Your dearest & nearest

[Pochipochi]

I figured this was a better title suited for a 'favorites' thread since it might encourage more words this way

What are the artists your hold close to you? Like, a roundabout way of saying, "please organize and explain your favorite artists", but I know that nobody can pick their 'favorites' very easily so that's why i'm going for this WHO GUIDED YOU way

This isn't organized in any way really as far as favorites goes so let me explain why all of these choices are so personal to me with some generic, boring wording because honestly for once I got nothing interesting to say. If I don't mention it in the elaboration, these people were some of the first I heard of their brand, or the best when I went exploring, and it really DEFINED my taste in favorites music, thus the weight.

The running theme here, I noticed, is that these are all people (but one) who released a lot of work and most of them are doing Their Own Thang. Obvious folk and psychedelia biases.

! Natural Snow Buildings: they were one of the defining artists in diversifying my tastes. They are always prolonged, always droning, but an incredble blend of folk instrumentation and electrical mystifying soundscapes. While their genre is very much "drone", every album has such an incredibly specific vibe and feel to it. They can have a very bright palette one work, but then go into dark anguish another.
! Acid Mothers Temple: Anyone who knows me knows this is my favorite. They're the greatest live band to ever play and I personally love their self-diluting discography. Makoto Kawabata is the coolest guitarist and he runs through music with some hilarious, but deeply richly spiritual, cosmic philosophies.
! The Mountain Goats: when I first heard a cassette of The Hound Chronicles (his 1992 debut), I think I cried somewhere around it for silly sentimental reasons because I realized how incredible it was that a man could so casually throw his music into such a format. It was a sort of bizarre, out of nowhere religious experience and I have been with him ever since. He is my absolute favorite folk artist and I cannot believe that anyone who genuinely loves the genre can say that there's anybody out there who is better. Best songwriter, best lyricist. And his material from 2008 onwards hasn't been bad either, though it's nowhere near as good.
! The Skaters: James Ferraro is kind of a noise god. Just in general these are some of the most prolific two men out there in the ~experimental~ music scene and their endlessly prolific releases make for a great "grab a random album" experience. As you should notice by now, I'm a big fan of prolificy given almost every artist here has a ridiculously ENORMOUS discography
! John Fahey: My other all-time favorite guitarist, this one acoustic. From the classical side of folk music, there is no one who has molested me more than this man's primitivism.
! Keiji Haino: let me put this as simple as I can. Every single year, since 1990-whatever, Keiji Haino is BY DEFAULT releasing the best album of that year until I hear a better one. It's not because of some biasy, not because he's like the greatest musician ever. He's just in his own world and great stuff flies out of it all day every day. He's guaranteed a place. He's always busy, always releasing, and is probably one of the best electric bluesman around when he's not being a noise monster.
! Art Ensemble of Chicago: back when I played in jazz stuff, these were the guys who seriously opened my eyes. Sure, other cats like Sun Ra or Mingus, or Davis, or Ornette Coleman are other "good" answers, but the incredibly emotional and raw sound of the Art Ensemble has thoroughly penetrated me.
! Asakawa Maki: my favorite singer from Japan. Back in the 70s she had some vocal releases that I like to call Gin-n-Cigarettes Jazz. She was remarkable. Just such a "black sunglasses" artist. She's sort of an odd inclusion here, but a great choice for nearest and dearest.
! Max Roach: a lot of inspiration from my drumming came from him. I loved hearing him, I loved his output, his shit was tremendous and powerful. he threw those sticks around with some magnificent weight. Probably my favorite hard bop artist, no contention.

Okay, throw yours in. They don't have to be a TOP 9 like I did, just do whatchu like.

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[Wagomu]

Choosing favorite artists for me has always been a tough decision. For the most part, I just love music and that's what reaches me more than anything else. Most bands fit into my mind as different dishes from the cosmic sonic buffet. The bands that stand out to me as more than just that are groups that have moved me farther than where I expected to go.

Frank Zappa is my favorite musician of all time. He taught me through his music and his life the importance of true individuality. Not the cheap kind that you can buy at the local drug store and that might be used to identify your body, but real stuff that we try to keep hidden for fear of harshing society's mellow. He went out there and relentlessly played his vision with a great passion that inspired me to search for myself and bring it in to whatever I do with full force. I may not be a musician, but as an ambitious man of science, I need to be able to bring my own perspective to the table and not just repackage the beliefs of others. I still have a long way to go, if it weren't for Zappa, I would still be holding status quo sacred.

