Musical Influences Over the Years
- Brent Wiseman
- Jan 10, 2014
- 15 min read
*2017 update: I'm hoping on updating this at some point. Lots of good stuff I've discovered the past few years and there were already many bands I realized I forgot to add to this list - some of them huge for me. Ratatat, Gunship, Stranger Things OST, etc, kind of gives you an idea of where my taste has been focussed lately.*
I wanted to finally get it out there for posterity and make good on my promise. Instead of albums, I wanted to say my major musical influences in my life in semi-chronological order. My musical tastes have changed so much the past few years especially. These bands determined my musical taste, obviously, but also played a big part in who I was and who I've become.
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1989-2000's: Classic Rock There are too many artists to name. My dad made sure I knew music of his generation. This was the foundation for everything I know about music, and everything I've learned has been built from this. Fleetwood Mac, Boston, Def Leppard, Bowie, Rush, Van Halen, Beatles, etc.You don't know good guitar playing until you know Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood. If you know me, you'll know I'm obsessed with this song (especially this specific performance):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZZp76M4NGc
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Early 2000's: Blink 182
This is how it started. I was drawn in by how happy and carefree they seemed. Solid melodies and excellent riffs with great lyrics despite how uncaring they seemed. I'd never before experienced music that I felt I could relate to. As such, I was in awe of this music. I want to say I discovered it through my sister, Erica. But when I met Michael Easley, we sought out more of this new music together. That's who we were back then - the pop punk kids. No song reminds me more of those days than this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVy9Lgpg1m8
(this, or "Fat Lip" by Sum 41)
Other influential bands to me that I found during this time: Sum 41, All American Rejects, Yellowcard, Rufio, The Starting Line, Weezer, Lucky Boys Confusion, Good Charlotte, Green Day, Bowling For Soup, The Offspring, New Found Glory, Sugarcult, Eminem (I know, random, but I respect him greatly), Matchbox 20, Goo Goo Dolls
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Mid 2000's (early high school): Jack's Mannequin, We The Kings My early high school years were marked by discovering bands with less punk and more pop than I'd previously heard. To my freshman self, Blink 182 was still my favorite band, but there was something more 'mature' about these bands. I was starting to discover my deep interest in... depression? Melancholy.. ness? There was something about it - an honesty in their voice that I'd rarely ever heard before. One of the things I care about most is honesty. I can't stand singers who don't sound like they themselves believe what they're singing. I always ask myself what motivates the singer to sing. Money? Fame? Or just truth? Because they can't stand the thought of these lyrics going unsung. There's a lot of truth in pain; more so than I've ever seen elsewhere. I'd begun to realize that during this time. Mannequin showed me more than any other band yet had how much feeling you could include in a song with this one (especially this acoustic version): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhr0iXFkSaU There is also something to say about We The Kings. Sure, they might be 'bubblegum pop', but the dude has a damn good voice. I think after seeing this acoustic performance I wished for the first time that I could actually sing - not just to myself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZCQ52ObP-E Other bands: Mayday Parade, Amber Pacific, We The Kings, Quietdrive, Relient K, All Time Low, Something Corporate, Flogging Molly, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, Dashboard Confessional, Switchfoot
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Later Mid 2000's (mid high school): Eve 6, Brand New, The Killers
Now I get to more of the bands I really want to talk about. I was discovering music so fast during these years due to all of my friends exchanging their favorites with everyone else.
The Killers - They were honestly were a kind of random grab for me, but they ended up being one of my favorite bands of all time. Hot Fuss is definitely on my list of top 5 listened to albums of all time. Maybe it's just me, but it never get's old. It's music for all moods, but especially amazing when you just want to chill with loud music. This is an extremely fun album with some of the best mixing and producing I've ever heard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZTpLvsYYHw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP_b7-_PkoM
Eve 6 - Eve 6 became my absolute favorite band for a long time. A friend gave me some CD's he found in an abandoned CD case and It's All In Your Head was the only one worth listening to. It was fate. :D Eve 6 could be whatever I needed them to be at any given moment. Angry (which I personally started feeling a bit more around this time.. Pubescent angst ftw..), melancholy like Mannequin or Brand New, or melt your face off happy rocking reminiscent of what I loved about Blink. Max Collins became my first 'favorite' lyricist. There aren't many people who could include the word 'copacetic' smoothly in a song. Lyrics like "Promise not to try not to fuck with your mind" just makes me smile thinking about it. He is witty yet modest and relatable. His bridges and choruses are works of art. Listen to the lyrics of "On The Roof Again". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbvXG9tMyJk "Your heinous highness broke her hymen, hey man try to quit your cryin'. I know she broke your heart, but try to calm, try to calm downWHO DOES THAT? "Heinous highness broke her hymen"? Fucking genius.The world knows Eve 6 for the songs "Inside Out" and "Here's To the Night". If you don't know the band you'd still probably recognize those songs. I gotta say, I wasn't as big of a fan of their latest album which released a year or two ago after they got back together. It did spawn this great song though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsE56PvCOJI "You don't like my attitude. Well, I don't like your latitude." :p
Brand New - My friends and I performed a Brand New song for our 2005 freshman year talent show. But it wasn't until The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me released in 2006 that I fully accepted that I love painful music - and there is scarcely more painful music than this album and their followup, Daisy. I'd go so far as to say it's a masterpiece. You very nearly get that awkward feeling you get when you see a (non-lover) person naked - like you're peering too deep into this dudes soul through his lyrics. It's heart wrenchingly beautiful.
