pinkie

I'd say there are five for me that I think back on in respect and awe, to this day.

1) The Beatles - First band that ever made me tear up the floor with my feet and dance til I was exhausted. Beautiful music, touching lyrics, and original to this day, nobody compares.

2) Led Zeppelin - This was the first band to touch me passionately, and give me the idea of what rock 'n' roll was supposed to sound like. They rule, and even though "Stairway to Heaven" is wayyy overly played, I still am moved to chills when I hear it, or "Whole Lotta Love" on the radio.

3) Bauhaus (and Tones on Tail) - Unbelievably moved by this music, blown away, in awe, captivated... However, I was also doing legal X (ecstasy) back then too. But I still and always will, love Bauhaus and ToT.

4) The Flaming Lips - This band I have idolized for quite some time, but they took a new turn in my life with I lost the very special person that introduced me to them. They are forever on a level all their own for me.

5) The Magnetic Fields (and any Stephin Merritt project) - His touching, creative, beautiful and unique way of expressing his mixed emotions about love have earned my respect on every level. They (he) will always be on a very special level of respect for me.

Fly

gotta go with Zep first and formost......HUGE influence in the style i play.....

beatles .......sure.......i "understand" to a degree,what they were doin'.

hafta throw in some ccr......(kids are learnin' how to drum to ccr right now...just like when my old man taught me)

ac/dc.........can't forget the party band..............****ohhhh...the memories****

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BASTARD

SterlingStudios

qweds

Well that's only impossible, if only i were and machine and could completely seperate any and all influences into their proper categories. But anyways. Not a bad (wink) list there pinkie.

And now ladies and gentlemen in no particular order those which I think otherwise won't get mentioned

Black Sabbath (invented and proceeded to perfect heavy metal)
Muddy Waters
I Mother Earth (if only because they get no love at all and their record companies all need to be, to cop a tfper's phrase 'cornholed and shot' -- but really they're much much better then given credit for)
The Who (i'm sure someone would've gotten that one)
-
Recently

Gomez
Sigur Ros
Ratatat
Lateduster
RATM
Queens of the Stone Age (that be some rock n roll)
-
Classics

Beatles
Zep
Hendrix
Allman Bros

-

Too many and too late w/ too much beer

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tim(mah)

World's King

Beastie Boys.

No other band has doen as much and in the same way as they have. For me and in music in general.

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M.T. Promises

Ramones - Their influence is pervasive in alot of the music I listen to and with good reason, they've written some of the best rock&roll songs ever conceived.

K-Wise

Pink Floyd
Queen
Pearl Jam
Silverchair
Yes

Oh who am I kidding? Everyone here knows I could never possibly come up with a solid list I like too many artists.

Asta!!

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It ain't goodbye, it's see ya later! I'll miss you guys! - Asta!!

snowy

U2. They opened the door for me to love rock music. Before I heard them I was stuck in pop music. While I still have an appreciation for pop, there's nothing like guitar-based rock music for me...unless it's guitar-based rock music with a touch of synthesizer. U2 was like the little pebble that started the proverbial avalanche. They introduced me to almost all of the greats--Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Clash, Eric Clapton, David Bowie--that I love now.

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high_way

damn this is probably one of the hardest questions i have seen about music, well for me anyway.

umm i was a very late bloomer into music but i think i would probably have to say maybe no doubt or the offspring helped get me into music. well those 2 and some friends of mine who are a few years older than i am. my friends introduced me to all the greats eg. led zep, beatles, doors etc you name it they told me about it.

now my music tastes are that diverse that it would be hard to me to say who influenced me.. i have my fingers in that many pieces of the pie that, so to say. pretty much i just find a style of music i like and i find out who the pioneers are and go from there...

also pinkie, i have to say that i love bauhaus but who is tones on tail? are they anything like bauhaus at all?

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Impostor of the imposturous

FoolThemAll

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

First music I ever liked (kids music aside). Solidified my interest in that kind of pop-rock, made me a big VH1 fan in the early 90s.

