I'd have to divide into different genres. For my favorites...
Indie/Alternative - Elliot Smith. You probably either love it or hate it. My favorite quote about elliot smith was written on his memorial wall, reading: "It was never so much music as medicine".
1) The Biggest Lie 2) St. Ides Heaven 3) Coming up Roses
Folk - As an Artist, I don't think you can make a case for anyone but Bob Dylan (maybe Neil Young, but I think Dylan is clearly better). His song writing was just immaculate. As a Performing artist, however, Bob Dylan is fucking awful. I HATE bob dylan's voice but love his music. As a total package, I really enjoy mumford and sons.
1) I shall be released 2) Tangled Up In Blue 3) Like a Rolling Stone
Punk/Hardcore: Ramones. I wanted to say Rise Against, but there is not better Punk Band than the Ramones. The Clash was close, but the ramones are just...the ramones.
1) Bonzo goes to Bithburg 2) I wanna be sedated 3) Sheena is a Punk rocker
Rock/Pop - Red Hot Chili Peppers. I know some people hate them with a passion, but RHCP is just so much a part of our generation. From the days of the cock sock to the more modern band, they've given us so much. Remember when Under the Bridge first hit? Scar Tissue, Californication, Otherside? All iconic songs. Even the lesser known songs made a significant impact. Roller Coaster (of lulz) Snow, Higher Ground. Just a great band.
1) Snow ((Hey Oh) 2) Can't Stop 3) Scar Tissue
ALL TIME: Stevie Motherfucking Wonder. No explanation needed
1) Livin' for the city 2) I just called to say I love you 3) Signed Sealed Delivered
is this about artists seen live or just heard? ill do both!
LIVE: Chris Cornell - (lead singer of Soundgarden/Audioslave) he did an acoustic concert in my city, was phenominal! John Fogerty - (lead singer of CCR) he did a Canada tour years back, was an amazing concert to just see a legend like that up on stage!! Hilltop Hoods - awesome aussie hiphop
best artists to name a couple who i've heard over the years Buddy Holly, Travelling Willburry's, Stevie Ray Vaughan, lead singer the Alice In Chains (the one that died) Andrea bocceli. and Eminem
I'm a bass player, so that huuuugely influences what I like/listen to/appreciate.
The most impressed I've ever been by a musician is Victor Wooten, without a shadow of a doubt. The man can make a bass sing, and I'd be honoured to even have 10% of the talent he has.
But when it comes to music and what I actually listen to, two different bassists compete for the top spot for me:
Flea, who could make energetic bass fit into a power ballad. He makes RHCP what they are. I struggled to pick a single song to sum him up, but I do like this one:
This song was the first I spent a considerable amount of time learning to play, and I doubt I'll ever forget how to play it.
And finally I've got to give a shout to Les Claypool for being creative. His music (along with that of his former band, Primus) is intensely weird and is something of an acquired taste, but I love it.
Im not gonna post links cause its kind of blatant arrogant self promotion, but if id give a serious answer to the question asked in the OP id say the only music i could listen to if i only got to pick one artist for the rest of my life would be me. No one else makes music that sounds exactly the way i want to. Its the least probable scenario where id be tired of the music.
Edit: If i was forced to pick someone else, it would probably be Gabriel & Dresden, but i dont know if it would last for the rest of my life
On October 12 2011 19:11 SgtCoDFish wrote: I'm a bass player, so that huuuugely influences what I like/listen to/appreciate.
The most impressed I've ever been by a musician is Victor Wooten, without a shadow of a doubt. The man can make a bass sing, and I'd be honoured to even have 10% of the talent he has.
This performance makes it seem that he would rather have been a guitar player, with the sweep picking and all;) Could have gotten a 7-string or one of these to still get some low-end punch, perhaps? Nice playing, although like I said, I doubt the bass is really the instrument of choice for a solo like that. Even with his technique, half the swept notes disappear into plucking noise.
On October 12 2011 14:30 Wineandbread wrote: Pretty difficult for me to decide, but I think I'd have to pick Nujabes. Such a fucking legend, and I never tire of his work.
Thank you so much for remaining of Nujabes, how did he ever get off my playlist. Sad to hear he's dead.
To add to the the thread, Jon Schmidt deserve a mention for his innovative piano style.
Glad to see Jon Schmidt getting some love, he makes some interesting music. Also <3 Stephen Sharp Nelson, the cellist that plays with him a lot. One of his amazing songs.
Not much to explain here. His live performances are better then the CD's and he shows amazing and touching guitar play without just trying to play fast.
On October 12 2011 17:45 writer22816 wrote: There's no such thing as a "best" musician. And even if there was, it's laughable to not mention a classical musician.
But not surprising since TL is a SC forum not a music forum.
So, begin by saying effectively that all music is a matter of taste, and then move onto deride anyone who didn't pick a classical musician?
Explain what the definition of what agood musician is. I want to stay away from negatively commenting on some of the artists posted here, so I think I will just stay away from this topic from now.
If i had to pick only 1 band to listen to for the rest of my life i would pick Metallica. But In Flames is my best band. So a good musician would be Anders Fridén, vocalist in the band.
On October 12 2011 19:11 SgtCoDFish wrote: I'm a bass player, so that huuuugely influences what I like/listen to/appreciate.
The most impressed I've ever been by a musician is Victor Wooten, without a shadow of a doubt. The man can make a bass sing, and I'd be honoured to even have 10% of the talent he has.
This performance makes it seem that he would rather have been a guitar player, with the sweep picking and all;) Could have gotten a 7-string or one of these to still get some low-end punch, perhaps? Nice playing, although like I said, I doubt the bass is really the instrument of choice for a solo like that. Even with his technique, half the swept notes disappear into plucking noise.
Victor came from a very musical family (Futureman is one of his brothers) and started playing the bass really early (was playing in front of audiences at like 5 or 6 years old). The reason his style is so unique has to do with growing up in a home full of musicians, none of whom played bass as their main instrument. Victor's style is a mix of watching/playing with other musicians play other instruments so you have elements of guitar, percussion, and a lot of keyboard/piano 'sounds' coming out of a instrument that was usually reserved for pounding the root and holding the groove.
To add my musician to the mix:
Mike Patton.
The guy has been involved with so many musical projects that span so many genres, even if you hate some of his stuff, you will probably love something else he did that same year. He is involved in almost every aspect of the projects he works on: writing/singing/producing/playing instruments.
Here are some of my favorite tracks from a couple of his projects:
EPT
