What is your biggest musical inspiration?

[The Doctor]

Now I know that's a question that mostly applies to musicians and people in bands, but I think it can apply to the people who only listen to music.

Basically, what band or song has had the biggest influence in the way you see music, and why?

For me, it's the video game Streets Of Rage.


This video game has great music, and a sound that I love if it were to be turned into a real song. I love the mix of funk, jazz, and dance. It has inspired me in all the songs I want to create, making me a fan of beats and piano rhythm. In fact, all of Yuzo Koshiro's works have inspired me in some form, as he is really talented at composing. The Streets of Rage series has just inspired me the most. It has shown me what can be combined to make something unique.

 

[One Punch Doug Crashin]

as you should know by now I'm a musician. my main instruments are Piano and Sax. on the Sax my influences are Sonny Rollins (amazing Jazz Tenor great)

Sonny Rollins: St.Thomas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4DTR0I7xhA


Kenny G, now I know that sounds really stupid but what can I say. he really knew how to play the sax

Kenny G:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGtTblTR0YU

"The Bird" Charlie Parker and John Coltrain

Charlie Parker:All The Things You Are
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTORd2Y_X6U

John Coltrain: Impressions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me7P9qqBgwI

now I have yet to hear anybody play as great as Parker and Coltrain. those two are just simply leagues apart from today's musicians.

now my high school Jazz director dubbed me the next David Sanborn because I can play as high as he can.

David Sanborn: Slam!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5TS39S9CsY

now on the piano my influences are

Duke Ellington

Take the A Train
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHRbEhLj540

Horrace Silver

Song for my father
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZqtBmEDryk


Billy Joel
Prelude/Angry Young Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHOWzDP3qso

Elton John

Your Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13GD78Bmo8s


basically that's it. I'd show you examples of how I play but I don't have a MIDI controller for my piano and I don't have a program to record my saxophone with. when I do I'll post it in the bar room

edit: the fucking youtube tag doesn't work for me for some reason

 

[Alex]

Jimi Hendrix, Slash, Lenny Kravitz, Hillel Slovak and Kurt Cobain. How these guys played guitar I found inspirational and made me want to learn to play the guitar (still haven't though)

 

[Dave]

There is nothing more than this:

The Beatles "White album" was and still is the biggest musical inspiration I have ever heard in my life. I recently purchased an original copy of it. I have never listened to it and it still sits very proudly in my cabinet in my room. Something like this album is very ahrd to come by and more so than that, fantastic feat of musical accomplishment. This thing had 4 sides and every single on of them is brilliant. Perhaps not the most notable of Beatles album but since listening to most of the songs on there, I have always been a Beatles fan and have tried to emulate them. It was the reason that I started to learn the acoustic guitar and "Come Together" was the reason that I started to learn the bass guitar. It is incredible and a must listen for any music fan.

 

[JayBriscoe2010]

Well back in the day "95-2004 or so" I was a huge Rap Head and basically worshiped Tupac. But alot has changed and what not. I dont really have a sole musical inspiration but I got into Johnny Cash after the Eddie Tribute vid on Raw. The song Hurt is so fn deep and in ways sounds like my own life, I love NIN but Cash took this song to another level.

 

[Mr. Steve]

For me, It's Joshua Homme from the desert scene. I'm a guitar player, and usually, I'm exposed to a lot of latin rock, so it's mostly major and minor chords from the majority. The ones that stand out are the ones that riff and have good solos.

His productions usually carry some type of distortion (bass and/or guitar) the songs that come from there at least from QOTSA, are very reminiscent of a cantina. The sounds are very dark and dank, and for me it's pretty much awesome, since it's pretty much the opposite of what the current is with most of the rockers that I'm familiarized with.

Here's an example of a QOTSA song:

And here's a Homme produced song:

As you can see, anytihng that Homme comes in contact ends up with some distortion in it, both guitar and bass.


