Pin Ups

Second Level Influential

As far as I can determine the most influential bands in rock, ie. those who inspired kids to play music and start bands are:

1. Chuck Berry

2. The Beatles

3. Rolling Stones

4. Ramones

5. Sex Pistols

6. Black Flag

7. Led Zepplin

8. Black Sabbath

Not too many really although there are probably many I've not thought of and Zepplin is kind of on the line (there are lots of bands who heavily influenced other musicians : Velvet Underground, 13th Floor Elevators, Bad Brains and so on.) They all had a pretty specific impact, that is, a lot of bands copied their sound. Witness all of the '60's garage comps, obscure '70's heavy rock bands, Latin American punk bands and '80's hardcore outfits. The Strokes , to my mind, are one of the few that have influenced both ways, who would have thought?

So who influences todays bands? Judging from MySpace  bands today  are influenced by genres or the whole rock 'n roll canon. Even bands that sound like they are specifically copying someone list a variety of influences. Bands should stop listing their influences. If it's obvious, it's obvious. If not, why tell everybody? Let them enjoy your music without immediatly comparing it to something else. I'm all for stealing riffs and whatever in rock and roll and there's no reason to tell folks you've done it, they probably don't want to know anyway.