J Mascis for me. Dude just rules. I'm not even a guitar player and I love his guitar playing and his drumming with early Dinosaur and Witch are sick as well and even though he claims no input to the guitar parts for Witch, any self loathing Mascis fan can hear it, easily.
Bass hero is Mike Watt (who played with J & the Fog), but J's still got my musical hero title wrapped up. Second would be Dave Grohl because that dude has pop rock wrapped up in his little pinky, made the greatest pop rock song of my generation (Everlong), and apart from bass has destroyed every type of rock instrument there is. Cummon Dave... Play a little bass... Show us what you got!! ;D
Besides some of the obvious choices for most guitar players as an overall musician and musical force of nature, my first thought is Michael Gira. He personifies powerful emotional music and he's also completely fearless as an artist.
i've had a thing for ali farka toure for many years now, great stuff, rip
Too many but I had to pick just one:
Billy Gibbons just because his personality and outlook is something to be admired.
Beatles
Quote from: clockwork green on February 07, 2011, 01:20:48 AM
Besides some of the obvious choices for most guitar players as an overall musician and musical force of nature, my first thought is Michael Gira. He personifies powerful emotional music and he's also completely fearless as an artist.
^^^100% agreed.
I don't think I could nail it down to just one, but as far as the basis for my playing style on my chosen instrument, Dale Crover, followed closely by Dave Lombardo.
I would have to say: Jimi Hendrix because he is just everything I wanted to be but couldn't. Leslie West because he was a big fat guy like me and I love his Vibrato. Jim Morrison because I think he is the ultimate front man and singer then. Finely Lou Reed because he does not really have what anyone would call "greatness" in any category but is overall Great!
If there were any musicians career I could have or emulate it would be Dave Grohl.
He played in Scream, awesome. Nirvana,awesome. QOTSA,awesome. Foo Fighters,awesome. Decided to do probot and write a bunch of songs for his own idols. Them Crooked Vultures
I know it's kind of a lame, easy choice, but Tony Iommi. I've been hooked on Sabbath since I was old enough to care about music and no matter what other phases I've gone through, Sabbath has always remained in the rotation.
(http://ijustwanttofitin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/abbath1.jpg)
Sue me. He may not be the best guitar player, and his band may not be the best ever, but Immortal can't do much wrong, for me. He seems to have a shitload of fun, and is one hell of a character. I could only wish to be like that.
I always seem to gravitate to Jimmy Page. I know there was some liberal "borrowing" from others in the early Zep days, but he was very versatile and mixed different styles and influences. Sometimes he channelled it from somewhere out of this world.
There are many others too I guess.
I think I'll stay out of this because I'm prone to talk a bunch of shit
but, Tony Iommi, Geezer, Bill Ward, and Billy Gibbons for sure are up there.
Tony Iommi and (i know I'm gonna get bashed for this) Dave Chandler
Angus Young. Ac/dc makes me happy.
I pretty much started playing guitar because of Slash and, even if I rarely listen to GNR anymore and my tastes in tone have changed a lot, I still dig his playing. He has a great sense of melody and has great memorable leads.
Another one is Keef. Awesome tone and attitude towards playing.
Lastly Josh Homme. Very few musicians have made as many great records as him. I also dig his unique style and sound and the fact that he's still making fresh and interesting stuff 20 years after the first Kyuss album.
Buddy Rich
-Frank Zappa. He's the reason I picked up an SG and started learning guitar. He's paved the way for so many musicians.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BA8UdOjG-lo/TDGVpmOuIQI/AAAAAAAAAA4/0HWbxCWVygs/s1600/stJohnColtrane.jpg)
in no particular order and for varying reasons:
aaron turner from isis
matt pike from high on fire
the guys in slint (the did spiderland when they were like 19)
Matt Talbott from Hum
Steve albini
Bob Daisley- First there was Khavas Jhute and Widowmaker, but then he got to play with Ronnie Dio, Cozy Powell and Ritchie Blackmore in Rainbow, then onto the Blizzard of Ozz band with Randy Rhoads and Lee Kerslake, then onto Uriah Heep, a short stint in Black Sabbath and a long one with Gary Moore.