Other influential bands from that era of my life: Motion City Soundtrack, OkGo, Elliott Smith, Wilco, Motion City Soundtrack, Alkaline Trio, Modest Mouse, Nine Inch Nails, The Bravery, Ben Folds, Rufus Wainwright, Snow Patrol, Hellogoodbye, Iron and Wine, Hoobastank
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Late High School On - Most of the bands I have left to share were big deals to me. I've something to say for each of them, so I'm going to change up the list style a bit. As I said, I really started to embrace the more depressing and angry music around this time, including a lot of screamo/emo stuff.
2005 - Story of the Year
The album Page Avenue is another on my list of top 5 listened to albums. I had heard "screamo" music before through my older sister, but I'd never heard anything I liked. Then I found SotY. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of most of their other stuff, but Page Avenue is such a brilliant album I had to include it. One of my favorite memories of these years was sitting in my car with Patrick with Black and Mild's and screaming our lungs out. I learned to scream thanks to these guys. Also, this was the first time I ever remember someone telling me they thought I was a good singer. I had always wanted to sing but never thought I was any good. I mean, I'm not, but when Pat told me that I realized maybe I could tool around a bit. :p I honestly don't know if I'd still be playing music if not for him, so, thanks bud. :) Back to SotY, you've no idea how good it feels when you're pissed the fuck off to put on this album and let loose. This band became a brother of mine. Even if you don't like screamo I'd say give this album a try. They scream, but they're damn good singers too and they made an absolutely fantastic album with Page Avenue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILD5UiyEzCw
2005 - My Chemical Romance
A lot of people give these guys shit just because, yes, many teenage girls wet themselves to this band. It's a band that's become a fad to hate, just like Twilight. Even people who hadn't seen the movie claimed to hate it because it wasn't a 'cool' thing to like. Fuck that. The Black Parade is a brilliant album made with much love and care. They managed to shove a lot of emotion, moving lyrics, and some badass technical instrument skills into this solid work. The guitarist for MCR is one of the best I've heard and Gerard Way has a uniqueness in his voice that is hard to place. The Black Parade is definitely highly recommended by me. The first link is probably my favorite song by them. I am completely in love with the intro guitar and vocals. Crank it if you can. The second is another favorite with an amazing solo, though, I warn you, if you're still in the throes of a tough breakup it's sad as hell.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1izctHJ7FAQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbTIRlFqD7k
2006 - AFI
AFI was a strange one for me. First, they were initially a very punk band, but turned extremely dark as their sound matured. I caught on to these guys through Danny I believe when Decemberunderground released. I had started to want to do things with my own music that I thought others would think was too weird. Listening to AFI let me realize I don't actually have to give a fuck. They gave me more courage to do what I wanted and not just what I thought others would appreciate. They're also one of the best bands at giving me goosebumps born from badass moments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsrEXwozK-Y
Even something so simple as a tiny musical part like the staccato guitar at :39. Things like that are certainly something I strive for now in my own music. And here is AFI not giving a fuck what anyone thinks. Few bands have the balls to do something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLV76F9al_4
Every chorus gives me goosebumps, but the bridge does more than anything (and is what requires balls). If you're interested, don't just skip to the bridge. You have to listen to the whole thing. If you have remotely close to my taste in music and have never heard the song, be prepared to shit yourself. You should also look at the music video for "Silver And Cold". The story they tell is haunting. I've thought about it a lot in the years after I first saw it. Also, I've been on the bridge he's on. :p Cologne, Germany.
