Question of the Day 11-26-02

[Ms.Huxtable]

Well I know we have had several new members join in the last couple weeks. This question is designed to get to know them better and to help them get to know us. (Welcome by the way, it's nice to have you here).

List five bands/artists that fall into either catagory:

a) Your favorite of all time or;

Has influenced you tremendously.

Here's Mine:

1. Phish (for showing me this scene/lifestyle; For Trey's guitar and Mike's gut pounding bass)

2. Grateful Dead (for teaching me about the passion and emotion in music; for leading me back to country and bluegrass; for Jerry's side-projects teaching me all different genres of music)

3. The Beatles (no explaination needed really)

4. Gershwin (Because I love both performing and jazz. Gershwin has been a passion of mine throughout my entire life)

5. nero (there's just something they do that reaches my soul, that gets me dancing, that makes me feel wonderful. This feeling is consistant. The gravy is that they are super guys, but even if they weren't I would still be a fan of their music.)

Now you....

[Northern Wish]

OK, I am going to go with my 5 most influential for whatever reason. I have some stuff that has just opened the door to so much, although they don't seem that way on the surface. Appearing in chronological order:

1) Bruce Springsteen- thats right the Boss! My very first concert, with my uncle in 1985. I guess it planted the seed. And I still think "Greetings from Asbury Park" is one of the best 10 albums of all time.

2) Blind Melon- what can I say I was a grunge kid. Then these dudes came along with a grunge sound, with banjos and kazoos and I never looked back.

3) Rheostatics- towards the end of high school, I discovered these guys through endless nights in the US on Tragically Hip tour. The most intellectual, versatile rock band in history. The opened my eyes to alot of things.

4) Phish- of course. Led to numerous bands, styles, and genres that I had ignored up to that point.

5) Neil Young- He kind of stayed with me the whole journey, and he stayed relevant. A little something for everyone, from heavy metal (Arc Weld) to the sweet and simple (Harvest).

Now I am going to listen to Sleepyhouse by Blind Melon and think about that turn in time..........

Sean

[Mr. Musicface]

Wow, tough one! I'm going for most influential, 'cus I can't even fathom doing "favorite" straight-up.

1) Gowan - REALLY! First concert I ever went to went to, at Ontario Place when I was 14. Whatever you think of the guy's music, he's an amazingly energetic performer. That show, probably more than any other, made me want to play myself, and not be afraid of looking like an idiot doing 'cus if you look like enough of an idiot, it's cool.

2) Rush - Growing up a small, ugly kid in the Scarborough 'burbs, songs like "Subdivisions" where written for ME, man! I knew exactly what they were talking about. And of course, the musicianship and shows were just awesome.

3) Springsteen - My personal entree into great singer/songwriters like Dylan, Tom Waits, Van Morrison, and later guys like John Prine & Ron Sexsmith. Songs like "Jungleland" still kill me - how can something be so wonderfully bombastic and so deeply personal at the same time? Amazing.

4) Pink Floyd/Roger Waters - The only act everyone in my first high school band could agree we all liked, so we played them to death! I've probably listened to "The Wall" a thousand times. It was always a big debate as to whether the Gilmour-lead Floyd shows or the Waters shows were gonna be better - I think Waters has a slight edge overall at this point, but only by a hair!

5) Blues Traveler - I might never have gotten into Phish, DMB, Widespread, The Dead, or any other bands that would make me interested in a board like this one if I hadn't heard John Popper and Chan Kinchla doing an acoustic version of "Optimistic Thought" on Q107 around Christmas 1992, and thinking "is that guy playing HARMONICA? OH MY GOD!!!" I saw BT open for the Allman's that summer at Kingswood, and there was no looking back.

Peace,

Mr. M.

[Mr. Musicface]

quote:

---

Originally posted by bradm:

I know exactly how you feel. What part of Scarberia did you grow up in? I lived just past the end of St. Clair Ave. E. from 1967 until 1986 (when I went away to school; my parents lived there for another seven years or so, then moved to the Gates of Guildwood).