If that isn't a dream career I don't know what is. Of course he eventually got royally screwed over by The Osbournes which I guess would put a black cloud over all of that, but still what a list of people to have played with
Mark Lanegan
Neil Young
Pete Townshend
Great songwriting is what makes music more than the sum of its sound parts
Oh, Pete Townshend for sure. He has written so many great tunes and has great creativity in my book. Great guitar player.
+1
A bunch of people come to mind right away but Iommi is king.
Watt. His work ethic is to be admired.
(http://www.brooklynvegan.com/img/music/mikewatt/maxwells/14.jpg)
Quote from: Mike_Sims on February 07, 2011, 11:25:15 PM
Tony Iommi and (i know I'm gonna get bashed for this) Dave Chandler
dude, chandler is awesome. if only for that gnarly tone, the fro and the headband
If I have to pick just one, gotta be Frank Zappa.
(http://audiblevitamins.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/zappa.jpg?w=450)
Too obvious?
[attachment deleted by admin]
mine is a dude none of you guys know..hes a sax player i know whos pushing 70 and he parties and plays harder that dudes half his age..ive had the honor of sitting in with him on bunch of free jazz gigs..i can only hope im still doing it at that age..
At this point, Jack White. I dig alot of the artists he works with as well as his own stuff. I gotta respect the fact that he chooses to work with virtually forgotten artists like Loretta Lynn, Wanda Jackson and Dex Romweber and find them a new audience. And he can write a fuckin' Pop song!
Quote from: eyeprod on February 11, 2011, 08:08:51 PM
Quote from: Mike_Sims on February 07, 2011, 11:25:15 PM
Tony Iommi and (i know I'm gonna get bashed for this) Dave Chandler
dude, chandler is awesome. if only for that gnarly tone, the fro and the headband
Yeah sorry, I'm used to posting on boards with elitist douchebags who think you suck if you don't worship Steve Vai. Forgot how mellow everyone here was ;D
Hell I will bashed for this one, always loved George Thorogood I listen to him and constantly think about how heavy his riffs could actually play? Sometimes I think he gets credit for drinkin hits, but not the riffs themselves.
Lemmy.
Nuff said..
Quote from: Hemisaurus on February 12, 2011, 09:31:59 PM
This guy.
Those guys get the lifetime grammy for skinniest rock band, ever.
I dont know about hero, but Steve Harris made a giant impression on me. Not so much what hes done in the last 25 years but the very beginning. playing shit that was so totally different than anything out there. And a second for Grohl and Homme. To be able to play with so many different musicians and still have a style all your own, I could only dream of that.
Good thread. Here are a few of mine:
Peter Green - Dude had it. He would get to a point where everything was just... yeah.
Blind Willie Johnson - Check it, bleed. Bro... was ON! Didn't trip, but the folks was freakin'. Specifically on Nobody's Fault But Mine. Tearing it up with a slide.
Robert Plant - for not being afraid to try new things (Shaken' N' Stirred, Raising Sand), for acknowledging that he owes his success to black American blues singers, and for not reuniting for the cash grab Led Zep reunion tour.
Lindsey Buckingham - for usually choosing restraint over wankery, on record if not live. I think there's a time for wankery, and it ain't every song Yngwie.
David Gilmour - for getting the best psych/hard rock guitar tone ever (with a Strat even), and putting it to good use.
Quote from: tomz. on February 11, 2011, 07:27:03 PM
Watt. His work ethic is to be admired.
(http://www.brooklynvegan.com/img/music/mikewatt/maxwells/14.jpg)
Right on. Watt even got props on the last episode of Portlandia.
My mom.
Quote from: eyeprod on February 11, 2011, 08:08:51 PM
Quote from: Mike_Sims on February 07, 2011, 11:25:15 PM
Tony Iommi and (i know I'm gonna get bashed for this) Dave Chandler
dude, chandler is awesome. if only for that gnarly tone, the fro and the headband
I've always wondered how he got that tone... I figured from the "wishy-washy" sound he was running a driven amp + a fuzz. After seeing them live the other day, getting my head shredded on by him and ogling at his gear I found out he uses a cranked JCM 800 (used to use a pLexi), with a FLANGER running at all times, a wah and... here's the interesting part... a MICRO METAL MUFF!
