General Music Chat

For me it was Nirvana. When I first really started. The person who got me into playing was more of a punk type guitarist (still is!) but I went this way to being with and really never left.

I wanted to be Nirvana... I learned all their songs (perfect for a beginner right?)... I didn't just like or even just love them. I became them, especially Cobain, as much as I could.

Also, I had a pretty strong Hendrix phase.

Hope to hear some interesting stories here.

For me it was The Beatles. I remember making a guitar out of cardboard and getting yarn from my Grandmother for the strings. I "Jammed" to their albums as if I was on stage as a member of the band. The next band I would say was AC/DC. Then KISS, I was hooked by their theatrics and image.

Back in the 60s it was the Beatles. Ground breaking songs and sounds that defined the decade.

Then In the 70s I heard Yes, and music was never quite the same again. Initially I could not understand how a group of musicians could be so accomplished, and play such complex but exciting music.

I dabbled in bass guitar in my youth but really was not serious.
When the offer was made to get involved in a project as a guitarist, that project was intended for mostly original material.
From that genesis the project has evolved and grown even into functionally producing and recording, yet continues to remain primarily original material.
I, like most, likely all musicians, have some classic motivational examples.
Though I have not in any intentional way pursued their path, but rather my own.

For me it was Keith Richards.

I played once with a guy who went two years without listening to ANY music for fear it would impact his own creativity.

I think in retrospect he may have missed the boat. The instrument itself leads you down certain paths. I realized twice in the last couple months that I was plagiarizing myself on original songs!

I doubt that I'll sue...

Talbot

Tony Banks.... definitely.
I'll never match his way, but I'll get somewhere close to it.

I'm a cliche of the times. Definetly The Beatles when I was a kid... But also Motown sounds were pretty dominant in my house.
We watched every music related show from the Monkees to Carol Burnette, but when I saw the movie Hard Days Night that was all it took for me. It would be a lot of years before I actually learned to play anything but that was the spark.

The Beatles - 50 years ago next month on the Ed Sullivan show 2 Sundays in a row. But musically, the Stones, even the Monkees, had their influence on me too.
But it was 72 when I first heard about Todd Rundgren doing 3/4 of the Something/Anything by himself (all instruments and vocals) that said to me 'one day ... I want to do that too'.