---

Ha, yeh I was way at the other end - very east end of Lawrence, past Port Union and the Rouge Hill GO Station. Cookie-cutter subdivision country in the 80s, although my folks had a circa late 40s place with a bit more character (they're still there, actually) so I was lucky in that regard - plus there were actual trees on my street, unlike most of those around me. But DULL - jeez, the nearest Becker's was over a mile away for god sakes, let alone anything interesting.

Drawn like moths we drift into the city

The timeless old attraction

Cruising for the action

Lit up like a firefly

Just to feel the living night

Oh yeh baby, that was me. Still is, in some ways. You can take the kid out of the 'burbs, but he still ends up at the mall on weekends.

Peace,

Mr. M.

[Ms.Huxtable]

Oh man, memories of a Scarborough childhood. I grew up in the Meadowvale/Ellesmere area.

Close to the zoo.

I actually went to Meadowvale P.S and the junior high on Guildwood (Jack Minor IIRC). My highschool was Woburn at Markham and Ellesmere.

It was a nice place to grow up I guess, pretty rural back then. Can't say I'm sorry I left for Ottawa though. It's pretty much an armpit now isn't it?

[Mr. Phantasy]

I think I was digging out my dad's old vinyl records when I stumbled upon (most influential):

1) Santana ( for instrumental jams, and getiing through high school; with a door opener to...)

(influential but no sign of them in the vinyl collection)

2) the grateful dead ( for the chemical and electric means of adapting to environment, the coherence of their lyrics, the bluegrass)

3) PHiSH (for approaching the "scene" consciously or not, and appreciating the group)

4) the ALLMAN BROS. (this band for the development that didn't stop them from being unique in pop. music)

I believe I needed it

[Hux]

1) Beatles. First music of any kind I really took interest in. I had 28 Beatles tapes back in Grade 5 - it was a true obsession. EVERY Beatles song is tatooed onto into my psyche, it's crazy.

2) Grateful Dead. Taught me a new way of making/performing music. Got into them right after Jer check out in '95 when I went off to school. It all just made a LOT of sense and I haven't look back since.

3) Bob Dylan. The true power of lyrics, and the incredible landscape one can create with great lyrics.

4) Andre Bouchard. Mandolin master. Through his playing I believe I learned how to face issues from my childhood, and really was able to let go and learn how to love again. Thank you Dre.

[bouche]

This is tough, because influence can go back so very far, and for that, I would need some regression therapy. I thought of ways I may have been influenced and they aren't all musically.

Beatles: Influenced me to learn alot of guitar in highschool

Terence Trent D'Arby: influenced me to go to my very first concert out of town on a bus to Ottawa.

Prince: influenced me to go to my first big concert experience, in Toronto.

Jerry Garcia: there are so many ways I've been influenced by this guy, it's not even funny.

Phish: showed me how small something can be, and how big it can get in 2 years. 07/05/94 and 8/16-17/96

(i too saw Gowan as my first concert ever in the summer of grade 8, in Kingston at the memorial center. A friend won the tickets off of CKLC, and couldn't go.)

[Booche]

quote:

---

4) Andre Bouchard. Mandolin master. Through his playing I believe I learned how to face issues from my childhood, and really was able to let go and learn how to love again.

---

You are only saying that because of my Bobby-knee kicks.

Apparently, you have forgotten about those Turtleneck wearing pictures I took of you on Friday night and Saturday morning.........oooh, this is going to get good!

[Hux]

"those Turtleneck wearing pictures I took of you on Friday night and Saturday morning........."

You said you deleted them..... OH MERCY!!!

[Schwa.]

Here's mine, but with no descriptions because i feel lazy today.

Favourite/most influential:

This is nearly impossible for me because my musical likes have evolved so much over time and i change like the music, but i will try to go by time lines.

1. 1989 -> Guns and Roses/Led Zeppelin

2. 1992 -> Doors/Allman Bros./more Zeppelin

3. 1995 -> Phish/GD/more Allmans

4. 1998 -> ekoostik Hookah/Phish

5. 2000-present -> ekoostik Hookah (they fuckin rock!!)