I'll post more another time.

[Nobodyman]

As Wagomu it really is hard to whittle down a list of your favorite artists, even if you're allowed as much as ten. Not only that, but since I'm continuously listening to and experiencing new music (and I'm sure most of us are) I imagine my favorite artists list will probably change within the next year. So, actually, I think I'll take this as an opportunity to compare then and now. Here's a list of my favorite bands and solo artists (two separate lists) from about 2 or 3 years ago.

Bands:
10. Styx
9. Queen
8. Metallica
7. Earth, Wind and Fire
6. Duran Duran
5. The Beatles
4. ELO
3. Journey
2. Foreigner
1. They Might Be Giants

Solo Artists:
5. Billy Joel
4. David Bowie
3. Barry Manilow
2. Michael Jackson
1. Weird Al Yankovic

And now, here's my current favorite list (I'll include both bands and solo artists in this list).

! Honorable mentions to Journey, Foreigner, and Rush.
! 10. The B-52s - These guys were a huge part of my childhood. Still have fond memories of listening to "Love Shack" and "Junebug" in the car with my mom. I got "Cosmic Thing" recently, which contains those two songs, and it's an awesomely great album. Their first hit "Rock Lobster" is also damn good. I'd probably put these guys higher if I had actually listened to more of their stuff, but what I just listed is prett much all I have listened to.
! 9. Barry Manilow - Yeah, I know his songs are kind of same-y and most of them follow the same basic structure, but darned if this guy just can't touch my soul. You can tell by the rest of this list that I tend to like artists who do fast and lively songs, but I think Barry is the one guy who does mostly slow and romantic song who I actively listen to. I just can't help but feel that warmth in my heart when I listen to "Ships" or "Weekend in New England" or "Can't Smile Withou You."
! 8. Yes - My first venture into prog rock. "Close to the Edge" is my favorite of their prog albums. It's symphonic and grand while also being calm and heartfelt. It's really something that everyone should listen to. And I don't care what anyone says; 90125 is a great pop album that, while very different, is just as good as their prog stuff.
! 7. Nirvana - Another band I listened to a lot as a kid, it's just that I didn't know it. Sure, everyone knows they did "Smells Like Teen Spirit," but it wasn't until recently that I learned that they also did "Heart-Shaped Box," "In Bloom," and "Lithium." (yes, shocking, I know). I finally managed to buy and listen to two of their albums and it was really nice to listen to some old favorites while also being exposed to new ones. The lyrics are sardonic and irreverent (and incomprehensible), but I think the true strength of the band lies in those rockin' instrumentals (I mean, that's what it's all about right?). A damn shame Kurt Cobain was taken from us so soon, and, consequently, the band. Well, however short it was, it was sweet as can be.
! 6. The Who - I've only listened to two of their albums, and I already I know their reputation is well-deserved. I love their penchant for turning their albums into rock operas (I'd give almost anything to see what Lifehouse could've become) which gives their music a grand and sublime feel. Definitely gotta check out more of their and I imagine they'll probably go up in my list in the coming year.
! 5. ELO - Or maybe this was my first exposure to prog? Well, however you categorize these guys (synthpop, I guess) I think they're fantastic. I love how they can do a song that's lively and epic ("Twilight") and then do a song that's solemn and heartfelt ("Telephone Line") and both can be equally great. My biggest regret though is that, to date, I only have two of their greatest hits albums. I really need to see what these guys can do with a studio album (and, from I understand, they've managed to put out some darn good ones).
! 4. The Beatles - It's the Beatles. What more can I say?
! 3. Weird Al Yankovic - Not only is this guy the best in his field (not I think it's a particularly large market or anything), but he's also responsible for my exposure to a lot of great songs. As in, you know, I would listen to the song parodies and then listen to the original songs (those polkas are a gold mine of great songs). But anyway, back to the man himself, the two thing that impress me most about Weird Al is that he manages to be hilarious while also being family-friendly, and that his song parodies are just as good as, if not better than, the originals. Haven't been listening to him much recently though, and I really should buy more of his albums.
! 2. Duran Duran - Pretty much my favorite pop group, and the authors of what may be my favorite song of all time; "The Reflex." Their album "Seven and the Ragged Tiger" (which is one my all time fav albums btw) was also the catalyst which drove me to listen to 70's and 80's pop and hard rock and just more music in general. It's also amazing that after, from what I understand, 25 years of mediocrity, that they can rebound with the album "All You Need is Now," which is a fantastic album and was released just last year. Need to listen to more of their albums though to get a better understanding of what happened between Seven and Now (the Wedding Album is supposed to be good).
! 1. They Might Be Giants - Think it's pretty safe to say these guys will always be my favorite artists. Loved 'em ever since I heard "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" on Tiny Toons. I was really into them in my middle and early high school years, and then I kind of stopped listening to them as actively for a few years (the only saving grace being a best of… album I got in my second year of college). But then, just recently I bought three of their albums that I'd never heard before, and no, my opinion hasn't changed at all. The albums are great and reminded me why I fell in love with TMBG in the first place. They've just got a really catchy, upbeat, geeky style, complete with clever wordplay, that's all their own and I've never heard in any other artist. So yeah, long live TMBG.

