Who inspires you most musically, and why?

[discreet]

On 26/04/2018 at 13:24, casapete said:

Pretty much any Motown from the 60's / 70's - made me want to play bass before I even knew I did.

Me too. But for all-time overall inspiration it has to be CAN. Rarely have one set of people covered so much stylistic ground and influenced so many across such a wide range of genres, albeit practically incognito. One of modern music's best-kept secrets.

[chris_b]

It took me 25 years to realise that everything I played was 100% influenced by Duck Dunn, David Hood and Tommy Cogbill. The sound track to my life.

These days I've added Nathan East, Nate Watts, Reggie McBride but mostly what I play and how I play it still boils down to Duck, Dave and Tom.

[Dad3353]

Schubert, especially the Ninth, more especially still, the trombones... 

Oh, and Jack Casady, of course.

[super al]

Mark King inspired me to pick up a bass but I soon realised that I was all fingers and no thumb!

Playing with musicians who are better than me and love what they do inspires me.

Frank Zappa, Prince, George Clinton, Julian Cope, Neil Young, Tom Waits, David Byrne I could go on but these guys are always pushing forward with their art (ok, 2 of them are pushing up daisies instead these days). Inspirational in their work rate, their output, live performance as well as the great music. Just to have a smidgen of their drive and vision keeps me going.

Sad thing is... I'm only playing covers at the moment  

[Linus27]

As a bass player then it has to be James Jamerson, Derek Forbes of Simple Minds, Adam Clayton of U2, Peter Hook of New Order and subconsciously a lot of swing Jazz thanks to my dad playing it constantly when I was younger.

[disgrace of bass]

It might sound cliche, but definitely Bob Dylan. 

Bass players - Ray Brown, Jaco Pastorius, Suzi Quatro, Chris Squire, John Entwhistle ( hence the avatar) and my first bass teacher, Sam Walker of JoanOvArc (www.joanovarc.co.uk), who like a modern day Quatro, is a damn fine bassist and lead singer!

All of whom are inspirational, but none of whom I can ever hope to equal (or even get close).

[Yank]

Musicians who play with passion inspire me,  famous or not.  The other day,  someone played me on their phone some kid they knew,  all of 14,  singing and strumming an acoustic guitar.  This kid had more passion that some adults I know who gig regularly. Trying to find that passion,  every time I pick up an instrument is my goal.

[Bilbo]

At the moment, it's Ralph Towner because I am working on becoming self sufficient as a composer and performer and he has that down to a fine art. His choice of instruments is also eclectic and he can play simple things alongside intensely complex compositions. like everyone else, though, my influences are many and varied and always transitory. 

[Dan Dare]

Too many to list

[stewblack]

I never used to think I had a musical influence, so desperately did I want to be 'original'. Then one night I took a drummer friend of mine to the Colston Hall to watch Elvis Costello & The Attractions and about two songs in he turned to me and said "bloody hell Stew, that's you on the bass" . 

He was of course very wrong I am not and never will be remotely in the same league as Bruce Thomas but the point is having played with me many times he knew my bass playing inside out and could clearly hear the influence. So I had to accept that as a bassist Mr Thomas has been my biggest inspiration.

[Bolo]

Maybe Robert Trujillo most of all. Ever since Lights, Camera, Revolution! He literally changed my world.

Honourable mentions go to Les Claypool and Jo Bench.

[bartelby]

John Entwistle, Steve Harris and Cliff Burton are the ones who made me want to play bass. Them and later JJ Burnel and Rob Wright inspired me.

But over the last decade or so musical inspiration has come from the likes of Alvin Lucier, Delia Derbyshire, Philip Glass, Robert Aiki Aubery Lowe, Chris Carter, Cosey Fanni Tutti and Mick Harris.

 

[PaulWarning]

On 26/04/2018 at 21:09, Lozz196 said:

Charlie Harper from The UK Subs is a big inspiration for me now. I was never really into the band, liked them, but not a major fan or anything. But having been on the same bill as them a good few times, seeing how much he is into the music at - 73 now I think - and how much time he has for audience members wanting to chat/have autographs/pics taken with him, after doing it for 40 years, well it shows me the way a real musician conducts themselves. His love for it is evident, and apparently he still tries to write a new song every day. That to me is someone who is doing it for the right reasons. Whenever he is at gigs he literally isn`t left alone the whole time through people wanting those pics/chats/autographs yet never has a bad word to say about anyone, always has a smile on his face.

years ago we were supporting the Subs and Charlie heard our soundcheck, he says"Nice song, one of yours" we hadn't the heart to reply "No Charlie it's Green Days Welcome To Paradise" still makes me smile, cracking gig though, full house and Nicky Garrett on guitar for them, never the same without him, though the new bloke is a lot closer than Jet ever was IMO