Musical Taste/Influence

Billy Murdoch · From: Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.

As a child in the mid forties I was exposed to a lot of "dance" music of that era,Glenn Miller/Bing Crosby et al.
I always liked listening to music on steam radio.As a teenager in the mid to late fifties I was really hooked on rock'n' roll and a little bit country.It is My belief that rock'n roll finished when the Beatles hit the scene,I never really was a Beatles fan.As the sixties unfolded I became more aware of what I call pure country,Haggard,Jones, and many others of that time.I have continued to enjoy all types of music of just about all genres but I find that My real love is the music of My teen and early twenties years.Good hard drivin' rock/n/roll and good s**t kickin' country music.
How do YOU feel,Have Your musical tastes changed or were they formed in Your "Formative Years"?
Best regards
Billy

Theresa Galbraith · From: Goodlettsville,Tn. USA

I liked more rock with steel guitar.
I loved Poco & Elton John

Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Billy,I agree about the Beatles,I to think rock went downhill when they came along,Never cared for them at all,[Most of my musical friends LOVED them,]Same with Jimi,always thought he sucked,But MILLIONS loved both,And that's fine with me,to each his own, DYKBC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !

Leslie Ehrlich · From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

As far as listening to music goes, my tastes vary. I've got a variety of mp3s on my hard drive, ranging from Carl & Pearl Butler singing 'Don't Let Me Cross Over' to Iron Maiden playing 'Number Of The Beast'.

But as far as playing music goes, I like playing heavy hard-driving rock 'n' roll. I was inspired by bands like Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Deep Purple, Rush, Lynyrd Skynyrd, etc.

The Beatles? I like them too, but only their later stuff (1967-1970). Their early stuff is too teenybopper for my liking.
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Sho-Bud Pro III + Marshall JMP 2204 half stack = good grind!

Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

Jim Hankins · From: Yuba City, California, USA

Late 1963, age 6, Beatles the Beatles blew me away, I thought it sounded like a whole choir vocally(prior to seeing them visually) compared to the 4 Seasons or Peter Paul and Mary stuff I was getting up to that point. I still hold the early stuff more dear to my heart, though I see how people would see it as corny. Fast forward to years of focus on hard rock lead guitar. Late 70s, two bands statnd out as influences: UFO and Thin Lizzy. Schenker remains my favorite guitarist to this day. Most of the greats, though technically better cite him as an influence, or emulated him , but no one has captured the fluid melodic flair of his. I am now (last 5-10 years) appreciating country, thanks to steel guitar. Typically Emmons and Byrd are tops and must be influening me.

Leslie Ehrlich · From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

My first musical love was rock and roll in the late 50s. The single most intense experience of my life before I started to play the guitar was seeing Bo Diddley jamming with the Isley brothers at one of Alan Freed's rock and roll shows in New York.

By 1960 I had gotten into folk music, and was learning folk guitar from listnening to the likes of Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly and the Weavers.

During that time I attended a now somewhat legendary concert at Carnegie Hall featuring Seeger, Baez, and making his debut before white audiences, Lighnin' Hopkins. From that moment on I was hooked on the blues, and listened to (and tried to play like) such players as Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Brownie McGhee, Big Bill Broonzey etc. eventually discovering the Mississippi guys: Robert Johnson, Fred McDowell, Blind Willy McTell, Bukka White etc, and their musical offspring, Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf.

I remained totally immersed in this music for a few years, and then the Rolling Stones came along, and it was a revelation. I played in a few garage blues bands over the next few years. One of those bands became very successful 4 or 5 years after I left them. At the time I was with them, we called ourselves "the heavies" because we were all fat, but they later became known as Canned Heat.

Sometime around 1967 I started listening to groups like Pentangle and The Incredible String Band, and by 1970 I had more or less stopped listening to and playing rock. During this time I went though a phase of listening to a lot of jazz guitar (which I don't play). Charlie Byrd was a particular favorite.