2007 - White Stripes
The White Stripes are in a league of their own. I don't think I had ever been more impressed with a bands creativity and uniqueness before. I had liked the White Stripes since I first heard "Seven Nation Army", but Icky Thump was on a different level. The White Stripes are the brainchild of Jack White who is a rare musical genius. What he has accomplished is immeasurable to me. There are probably several people who would disagree, but this music to me is a rare timeless album that if you don't appreciate (even if you don't love it), I'm not sure we'd get along very well. :p If you consider yourself a music enthusiast, you should be ashamed if you've never listened to Icky Thump.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3LM4JsY0so
2008ish - Muse
I've told this to Danny before - I really can't fathom people not liking Muse. I don't expect everybody to love them or for the music to be their style, but I just don't understand someone not liking them. It's like hearing someone say they don't like the Beatles. It's hard for me to trust that they're not just being hipsters and hating something everyone else loves just to be different. I've heard people call them 'overproduced' before. While they certainly are... produced.. I don't see it as "too much" with this band. It works beautifully. Matt Bellamy is one of the greatest singers I've ever heard. Muse is like a modern Queen reincarnate. The vocals are so incredibly tight and they tend to do these huge epic ballads with plenty of harmonization and fantastic lyrics. Everyone has probably heard them before so I guess there isn't too much else to say except that this is the best music to listen to while viewing a lightning storm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL6jwxw9T3c
2008/9 - Bright Eyes
I'd been hearing about Bright Eyes for years through various friends but they didn't really click for me until I listened to the album I'm Wide Awake It's Morning. I mark this as a major turning point in my musical taste. I'd never considered myself even remotely a lover of folk music, but this album blew me away and really changed the way I thought about music. This is probably around #5 in my top listened to albums. Conor Oberst is probably still today my favorite lyricist (or a close second to Andy Hull). He does things with words and musical timing that I'd never experienced or even considered before. I've learned I think four of his songs myself now. I'm still not a great singer, but I've learned a lot by listening to this album. Granted, many of his albums weren't folk/country like this. Here's two of his so you can mark the difference. One of his more popular and alternative sounding songs and another from Wide Awake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuXkhE0VMcw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18S8D8kHFlE
It took so long deciding what song off of Wide Awake to put up. All of them have something about them that make them amazing. The first verse of "Train Underwater" gives me goosebumps. "We Are Nowhere And It's Now" has some of the most clever wordings that make you think and a haunting chorus. "Lua" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I recommend looking up his live version of "Waste of Paint" too. Look at his face. That's passion. ... And I just realized he also looks like Kristen Stewart's brother.
2011 - Manchester Orchestra
I remember the first time I heard these guys. It was late in the year and I was on break at work in Lawrence sitting in my car. The young woman from 96.5 The Buzz (forgot her name) was playing some of the top songs of the year and "Simple Math" was one of them. I think I was a little late coming in from break because I couldn't drag myself away from that song. I think more than any other song I'd ever heard, this was love at first listen. :p I thought about it the rest of the day at work and when I got home I looked them up. I devoured Simple Math (the album), then their previous album Mean Everything To Nothing, then their earlier album I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child, and finally their first album Nobody Sings Anymore. With each album I was expecting to reach their "early, mediocre band sound", but I never did. Each album has shown me new unexpected and unique musical traits. They also do a great job of making actual *new* music in each song - every song sounds unique. I'd never heard a band even close to Manchester. It's rare that you find a band with the balls to release a song like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9_lwqWBfGw
Less than two minutes and hardly any structure at all - but still amazing. I like that Andy Hull doesn't seem to give a shit about musical norms. Every band has differing levels of how far they dare diverge from the typical path of current music. For instance, when I first started writing songs, it was always Verse 1, Verse 2, Chorus, Verse 3, (maybe Verse 4), Chorus, Bridge, Chorus, with very little change in the structure. I've since learned to follow where the music takes me and not where the structure would force me. But I still can't pull off what Andy does. I still subconsciously stick too much to the familiar, as do most artists I've heard. For me, listening to Manchester is extremely enjoyable, but it's also pseudo-training for my musical prowess. No other band impresses me more than Manchester. They became my favorite band of all time not long after I first discovered them and I think they'll remain so for a long time. There are too many songs I want to share, so I'll just share the song that initially blew me away the most off of Simple Math, "Pensacola" - probably the most 'happy-energy' song on the album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBmizSr9Urg Such a unique song. Truly a masterwork. I can give no higher recommendation than that I give Manchester. Start with Simple Math and work your way back.*Edit - Manchesters new albums Cope and Hope are amazing as well. They have the exact same track listings and the lyrics are almost exactly identical. Cope is a slamming hard and angry album, with Hope being a re imagining, burning the anger away to reveal the soft sadness underneath. Once again, I've never seen another band do that.*
