Hello, all! I have started a new feature for this blog. Each Monday, I will be posting a question to my socials for bands/artists to answer, then I will compile them and share the responses here on Sundays.

I shared the first one this past Monday, the 20th, and it has gotten quite a reaction! As you’ll see, some bands specified who was answering and their roles, while others didn’t. Check it out.

Who are your biggest influences? (You personally, not the band as a whole.)

• “Dio, Def Leppard, KISS, Elvis.” – Joe (vocals), Freaky Things

• “Black Sabbath, Celtic Frost, Bathory, Motörhead.” – Michael Jahrling (vocals/bass), Rail Rage
• “Descendents, NOFX, Blink-182, The Ataris.” – Brad (vocals/guitar), Frick
• “Mainly Creedence [Clearwater Revival], Slade, Status Quo, and The Donnas.” – Richard (vocals/guitar), RJ Archer & the Painful Memories
• “Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, Scott Weiland, Maynard James Keenan, Jonathan Davis, and Seether.” – Adam (vocals/writing), EverFelt
• “Tool, A Perfect Circle, Cave In, Periphery, Thrice, Coheed and Cambria.” – The Welcoming
• “Lyrically, I am inspired by Jonathan Davis [Korn], but also heavily influenced by bands like Project Pitchfork, Skinny Puppy, and Spahn Ranch!” – TJ (vocals/et. al), K.A.R.L. (Kill All Remaining Life)
• “Black Sabbath, Deep Purple/Rainbow, Judas Priest, Metallica, Rush, Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Voivoid, Death, Godflesh, Brutal Truth… I could go on.” – Ritchie (guitars), Gravehuffer
• “I pull influences from everywhere, mostly heavy stuff but [also] pop all the way to country, on rare occasions.  My faves, though, are Chelsea Grin, The Black Dahlia Murder, and Bring Me The Horizon.” – Joseph, Encircled Throne
• “Bob Dylan remains my greatest influence/inspiration, as far as songwriting. As far as musicians… Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, John McLaughlin, Frank Zappa, and Herbie Hancock.” – Bruce Nielsen  (songwriter/guitar/harmonica/bass), The Immaculate Crows
• “Phil Collins, Taylor Hawkins, Tony Fernandez, John Bonham, and Chad Smith.” – Alex (drums), Neon Society
• “Lzzy Hale, Tim [Rise Against], and Peter Steele [Type O Negative].” – Nico (vocals), Little Evil
• “Maynard [Tool, APC, etc.], Noah [Bad Omens], Poppy, and Devin [Honey Revenge].” – Allie Riot
• “Trey Anastasio [Phish], Jerry Garcia,  and Jimmy Buffet.” – Vesper (vocals), Til Fauna
• “Wes Borland, Jerome Dillon, Tim Skold, Andy LaPlegua [Icon of Coil/Combichrist], Marilyn Manson, Richard Patrick [Filter], and Trent Reznor.” – Mike Novo (drums), Kendall Cage
• “John Lennon has been my biggest influence. Noel Gallagher [Oasis], in terms of songwriting.” – Izzy (vocals), Lazy Ghouls
• “I’m pretty predictable when it comes to this. Metallica was the ultimate for me. Aside from that… Nirvana, Alice in Chains, STP. And the classics: AC/DC, Eagles, CCR, Ozzy. I went through a country/blues phase, so Robert Johnson, Son House, Muddy Waters, Fred McDowell. Newer stuff? I dig Unpeople, Post Profit, The Funeral Portrait, Ayron Jones.” – Anthony (guitar/songwriting), Deadly Vices
• “Sparks, Trio [aka ZAM], Iron Maiden, Japanther, CRASS, and Darkthrone.” – Buzz (songwriting/recording), Buzz N’ Bangs
• “I’m old-school. Geezer Butler, Steve Harris. A few modern players like Alex Webster and John Myung.” – Mike (bass), Welcome Eternity
• “DJ Ashba and Jeff Beck.” – Sabú, The Lürxx
• “On guitar, Izzy Stradlin, late 60s/early 70s Keith Richards. On vocals, Roger Daltrey, Steve Marriott [Humble Pie/Small Faces], and Jon LeSte.” Xavi, The Lürxx
• “Frank Zappa.” – Acting Human
• “Gene Simmons and Angus Young.” – Wayne, Element 117
• “Korn, Linkin Park, NIN, and lots of 90s pop, especially Savage Garden.” – ruin the mind
• “Pearl Jam, The Cult, Foo Fighters.” – Winter in May
• “Dissection, Megadeth, Halfway to Gone, Cradle of Filth, Queens of the Stone Age, Alice in Chains.” – Marco (guitars), After the Apocalypse
• “Classic rock artists like The Beatles, Aerosmith, The Doors, and Led Zeppelin.” – Steven, Tin Zelkova
• “BRMC, The BJM, The Pixies, Idles, Fontaines DC, Amyl and the Sniffers.” – Televised Mind
• “Thrice, Killswitch Engage, Coheed and Cambria, Deftones, Tom Petty, Smashing Pumpkins, Jimi Hendrix, The Warning, Pennywise, RHCP, Metallica, Velvet Revolver.” – Mandatory Affect