Can there be a tie?
John Bonham is unequivocally the reason I play drums, but Sabbath, collectively, are the reason I play heavy music.
In England, Eric Clapton was my first guitar hero, and then Jeff Beck.
These days it's Ritchie Blackmore.
For drums, Mitch Mitchell.
As far as bands go: the stooges, and in England, Deep Purple.
Talking Delta Blues: Son House
Talking fingerpickers, songsters, & all around Country Blues: Blind Willie McTell is my main man.*
Heroism aside, Jimi Hendrix has been my overall favorite electric guitar player for a long, long time; and always will be.
And in the same way, Black Sabbath is my favorite Heavy Rock band.
*I have to say that Blind Willie Johnson (mentioned above by lordfinesse) was quite a guy, too. His voice, his sufferings, his guitar playing, his intensity, and his approach to music- all remarkable.
Throw another log on the Zappa pyre for me... It can be hard to get past the goofy crap but pretty much everything he did, even if it sounds relatively normal, was infused w/ weirdness top to bottom. He packed more musical ideas into a two minute pop song than most guys get to in a career. Plus, he plays a mean "Louie Louie."
Too many, but a short list would have to include Lonnie Mack, Link Wray, Frank Zappa, Sonny Rollins, Speedy West, Jimmy Bryant, Dennis Thompson, James Brown, and so on.
The dead people I haven't met list would be too long so...
Hetfield - still comes out in my riffs too. Lost almost all personal respect when that movie came out though.
Newsted - one of the coolest people I've met in my life.
Jimmy Bower
Matt Pike
I guess if I had to pick a musician (someone you all know) it would have to be Frank Zappa.
Many good musicians make shitty heroes. Lots of great music has come out of worthless, self absorbed, douche bags. Musicians by nature rarely do anything that could be described as heroic.
Mine would be:
Jim Morrison
Hendrix
Clapton
Dick Dale
Tony Iommi
Kurt Cobain
Pete Steele
My musical heroes are (because I just can't choose one):
Jimi Hendrix
Tony Iommi
Buzz Osborne
Nicke Andersson
James Newell "Jim" Osterberg, Jr.
I think they actually called him Jimmy.
Quote from: LogicalFrank on April 11, 2011, 10:28:51 AM
I think they actually called him Jimmy.
Coffee and cigarettes?
Might sound strange but I really dig Warren Zevon.
SA @ electrical
Blixa Bargeld
And for poppy stuff Jim and William Reid
I almost put GG down as a joke. ;D
"Oh, Jimmy, just you shut your mouth!" -china girl
hey,
Inductorguitars, you know a drummer by the name of Elliot Dix? he was a Columbus local I used to look up to.
Joe Walsh Just for his Guitar playing and general attitude. As for bass players, Les Claypool is not to be underestimated. He is the best of our generation. Well my generation doesn't really have anyone who can "Play" so much as its just a bunch of "Producers" There are alot of people I know my age who can play guitar and bass better than most I've heard, but that ain't everything.
Seeing as nobody else seems to limit themselves to one, I'm gonna throw in Julian Cope, for proving you can be weird, British, anti religion, anti establishment, vegetarian, and still play whatever the fuck you want, regardless of genre.
Oh yeah, and he has a 400W custom Matamp too ;D
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zv3YBY_JxPg/TZZWh1Mwj0I/AAAAAAAAB1Q/o9dn6LZKsoM/s1600/julian-cope-2.jpg)
Quote from: dogfood on April 11, 2011, 10:46:52 PM
hey,
Inductorguitars, you know a drummer by the name of Elliot Dix? he was a Columbus local I used to look up to.
I don't know him, but the name sounds familiar.
come to think of it SA@Electrical is one of my very very heroes. I know he's a tele fan. you gonna do some work for him?
Quote from: dogfood on April 12, 2011, 09:39:07 PM
come to think of it SA@Electrical is one of my very very heroes. I know he's a tele fan. you gonna do some work for him?