Again, this comes short of Hendrix, since the man was a sheer genius, and could think of great stuff to do with a guitar.

 

[Dan E. Inferno]

First off, I definately agree that people who listen to music can be inspired by it. Music can just change your moods and help you think things through. Now the type of music that I like and get inspired by is probably one that isn't too popular on a wrestling forum. Infact, a couple of my friends, who are into hip-hop and rap, regularly tell me I have the musical taste of a teenage girl, but I don't care. The music that inspires me is of the pop-rock or alternative rock genres. This mostly includes Coldplay, The fray, Nickelback, Keane and RHCP. I'll post a couple of examples if I can figure out how.

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It's kind of hard to put into words why exactly these songs inspire me. The best way I can describe it is I feel good when I listen to them, especially after a tough day. I find if you listen to the lyrics in songs like these, they can give you a lift. I took a few piano lessons a few years ago and wish I'd kept it up now so I'd be able to try and play some of the songs. I'd like to learn to play the guitar, just so I can learn to play songs like these but I doubt I ever will.

 

[Via Armbar]

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The Misfits are easily my favorite band ever. The first time I heard them I was about 6 years old. I was obsessed with 50's rockabilly and my dad had gotten me into bands like The Cramps and The Meteors. Misfits combined that era of music and the ever growing punk genre. The vocalist Glenn Danzig had a vocal style very reminiscent of Elvis Presley or a Jim Morrison, just far more brooding.

The whole thing just grabbed me right away. The ghoulish makeup, the horror themed songs, it was all really comical in a good way. But the songs were what got me the most. Some of the most melodic and catchy punk songs ever written, it's hard to even classify what kind of genre The Misfits were. So people came up with subgenres like Horror Punk or Ghoul Rock. They were also a leading force in the creation of what would be known as Psychobilly.

When I was 15 I founded a Misfits tribute band called Hybrid Moments. We weren't all that good but the songs were fun to play, just as they were to listen to.

 

[Tastycles]

I'd love to think that The Smiths really were my biggest influence in the music that I have written, apart from terrible Libertines write offs is probably late punk music like Wire. It's not even my favourite kind of music, but it is just what I have found the easiest to replicate. Lyrically, I always tried to be a bit like Billy Bragg, but it was never as good, so I just went for my own style in the end.

 

[J-Dogg]

For whenever i made music, the hip hop group Boot Camp Clik inspired me the most, they are what got me making music then gradually now it became not only those underground type of hip hop artists, it was mainstream stuff like crunk, and grunge music from Nirvana and bands like that. When i started creating and writing darker music i've been influenced by Nirvana heavily.

But, Boot Camp Clik, Nirvana, The Pixies, Atmosphere and Three 6 Mafia helped shape me as a musican more now then ever.

 

[Razor]

I use my musical inspirations to help me with my writing, not necessarily to make music. You get it? Probably not. I'm a writer, I confuse people.

Anyway, inspiration:

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Eminem and Coheed and Cambria.

Coheed and Cambria: They are really good at Progressive Rock. Their last 4 albums have linked together into one running story, and their album that is coming out in April is the final entry in the series. I am inspired by their story, their musicality, and Claudio's vocals.

Eminem: Please. He is a master of lyrics. And he is perfect at being the pissed off man. If I'm ever mad, I listen to Eminem. It helps me get really angry, and to slowly vent out the anger through his music. It works, don't ask me how. Eminem has that flow, those lyrics, just plain great.

These guys effect my writing in different ways. C&C help me with story ideas. I'm not stealing from them, but they help me think. Their sheer talent helps me focus. Don't ask me how. It helps when my current novel revolves around a character I believe has the same morals and ideas that the main character in their Rock Opera does. Also, description. I fucking hate descriptive writing. You never know how much is too much, and if it's doing its job adequately. This band helps me get a hold on my rather often ranting when it comes to description.

Eminem helps me channel emotions into my writing. He's a master at making you know exactly how it feels, and telling you. He also helps me with dialogue.

