Most Inspirational Band/Artist to you

fakearms123

Keeping it alternative hopefully, I just want to know what band or artist has been most inspirational to you throughout your life, which band/artist has helped you get through sad moments, happy moments, break ups and fights, changes and teenage years, and basically just what helped make you who you are...

If you could give a specific album that would be cool. For me the band that helped me was The Cure, I think I can relate to almost every song, when I listen to it, it always reminds me of my teenage years, how everything seemed so unfair and social standings were so important back then and my first encounters with girls and trying to understand them, one song by The Cure conjures up thousands of memories, funny enough I have never seen them live and part of me doesnt want to see them live because I dont think I would want to share all my memories with a few thousand people lost in a crowd, The Cure are my private escape, my ipod and a walk in the park or in my bedroom.

So who does this for you?

lordgoat

Elliott Smith and Wilco. Recently Magnetic Fields and Mountain Goats. Mentions to Young, Dexys, and a few others.

JerryHandbag

Gun to my head I'd say either Neil Young or New Order.

Neil Young because he can go from foot stomping Rockin In The Free World to delicate moments like Harvest Moon. He seems to swing between both acoustic/loud alter egos, added with the odd dabble with electronica (Trans album from 1982, critically panned, but I like it!)

New Order because as a fan of both rock and electronica, they are probably the band that combines to 2 the best.

KeanSeenan

lordgoat wrote: »

Elliott Smith and Wilco. Recently Magnetic Fields and Mountain Goats. Mentions to Young, Dexys, and a few others.

Yes sir on Elliott Smith, especially as a musician.
I'd say of Montreal have been pretty important to me for a good while now.

chordtype

The Smiths. Can't really specify an album but there is just something about them.

nobby grande

Charles thompson / Frank Black / Black Francis


all one and the same - may genres - many styles - some amazing records

Dibble

Neil Young gets my vote too. From the electric guitar workouts of Ragged Glory and Rust Never Sleeps, to the acoustic brilliance of After the Gold Rush and Harvest Moon, the man is a living legend. And an incredible live performer. His new album, Le Noise, is his best in years.

Neil, long may you run.

cuculainn

Not alternative and going to p*ss people off but for my younger years it has to be U2.......I'll never forget the first time I played Actung Baby.....haven't stopped playing it since..........I will also never forget Zooropa 93...............still by far the most spectacular gig I've been at.....

KeanSeenan

Neutral Milk Hotel would've been one of the bands who changed how I listened to music in my formative years.

ShoulderChip

Sufjan

Kylzer911

Courteeners

Android 666

Kylzer911 wrote: »

Courteeners

I think you mispelt that. I think it should be cúnteeners.

Miguel_Sanchez

This is not the thread for debating a band or artist's merits.

smokedeels

Madlib, he takes elements of music I love from the past; Jazz, Soul, Funk and Dub and creates his own sound pointing forwards from them. He made me appreciate that you take an existing model and assemble something different from them and that it doesn't have to be routed in nostalgia. His original Jazz compositions are impressive too, they sound like he’s picked from the 1970’s and is going in direction that now seems logical.

Mark E. Smith and Captain Beefheart, both relatively musically-illiterate, but manage to dictate fantastic ideas to musicians, great example that a lack technical proficiency shouldn’t put you off, I’ve applied this credo to projects in my own life.

ricero

for me kasabian ive grown up listing to them so their my teenage years band some of their tunes just take you places love their rock songs and their psychedelic tunes i feel like im on drugs but im not when listing to them.

their b sides are class aswell

nobby grande

smokedeels wrote: »

Mark E. Smith and Captain Beefheart, both relatively musically-illiterate, but manage to dictate fantastic ideas to musicians, great example that a lack technical proficiency shouldn’t put you off, I’ve applied this credo to projects in my own life.

Bang on there, love MES and Beefheart. Totally inspirational.

Blackpitts

U2 / Joshua tree
they are one of the reason why Ireland had this mystical aura to me...and look where I am now...
Radiohead / OK computer
best band ever, fact.
Jeff Buckley / Grace
an incredible talent, he helped me to go through a difficult moment of my life. Pity he was so stupid to go for a swim when drunk, it had enough talent to be the best rockstar of the last 20 years.

FewFew

The Kinks - Village Green Preservation Society

So they couldn't head off to the states, and rather than ape the far out adventures of their peers (sgt. Peppers, Pet Sounds) they brought their music right back to its roots and made a fantastic and very English album. A real case of an album knocking home the aul "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" and very much a case of just being yourself despite what the trends are.

rcaz

The Flaming Lips. No album has ever affected me as much as The Soft Bulletin.

But Kid A came close!! Radiohead, probably more musically influential for me, both directly, and indirectly (by showing me what other types of music to check out).

Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips is a huge deal to me, I've idolised him since I was about 15.

30txsbzmcu2k9w

Bands i grew up with. Nirvana (a lot of the grunge bands), Blur and Radiohead were the three major bands to blow my little mind in the 90s and really started my love affair with music. Also three bands i've never tired of listening to.

AdMMM

Tool. Maynard, Danny, Adam and Justin took (and continue to take) me to places I never thought possible!

Blackpitts

AdMMM wrote: »

Tool. Maynard, Danny, Adam and Justin took (and continue to take) me to places I never thought possible!

fantastic band!!!
pity they release an album only once in a while.
Maynard seems more interested in producing wine than music lately

La frog fairy

Maren Unimportant Marriage wrote: »

Bands i grew up with. Nirvana (a lot of the grunge bands), Blur and Radiohead were the three major bands to blow my little mind in the 90s and really started my love affair with music. Also three bands i've never tired of listening to.

same here, would have to add Interpol tho, a must.

Nozebleed

john martyn

spdmrphy

Fugazi.

That's about it.

Dennis the Stone

Magnetic Fields, Mountain Goats, Can, Aphex Twin

JerryHandbag

Dennis the Stone wrote: »

Magnetic Fields, Mountain Goats, Can, Aphex Twin

Got into Can bigtime over last few yrs.....I'm struggling to think of another band as influential as them. Some of their 20 minute grooves are mind blowing!

rcaz

JerryHandbag wrote: »

Got into Can bigtime over last few yrs.....I'm struggling to think of another band as influential as them. Some of their 20 minute grooves are mind blowing!

I'm getting into CAN a lot lately too. So far I have Ege Bamyasi, Flow Motion, and Tago Mago. That's my order of preference too. I really don't know what to make of the almost-20 minute tracks on Tago Mago. I guess with repeated listens, they reveal a bit more? They better

JerryHandbag

El Pr0n wrote: »

I'm getting into CAN a lot lately too. So far I have Ege Bamyasi, Flow Motion, and Tago Mago. That's my order of preference too. I really don't know what to make of the almost-20 minute tracks on Tago Mago. I guess with repeated listens, they reveal a bit more? They better

Halleluwah - I could listen to that for 1hr 20 mins to be honest....Aumgn is a bit avant garde alright and hard to listen to in places!

I recommend Monster Movie and Delay 1969 as well, check out Yoo Doo Right from Monster Movie...another 20 min jam that you just wish went on forever.

Cjayses

GG Allin.

1967

James when i need a bit of a lift and for chilling out to Cocteau Twins

Gregsor

Smashing Pumpkins
Deus
Pixies
The Smiths
The Cure
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Soundgarden

Most of them at the same time,early 90's,what a trip
My poor parents ears!