I can only wish. :)
Oh I wanted to add:
Robert Fripp
Skinny Puppy - just for their soundscape ability.
It used to be Scott Ian. I always worshipped his playing style, his choice of equipment, and his writing. Sure enough, as with any hero, he began to fall apart, and the green curtain slowly revealed who he really is. In the years after the great Belladonna fallout, he has continually let me down, from the songs, to the way he (mis)manages the band as a whole. And on top of all of that, he's been in on one cash grab after another. Of course, if there was no internet, no Blabbermouth, it would be business as usual, and we as fans would be none the wiser. Any inside information is too much, I guess. Anyway, I still idolize his playing, but the man is less than a hero.
Now, it's Lemmy. Bare bones full throttle rock n' roll at its finest.
(http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/5443/mtimony7.jpg) (http://img696.imageshack.us/i/mtimony7.jpg/)
Mary Timony
I play guitar and bass.
Rush are the reason I play, so Lee/Lifeson have to be at the top of my list.
My own playing however, has evolved along the Sabbath lines, so that automatically adds Iommi/Butler.
I will also add Victor Griffin, Wino, Peter Vicar, Greg Anderson, Gary Jennings, Albert Witchfinder, and Leif Edling.
i would definetly put zappa at the top of my list
others would be:
buzz osbourne
mike patton
leslie west
tom g warrior
mark greening
freddie king
greg ginn
iommi
tim sult
matt pike
al cisneros
chris hakius
Quorthon
Fenriz
Burning Spear
Dixie
Strange mix? :D
far and away jimi
tied for second would be:
best band ever to this day: King Crimson
band that gave me the most: black sabbath
best genius freak: frank zappa. btw, was listening to chunga's revenge earlier today(fun rowdy album :) ) and his little guitar blisters thrown in just right, then a section where he was sort of just dicking around with a weird sound. fucking phenomenal even that early in his career.
total amazing music god : Prince
and finally special category:
Nick Menza for spending srs quality time with my son building drums. there is nothing that can top his and Icky's(DCCalifornia's owner) kindness to my son = true heroes.
seth putnam..
This guy. Just sitting in the studio, relaxing, playing a bit of bass.
(http://dub.greboguru.org/this-guy.jpg)
When I started playing the bass, I'd play with a pick, seeing punk/hardcore bass players in my area was the cause of that. But I sucked balls and I started listening to very different things so after a while these bass players (first 3 are obvious) were an influence in tossing that pick aside and choosing to play with fingers:
Geezer Butler
Cliff Burton
Al Cisneros
Scott Reeder
Jeff Matz (that bassline on Death is this Communion is fucking awesome and one I jam frequently)
Mike Watt has been an inspiration throughout the years as well but one I discovered much later (sadly)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WWIy23PK7tM/Sn7ceDfjpAI/AAAAAAAACJ0/jS7TxbjXSMA/s400/Mike_Batt.jpeg)
(http://guitarinternational.com/files/2010/10/Warren-Haynes.gif)
There are definitely some good choices in here. Sunn 0))) is right on with Abbath; I dig his songwriting style. Some other good ones would have to be Quorthon and Jimmie Bower just for the emotion their music inspires. Matt Pike's work leading up to Surrounded by Thieves flat out changed the way I play music.
Topping my list right now:
Wino - This is more of a recent deal for me. Its weird, I never really realized how Wino's music has been a constant in my life over the last 5-6 years. Everything he does just makes sense to me. No bullshit. Just raw power and emotion.
John Gossard - At the end of the day, Weakling's dead as dreams was a masterpiece. Easily one of the most powerful and emotional albums I've ever heard. The dude is one of the the most epic riff writers I've heard in some time. I dig Asunder, The Gault, and dispirit just as much. Great songwriter and vocalist.
A few for me:
Al Jolson: Almost single handed in bringing "Black" music to the mainstream.
which leads on to
Son House: Very little in musical talent, just pure passion
Geezer Butler: Fuzzed out vegan bassist. Like me :)
Today I'm in the mood to exchange 1 Zappa for 1 Billy F. Gibbons...
