influences
When I look at the list of influences for my song based material I am not sure I recognise all the references. However it is often easier to hear these standing on the outside looking in.
Artists influential in shaping my song based music (listed alphabetically): | |
Lily Allen Bauhaus B-Movie David Bowie The Bravery Clearlake The Cure Dead Can Dance Nick Drake Depeche Mode Peter Gabriel Garbage The Human League (early material) Japan Joy Division Led Zeppelin Madness |
Magazine Muse New Order Pet Shop Boys Pink Floyd Radiohead The Ruts Seabound Show of Hands Simon & Garfunkle Slade The Smiths Starsailor The Stranglers Talk Talk Wire |
Song Based Influences
I have always admired bands that demonstrate diversity in writing styles. Those that will not stick to one carved out form (e.g. Led Zeppeling 'Kasmir' vs 'Trampled Under Foot', The Cure 'Primary' vs 'Wrong Number'; Stranglers - 'Down in the Sewer' vs 'Golden Brown', etc.). I would like to think I have managed this on my new album but certainly if you were to compare my output in V-Sor,X, my instrumental albums and now this more acoustic based release.
Artists influential in shaping my instrumental music (listed alphabetically): | |
John Barry Beethoven The Beloved Harold Budd Delirium Depeche Mode Enigma Brian Eno Global Communications |
Japan (particularly instrumental
B-Sides) Jean Michel Jarre Maurice Jarre Paul Mounsey Patrick O'Hearn Mike Oldfield OMD (early) Erik Satie |
Instrumental Influences
My first memory of making a conscious selection of music to listen to, was back in the sixties when I would sit in front of my parents sideboard gramophone player. We lived in Cyprus at the time and I would go through my parents collection of chart compilations, classical music and film themes. The album that sticks out was 'Dr. Zhivago' by the late great Maurice Jarre. Strangely enough, a decade and a half later I would be listening to his son, Jean Michel Jarre, with equal enthusiasm.
Some other tracks I would site as being very early influences for my instrumental music were Popcorn by Hot Butter, Beethoven and the Doctor Who theme. Music was always an integral part of my early life, however it was the latter half of the 70s and the early 80s that had the most profound affect on my desire to write music. It was around this time I was introduced to Mike Oldfield, Jean Michel Jarre, Depeche Mode and the instrumental B-Sides of Japan.