[GuetaMinute]

Solo artists is not that hard for me compared to bands/groups/DJs etc.

I think the two artists/musicians that have had the biggest impact and influence on me not only in terms of music but also of life are Slash (heh) and Gustavo Cerati. The sole reason I picked up the guitar was Slash, not just G n' R. I stuck through with it and the investments in lessons, giving up a lot of time and dedication and effort into improving and learning the instrument. I made two good friends in my guitar teacher and his son who ran the music store he taught in. I still only own a guitar and an old outdated keyboard but I've learned a bit of keyboard, I can play the bass pretty well and even know a bit of slap techniques but nothing too advanced, and I've learned how to play the drums without any lessons and just going by seeing friends and other people play the drums and seeing concerts and videos and the like, and I can sing a bit, without meaning to toot my own horn. I never would have so much interest in learning music so much in the first place without Slash.

Now, as I had previously mentioned, my other favorite artist would be Gustavo Cerati. An incredibly innovative and brilliant musician as a guitarist, singer/guitarist, songwriter, composer, producer, and figure. One of the most influential Latin American musicians in history, not just in Rock In Spanish but in all international music. Leader of one of the most important Rock In Spanish bands of all time, Soda Stereo, hailing from Argentina, the very first band to reach incredible levels of fame and success and popularity internationally in Latin America. The band broke up in 1996 and got back together for a reunion tour in 2007. I missed it, unfortunately, and what's worse is Cerati himself fell into a comma on May of 2010. It's been 2 years and while he's still in healthy condition, there are practically no signs of him waking up any day. It's an extremely sad state of affairs for his fans such as myself, his former bandmates, all of his friends he has made in his years of music stardom (he's like the MJ of Latin American in that he has collaborated and performed with so many top international musicians such as Shakira and Luis Spinetta), the musicians he worked with in his solo career, and most of all his family and loved ones. His music has had a huge affect on me and Soda Stereo's one of my favorite rock bands of all time, with their music changing so drastically over the course of just 7 albums spanning from 1984 all the way to 1996. His style of playing guitar and producing and composing has been very influential for me and has changed a lot of how I play the guitar and work through music.

As I was thinking of my favorite bands and artists, I remember Nujabes. Not exactly a solo artist since he always produced and collaborated with other rappers and djs/producers but I felt I had to mention him, as well. His music hasn't been as influential for me as the other two I mentioned, but a lot of my taste in music grew into different genres thanks to his work. I found a lot of new djs, rappers and producers through his music and it's some of my favorite music to listen to, relax, do homework to, etc. I'm sad he's passed but I'm amazed by the legacy he has left. Truly someone I just had to mention.

My favorite artists in general is a tougher list, and not the best, but hey, we're all different.

In no particular order
Luis Miguel
Monkey Majik
Childish Gambino
Foster the People
Indigo Jam Unit
La Ley
Muse
2Pac
Mord Fustang
Men Women & Children
RHCP
Uyama Hiroto
Justice
Two Door Cinema Club
The Seatbelts

Geesh that is a huge list. Still tho, it's in no order and those are the bands/artists I find myself listening to most of the time, besides the 4 I mentioned in the first 2 paragraphs (Cerati, Soda Stereo, and Nujabes. GnR used to be one of my fav bands but I grew tired of them a few years ago. I still listen to them on occasion but nowhere near as much as I do the other groups in the list.)

[StrawHatJedi]

This is an easy answer for me.

Always has been, always will be Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. The Heart stopping, hard rocking, love making, earth quaking legendary E Street Band. The Boss. Bad Scooter and the Big Man. Our local NJ hero.

