I'll start, Neil Peart (Rush) and Buddy Rich (http://www.buddyrich.com/index.php) (Incredible Jazz Drummer - R.I.P.)

Neil and Buddy are just great innovators! If you haven't had a chance to hear Buddy Rich, you are missing out! Click the link above and click Multimedia to hear samples from him!

As a singer of soul music I've got to say Sam cooke and Otis Redding. Sam was an absolute master of the genre and always seemed to sing so effortlessly whilst Otis was a powerhouse on stage. He sang with such feeling and passion. Wonderful mentors both.


Great thread Diofan :thumb:

As a singer of soul music I've got to say Sam cooke and Otis Redding. Sam was an absolute master of the genre and always seemed to sing so effortlessly whilst Otis was a powerhouse on stage. He sang with such feeling and passion. Wonderful mentors both.


Great thread Diofan :thumb:
The Soul Genres did come out with some greats! A former co-worker and good friend had accepted a job with the state and she LOVED Soul music, so a bunch of us got together and got her some farewell gifts. I spent quite a bit of time the night before downloading MP3's of Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Al Green, Teddy Pendergrass and Marvin Gaye the night before her last day. I burned them all to an audio CD and presented it to her. She tells me she still plays that CD almost daily!

Good thread, Diofan! :thumb:

When I first started getting into music, I was listening to Jack Bruce of Cream, John Entwhistle of the Who and Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath. They were the first to make my ears pick up to the bass.

Then as I started playing, I started listening to more basists. When Steve Harris came around I found my niche.

Today I listen to almost anyone who plays bass, but I don't really try to encorporate too many into MY playing. I like to play like ME. ;)

Yes its important to find your own style. Whilst there is nothing wrong with people who provide inspiration, its bad to slavishly copy someone. I've seen guys try (and I emphasise TRY) to play Jimi Hendrix as Jimi would have played it and it just came off so wrong!

Good thread, Diofan! :thumb:

When I first started getting into music, I was listening to Jack Bruce of Cream, John Entwhistle of the Who and Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath. They were the first to make my ears pick up to the bass.

Then as I started playing, I started listening to more basists. When Steve Harris came around I found my niche.

Today I listen to almost anyone who plays bass, but I don't really try to encorporate too many into MY playing. I like to play like ME. ;)

Exactly! That was how Peart and Rich started influencing me. I was (I beleive) pretty realistic in thinking I couldn't possibly be another Peart or Rich. I think I sound pretty much like AJ Pero (Twisted Sister), At least my style is similar.

When I first started playing I was playing covers of Steppenwolf, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. My band was a 60's, 70's Cover band. My first song with them was "Born to be wild" then closing each show playing "Freebird". (That song wore me out after playing so many other great songs, so it would be last.) By the late 80's I was playing covers of Rush's "Tom Sawyer".

Yes its important to find your own style. Whilst there is nothing wrong with people who provide inspiration, its bad to slavishly copy someone. I've seen guys try (and I emphasise TRY) to play Jimi Hendrix as Jimi would have played it and it just came off so wrong!

Paul Stanley once said "It's nice to have people claim to be influenced by us but it's an even bigger compliment when they go on to develop their own style rather then be a mere carbon-copy of us." Paul was right.