Mariah Carey

'Fraid so. I completely lost interest in this type of music at one point, though.

Creed

Yep. It was my gateway into the sea of grunge that I had previously ignored. I no longer have an interest in Creed, Bush, Nickelback, and the like. Bands like STP and Pearl Jam that I subsequently gained an interest in, however, kept my attention to the present day.

The Dismemberment Plan

A guy I knew in high school recommended some Travis to me, and I liked it quite a bit. I asked him for some more over IM, and he said, "Forget Travis, download these Dismemberment Plan songs." Thus began my interest in indie music.

Belle & Sebastian

It took me about a year to get into this band, but once I did, I quickly found an interest in many other bands with a mellow, folksy sound. First it was B&S, and then I took a liking to Bob Dylan.

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docbungle

Mike Patton, hands down.

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Bad Luck City

PoweredByPorn

Soundgarden first. They're what got me into rock/metal in the first place.

Later on, Ministry. The gateway drug into industrial music for me.

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Paradise Lost

Van Morrison - He made me appreciate more of the artistic side of classic rock, and to
listen and find more than just the Top40 "Pop" hits you hear on the radio, because
there's alot of music out there that isn't played on the radio that's just as good, if not
better most of the time. In a way, also got me into Jazz and older Blues - which are
definitely more musical than anything I used to listen to, or could listen to in today's crapola.

Also Prog Rock groups like Yes, Rush, Genesis, etc... Gave me an appreciation
for what can be done with a group of great musicians. Why hire 15 studio
musicians when you can play all the instruments yourself!

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krwlz

Led Zeppelin made me want to hear rock n roll... Period. In fact, Led Zepp, made me want to explaore music in general.

Slayer addicted me to Metal.

Church

I'm going to have to say Pink Floyd, Linkin Park and Transiberian Orchestra.

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aberkok

Yeah, Queen for sure. And even though I don't enjoy their power-ballad phase (which has lasted since about 1989), Aerosmith used to be great.

That was before I got into jazz. After that I'd definitely say that the Miles Davis sextet from "Kind of Blue" was the most influental band. The one with Coltrane, Cannonball, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe.

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scott_p_1

For me right now: Q And Not U. That was my first venture into indie music. A friend got me to listen to their album, by luck, saw them play a live show the next week, and I've been all about everything indie ever since.

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sandinista

Ween, I have to say. I used to listen to ONLY the clash and mainstream hiphop, but WEEN has certainly expanded my horizons.

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vanblah

This could be an interesting topic. The evolution of musical taste and influence.

As a kid my dad would play stuff like Mannheim Steamroller and Mike Oldfield on weekends because he was usually hung over. At night it was Doobie Brothers and stuff like that. We also went to a lot of Bluegrass festivals. I was taking classical violin lessons and also playing Bluegrass fiddle some.

As a teenager I completely rebelled and started listening to Punk. Mostly the Sex Pistols -- but eventually I got tired of that and started listening to less raucous stuff. Violent Femmes was a staple for a while. Then I discovered the band Trio. Which led me to look for more things with electronic drum beats and stuff. Depeche Mode, Yaz, Erasure, OMD, all the '80s crap.

A few years later (around '84) I rebelled against my rebellion and got into REM and a little later U2. No drum machines, no synthesizers (much). Got into Bauhaus and Siouxsie and the Banshees about this time as well.

My first band played covers of '60s garage bands so I got into that for a while around '85 and '86.

After I left that band I went full on Goth for about five years in the late '80s early '90s. Back into Bauhaus; Siouxsie; Dead Can Dance; KMFDM; Thrill Kill Kult etc. etc.

In my 20's I took a serious listen to Peter Gabriel after hearing his new album (Us) and other artists that he used on his albums (Manu Katche; Tony Levin ... etc.). I started looking for more refined "Pop" music.

