The Most Influential Song or Album

[Muddhole]

Mine had to be watching this guy do this cover back in the 80's, which was on VHS at the time. Anything done that night by him and his band at El Mocambo was fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GSpbuFSr2o&feature=related

Plays his guitar behind his back in the middle of a song without missing a step here about 3/4 ways through the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5tS5V9DIG0

Awesome!

[tapping5150]

For me, it was Bostons "Don't Look Back". I was five the first time I heard that song and made me want to play guitar. Tom Scholz was and still is my guitar hero. To this day, listening to that song still gives me chills (as does anything by Boston).

[beauzeau]

I was a drummer first. So Peart was my hero, until I heard Eat em and Smile. Then I knew I wanted to play guitar. It wasn't so much the virtuosity that did it for me. It was the newness of it. Here a guy was able to make a sound that was completely different than anything anyone else was doing (vai's tone has always been unmistakable, even when you look back at old Zappa stuff). From there, it was only a couple of months before hearing about Satch, then Yngwie. Again, I wasn't drawn so much to the technical prowess these guys had (well, except for Yngwie) but the sound and the arrangements. I was one of the guys waiting at the store to get Passion and Warfare. I must have listened to it 50 times that year. Cool thing was, every time I listened to it, I'd hear something else in it.

That is, of course, GUITAR influences. None of the guitar guys pulled me into rock and roll. KISS pulled me into rock and roll. Why? Because I was a kid, and these guys got to fly around the world and celebrate Halloween every night. Everywhere they went, it looked just like the front of the love gun LP. I didn't know then what the girls were there for. But I knew they looked, good!

Kiss pulled me in, but my influences, in so far as where I draw inspiration, it's a lot of what's already been posted. As a musician, I've probably logged more listening time to the following albums over all the others.

Old Floyd. But Dark Side and The Wall specifically.

Rush - Moving Pictures and 2112

Back in Black and Highway to Hell, of course....

Journey - Evolution Don't know what it was about this album, but I still listen to it.

The Scorpions Blackout and Love at First Sting

The First Boston album. The first HALF of the 2nd boston album. The third Boston album. And, the Boston story is one of the most interesting in rock history. Anyone who doesn't know the ins and outs of what Tom went through in his career should try looking it up online. The guy is literally a genius, who was smarter than the average record industry. Don't know if they ever did a biography or not, but I'm sure if they did, it makes for a hell of a read.

[beauzeau]

Some people just want to 'tap their toes' all of the time: so if Britney Spears makes them tap their toes, good for them - I refuse to judge. I happen to prefer other musicians for that.

Why am I stating the obvious? Because Pete Townsend and Keef may not have technical expertise compared to ... say... John Mclaughlin, but they sho' have the feel that people like. Most of us are technically better than many who record successfully but may lack that feel or originality have done it for them.

It always depends on who you're asking. If you're asking a musician as a musician, then the musician will tend to give you a musicians answer. Ask the non-musician who's going to see a show, and they don't know the musicians answer. They ALWAYS are foot tappers. Play some Satriani to a non guitarist, they'll say something like "wow, he's really fast", but that's it. That's all they hear. It's just a bunch of notes, that he's obviously playing fast. The non guitarist would likely rather listen to Tom Petty play one of his completely original and distinctive songs using the same five chords and song structure he's used for 30+ years. Why? Cause he's AWESOME!

[Guitarsmurf]

i was playing drums too when i heard that first Van Halen album,Eruption i just had to learn how the hell Eddie was doing that.

[beauzeau]

I had already heard VH a few years before becoming a musician. His playing didn't have the same affect on me as Vais did. HOWEVER, if I would have gotten into it earlier, Eddie would probably have been the reason why.

There's one album (group, rather) that I didn't mention and probably should have. I've ALWAYS had copies of Business as Usual and Cargo, by Men at Work. I've bought each of them more than once. They are both amazing albums that are chock full of musical goodness. I know that many people only know them by the couple of huge hits they had, but that's just the beginning. It's the deep cuts on their albums where you'll find ample doses of jazz, blues, pop and rock. All wonderfully-crafted songs. And since it's Colin Hay doing the singing, there's an unmistakable quality to them.

