes a point blank story similar to Kenny Rogers. As far as instruments go, I have no clue. I spun my wheels quite a bit, but in the last 2 months I'm gaining traction and starting to really learn how to play. When I become polished, it will be easier to define who my influences are.

[henwrench]

... but I have noticed that everything I've penned out becomes a point blank story similar to Kenny Rogers.

    There you go, you'll get to the 'fluences somehow. Brilliant answer.

                                                         henwrench