influences?

[jfine]

I've been checking out some clips that members have been posting of their own playing--we've got some good players on here! So, how about name-checking your influences? I'll start--in vaguely chronological order:
Les Paul, Merle Travis, Dick Dale, Joe Maphis, Chuck Berry, the Ventures, James Burton, the Beatles, Jeff Beck, Mike Bloomfield, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana, John Cipollina, Curtis Mayfield, B. B. King, Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Miles Davis, Ravi Shankar, Jimmy Nolen, Roy Buchanan, Roy Nichols, Don Rich, Albert Lee, Eddie Van Halen, Danny Gatton, Buddy Emmons

[Veenture]

For me it was those early guitarists often backing up the big Rock 'n' Roll stars like Elvis and Ricky Nelson etc. Think of Scotty Moore, James Burton, Joe Maphis, Don Rich, Duane Eddy, Lonnie Donegan, Buddy Holly and others (I didn’t know all of their names at the time though, lol).

Guitar heroes that later grabbed my attention was HANK MARVIN (The Shadows) and NOKIE EDWARDS (The Ventures) of course and I became hooked, ever since I first heard 'em play. Then there was BO WINBERG, lead guitarist of the Swedish band "The Spotnicks" and not to forget, the replacement lead player for The Ventures, GERRY McGEE

In the years that followed, a host of players – most of the ones Jon mentioned too (so I won't repeat all here) as well as new music styles- have influenced me further. I forget names but I must include Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Fogerty, Rory Gallagher, Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Lynyrd Skynyrd, James Jamerson (Motown sound), Barney Kessel, John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Everly Bros, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Jay Dee Maness, Red Rhodes…
I can keep going …funny yet how I always seem to come back to my Rock 'n' Roll roots

[101Volts]

My best friend (Who got me interested in playing guitar in the first place)
A Flock of Seagulls (Taught me to give bands lots of time to grow on me before I decided whether I liked them or not, Without them I wouldn't like half the music I have)
The B-52's (Introduced me to Mosrite guitars)
The New Pornographers (Who have a heavy influence on my sound, Their solo acts too)
Nirvana (If I ever form a band they'll have an influence on what stage presence I may have if something goes wrong)
XTC (Or rather, Andy Partridge who has an influence on my guitar playing)

[TimR]

I appreciate all the dudes mentioned above as well. I can't help but notice one that was left out, that is actually my all time favorite -Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour. Him and Carlos Santana are the only ones (in my opinion), that anyone can readily identify with just one note. Gilmour, though, is not just a master of tone and substance, but a true artist who knows just what to play, and when and where to play it. I have long felt that the 2nd solo on "Comfortably Numb" may be the greatest display of what the electric guitar is truly capable of in rock n' roll history. I would love to say Dave has influenced me, but I'm not good enough to even imply such a thing

[Veenture]

I myself haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what any one of the above-mentioned famous guitarists are capable of but I like to think each one of them have stirred me enough -some more than others- to try and follow their lead (coincidental pun here)

Yes, there are still so many more good and talented players worth mentioning ...and many an unsung hero amongst 'em too but none that have influenced me as much as the names that I have mentioned earlier, printed in capital letters and who's style I play the most.

[sleeperNY]

The guitar sounds that first caught my ear for solo guitar music were

Chet Atkins
Duane Eddy
The Ventures--Nokie Edwards

I can't play like any of them but try to play clean like all of them. I have taken songs that they play and tried to make them something that fits my style of playing and most people that have heard them like what I have done.

Jim

[rog43win]

Since I'm older than most here.....I have to go back to when electric guitar began to become more noticed and prominent......the late 50's songs started to use the electric guitar more in the background, then slowly with lead parts........the Everly Brothers caught my attention, and even Ricky Nelson's early music......
Duane Eddy had some "new" sounds, and were fairly easy to play...and when more instrumentals began coming, I was definitely hooked on guitar...
"Apache", by Ingmann....."Out of Limits", "Penetration", "Memphis", "Wham", "Susie-Q" ....and of course, The Ventures......been a fan ever since, and still play along with the recordings.....

I went through a period when I was very interested in jazz guitar, and took a few lessons from a local jazz player, and liked Howard Roberts , Barney Kessel, Johnny Smith, to name just a few.

But my favorites are instrumental guitar........Ventures primarily....

Roger

[jtr654]

I know he's never been seen playing a Mosrite but why isn'y Jan Akkerman ever mention. I also agree with most of the name above.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Well I have to agree with Paul (Veenture) in that everyone mentioned above has 'stiirred us all' in one way or another. So I guess my addition to the list would be Donald Scholz,
who one year got so bored, he went out and got a license..........to fly..........747s Jumbo Jets . I guess that's what happens when you are an M.I.T. Graduate and get bored.
And you most likely can recognize his tone with one note from his guitar. Anyhow, Donald actually goes by his middle name Tom and has had some success with his little band 'Boston.'

[Veenture]

I know he's never been seen playing a Mosrite but why isn'y Jan Akkerman ever mention. I also agree with most of the name above.

Jan Akkerman is a huge guitar talent for sure but he really didn't influence me to play his style, which I find rather...'demonstrative'... (for lack of a better word) …or flamboyant/showy/technical -if you like. I have one of his early LP's and I do like his cover of "Green Onions" on it. He kindly signed it for me in 2000 after a gig he was invited to, held by the music school I was attending at the time with a drummer friend (workshop). It so happened that I and one or two other students got to do a tune with him and I remember him teaching me an alternative chord for [A7]. He showed me how an [A9] sounded more groovy. He certainly knows The Ventures and Walk, Don't Run...I had asked him...one Dutchman to another...

How's that for a mention of Jan Akkerman?