I grew up listening to him for as long as I can remember. When I was still in a car seat, my mom would drive me around and whenever Bruce came on the radio she would say "who's this?" "Springsteen!" One of the earliest things I remember. She's been a fan since 1973 when she could pay $2 to see him live in a half empty theater. I didn't really listen to music when I was young - I mean I listened to some popular music, but I never really gave it much thought. It was background noise and nothing more. In 7th grade I needed to do a project involving music so I ended up listening to some Lynyrd Skynyrd and Eagles songs. I'd say that's when I first started to really listen to music. Middle school was a pretty awkward time. Didn't really talk to anyone except for some people who were not so nice. I used to bring a CD player to school and my mom gave me Born to Run…...I listened to it pretty much every single day on the bus and even at lunch. That's when I finally 'got' music. The amazing lyrics, the wall of sound....everything. He creates a world unto itself. Living every day life is put on this grand scale. There's so much to identify with in Bruce's songs...the lyrics are poetic and he writes about every day life. What I love about Bruce is that take or leave his politics, there's no musician as down to earth and genuine as The Boss. He's pretty much the only celebrity I'd have any interest in meeting. I saw the Bruce & The E Street Band live for the first time on his current tour.....this 63 year old guy ran and jumped around the stage for over 3 hours. The sound was out of this world unbelievable. It was beyond epic. I have tremendous respect for Bruce as an artist, a musician, and as a person. He pours himself out for his music and for his audience. He's remained true to his artistic vision throughout the fame and remains down to earth, grounded by his NJ roots. Bruce lives a clean, healthy life and it shows - how many rockers are able to play FOUR HOUR concerts without intermission past 60? How many can point to a 40 year career without messy band breakups or petty arguments? Few, if any. Bruce's music has meant a lot to me growing up as to my mom. She passed on the love of his music, something I'll keep alive in my family someday hopefully. I've seen the past, present, and future of rock n' roll and it's name is "Bruce Springsteen."

So turn the radio all the way up to hear the righteous and mighty power of the heart stopping, hard rocking, love making, booty shaking, earth quaking legendary E Street Band!

Bruce Springsteen
Clarence Clemons
Steve Van Zandt
Max Weinberg
Roy Bittan
Gary Talent
Danny Federici
Nils Lofgren
Patti Scialfa
Soozie Tyrell

Former members Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez, David Sancious, Ernest "Boom" Carter, and Suki Lahav from the early 70's

RIP Danny "Phantom" Federicci and the biggest man you've ever seen Clarence "Big Man" Clemons

When I saw Bruce live, he said all the members of the band. When he got to Clarence and Danny, he just stopped and everyone was cheering. "Am I missing anyone?" everyone cheers…..."am I missing anyone?" ......everyone cheers......Bruce smiles and says "We're here. You're here. They're here too."

The final song of the night was Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, a song all about how Clarence and Bruce met and Clarence joined the band. When he gets to the final verse and says "the change was made uptown and the Big Man joined the band" the entire band stops playing, Bruce holds the microphone up and lets the crowd cheer.......he lets it go 3 whole minutes before ending the song. It's the best tribute he could give to his partner in music for almost 40 years. Not to mention Jake Clemons, Clarence' nephew now plays with the band....and might I add that he's quiet awesome. Bruce is a class act with through and through.

Looking forward to hopefully seeing them live again someday. See you further on up the road.

Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ
The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle
Born to Run
Darkness on the Edge of Town
The River
Nebraska
Born in the USA
Tunnel of Love
Human Touch
Lucky Town
The Ghost of Tom Joad
Tracks
The Rising
Devils & Dust
We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
Magic
Working on a Dream
The Promise
Wrecking Ball

[Sarfallet]

I have lots of favorites in my favorite list but here's some that have stayed on that list for a bit longer then most others.
In no particular order:

Iannis Xenakis, I think I've mentioned him in about 100% of all my posts. If I didn't, I should have. Well I dunno, his music just fits so damn neatly into my… consciousness? I routinely miss buss stops and such because of this guy.

Carl Michael Bellman. A Swedish composer who wrote about getting drunk and stuff like that. His music makes me a time traveler, I guess, since I swear I can hear and see his times through his music.

Frank Zappa… I... Uh, I'm getting a déjà vu here... ;P
Anyway, way back when he put into perspective what originality really means.

(Another favorite of mine is... Erhm... Passenger Of Shit. :/ Super obnoxious speedcore/shitcore... Really bad stuff. Stay away. I thought I should post one of his songs in the Forced Listening Thread but I realized it would kill the tread.) Yes, it's so embarrassing to like him that I had to put it in parenthesis. :)