Influenced

In this episode of Influenced, we follow the career of Glam icons T. Rex. Founded in London as an acoustic duo by Frontman Marc Bolan, the band was initially inspired by the likes of the psychedelic hippies Donovan. After a few unsuccessful releases as a duo,  Marc decided to regroup the band as a more traditional rock band and with the release of albums like Electric Warrior and hits like "Get it On" the band shot to the top of the European charts in a way that rivaled the Beatles. Becoming immediately influential with artists like David Bowie citing them as a massive contributor on his art, T. Rex quickly become one of the mainstays in rock and roll influence. They continue to massively inspire the current run of musicians with artists like Ty Segall, Paul Weller, Trent Reznor and the Pixies all citing the band as huge for them personally. Listen to this episode as we go deep on this incredible and groovy band. 

In this episode of Influenced, we cover the awesome trio Haim! Formed in LA by sisters Danielle, Este, and Alana; the Haim sisters grew up playing music in their family band covering the likes of Tom Petty and Linda Ronstadt with their parents. After Danielle began to find success as a musician backing artists like Jenny Lewis and Julian Casablancas of the Strokes, the sisters decided to take the band seriously and quickly had 2013's Days Are Gone recorded. After signing with a label and Jay-Z's management company, the band began gaining a reputation as a live band touring with artists like The Killers, Phoenix and Kings of Leon. Their debut album topped the charts in many countries including the UK. The sisters have gone on to be nominated for a number of Grammys and have collaborated with some of the biggest names in Pop music (Taylor Swift, Chromeo, and A$AP Ferg) to name a few. Check out our episode on the band to dive deep into their incredible career so far!

In this episode of Influenced, we take a look at the career of the iconic Bruce Springsteen and especially his work in the 70's and 80's with his group the E Street Band. Bruce has been an indebted part of the Jersey Music scene since he got a guitar in the mid '60s inspired by Elvis and the Beatles. Joining with musicians like his friend Steve Van Zandt and Clarence Clemons on Saxophone, Bruce was able to to craft some of the most iconic songs of the decade with his albums Born to Run, Darkness of the Edge of Town, and The River. Each more successful then the previous album, he also struck gold as a songwriting making chart-topping music with acts like the Pointer Sisters and Patti Smith. His success continued into the eighties as he embraced the music technology of the decade with hit albums like Born in the USA. One of the most iconic songwriters ever, he has influenced countless artists from The Killers and War on Drugs to pop superstars like Lady Gaga. Check out this episode of Influenced to dive into his incredible career

In this episode of Influenced, we dive into the careers of the incredible Pixies. Formed by Joey Santiago and Black Francis (Charles Thompson) in Boston as Students at UMass, Pixies initially grew out of a love for the demented guitar sounds of Hüsker Dü combined with the melodic sensibilities of '60s pop like Peter, Paul and Mary. Once bassist Kim Deal and drummer Dave Lovering were on board, the band was quickly signed to iconic indie label 4AD and got into the studio to release their first work spawning songs like Gigantic and Where is My Mind? The band status as indie superstars quickly grew and the band's success was only rivaled by the tension between Francis and Deal. The band released dozens of fantastic tracks through the '80s and early '90s and were an immediate influence on the music scene striking a chord with bands like Nirvana, Blur and Radiohead who would go on to shape the future of guitar music. Even almost 40 years later, the band is still inspiring groups like the 2023 Grammy winners Wet Leg with their fantastic ear for melody and the iconic dynamics in their music. Listen to this episode of Influenced to go deep on one of the most influential groups in Alternative music. 

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In this episode of Influenced, we take a look at the career of one of the most iconic bands in pop music history, Fleetwood Mac. Formed in late '60s London by Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer and most importantly the iconic rhythm section (and band namesakes)  Mick Fleetwood and John Mcvie. The group was initially formed as a hard rocking Blues group inspired by Hendrix and the Yardbirds. With the addition of Christine Mcvie on Vocals and Keyboards, the band began to inch toward a pop rock sound as they began a rotating list of band members (15 musicians have past through the banks ranks) after the departure of Green. In the early '70s the band struck gold with the addition of Lindsey Buckinham and Stevie Nicks to the band. They would begin a string of hit songs (Rhiannon, Landslide, The Chain, Don't Stop and Songbird to name a few) and quicckly rose to the top of the industry with the release of the Rumours album. Constantly plagued by inter-personal drama within the band, they defy the odds and continued to put out albums across the next decades even with continued  shuffling of the iconic lineup of the group. Listen to our deep dive into this iconic group wherever you get your podcasts! 