Side note: There is always a "next band" that comes along and knocks me off my feet. After Hookah, i thought it may be SCI or moe. or even WSP. But none of those compare to the night at the CoZo when i saw Nero after Phil on the 9th of July this year. AMAZING. They don't get favourite band billing but they do get honourable mention for how they look in my future. I just think they need to get to the bigger venues. IMO.

[weezy]

GOWAN?

You guys are strange animals! (that's what I know...)

my musical influences:

Jerry

Jimmy

Neil

Eric

Trey

STS9

Ask one who's known me, am I really so bad...?

I AM!

[AD]

These questions come up constantly but the answers are never the same

1. Rheostatics - like Sean said, they're the best thing going, even if they're not going as much anymore. I've seen them many many times, and they've never disappointed. Ever. Highlight would be getting my request (Northern Wish) played at the triple-bill in Waterloo back in February. Check out Bidini's books as well.

2. Black Crowes - I think Sean should have posted the Crowes given his large shoulder 'birthmark', but these guys are the best rock band since Zeppelin. Hands down. Too bad Kate Hudson (CoughYokoCough) came along and tore the Robinson's off each other, where they need to be to make the music.

3. Queen - Spent most if not all of my $10/week allowance as a kid on Queen tapes and paraphernalia. Totally worth every penny. They had to have had great big brass ones to release some of the stuff they did, and were hugely influential to so many of the world's best. Just think - without Queen there would be no Metallica, Guns 'n' Roses or Extreme!

4. Bob - This is where I cheat. Marley & and Dylan are / were the best at what they do / did. If you disagree you're flat out wrong.

5. Elvis Costello - He's still as potent as he was in '77 and (IMO) is releasing stonger material the later into his career he gets. Also, without him I never would have listened to the Clash and the Pogues without who I never would have listened to Manu Chao. Everything works out in the end. Today Elvis and his wife Cait O'Riordan (of the Pogues) announced their divorce.

Cheers

AD

[Jaimoe]

This is a real tough one Ms Hux. New bands are constantly impressing me, making this a tough Top 5 decision ( although new is a relative term ).

Here's my tough Top 5:

1 - The Who/The Allman Brothers. I can't decide because both influenced me equally, at different times in my life. Townshend and Moon made me love rock music. I play guitar because of Pete. Duane and Dickie were very influencial when it came down to inspiring me to play lead guitar and jam - they still are.

2 - Jimi Hendrix. Greatest guitarist and sonically unrivaled. He constantly surprises and impresses me whenever I really " listen " to what he was trying to say musically.

3 - John Coltrane. He made me love jazz and yet he scares the hell out of me. His version of My Favourite Things is the greatest song I've ever heard.

4 - The Beatles. I got my first Beatles album when I was 5 years old ( that was almost 30 years ago ). I still play it !

5 - Frank Zappa/The Dead. Once again, I can't pick between these two, and neither can they be left off my Top 5. Just when I thought I wouldn't go through another music phase, Zappa came along in the mid 90s. I've loved the Dead since I was 10. I usually say that I'm not a Deadhead, but Booche disagrees. Who's to argue with him?

Honourable Mentions: Neil Young; Muddy Waters; Television; Lenny Breau; The Stones; Robert Johnson; Miles Davis.

[hamilton]

It's pretty hard to narrow things down to just five, but I'll give it a shot. Unfortunately, there's not much here that hasn't been listed already. In order:

1. The Grateful Dead - for teaching me to *listen* to music, rather than just hearing it; for leading me to so many other musicians and genres; for Jerry and Phil;

2. Miles Davis - for constantly evolving and turning in new directions, and for playing with and introducing me to so many amazing musicians;

3. The Beatles - for making me tap my feet and bob my head; for their melodies and harmonies; for all of their albums, but particularly Revolver and those that came *before* it;

4. Bob Dylan - lyrics, lyrics, lyrics; and for just being sooooo cool;

5. Neil Young - for doing his own thing, even when it sucked; for not giving a flying fuck what anybody else thinks; for frequently switching styles; for great live performances,and a lot of great songs.

