What did you listen to "then" that influences what you play "now"?

[RodB]

Interesting - for me it's the other way round - the guitar is the voice when playing an instrumental version of a song - knowing the words or at least the 'story' helps expression.

[EllaMom]

Originally Posted by RodB

Interesting - for me it's the other way round - the guitar is the voice when playing an instrumental version of a song - knowing the words or at least the 'story' helps expression.

Interesting. I am working on the Carpenter's "We've Only Just Begun" and I do know that I 'hear' in my head Karen singing as I play along. It helps me with the expression as well. But I pay no attention to the actual content of the words. They are almost like musical notes, delivered with expression.

I've always been partial to instrumental music, as I think back on it, even as a kid. Also, so much pop music had lyrics that seemed impossible to make out. Remember Creedence Clearwater Revival's song, which I heard as: "There's the bathroom on the right".....!!!

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by EllaMom

Rick-slo, I wondered how many folks here were influenced by classical music. We never listened to it, so it wasn't part of my childhood. Same with jazz. Or blues.

I never bought any music. Said another way, I was not an active listener. I was always within earshot of pop music , especially on the beach in southern Cali in 1968 when every towel had a transistor radio of ear bleeding fidelity keeping me in the 55 degree surf.

It was that year, though, when Mason Williams moved me to become a listener of a more classical bent, as well as prompting me to learn to play guitar.

I never could metabolize jazz. To me it was and remains the antithesis of melody. The blues was an early curiosity but dismissed equally early as cookie-cutter, blueprinted progressions from a monochromatic musical palette of a decidedly boring attempt at musicianship. I still feel the same about both.

[Silly Moustache]

Way back - the '50s :

BBC Radio - "The Light Programme"

Two-Way Family Favourites : A request programme with requests to and from the British armed forces in various places.



Victor Sylvester - a "Strict Tempo" dance band leader. Big on the BBC World Service



The Billy Cotton Band Show - a comedy music programme.



My sister was (is) nine years older than me and trained as a dancer and skater (she tuned pro at age 16).

She introduced me to"latin american" music like this :



I decided that I wanted to be a percussionist in a band wearing a white shirt with frilly sleeves, and such.

Another British big band that I like was the Ted Heath band - with Jack Parnell on drums. I wanted to play a drum kit in a big band.



1959 - I went to a "Secondary School" it was VERY rough - but we had a Music teacher who was very cool, seriously into Duke Ellington and a music room with some drums.

(I bought my first 45 - Lonnie Donegan)

About two terms in our cool music teacher got stabbed breaking up a playground fight. We never saw him again. I used the school drum kit in an instrumental band - Shadows, Ventures etc.

The first music clubs I went to played "Trad Jazz" I jived and stomped to all the British greats, Lightfoot, Ball, Bilk etc.

Eel Pie Island - early R&B - Cyril Davies Allstars, Jeff Beck & Tridents, The Artwoods, John Baldry, Rod Stewart, Yardbirds, Downliners Sect, Alexis Korner, and some young blokes called The Rolling Stones.

With guidance from Charlie Watts, I became the drummer in Blues Etc., (R&B and jazz blues, opened for bands like Graham bond Organisation and The Who. Joined Miston Tuac - a soul band, then Nemesis (influenced mainly by "Free").

Took a girl to a folk festival to see a chap called Tom Rush. Started thinking about playng guitar and singing - late '60s? A West coast folk trio "A Boy and His Dog".

Tim Buckley, Tim Hardin, Love etc.

'70s - Bluegrass - Ashridge Ramblers & Stars & Bars" playing guitar, Dobro and mandolin then Custer's Last Band.

'83 - '93 - sick - no playing. Listening to West Texas music - Guy Clark, TVZ, etc., and Hank and Jimmie etc.

'93 to ??? Panhandle Conspiracy, Yonder, Druthers Brothers, AP (that's me) & Good Company.

[EllaMom]

WoW, Silly M., quite an eclectic mix you brought to the discussion. Thanks! I look forward to watching the links. Where I am today, the internet is too slow to allow me to watch. Something to look forward to when I return to faster cyber-environments!

[Wyllys]

I didn't really pay much attention to music on a personal level until I first heard Thelonious Monk in 1961. Then (in fairly chronological order) I picked up on Leadbelly, Mississippi John, Mance Lipscomb, The Carter Family, Flatt & Scruggs and the Blue Sky Boys.

Then I learned the fiddle...

[ManyMartinMan]

Since everything we see, experience, hear, taste.... shapes who we are as does our familial, educational & relational experiences....We are the sum-total of our lives. Therefore everything I've heard for decades shapes what I like to hear, record, write and play. There's no avoiding it.

[EllaMom]

Originally Posted by Wyllys

I didn't really pay much attention to music on a personal level until I first heard Thelonious Monk in 1961. Then (in fairly chronological order) I picked up on Leadbelly, Mississippi John, Mance Lipscomb, The Carter Family, Flatt & Scruggs and the Blue Sky Boys.

Then I learned the fiddle...

Wyllys, isn't wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I ever even heard of T Monk, Leadbelly, M John, and I've never heard of M Lipscomb. The others...yes, some familiarity. Were you still a kid or teenager when you heard these folks' music? If so, by what source? Just curious. I know for me if it wasn't on the "top 40" radio station, on the record player by parental choice until I was a teenager, or on TV, again parents early on....then I never had the opportunity to hear artists like these.

