Forum Member Top 5/10 Influential Artists/Bands/Producers

[freeQlow]

Curious as to what forum members consider their most influential Artists/Bands/Producers were.

Not a contest, not everyone likes the same music, but what made you want to figure out how to mic a drum kit, design a sound, arrange some beats and become a computer musician?

What were 5/10 defining albums, artists, bands, djs, producers, labels or genres in your life?

KEEP IT CASUAL, RESPECTFUL, PLAYFUL, INFORMATIVE AND MATURE MEMBERS! !!!

[Namahs Amrak]

In no particular order:

Ozric Tentacles
Simon Posford
Jethro Tull
Gong
Tool


Reasons being that they all pushed the boundaries and took music away from the standard, boring old 4/4, sing shit about love, verse chorus/verse/bridge structures, and instead marched to the beat of their own drum.

[motuscott]

Cap't Beefheart
Genesis
Elton John (& his producers)
punk rock
weed
OTAY NOW! I'm goddamn 60 years old

[Pinkbox]

Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers, Modeselektor, Andy Stott, Samuel Kerridge

They're not on the same level tho. Daft Punk and Chem Bros may be responsible for me starting to make music, as a kid (respectively Alive'97 & Come With Us), while the three others are the most influential artists in the music I make.

[K.Markov]

hm, well...

tangerine dream (phaedra, ricochet, rubycon, stratosfear, cyclone, force majeure)
kraftwerk (autobahn, trans-europe express, the man machine, computer world, electric cafe, tour de france)
pink floyd (atom heart mother, meddle, dark side otm, wish you were here, animals, the wall)
jm jarre (oxygene, equinoxe)
vangelis (chariots of fire)

oh yes, and system of a down. no kidding

[JNeffLind]

The Beatles. Not in terms of specific techniques per se, but just the fact that they went from bubble gum pop to playing sitars, using orchestras, doing psychedelic stuff, medleys, etc. Also, they pushed the envelope in terms of the chords they used, the melodies they wrote, not to mention their lyrical content. Whether or not one likes them, they were innovative on an absolutely objective level.

Also, I'm going to get some hate for this, but I have a good amount of respect for the Dave Matthews Band. They're shit on a lot as frat rock, but anyone who tries to chart their music in terms of theory can see they are incredibly complex musically. They're also a group of great musicians, no filler in terms of any band members. In terms of their performances and writing, they're a million miles ahead of most anyone who could be classified as any form of pop, rock, funk, electronic, etc. Only jazz does more. Lyrically Dave wasn't brilliant, but he was outside the box.

Bring the flames!!!

Edit: just realized I need three more. Paul Simon. Tracy Chapman. The Indigo Girls.

[motuscott]

You were expecting burn but got a light pleasant rain.
What happened to the internet I knew?
Fek all y'all cordial mofos, I'm off to Gearslutz...

[Namahs Amrak]

The Beatles. Not in terms of specific techniques per se, but just the fact that they went from bubble gum pop to playing sitars, using orchestras, doing psychedelic stuff, medleys, etc. Also, they pushed the envelope in terms of the chords they used, the melodies they wrote, not to mention their lyrical content. Whether or not one likes them, they were innovative on an absolutely objective level.

I can't believe I left the Beatles off my list. The period from Rubber Soul onwards to their demise is truly groundbreaking.

[motuscott]

the Fab Four is the standard.

[JNeffLind]

I can't believe I left the Beatles off my list. The period from Rubber Soul onwards to their demise is truly groundbreaking.

the Fab Four is the standard.

Yeah. The third best songwriter in the group was better than many other bands' number one songwriter. Ringo was just Ringo, but he did his job and could even sing harmony, not to mention the glory that was Yellow Submarine and Octopus's Garden. And we can't forget George Martin. Gotta respect the lads from Liverpool.

[freeQlow]

Led Zeplin (Bonham)
the Cars
the Cure
Depeche Mode
Dr Dre
Dynamix II
BT
Rabbit in the Moon
Kraftwerk
Way Out West

[freeQlow]

Led Zeplin opened my ears where I could focus on one instrument and turn the gain down on everything, yes even Plants heavenly voice.

Bonham is the best drummer ever IMO. There are several other drummers who rock out but bonham never gets old.