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc125/badstudnt/BillyGibbons.jpg)
Founding father:
(http://www.pianostreet.com/search/images_tn/composers/beethovenl.jpg)
Old school:
(http://top-people.starmedia.com/tmp/swotti/cacheZNJHBMSGEMFWCGE=UGVVCGXLLVBLB3BSZQ==/imgFrank%20Zappa2.jpg)
These days:
(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lntsnyPwYF1qbzv4w.jpg)
Quote from: RacerX on August 09, 2011, 01:31:55 PM
Today I'm in the mood to exchange 1 Zappa for 1 Billy F. Gibbons...
Erm....You're not gonna go all blues lawyer on me, are you?
(Disregarding, for now, the fact that you're not a lawyer.)
Nah, but being outta work is giving me the blooze for reals.
Plus, Billy does a lot with a little, which is a more attainable goal for me as a guitarist of limited skills than inventing my own form of musical notation, mastering the Synclavier, and having a symphony orchestra play my shit.
Old clean-shaven Billy G. pics are awesome. He's definitely on my "heroes" list
I will probably never see the appeal of Zappa. I'd like him a hell of a lot more if he never touched a microphone on stage. Too many awful jokes make his vocal stuff just tedious. I've listened to his music since the late 70's and even as a kid I thought his "don't eat the yellow snow" brand of humor was just beyond bad. He never came off as actually strange to me, he's much to measured and calculating for that, it's all just some sort of theater geek schtick.
(http://cultofmac.cultofmaccom.netdna-cdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/20091217-animal.jpg)
Simply the best drummer and he ages so graceful!
Quote from: clockwork green on August 11, 2011, 12:38:45 AM
I will probably never see the appeal of Zappa. I'd like him a hell of a lot more if he never touched a microphone on stage. Too many awful jokes make his vocal stuff just tedious. I've listened to his music since the late 70's and even as a kid I thought his "don't eat the yellow snow" brand of humor was just beyond bad. He never came off as actually strange to me, he's much to measured and calculating for that, it's all just some sort of theater geek schtick.
Thankfully the thread's not called "defend your musical hero," since it's pretty difficult to defend a guy who made an album called "Shut Up and Play Your Guitar" and then proceded to
not do that.
I will, however, expound (unprovoked, mind you) upon the awesomeness of Zach Hill (the sweaty guy in the pic above). Specifically, his right fucking foot:
Many people who's judgment in music I respect love Zappa and it's obvious the man is a musical genius but my rants about him are out of frustration and partially a plea that somebody will eventually explain it to me in a way that makes me get it.
haha, I never got Zappa either. I can tell he's a great guitar player with a weird sense of humor but NONE of his music grabs me, personally. I've tried, but it's one of those things for me where people rave about they guy and you think you're missing something if you don't check it out. I guess it's like black licorice
Consequently...
"Music is subjective!!" rant LOL
I hold Frank Zappa in high regard, I respect him like few others and his body of work has achieved things 99% of musicians only dream of. He's a legend, a genius, a freaking Wizard and I can't express with any more clarity how sincere I am in my assessment of him.
I also can't listen to him longer than a few minutes at a time, nothing he does resonates within my soul. I appreciate it on a cerebral level but I do not and cannot feel one bit of anything I've ever heard from him. EVER. I need a primal rhythmic reaction to vibrations in music and he can't provide that for me. Further, if someone replied "Well, that's because it's simply over your head, you're unable to grasp the complexity and humor and subtlety and other levels of his work.." I wouldn't even disagree with that, but would perhaps say "I don't listen to music for any of that stuff"
Mongo need bang rocks and skulls!! LOUD SKULLS BLOOD BONES. I like the color red because it's all red and junk.
Edit: LOL, I should have just quoted Eyeprod's post
Quote from: RacerX on August 11, 2011, 04:10:52 PM
Get this (or not):
The groove i'm getting, love the sound of the kickdrum, i wonder how they miced it to get it that thick.
best Zappa vid I've seen:
The guitar player in the band is a huge Zappa fan so occasionally he shows me some good stuff. I can appreciate it but not really be totally into it.