The garage rock revival is a reminder of how cyclical musical trends can be. While bands such as The White Stripes and The Hives, to name a few, each have their own distinctive sound, it's clear that they owe their predecessors a debt of gratitude. The artists below had or continue to have a great influence on the music that you listen to today.
For complete and total musical influence, it's hard to imagine any that has had as wide an influence as David Bowie has. Bowie has even influenced himself, as you can hear on his newest studio disc Heathen, in which he returns to the musical roots that he planted. Glam rock, punk, R&B, funk, pop, and most especially queer music, have all been touched, in one way or another, by Bowie's artistry. For many, it all began 30 years ago with the release of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars ( EMI ) , which has been reissued in a deluxe, although limited edition, digitally remastered double-disc set. Disc one is the complete original album, containing such Bowie standards as "Soul Love," "Starman," "Moonage Daydream," "Ziggy Stardust," and "Suffragette City," to name a few. Disc two features demo and alternate versions of a few songs from disc one. Additionally, tracks such as "John, I'm Only Dancing," "Velvet Goldmine," and especially "Sweet Head," find Bowie at his most sexually ambiguous, inspiring many men, gay and straight, to paint their fingernails a dark shade and slip into a pair of glittering platform boots.
With Frank Sinatra and Perry Como gone, Tony Bennett remains the greatest living crooner. Bennett, who continues to release new studio albums on a regular basis, with 2001's Playin' With My Friends and Bennett Sings The Blues, the most recent, has had a long ( more than 50 years ) and fruitful career. The 39 selections on The Essential Tony Bennett ( RPM/Columbia/Legacy ) , from "Because Of You" through his duet with k.d. lang on "Keep The Faith, Baby," are a wonderful assortment of Bennett's best loved songs.
Miss Peggy Lee, who died in January of 2002, had an influence on many of today's most popular singers, including Joni Mitchell, k.d. lang, Jane Monheit, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Diana Krall. Madonna, who covered Lee's hit "Fever," must have also been influenced by her when it comes to having dual careers in music and film. The Best Of Peggy Lee: The Millennium Collection ( MCA/Decca ) rounds up a dozen tracks from Miss Lee's residence at Decca Records from 1952 through 1956. Beginning with her controversial Latin-spiced rendition of Rodgers and Hart's "Lover" ( the song that led to her departure from Capitol and signing with Decca ) and continuing through her smokey "Black Coffee," "The Siamese Cat Song" ( from Disney's Lady & The Tramp ) , and the come-on song "I Don't Enough About You," this collection allows Lee's legend to live on long after she's gone.
It's harder to measure the influence of Helen Reddy, but there's no question that the original women's liberation singer/songwriter, the woman who co-wrote and sang "I Am Woman" in 1972, has left an impression on a couple generations of listeners. Sheer camp value aside, Reddy was a fierce force throughout the 1970s. Live In London ( DRG ) , Reddy's 1978 concert album has recently been reissued on a single disc. In addition to a live version of "Candle On The Water" ( from the Disney movie Pete's Dragon, in which Reddy also starred, although not as the dragon ) , this live set contains a 12-minute medley of Helen Reddy's biggest hits, including "I Don't Know How To Love Him," "Peaceful," "You And Me Against The World," "Delta Dawn," "Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady," "Leave Me Alone ( Ruby Red Dress ) ," "Keep On Singing," and, of course, her signature tune, "I Am Woman."
I can't remember the last time, or even the first time for that matter, that I heard the late Dinah Washington being played on FM radio. But recently, a popular radio station in Chicago has taken to playing the Rae & Christian remix of Washington performing "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" from the Verve Remixed disc. If anything good comes from this, I hope that it will inspire a whole generation to explore the legendary R&B singer's back catalog. Those interested in an introduction to Washington's renowned vocal style may want to begin with The Best Of Dinah Washington: The Millennium Collection ( Hip-O ) . Listening to her singing "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes," "Baby, You Got What It Takes," "Teach Me Tonight," and "A Rockin' Good Way ( To Mess Around and Fall In Love ) ," is bound to inspire anyone who hears these songs.
George Clinton's contributions to the contemporary funk, soul and rock scenes are immeasurable. His influence is pervasive as both a solo artist and as a member of Funkadelic, along with "Bootsy" Collins, Bernie Worrell and others. Renewed interest in old school funk has reached a fever pitch, and can be heard in movies ( Undercover Brother ) and on television commercials advertising athletic shoes. Four vintage Funkadelic albums from 1976 through 1981, including Hardcore Jollies, One Nation Under A Groove, Uncle Jam Wants You and The Electric Spanking War Babies ( all on Capitol/Priority ) , respectively have been reissued on disc for those who simply can't get enough of the funk.
The first time that I ever heard Bryan Adams sing was in a gay disco. Early in his career Adams had a huge dance club hit with a song titled "Let Me Take You Dancing." A few years later, he reinvented himself as a gravelly voiced rocker, paving the way for many other gravelly voiced rockers to follow, and the rest is history. The Best Of Me ( A&M ) compiles a baker's dozen late-career hits including "Summer Of '69," "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman," " ( Everything I Do ) I Do It For You," and "Please Forgive Me," and even throws in a couple of new songs.
The current state of trip hop and electronic-based DJ music owes a huge debt to pioneering British act Massive Attack. As a part of Massive Attack, Tricky laid some influential groundwork. As a solo artist, he excelled in many creative and original ways. In fact, his mid-1990s albums Maxinquaye and Pre-Millennium Tension, remain among the best of the era. A Ruff Guide ( Island ) is a 17-track anthology that includes cuts from both aforementioned discs, as well as songs from Nearly God, Angels With Dirty Faces and Juxtapose. As you might expect, Tricky's cover of Public Enemy's "Black Steel" is included here, as is "Ponderosa" and "Christiansands," to name a few.
Contemporary country music, whether it's slick, mainstream Nashville pablum or cutting edge insurgent country owes its existence to Hank Williams. Released in time to honor the 50th anniversary of his passing, The Ultimate Collection ( Mercury ) gathers more than 40 of Hank Williams's most treasured songs in one place. Whether you know the original Hank Williams versions of these songs or someone else's rendition, there is no denying that many of these songs, including "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Cold, Cold Heart," "Hey, Good Lookin'," "Jambalaya ( On The Bayou ) ," and "Your Cheatin' Heart," to name but a few, have become an essential part of the American popular songbook.