[decibel]

my tastes are vast, can never pick a top 5, 10 etc as there is just to much good music that is good for so many different reasons, i'll throw 5 random names down though

the jb's
zapp (the troutman brothers)
herbie hancock
prince
the jimi hendrix experience (+ band of gypsys)

[am0eba]

Earliest influences:
Pink Floyd (pre- Dark Side of the Moon!)
Walter/Wendy Carlos
Yes
Emerson Lake and Palmer
King Crimson
Louis and Bebe Barron (Soundtrack to Forbidden Planet)
Tchaikovsky
Stravinsky
Eno
Beatles

Later influences:
Tomita
Larry Fast (Synergy)
Kraftwerk
Peter Gabriel
Talking Heads
M (Pop Musik)
Cars
Devo
Bowie
King Crimson (yep, very different from 1969 version)

Latest influences:
King Crimson (yep, completely different with each incarnation)
Soul Coughing & Mike Doughty
Pop Will Eat Itself
Cure
UNKLE
Fatboy Slim
Chemical Brothers
Orbital
Alanis Morrisette
Imogen Heap

That was hard... So many important influences!

_Dave_

[motuscott]

Bonham is the best drummer ever IMO.

Just saying. Roy Haynes. The anti Bonham. And I lurves me some Bonham.

[freeQlow]

How about all of James Browns studio/band drummers?
8-)
Funky Drum Breaks!

[freeQlow]

Love that List Dave!

[freeQlow]

herbie hancock

Is that the Rockit Herbie, Acid Jazz Herbie, Classical Herbie or just everything Herbie?

He is so underrated if the listener only knows Herbie for rockit!

[decibel]

herbie hancock

Is that the Rockit Herbie, Acid Jazz Herbie, Classical Herbie or just everything Herbie?

He is so underrated if the listener only knows Herbie for rockit!

everything herbie, may as well throw quincy jones in as a 6th pick, allthough there would be a million other worthy names to add to the selection without trying too hard

[Lizard]

Barring some pretty "defacto" influences such as the Beatles/Stones/Zeppelin/Doors that can't help but have an impact on all musicians to some degree, these are the artists that I have most associated with and tried to follow at some point their musical stylings (successfully or unsuccessfully). Keeping it to 5....

Peter Gabriel
Oingo Boingo / Danny Elfman
The Pixies
Thomas Dolby
XTC

[grumo]

My first picks would be pretty near decibel's list, including Quicy!

I'd add a touch of Primus, some Black Sabbath and Pantera, Frank Zappa and of course some George Clinton/P-Funk into the mix and we're good to go

[decibel]

My first picks would be pretty near decibel's list, including Quicy!

I'd add a touch of Primus, some Black Sabbath and Pantera, Frank Zappa and of course some George Clinton/P-Funk into the mix and we're good to go

haha, i was gonna add black sabbath and frank zappa on my next list , didnt think of george clinton but yep how could you not include him on any relevant list ?

heres a few more things ive enjoyed in the past, not really indicitive of what my current musical tastes are but its all stuff that has been and influence at some point or another

gil scott heron
ultramagnetic mcs
slayer
frank zappa
eric b & rakim
the prodigy
inner city
billy joel
d bridge
ac/dc
juan atkins (cybotron)
suicidal tendencies
main source
black sabbath
epmd
geto boys
calibre
bob segar
seba
bob marley and the whalers
icehouse (the flowers)
bdp
henry rollins
roy ayers
marcus intalex
kool and the gang
earth wind and fire
credence clear water revival band
nina simone
fela kuti

[freeQlow]

I love how you can get a list with Slayer, Boogie Down Productions and Inner City on it.

Can't believe Teddy Riley, the Rza, dj Premier, the Temptations, Fleetwood Mac and Public Enemy haven't been mentioned.
There, now there in your short term.

Great lists, keep me coming

[decibel]

I love how you can get a list with Slayer, Boogie Down Productions and Inner City on it.

Can't believe Teddy Riley, the Rza, dj Premier, the Temptations, Fleetwood Mac and Public Enemy haven't been mentioned.
There, now there in your short term.

Great lists, keep me coming

they would have been mentioned soon enough lol

[decibel]

maybe we should set up a thread for youtube clips ?

the the
marvin gaye
roberta flack
frank sinatra
iggy pop
talking heads
cold chisel
human league
new order
spandau ballet
visage
gary numan
devo
wall of voodoo
devo
oingo boingo
style council
the jam
siouxsie and the banshees
split enz
duran duran
the specials
madness
the cars
concret blonde
the clash