In 1975 I was in the right place at the right time was offered a gig playing with a country band. This a fluke that came completely out of left field. 24 hours before I first played with these guys, I had never met or heard of them, and no inkling I would be gigging with them. At the time I had never even listened to country music. I didn't know any of the songs, or even who Hank Williams was. All I knew was that if the other guys in the band are playing a G chord, I had to play one too.

Quite literally, the very first time in my life that I had ever heard country music, I was on stage playing it.

Shortly thereafter I discovered the steel, and decided that this was the instrument I was born to play.
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Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

Billy Murdoch · From: Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.

Mike,
I enjoyed Your story very much.
I loved Canned Heat.
I omitted to mention in My opening post that I became aware of the blues when I was about 15 years old and struggling with My first three chords,I saw a film clip of Big Bill Broonzy playing in a club in Hamburg and I could'nt believe what I was seeing and hearing.We had a radio show which played the blues of that kind,all of a half hour on a Sunday,I never missed it and became aware of all the fabulous players mentioned in Your post above.
I am sure the clip of Broonzy is on U tube,I will have a look for it.
Billy
Here is the very clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb1b3ClhRbo

Just imagine a little blond cherub(Me) Smile

Trying to hold a one fingr G chord and seeing this style for the first time

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

It gets better Billy. Check this out.

http://www.ashgrovemusic.com/

I used to hang out at this place during the early 60s (Herb Steiner lived in l.A. at the time and we used to hang out there together) and I saw almost all the performers, both the blues guys I lived and the country and bluegrass artists like Doc Watson, Bill Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs as well.

Once the club had Doc Watson and Reverend Gary Davis on the same bill. Reverend Davis called Doc up to the stage and even though they played wildly diverse styles, they did some duets together. (Herb, if you're reading this, were you there that night?)

I copped guitar lessons from Fred McDowell and Bukka White and an autoharp lesson from Mother Maybelle Carter. I was with Herb when he copped a mandolin lesson from Bill Monroe.

And the place also offered guitar lessons, and I studied with one of the teachers there: a young man by the name of Clarence White.

Even at the time I knew I was privileged to be part of something very rare and special. In retrospect I'm blown away that the place even existed, and will always be grateful that I was fortunate enough to have been there.

I think it was an incredible education, and the foundation of all that I've done since.
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Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

Billy Murdoch · From: Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.

Mike,
I am speechless.
Are You going to Dallas next month?
I could have a very long chat with You.
I will certainly speak to Herb about this.
thanks
Billy

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Billy, I just bought a new car. Suffice to say, I won't be able afford to take any trips to steel guitar shows this year.

Herb can tell you as much as I can though. I'm sure he's be more than willing to talk it.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

Jim Hankins · From: Yuba City, California, USA

Leslie ,I have a Marshall half stack, gonna have to try it with the steel. Any way there is alot more to Thin Lizzy than The Boys are Back in Town, or Cowboy Song (both from Jail Break). Phil Lynott had a series of good lead guitar players in the band including Gary Moore(2 or 3 stints) Scott Gorham, John Sykes, and Brian Robertson. Considered 2 of the finest live rock albums : UFO Strangers in the Night, Thin Lizzy Live and Dangerous.

Ellis Miller · From: Cortez, Colorado, USA

Intresting question! I have long believed that our musical tastes were formed in a large part, by what we heard when we were growing up.

My father was an old time musician - fiddle, guitar and piano - who learned to play from his grandfather. The music I heard as a child was mostly Civil War and post Civil War music with the Grand Ol'e Opry on Saturday nights. We did not have TV or more than one radio station in the mountains of SW Colorado. For the most part, we made our own music.

I went through various stages, rock and roll, jazz, and of course, country. I also have a formal college education in music and performed and studied the classics.

As I went through my various musical phases and stages, the country/old time roots may have slipped below the surface but they never totally went away. Eventually, I gravitated to Country music where I spent a good part of my career.

My latest recording project is a labor of love. It is made up of songs I learned at my Father's knee. It seems I have come full circle. It has been a great ride.
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Ellis Miller
Don't believe everything you think.
http://www.ellismillermusic.com

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