2012 - Bad Books
My ongoing search for anything that Andy Hull was a part of led me to Bad Books, which is a side project of an artist named Kevin Divine and himself. There's not much more to say that I haven't already said about Manchester other than Bad Books are a bit more mellow than Hulls primary band. Kevin Divine is an excellent addition and compliments Andy's voice nicely. There are two songs I want to show you. The top link was the first song I heard by them and is reminiscent of "Pensacola" in it's poppy energy and perfection. The next is a live performance of a song called "Pyotr". It wasn't until I saw this video with the explanation that I understood it. This song.. My god.. Just listen to it. I nearly cry. Andy has perfected the thing that I respect most in a musician: the ability to portray emotion at its rawest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FePBV9F9vwI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NiFRtzsa8w
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Since then - All of my major influences have been spoken of already, but there are still a few bands I discovered in the past year or two that are very much worth talking about:
Gotye
Everybody knows Gotye's hit "Somebody That I Used To Know". Great song, yes. The problem I have is that for many people, that's the only song by Gotye they know. The entire album Making Mirrors is a pleasure to listen to and I think has something for everybody. If you're like me and like many different genre's, you'll have a blast listening to ithttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FlSdHyXYO8&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9DIwSYtZqoDYjozC9e2PBpS
AWOLNATION
I've always liked techno/synth/electronic/dubstep, but I had never found any I could listen to for more than a few songs before I felt I'd heard it all before. Skrillex is particularly bad about songs sounding too similar for my taste, though that first listen is always pretty badass. Even Bassnectar is sometimes guilty of that sin, and for that reason I've never been able to make it through an entire album. AWOL to me is a near perfect blend of electronica and rock. When I first heard it I really got the feeling this is where modern music is heading, and AWOL was the first to successfully do it imo. Megalithic Symphony isn't the strongest album as a whole, but it's filled with gems. I expect their upcoming album to be pretty rad. I know "Sail" is their most popular and you've probably heard it already, but it's too damn good. Find new stuff of theirs on your own time. :phttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaAWdljhD5o
Alt J
A buddy at my old Target introduced Danny and I to this band before the radio got ahold of it. :p The OG's.An Awesome Wave is a solid album, though I think I may have ruined it for myself by listening to it a bit too often for a month. If you haven't heard it, you should. It's definitely one of the most unique bands I've discovered the past few years. They're doing very much their own thing and it's damn good. This was the second time I felt like I was hearing music of the future.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg6BwvDcANg
The Neighbourhood
And this was the latest time, though with The Neighbourhood, I became more attached than I had with AWOL or Alt J. The tiny things I didn't like about those bands, The Neighbourhood fixed. I love those bands, but The Neighbourhood did everything right in my opinion with their album I Love You. It's dark and atmospheric, but heartfelt and inspiring. This is definitely a band I'm going to anxiously be watching. I can't wait for their next album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrWwtU7iyl0
La Dispute
Katie swore up and down that I'd love this band if I gave them a chance. They're one of the most unique bands I've ever heard. It's... spoken word-ish/scream/rock/rap? You'll have to see for yourself, but take her advice: give them a chance. They're strange, but she was right. I've fallen in love with Wildlife. The link is my favorite song by them. I know I've used the word 'haunting' too many times in this note, but compared to La Dispute, whatever other examples I gave are not worthy. One of the most haunting things I've ever heard in my life is the song "King Park" by them. I don't know that I've ever gotten harder (?), more intense goosebumps and shivers than I do in the final 35 seconds of that song. I honestly have trouble breathing for a few seconds when it hits. If you look it up, as with the AFI song, DO NOT skip to the end. If you're going to do it, do it right. I warn you: it's an intense song. The one I linked is their most 'songlike' on this album, I think. His lyrics and rhyming and scheme are so damn eloquent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4uAEWENsAs
The Faint
The final band I want to mention is one I just recently discovered (through Tobuscus on YouTube actually. :p), though they're a late 90's-2000's band. I think they're mostly considered new wave/alternative. They almost feel like an early 2000's version of AWOLNATION mixed with The Bravery. I was surprised I'd never heard of them. If you've never listened, I suggest you remedy that. :p
My favorite song by them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU-EaBjYVTo
Shit.. Can't decide between these next two songs. Fuck it. Have both. Wet From Birth is my favorite album by them (if you can't tell - all 3 songs are from it) if you want a starting point.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Omkj-lr4myE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNb2NSSBxP8
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There are probably about 30 bands I'll be ashamed when I discover I've forgotten to include them somewhere in here. Such is life.*One I forgot from around 2010: The Gay Blades.. Ghosts is amazing. I'll probably be adding to this soon.*More bands I need to add in here somewhere: Postal Service and Death Cab, Kavinsky, Gay Blades, 21 Pilots, M83, I Will Never Be The Same, Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows, The Used, Two Door Cinema, Stevie Ray Vaughn
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