I would say that Gabriel is the single most influential musician in my musical career as well as my taste in listening. But everything that I have listed here has had some influence on me.

rideough

Beatles----the first "rock" band i got into when i was 5, yes 5
Led Zeppelin------band that expanded my tastes to reach every style there is.
Black Sabbath----The almighty "power chord"
Jeff Buckley-----the most beautiful music in the world
Megadeth-----pure speed metal at its best!

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absorbentishe

The one band that comes to my mind as totally chaning what I listened to, then and now...
Judas Priest. My brother gave me a couple of their albums because he didn't like them, and I played and played and played until my ears bleed. That opened up the "heavy metal" door for me.
Next would be Zep. As I listened to them, I became more and more in love with their style, and their music.
Finally... The Ramones. I had heard some of their stuff, but until I really listened to it, I wasn't a huge fan. In 1989, my friend played Mania over and over, and I went out and bought everything I could after that.

Devoid

For me, probably Tool the most, followed by Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and maybe White Zombie. Been listening to all of them for about 10 years now, and since, my taste in music has expanded trememdously, but I still keep returning to them.

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SiN

good Q ...

for me, it started with Duran Duran. My first 'obsession' music-wise, and their sound opened my ears to an appreciation of most of the whole new wave/synth genres and what sprang from that.

The Cure - my 2nd obsession, and the beginning of my love for darker things.

Skinny Puppy - my first industrial love (nin and ministry came after SP for me). Deepened my love for things hard and/or electronic.

...and these were the seeds. I think everything else sprang from them ... tool, 'tones, trance, whatever.

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K-Wise

I don't think just "bands" should be questioned...for example the legendary hip-hop crew known as "The Wu-Tang Clan" completely changed my tastes in hip-hop entirely. I didn't truly love it until I heard them...I never went back to the wack stuff. Then Common Sense came into the picture, Pharoahe Monch, Mos Def & Talib Kweli, Canibus, The Roots, etc. Closed and open doors in hip-hop for me. And inspired me to become an emcee as well and have greatly influenced my style.

Asta!!

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"I love music and it's my parents fault (closing statement)." - Me..quoting myself...from when I said that...On TFP..thats here...Tilted Forum Project

It ain't goodbye, it's see ya later! I'll miss you guys! - Asta!!

Faygo

I remember getting into Sublime at an early age. Since Sublime packed so many styles into their music I was into reagge, punk, hip hop and acoustic. They pretty much got me. I listen to just about anything now days but nothing has ever came close to replacing Sublime. I've looked far and wide but nothing even holds a candle up to them. I listen to alot of "other" bands but I always say man I would do anything to go to a Sublime show.

It sucks that Brad Nowell died.

hosti|e

Hrmm only being 21 i missed alot of the earlier bands tho i have to say
1. Pink Floyd : My old man used to blast this and still does and my god it grows on ya
2. Tool : Didnt like them at first until i had a good listen to aenima and realised just how fascinating their songs are
3. Pantera : Started me onto metal where i still happily graze
4. P Money : A DJ from NZ ranked one of the best in the world. Showed me just how good modern NZ music can be
5. Crowded House : More great NZ music and awesome for drunkin singalongs

Ramallah

Metallica started my love for all things metal.
Sigur Ros introduced me to post-rock.
Norma Jean got me into metalcore, and then into hardcore.

ShaniFaye

Enuff Z'Nuff no question about it....no band in the history of music impacts me they way they always have, they are on that level all by themselves for me that pinkie mentioned

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omega2K4

Tool. That's it.

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Jadedfox

Guns 'n Roses circa 1987

I remember hearing Paradise City when I was 12 and that song forever changed my musical tastes.

Nirvana circa 1991

Ministry circa 1993

Opeth circa 1999 Best. Band. Ever.

Zero 7 circa 2001 got me hooked on chill music.

--jaded

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saut

Green Day for being the first band I was really, really into.

Boy Hits Car for showing me that there's good music that isn't mainstream.