Honourable mentions: Bob Marley; John Coletrane; Tom Waits; The Clash; The New Deal; Frank Zappa; James Brown; Phish; Richard Thompson; Bruce Cockburn.

Cheers,

Brian.

PS - Unfortunately, I never saw Gowan... but I have seen Goddo!!! Even have his autograph...

[bradm]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr. Musicface:

2)

Rush

- Growing up a small, ugly kid in the Scarborough 'burbs, songs like "Subdivisions" where written for ME, man! I knew exactly what they were talking about. And of course, the musicianship and shows were just awesome.

---

I know exactly how you feel. What part of Scarberia did you grow up in? I lived just past the end of St. Clair Ave. E. from 1967 until 1986 (when I went away to school; my parents lived there for another seven years or so, then moved to the Gates of Guildwood).

Aloha,

Brad

[smokeythinker]

a top five is asking the impossible of me, just to warn you... i'll try to retrict my excitement to a minimum (no promises) :

beatles (always #1 for me)

grateful dead

dylan

talking heads

phish

greyboy (practically wore out my freestylin' record... hours upon hours of continual bliss)

jj cale

marley...

all killer, all timeless, all influenced me very early in my music "appreciating" years, and all for very obvious reasons other people have covered.

the band

the rheos

the hip (don't deny the beauty of all albums day for night and after; leave the early years at the high school dance)

lenny breau

new deal

young

mitchell...

canada is great. we grow the purest. (sorry gowan didn't make the cut; never saw the live show ;-) )

i also can't leave out radiohead (what can i say?? i love sound) or paul simon... tom waits, st germain, reed and the vu... (abort mission, information overload, no end in sight...)

but one more list can not go unmentioned- the locals that made me a show junkie peddleing their highly addictive wares... the ones that made me sneak into bars when i was 17 just to hear that fuckin sound, man... infectious.

FREEPHONIC (i can't explain it; you had to see it)

BURT NEILSON BAND (good party times)

FREEWAY BAND (sign of a great band: they function better together than apart. should have stayed together)

RAGAMUFFIN (the hardest working rastafarians in show business)

HAMMERHEADS (can't go wrong when you follow the funk)

NERO (fond memories of deserted nights @ the post and sundays in my pyjamas @ babylon)

FERRISWHEELER (a total recent development for me, but that is SERIOUS sax-ual assult; they deserve a spot)

good thing for all of you i'm no where near my music collection; this is potentially endless for me but i'll save you all the trouble

peace

and always follow your ears

[paisley]

might as well not state the obviouses...

Moby Grape - hard groovin relatively unheard

The Minutemen - hard punk poetry

Tom Waits - beautiful ballads

Dead Kenneds/Ramones - angst love politics

Kate Bush - uniqueness

King Crimson - big jazz rock experiments

Franz Liszt (classical)

Maurice Ravel (as well)

Black Sabbath - early christian rock

demoted to 3 stars, I knew this board had taste

off to bed, wish me luck in court in 4 hours

[doug]

In no particular order my list of faves/most influential would probably be:

Jimi Hendrix

Grateful Dead

Allman Brothers

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Govt Mule

Honorable mention goes to Nero who are probably my most listened to band lately.

[Booche]

Hey Jaimoe, into those whiskey sours again? You are what you are and you aint what you aint, and I aint going to tell you what you are or aint.

Wait a second, I think I know what you are talking about. I said you werent a "flakey Deadhead." I wasnt trying to imply you werent a Deadhead, just not a flakey one.

I, on the other hand, am a flakey one!

In order of appearance:

Police

Beatles

Dead

Jimi/Allmans

Phish

Warren Haynes seems to have been doing a number on me the past few years as well.

and then, it gets ugly and messy, a hodge-podge if I may or you will.