Case in point. (from more recently)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuXLElEDEKI

No need for the video for those who already appreciate Colin's stuff. But some people only really know of Land Down Under and Who Can it Be Now (both great songs, just REALLY overplayed back in the day).

And check out the singing, bass line, guitar, drumming, sax, and lyrics in this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcGPXN7GtLs&feature=related

EVERYTHING has it's place in this tune. It's a masterpiece! Radio play? I doubt it ever got played on the air.

[lostylost]

When I was 15 my old man fixed up my brothers old nylon acoustic for my birthday.

Jimi made me dream however it was Nirvana that made me believe. I always used to think musicians had some kind of special magic and that even the very basics were beyond me.

Myself and a heap of my friends all learned the `come as you are` intro as our first guitar piece. From there you learn the power chord shape and next thing your rocking out.

Cobain huge influence.

[rpinon69]

It was 1984 and Eddie Van Halen had been around for awhile and had become the Gold Standard there was also Michael Schenker, but then I heard Yngwie J. Malmsteens Rising Force that was it. I was somewhat familiar with his playing from Steeler and Alcatrazz but it wasn't until I heard his full composition's on his first solo album that I said I want to play like that. I've developed my own style over the years using other guitar players as influence's, but Yngwie was the one who started it all!!!

Thanks

[Alex003]

The song that inspired me to pick up the guitar and start learning was "Crazy Train" by ozzy. That was my first song i learned too....well the intro riff anyway. I just really wanted to play that riff haha

[Rotund]

@beauzeau and JohnN Well put. Some of the greatest songs involve many other aspects of music theory it's self. Heck most people couldn't tell you what the instruments are that make up the music they are listening to. Why do you think Country Music exists much less Rap Hip Hop. Who would think scratching on a record and talking to a beat would sell millions of records.

[Rotund]

There's one album (group, rather) that I didn't mention and probably should have. I've ALWAYS had copies of Business as Usual and Cargo, by Men at Work.

I have both of these albums in vinyl. You are correct sir!

[samiller]

I would have to say for me it was Skynyrd and every other southern rock band, Outlaws, Marshall Tucker, Allman Bros, Molly Hatchet, 38 Special, etc... etc.. but mostly Skynyrd. I have every Skynyrd vinyl from Pronounced to the Gold and Platinum album that came out shortly after the plane wreck.

[bluesydude]

I would have to say for me it was Skynyrd and every other southern rock band, Outlaws, Marshall Tucker, Allman Bros, Molly Hatchet, 38 Special, etc... etc.. but mostly Skynyrd. I have every Skynyrd vinyl from Pronounced to the Gold and Platinum album that came out shortly after the plane wreck.

I was playing (sort of) guitar long before these guys came on the scene.
After I hearing Duane Allman for the first time, it changed my whole approach to guitar.

[gromitsdad]

Oh this is too easy...Led Zep IV!! Oh wait, and Revolver, Rubber Soul, The Wall, Exile on Main Street, Ziggy Stardust, Sabbath Vol. 4, etc...I could be here all day!

Chris

[solone1]

Being one of the older junkies, my influences go back to the 60's and 70's.. My parents were hippies so I was lucky enough to be introduced to motown, blues, and rock-n-roll at a very young age. I draw from Motown, Fat's Domino and even Sam Cook too. But the 60's-70's rock was what got me playing guitar. Big albums for me were from bands like.. James Gang, Edgar Winter, Byrds, Zep, Beatles, Sabbath, Deep Purple, Montrose, Pink Floyd, Ginger Baker, Zappa, Carol King, Foghat, Skynard, Janis, & Hendrix.

Most influential album for me was either the White Album or Masters of Reality. Wore the grooves out of them and then taped a nickel on the tone-arm and played em till they wouldn't play anymore.