Tool for showing me how powerful music can be and for further stimulating my quest for awesome music just under the radar. Also for getting me into more proggy stuff.

Opeth for getting me into folk and metal.

MacGuyver

I know that either way, listening or playing, I do EVERYTHING. Rap, rock, classic rock, R&B, techno, bluegrass, whatever... it is probably on my iTunes. That stuff influences what I play as well, right down to the riff, fill, or groove.

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---Aristotle

Deeds, not words, shall speak [for] me.
---John Fletcher

Jonsgirl

Sublime - cause they're bloody awesome. any mood, any time.
Soul Coughing - That's how I can picture my college years, driving down the road, smoking pot and listening to Soul Coughing.
Fiona Apple, Criminal - yeah, just that one song. But I lived in that hell for so long.

Hrm...I know there's more, I just can't think right now...I'll get back to you

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Fly

good call Jonsgirl.......Sublime changed the way i play .........fuckin' awesome band,with so many different styles.........love it

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BASTARD

SterlingStudios

Powderedmaggot

Bob Marley
Frank Zappa
Sex Pistols

pornisbadforyou

i'm gonna go with the guy who said mike patton.

nearly all my music collection can be traced back within 6 degrees of mike patton.

RangerDick

1. The Cure
2. Sigur Ros
3. Underworld
4. Radiohead
5. Chemical Brothers

zensheep

For me the two bands that really got me into the music that I listen to today were Blink 182 and Green Day. The first time I listened to Dookie and Dude Ranch I knew that was the direction I wanted my musical interests to lay.

Tophat665

Wow. Very interesting question.

Styx and Journey are what started me off. Say what you will about cheesy, but Styx had a pretty broad cross section of musical style if you listened all the way through their albums. Journey is just an underrated band. Excellent musicians, Neal Schon is a fine guitarist, and has probably informed my taste in guitar from the get go.

Next up were the two bands that started me toward more complex and strange music: Jethro Tull and Blue &Ouml;yster Cult. Actually it was one song by each - "Cross Eyed Mary" and "(Don't Fear) the Reaper". While my taste has broadened considerably since 5th grade, you can always figure out if I will like a song by comparing it to those two. (If it doesn't compare, it doesn't mean that I won't like it, but if it does compare favorably, I am almost sure to.)

Next Up: AC/DC. Gave me an appreciation for Blues and started me toward metal. (I should note that Led Zeppelin didn't inform my taste so much as fit into taste that was already there from AC/DC and Jethro Tull.)

Next up: Rush and Iron Maiden - Between Geddy Lee and Steve Harris, I have always appreciated a good bass line. When I started liking these two bands, Rush's pedantic tendencies were more of a good thing than a bad thing, and, clumsy as they sometimes are, Bruce Dickinson's musical cliff notes approach to lyrics impressed me at the time. In any case, they prepared me to enjoy odd rhythms (Soundgarden, Zappa), to appreciate good bass work (Tony Levin), and to look for more of the hard stuff (Motorhead, Judas Priest, a ton of '80's hair metal. Strangely, I only recently started listening to Ozzy and Sabbath.)

I had a buddy in high school who turned me on to The Dead Milkmen and They Might Be Giants on the one hand, and REM and the Connells on the other. I like the silliness of the first two, which lead me to Dr. Demento, Julie Brown, Tom Lehrer, and Phish. It's hard to define what the other two did. Perhaps it involves making the kind of lyrical skill that I found in Jethro Tull, Rush, B&Ouml;C, and Maiden accessible to any kind of music, not merely the hard and complex.

Finally, there was the finishing off stuff in college: The Greatful Dead, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, and King Crimson. Long Solos, Odd Intervals, Twisted Sensibilities, Gravelly Vocals, and assorted oddness.

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warrrreagl

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Arroe

Led Zeppelin
The Beatles
Pearl Jam
Nirvana
Stone Temple Pilots
The Clash
Eric Clapton
Jimi Hendrix