ETHER'S INFLUENCES

Influences are a difficult thing to pinpoint or really define at a certain point in a writer's life and my tastes are so eclectic that it sometimes seems pointless. I am generally drawn to music that strikes me as 'inspired' or 'real', as opposed to music generated as the result of a formula, process, financial objective, or genre loyalty. Artists that can truly write from inspiration using emotion are so precious to me because I feel they really comprehend what/where great music comes from.

So I set out to create this abbreviated list of some of the great bands and artists that have made a difference in the way that I perceive, perform, and write music. This list is in no particular order and is by no means complete. It also is not done growing.

TOOL - What list would this be without Tool? This band is so good that it humbles me every time I see them. I can not express what their music means to me in a way that would do it justice. They are the total package - amazing music, concerts, videos, artwork, and all laced together with some of the most intelligent and poetic lyrics I've ever known.

SLINT - Incredible minimalistic post-rock music with a drummer to die for. Check out the album Spiderland if you really want to treat yourself.

RADIOHEAD - The album OK Computer is one of the most sonically rich works I've ever heard. The songwriting is so tight with this band, and it renewed my interest in being a melodic vocalist. They are brilliant.

KING CRIMSON - More erratic than Mr. Bungle, less accessible than Pink Floyd, these guys were true pioneers and when I need to challenge/humble myself this is what I listen to. Starless and Bible Black rules.

ORGY - I love a band that pust a new spin on "goth" - it's very hard to do. The first thing one notices about this band is their polished image, but beneath that glossy surface lies a band with some real talent.

TALVIN SINGH - This guy's beats take you on a journey... I can't explain.

BJORK - Incredible tapestries of sound, incredible talent. Very inspired stuff. She may be an acquired taste for some, but those who acquire her never let her go.

UGLY MUS-TARD - A band from Dallas Texas that I've seen more times than I can recall. Every show was a unique, large scale, artistic production. Cerebral art-metal.

MIKE PATTON - I own most everything this guy has done, and a great deal of it is beyond me. Probably my favorite male rock vocalist. His work with Faith No More is epic (pardon the pun), and his solo stuff is just bizarre. Mr. Bungle is a band that defies so many conventions by seamlessly blending every music style I can think of in a way I never thought could be possible. It alone justifies his career and solidifies him as a modern master.

DYSTOPIA - I don't listen to much death metal, but this is the best I've ever been exposed to. It's quite good, and very artistic.

SOUNDGARDEN - It's hard to suck when every member of your band is so good. I consider Badmotorfinger, Louder than Love, and Superunknown to be masterpieces of modern rock.

PINK FLOYD - I've always envied the creative abilities of this band as a unit - not as individuals or "star players". They wrote music as a single entity which I admire. The creative model for Autonomy is based on what this band did. We were especially inspired by the movie Live in Pompeii.

MARILYN MANSON - I consider him an tremendous artist and a genius at marketing his vision. He paid the ultimate price for his success. That, and I love concept albums - Antirchrist Superstar is a fine example but I also enjoyed The Golden Age of the Grotesque.

DIGITAL UNDERGROUND - Yeah yeah, I know... The Humpty Dance was their big song. But they had a lot of really interesting albums and tons of talent. It taught me that rap can be creative, and not just about how rich you are, how many people you've shot, or how much you get laid.

TORI AMOS - She is a truly gifted writer and musician in every sense of the word. Any time a prodigy uses their talent to the full extent of their power, the results are dynamic.

PRINCE - Being a fellow Minnesotan, I was drawn to his music at a very early age. My sister Katey introduced me to it as a child, but wouldn't let me listen to certain tracks until I got older. Gotta love the forbidden fruit!

TRIBES OF NEUROT - This is the side project (or extension) of NEUROSIS, and has made some very wonderful music that I consider very spiritually enlightening. You must listen to it through headphones.

ALL THE PRETTY HORSES - This Minneapolis-based band is difficult to describe to people who haven't experienced them. They are a dark glam rock band that features a wonderful transgender singer/guitarist/performance artist named Venus De Mars. ATPH is also the primary gig of our friend Jendeen, who is my favrorite local drummer. Autonomy has played with them on a number of occasions, and I even had the opportunity to fill in on bass for them a couple of times when Eden left the band, and before they acquired the talents of Tempest. They treated me as if I was doing them a big favor, but it was my treat all the way. Their collective image is very striking and powerful, and they taught me a lot about performance - whether they know it or not.

NINE INCH NAILS - I believe Trent Reznor is a modern master. I listen to his works from beginning to end and have studied them intently. I am a huge fan of the entire body of his work, and I wouldn't know where to begin the praise of what he's done. I'd love to meet him someday.

BUCKETHEAD - I love concept albums, and his are astoundingly creative. Plus, anyone whom Bootsie Collins has on speed-dial is ok in my book.

COURSE OF EMPIRE - I've seen this band in concert a LOT. They had really great songs, a commanding stage presence, and an excellent sound about. I modeled a lot of my vocal effects after their albums.

SQUEEZE - This band's album 'Singles' is a longtime favorite of mine. Track after track you hear the basics of simple songwriting done well. It's catchy, memorable, and very enjoyable - the way good pop music should be.

DAVID BOWIE - What can a lowly musician such as myself say about the great David Bowie? I am not even qualified to comment on his tremendous and expansive body of work.

DR. DRE - He's the man. I never get tired of his album 'The Chronic'.