Musicians you admire, especially those that most aren't familiar with Options

[edstipe]

This is a thread to comment on musicians you admire, especially if he/she doesn't have much name recognition (though feel free to name those who are well known too!).

The inspiration for this comes from a show I attended recently. It was a Jeff Tweedy show, and he was absolutely brilliant. However, Jeff isn't the guy I want to mention here. The opening act was a guy named Glenn Kotche. He is Wilco's drummer, but in a band he is somewhat confined by the sounds of the other guys around him (as all members of a group inevitably are).

I didn't think I would like an act that is all percussion and no words, but man was I wrong. This guy blew everyone away. His skill on drums is unbelievable, but he isn't just about drums. He brought out more instruments -- some traditional, but many self-created -- than I could keep count of.

A sort of defining moment of his set was when he brought out about 20 boxes and opened them up to reveal the sound of.....crickets. He then mic'd them up and used the crickets as an integral part of his song. I wish I could describe some of the other things he did, but my knowledge of instruments is far too limited to even attempt to do so.

Anyhow, after witnessing his genius, I was definitely hooked on his music. Anybody who can delight a crowd of people who have never really heard your song is pretty damn admirable in my book.

If you're interested in checking out his music, you can do so here: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...iendID=56510273

[Heather]

Wow that guy sounds really amazing. I am going to check his site out for sure.

My current obsession, as I mentioned in the other thread, is Ryan Adams. I think some people might know his song New York, New York or his cover of the Oasis song Wunderwahl (however that's spelled). I always liked the singles of his that I had heard and had a few of his songs downloaded but I didn't get hooked until I heard the double Cold Roses cd. It was the first time in a really long time that I was just stunned by the beauty of music. He's just so prolific and his music is just so pure and powerful and full of emotion. I haven't seen him live yet but I hear his live show is unreal. He has a ton of songs because he puts out a cd whenever the hell he feels like it. I haven't even had a chance to buy all of them yet. He just pretty much embodies everything that makes a musician great in my opinion.

I describe his music as a mix between Bob Dylan, Chriss Isaak and Jeff Buckley. I don't think he fits into any kind of category but I guess he is considered a singer/songwriter.

http://www.ryan-adams.com/

This post has been edited by Heather: May 15 2006, 8:41 pm

[burd]

SRV
Chris Layton
Tommy Shannon
Paaaaatrick
Adam
(the other guys too, but these two get special mention)
Hamell On Trial
Rick Allen
Will Hoge & his crew
My friends in bands who consider a show with 50 people a big deal

[Pokey]

Nice thread and Mr Kotche sounds like has some cool ideas swimming around in his head.

I know it's predictable, but I'm gonna firstly say Morrissey. Not that he is actually a musician, he doesn't really play any instruments. But it's his pen to paper that I admire most, they really are "the songs that saved your life".

I admire a guy called Jimi Hocking .. he used to be a guitarist for the band The Screaming Jets but was solo before that and now long after that. Last year he went over to America (he's Australian) and won the international blues solo artists in Memphis. He is the ultimate showman, it's like a great rock and blues show combined with a comedy act at the same time.
I've never seen a guitarist like him, he does all that fancy stuff like doing the splits with the guitar behind his head and all ... and there are always hilarious moments at his shows whether intentional or not.

Like when he was playing in the bar area of this venue when an eldery couple walked in obviously looking for the slot machines, they saw him, turned their nose up and walked out to the next room and sat down at the slots. Jimi continued playing the song whilst following them out the door and into the casino area and continued his set for about 10 mins standing behind them watching them play the slot machines with them being typical cranky old people.

http://www.jimihocking.com/ is his website. Like Edstipe has mentioned, I'm not very good with technical knowledge when it comes to music so it'd be hard to go into that with him.

He's just an amazing showman, very down to earth and approachable after and before his gigs, has more talent in his little finger than most musicians have in a lifetime, but it's also just really fun bluesy rock.

[Pokey]

Oh Mike Patton .. not much explanation needed.

[beau99]

Jack Johnson.
Ben Harper.
Sonny Sandoval.
Christian Lindskog.