[islandguitar]

Great thread!
Let's see......early memories included listening to Montovani orchestral music on the record player which my folks always played. I'm actually surprised I recalled the name! I might have been age 10 or so, but it's something I definitely recall.
My folks divorced and I spent some weekends with my dad. Like many in that situation we developed our patterns and traditions and rituals......many of the same foods, activities shared...and.....one particular tradition.........he always played a Segovia record when I was in bed before sleep. A very certain influential memory.
As a junior high and high school student.....many bands and symphony orchestras (trombone)......as many as 4 at a time......all the classics /show tunes and some jazz had great influence
In college....played in a folk group and followed, Phil Ochs, Judy Collins, Eric Anderson, Dylan, Pete Seeger, Paul Simon, Joan Baez, and most especially Peter, Paul and Mary as our group was very similar in style including original songs we produced. Also in the wings, Dave VanRonk, Jim Croce,Tom Rush, Harry Chapin and a little Jamie Brocket.
Always love and appreciated Windham Hill recordings and someone mentioned the Carpenters......and I would include them as well.
While there was a long stretch of family and work commitments which held me in check with guitar, I think these influences are the ones which made a difference in the early years and contributed to where I am today with acoustic guitar.

[lowrider]

I used to hang out in the Stone Pony in the days when it had ''Home of the Asbury Jukes'' painted on the sign out front. About 40 years later, I'm learning to play acoustic guitar. I don't want to learn the typical acoustic songs. I want to learn songs with more soul like ''Dock of the Bay'' and ''The Fever''.

[Nailpicker]

Originally Posted by EllaMom

Rick-slo, I wondered how many folks here were influenced by classical music. We never listened to it, so it wasn't part of my childhood. Same with jazz. Or blues.

I was started out, indoctrinated with classical and opera by my grandfather literally from the time I was a baby. He came from "the old country." It's the only thing he'd listen to on the old Motorola, or whatever it was. That was my first exposure to music. I still love classical music and some opera. I prefer Italian over German opera. I took classical guitar lessons for a very short time, but quit because I did not mesh with the only teacher who was available to me at the time.

[srick]

I had the incredible fortune being influenced by: a father who loved Sinatra, Edith Piaf and Sydney Bechet; an older brother with his musical tastes firmly planted in the rockabilly sound of the 50's; a summer camp where half of the music playing was Motown;the great AM stations of the 60s; the great FM stations of the 70s; the Beatles; working at the college radio station from 71-74 (where everyone was heavy into music); my sister-in-law from Eastern Kentucky; and listening to so many singer/songwriters in local hangouts during the 70s. (I should mention a passion for picking up Deutsche Gramophone classical recordings on sale at Sam Goody).

Listening now, as an adult, you can hear the greatness coming through these performances. The best stuff is still around and it still grabs you. And now, all of that is available at any time.

Heck, last night I was listening to the Vanilla Fudge live from Daryl's Place (and they were great). No generation in hsitory has ever been able to hear what we have heard. And it's only getting better as I could record something and influence other people throughout the world.

These are truly the days of miracles and wonders!

Best,

Rick

[EllaMom]

Originally Posted by srick

I had the incredible fortune being influenced by: a father who loved Sinatra, Edith Piaf and Sydney Bechet; an older brother with his musical tastes firmly planted in the rockabilly sound of the 50's; a summer camp where half of the music playing was Motown;the great AM stations of the 60s; the great FM stations of the 70s; the Beatles; working at the college radio station from 71-74 (where everyone was heavy into music); my sister-in-law from Eastern Kentucky; and listening to so many singer/songwriters in local hangouts during the 70s. (I should mention a passion for picking up Deutsche Gramophone classical recordings on sale at Sam Goody).

Listening now, as an adult, you can hear the greatness coming through these performances. The best stuff is still around and it still grabs you. And now, all of that is available at any time.

Heck, last night I was listening to the Vanilla Fudge live from Daryl's Place (and they were great). No generation in hsitory has ever been able to hear what we have heard. And it's only getting better as I could record something and influence other people throughout the world.

These are truly the days of miracles and wonders!

Best,

Rick

Rick, I think you might get the prize for the most eclectic mix of influences. And you are so right....ever before have our ears and hearts had access to such a wide variety of music, current works and classics.

What I've REALLY learned in reading through all the responses here is that I am missing an opportunity to broaden my musical horizon. We have TONS of music of all kinds (ok, maybe not opera, other than Sweeney Todd! and that's not exactly opera), but I don't listen to it very often. Time to revisit our collection...and get inspired!

[srick]

Thank you for the compliment, Carol. I thought of one more great influence and that was a close friend in college (whom I did a radio show with) who introduced me to Glen Miller tunes (with Tex Benecke and the Modern Aires) and Poco. She was far more eclectic than me!

This stuff is all great. You can recycle it, re-mix it, re-do it - whatever. This morning, I was driving to the store and a Bach piece is on the radio. This was the tune that Paul Simon "borrowed" (note for note) for an "American Tune". We all stand on the shoulders of giants, eh?

best,

Rick

PS - fortunately for Paul, the Bach piece was public domain.

[srick]

And this is just goofy - I was doing a search on the Bach tune and this pops up on Google Groups:

[email protected]>, [email protected] (Tom WCP) writes:
- show quoted text -

Rather late 16th century German. (Or possibly early 17th)

Neither Bach nor Simon gave credit to the composer.

Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612) originally wrote the love ditty
"Mein G'muet ist mir verwirret". ("My mind confuses me")
(Or at least he was the first known to steal the tune.) :-)

Then it was transformed into a sacred hymn with the title
"Herzlich thut mich verlangen" and later "O Haupt.."
With these lyrics it seeped into many sacred works, Bach's
St. Matthew the most known one.

It was Bach's common practice to use well known sacred hymns for
his chorales in passions and cantatas. This is just quoting, not
borrowing or stealing.

Gotta love the internet.