 

[Cookie]

I listened to all music completely differently after I heard The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars for the very first time. From the beginning of Five Years to the end of Rock 'n' Roll Suicide, it just resonated with me in a way that I can't even explain and I still don't understand. I didn't realize that music had the power to do that.

I've been a Bowie fan ever since then. He's one of my heroes. I don't think it's possible for anyone to NOT be inspired by SOMETHING this man has done within his diverse career. Since that first listen a lot has changed like... Ziggy isn't my favourite album of his and I've been introduced to a lot more great music through him but he will always, ALWAYS be my favourite artist. I've never gone too long without listening to his music. It has become the soundtrack to a lot of things in my life.

Seeing him live in concert during his Reality Tour, screaming my lungs out and just being in complete awe... it's an unmatched feeling. LOVE.

 

[Kashagi]

Early next year I will be leaving to the big city to begin a 3 year course on classical vocals. While I am able to play Guitar and Piano, it is singing that I want to do, I listen to all my favourite vocalists and have always wanted to one day sound like them, as good as if not better. I am going whole heartedly down the music path, and I simply aim to be the best I can be, vocally as well as mastering my weak spots (theory).

When it comes to singing, my two biggest inspirations are Australian made, and in my opinion the greatest voices to ever emerge from Australia. They are Anthony Warlow and Philip Quast.

Warlow

Quast


Both have sensational voices that are very similar to mine, and I have tried my hardest to learn from both of these guys, steal some of their technique and style to blend with my own. Many people love Crawford, but to me, Warlow is the greatest Phantom of the Opera we have seen so far. Just as I strongly believe Quast is the best man to have played Javert in Les Miserables.

Of all the songs I could show you, I have chosen three, a solo from each, and a stunning duet between the two.

As I said, Philip Quast is most famous for playing the role of Javert, and appearing in the 10th anniversary concert of Les Miserables, I had a lot of choices for Quast, but I have to go with ‘Stars’ as it is a fantastic example of how much I am influenced by him. In my final year at high school, I performed a classical collection of 7 songs, I decided to conclude it with ‘Stars’ and I firmly believe it is the reason I got the high mark I did. I remember watching Quast singing this for hours, while of course interpreting the song in my own way; I found that Quast just gave so much more to the song than any other Javert can hope. Have a listen.

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As for Warlow, there is once again a vast multitude of songs I could choose, I could choose something from Jekyll and Hyde, Phantom Of The Opera, Les Miserables (again), Aspects of Love, Chess... But fuck it here is 'This Is The Moment' from Jekyll and Hyde.

[YOUTUBE]9KiX2Wgo7hg[/YOUTUBE]


I once said to my singing teacher that of all the duets I would love to hear, it would be Quast and Warlow... She told me to look up the song ‘Lily’s Eyes’ from ‘The Secret Garden’ I did, and I was astonished. To hear my two biggest inspirations sing such a beautiful song together was surreal. I hope you take the time to listen to any of these songs, especially if you haven’t heard of either singer.

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I want to, and am going to make a career as a classical singer; I have worked for it and will continue to work for it. These two are my primary influences regarding my voice, and I dearly hope that Quast happens to also give lessons at the university I will be attending



Another special mention is to an album that has already been mentioned once here, that would be ‘The White Album’ by The Beatles. Along with Revolver and Rubber Soul, I feel really attached to this album. Although most don’t regard it as the best Beatles album (and it isn’t), The White Album is definitely the most experimental, and that is saying something for The Beatles. While there are a few misses on the album, listening to this album inspires me to try something different whenever recording or rehearsing. This album didn’t stick to the rules, and most of the time it didn’t even sound like The Beatles (I know about the 3 solo artists complaint). To be able to switch from ‘Happiness is a warm gun’ to ‘Martha My Dear’ to ‘I’m So Tired’ in one album. It is such an encouragement to try something new musically in my eyes.