[mrmcpheezy]

Good thread.

Mike Patton

Hella.


I also have to mention Tool and NIN, but mostly people here are familiar with them, so I won't say much.


I'd also like to mention 2Pac. While most people here know who he is, I doubt many are all that famliar with his work. This guy wrote songs back in the day when rappers actually performed with a band with them on stage. It's not at all like the mindless dribble you hear on most rap radio stations. A lot of it was straight gangsta rap, but I understand this probably won't interest as many people here as it does me. Coming from the ghetto, I really can relate to a lot of what he says. Just...the values, and things he focuses on. The way he feels about life. It's a difficult thing to explain, but while it just comes across as stupid bullshit to a lot of you, it is a reality for many. He, so clearly, expressed the thoughts and feelings of an entire demographic. Not many musicians can say this. In addition to the gangsta rap, he had a lot of interesting things to say. He was no poet. He was no philosopher. But he was a man with interesting thoughts.

"jealousy is misery. suffering is greed".


Danny motherfucking Elfman.


Pineapple Thief. I'm listening to these guys right now, actually. I've got four of their albums. My favorite two are 8 Days and Variations on a Dream. Amazingly creaitve. They have a sort pop-ish, groovy feel to a lot of their songs, but they also mix in a few heavy, distorted sections, and the occasional ambience. Nothing astonishing going on, I guess, but I definitely think they're worth listening to. Probably a band a lot of Live fans would like, I think.


Tortoise is probably the most chill band on the planet. Songs like Djed and TNT are great music for parties. The thing I like most about their work is that while the tone is perfect as background music, it's also music that has enough going on to hold your attention should you choose to focus on it while listening by yourself or something. They explore a lot of different tones and styles. They'll be rock-ish one song, and then jazzy the next, and the almost hip-hop-ish at times as well. I love it.


I don't even know what to say about Secret Chiefs 3. A bunch of amazing musicians doing some absolutely crazy shit. I'm just starting to get into it, so I can't say much about it, but I'm quite impressed.

[beau99]

I forgot one:

Brian Eno. Especially the Passengers album he did with U2. It actually didn't sound like U2 at all. That shit was crazy excellent.

He's a great producer.

This post has been edited by beau99: May 15 2006, 10:23 pm

[mrmcpheezy]

I forgot one:

Brian Eno. Especially the Passengers album he did with U2. It actually didn't sound like U2 at all. That shit was crazy excellent.

He's a great producer.

*cums all over his keyboard*

Brian Eno is awesome. Music for Films is simply amazing.

[sandkind]

allan holdsworth....incredible guitarist

stevie ray vaughn....ditto

stuart hamm....monster on the bass

ed roland....for his songwriting ability

[PearlJamminJason]

PETE YORN

[sherocker]

Danny motherfucking Elfman.

glad to see we have that in commen, i LOVE his music!!! (Edward Scissorhands...........frickin' amazing!!!!)

[mrmcpheezy]

Yeah, Edward Scissorhands is one of my favorites, but he's got a shitload of good ones. The Trouble suite from Mission: Impossible. Hell yes. Amazing composer.

[slainte]

jamie cullom. loreena mckennitt. peter gabriel. trent reznor. tool. lee holdridge. gabriel yared.

[Senghe]

John Frusciante, but not for his RHCP stuff because he's the only thing I like about them. His solo albums are amazing... apart from Smile From The Streets You Hold which is literally the sound of him dying. There is no other artist I have so much respect for both for his technical ability and him throwing his heart and soul into every aspect of his music. Even his intstrumental tracks are far more emotive than most artist can manage with mere words and I'm forever discovering little layers and nuances in his songs that I've not picked up on before.

And for some reason I absolutely fucking love Adam Carson from AFI. I only have to hear the drum intro to Days Of The Phoenix live and I go weak at the knees. I don't normally notice drumming, but his playing is the pivotal point of AFI's music for me.

Jeff Buckley No matter how much critical acclaim his music receives, it will never be enough. It's just tragic that he died before he reached his full potential.