What separates good music from bad music to me is soul (except for country. I'm sorry, but in my opinion, that's always bad. Sorry hometown.) I don't mean to get into the psychology of music by any means, but you can tell when a musician is truly heartset on what they're playing. Similarly, it's very easy to tell when a producer is heartset on what they are producing. Examples? Wolfmother's "Wolfmother" vs. Wolfmother's "Cosmic Egg". This is a topic for a later date, but that is the best example I can think of, as it shows the deterioration of a band that went from pure rock and roll, to bowing down to negative reviews of their first album.
Our world is confused. I don't claim to know the answers of what is good and bad, but I do however know what is good and bad for ME, and I'm sure that there are others that feel the same way. This blog isn't just about rock music (although that is a heavy focus), but music in general. I have played drums, guitar, and bass (my main instrument of choice) in jazz bands and rock bands for years, so I feel like what I say has some weight. I'm not going to talk about musical theory, musical philosophy, or anything of the sort. I'm going to talk about MUSIC.
So, my musical influences? Dave Grohl is BOSS. If there's nothing else that you learn from this blog, let it be that. In my opinion, no other musicians come close to embodying the pure diversity, groove, soul, and talent that Dave does. Any guy that's been in Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Them Crooked Vultures, AND Queens of the Stone Age is a friend of mine. Josh Homme is also one of my personal favorites, possibly topping my list of guitar players. The dude's imaginative, and is leading rock where it's never been before, all while keeping it real. Jack White is Josh Homme's top contender for my favorite guitar player, as the style that he portrays just screams the natural progression of blues rock. As a jazz player, I would have to beat myself over not mentioning my favorite composer, Sammy Nestico. Beck is one of the most talented musicians I know, and when people point out that Justin Bieber (sorry.) is a true showman, and that he is talented because of that fact, all I have to do is refer them to Beck. He's the funkiest white guy on the planet, and puts on quite a show. Being a bass player, I would be absolutely shunned by my instrument's culture if I did not say John Paul Jones. Hands down my favorite bass player.
Here's a list of most of my musical influences, with explanations as needed (in no particular, except that Dave is #1):
- Dave Grohl
- Foo Fighters
- Wolfmother
- Josh Homme
- Queens of the Stone Age
- John Paul Jones
- Led Zeppelin
- Them Crooked Vultures- If you were to ask me what my dream supergroup would be, it would be Them Crooked Vultures plus Chris Cornell or Jack White
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- The Dead Weather
- Beck
- Sammy Nestico
- Rush- Geddy Lee's bass playing to be specific
- John Mayer- Also one of the funkiest white dudes on the planet
- Billy Joe Armstrong w/ Green Day- Although this may be a sore subject with people, Green Day is NOT a bad band. Their odysseys such as Jesus of Suburbia prove that. Like many of the fantastic musicians of our era, their song writing abilities seem to supersede their lack of raw talent.
- Jack White
- Jimi Hendrix
- Kurt Cobain
- Gorillaz
- White Stripes
- Buddy Rich
- Chris Cornell
- Audioslave
- Soundgarden
- Death From Above 1979
- Black Keys
- Nirvana
- Arctic Monkeys
- Cake
- CCR- Much to my brother's dismay
- Probot
- Seth McFarlane- Yes, the dude that makes Family Guy. He just so happens to be an excellent jazz vocalist.
- Rage Against the Machine
- Queen
- Gustav Holst
- Frank Sinatra
- Weird Al- argue with me. I DARE you.
- Michael Buble- Jazz stuff only.
- Did I mention Dave Grohl?
- Many others
So, I guess what I'm trying to say is; Welcome to Rants of a Musician. Enjoy.
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