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In this episode of Influenced, we're taking a look at one of the most iconic electronic rock acts of all time, Depeche Mode.  Formed in the early '80s UK and inspired by the synthy sounds of Kraftwerk and Bowie's Berlin era, the band found almost instant chart success in Europe with synthpop hit's like "Just Can't Get Enough" after lineup changes in their early days threatened the band's cohesion, keyboarist Martin Gore stepped up to lead the band as the primary songwriter. Under Gore's leadership, the band became one of the biggest acts in Europe with songs like "People Are People" and garnered a darker alternative sound into the '90s with iconic hits like "Enjoy the Silence". An influence across the music industry from synth-heavy alternative bands like MGMT and The Killers to experimental pop-stars like Poppy, Depeche Mode is a constant touchstone in today's musical landscape. Listen to this episode of Influenced to go deep on their career! 

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In the Season 3 premiere of Influenced, we tackle Chicago icon's Smashing Pumpkins! One of the most versatile bands in the '90s, the band grew from shoegaze, psychedelic music, grunge, electronic music, and stadium rock to craft an ever-changing set of sounds.  On their 1993 album "Siamese Dream" the band took the musical world by storm and didn't let up the rest of the decade with the album "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" reaching no. 1 and selling an astounding 10 million copies. With their tap into the mainstream, the band were at the forefront of the industry until personal issues near the end of the decade began to shake their hold on the musical world. After the bands first breakup, they have been cited as one fo the most influential 90s bans from mainstream artists like Nelly Furtado and My Chemical Romance to the indie side of things with bands like Silversun Pickups and Ringo Deathstarr championing the band as major influences. 

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For the Season 2 finale of Influenced, We wanted to take a look at one of the most iconic careers in music, Stevie Wonder. Discovered by the frontman of the Miracles and the Motown record label in his home town of Detroit, Stevie Wonder shot to stardom at the incredibly young age of 10 when he first signed to the label. Breaking records as the youngest artist to top the charts at the age of 13, Stevie has become one of the forefathers of modern soul and R&B. When he came into young adulthood he began an unrivaled period of classic songs and albums from the late sixties through the decade of the '70s garnering dozens of awards including multiple "Album of the Year" Grammy awards for albums like "Innervisions" and "Songs in the Key of Life". Even as his career slowed down in more modern decades, his influence has lived on completely in the way his music has become a foundational aspect of much of hip hop like Coolio's iconic samples in "Gangsta's Paradise" or even in more modern artists like Janelle Monáe and Gary Clark Jr. We are more than happy to explore Stevie's iconic career in this season finale of Influenced.

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One of the most iconic voices in recorded music. Marvin Gaye started his career as a  sideman for artists like Chuck Berry, The Marvelettes, and even Little Stevie Wonder. After impressing Motown's Berry Gordy singing at a Holiday Party, Marvin quickly became one of the label's biggest assets. With  his '60's hits like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" with Tammi Terrell and "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" he solidified enough credibility to wrestle creative control of his music from the label which led to some of the most poignant  and political R&B music of all time with his "What's Going On?" album. As his career progressed, he continued to find success with the sound that would go on to define hip-hop and electronic music on tracks like his top 10 hit "Sexual Healing." Although his life tragically ended early, his influence is prominently felt through artists he inspired like Stevie Wonder, Sade, and even modern hitmakers like John Legend and Bruno Mars. In this episode of Influenced, he look at the career of this iconic and groundbreaking hitmaker. 

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In this episode of Influenced, we take a look into the careers of the always cool, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC). Formed in the late '90s by musicians Robert Levon Been and Peter Hayes (formerly of the psych rockers the Brian Jonestown Massacre). They wanted to combine a love of the classic heavy hitting blues of bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath with the more forward thinking sounds of artists like My Bloody Valentine and the Jesus and Mary Chain. With a number of different drummers and musicians helping the band craft their sound (like Michael Been, Rob's Father and former frontman of the '80s classic band The Call) the band rose to the heights of the 2000s indie rock boom with artists like the Strokes, The Vines, and White Stripes. Unlike many of their peers in that scene, BRMC have continued over the decades influencing other bands that are drawn to the more psychedelic side of things like the Black Angels and Death From Above 1979. BRMC continue to push the envelope for alternative bands into the current decade and have already left an incredible career in their wake. Check out this episode of Influenced to go deeper on one of the coolest bands in the business. 

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