Who would it be?

[PelliX]

So here's one for all you artists. Imagine you may only play a single artist's work for the rest of your life. At home, on the john, in public - doesn't matter. Who would it be and why?

Of course, if you pick a singer/guitarist, that means you can do both, too. Pick a band and you're entitled to any role in that lineup at any time; so if you pick The Beatles, then you can play drums, guitar, piano, bass, sitar, you can sing, etc - but ONLY their songs.

I have a shortlist, but I'm a little undecided and I'd like to see what you make of it first.

 

[fitz]

Who would it be

and why?

 

[Frodebro]

Who it would be.

 

[DirtySteve]

Oh wow, that's a tough one. I guess it would probably be Tom Petty for me, until I start thinking about it. It could just as easily be old (pre Green) REM. But I like to rock so then I would have to consider the Cult, or Social Distortion. And that's only considering my most influential favorite bands. I don't think I can answer this question, but I'll go with Tom.

 

[Leonard Neemoil]

Impossible question.

For shits and giggles, I'll say Black Sabbath or Judas Priest, but really tough question because there were so many great bands between 1960 and 1980.

If you want to get real, it would be my own/bands music... even then, after enough gigs, I'd hate my own music. I can't stand playing the same shit over and over.

I don't understand how bands can play the same songs for years without falling asleep on stage or eating a shotgun sandwich...

 

[RLW59]

Imagine you may only play a single artist's work for the rest of your life.

Does that mean I'd magically be granted the ability to play the work? I'd suddenly be able to play the drums, cello, violin and keyboards at the levels of Cream or the Mahavishnu Orchestra?

Or am I stuck with my God given lack of talent?

Just trying to get the rules straight, because
really, even if I was suddenly gifted with the ability, only being able to play one artist/group's songs seem Hellish to me. They only way I'd go for it is if you told me I had no choice.

 

[PelliX]

Or am I stuck with my God given lack of talent?

Nothing changes there, I'm afraid. No sudden ability boosts, magic powers, etc.

 

[PelliX]

So, after a lot of consideration, I thought of Zep, obviously. Great diversity, lots of instrumentation. Enough to keep one busy for a long time. However, the fact remains that they only produced a handful of albums due to their "short" existence. Certainly worth a shortlist entry. The Beatles - incredibly diverse, a tune for every occasion, one would say. Tempting, but they also weren't together too long in the broader picture. As a pretty die hard Quo fan I pondered but relatively quickly dismissed the idea of *exclusively* playing their work. While I've played their stuff up and down for years, it would become a bit boring, I think. Pink Floyd; now here's a bunch of material going in all kinds of directions, all kinds of styles, etc. Certainly up there on the shortlist with Zep and maybe The Beatles. Most of it is a bit too 'serious' musicianship, perhaps a little like Led Zeppelin, though for every-single-day of my life. Long story short, I think there would be two options for me;

Eric Clapton. Singing and guitar. Everything from the Bluesbreakers right through to his tribute to Robert Johnson, collaboration with BB King, JJ Cale, plugged, unplugged, you name it. Skills I could spend the rest of my life attempting to master like the man himself. While I don't listen to him all that much, I have immense respect for his talent, capabilities, career and how long he's been in the business. Slow, fast, blues, rock, it's all there.

The Rolling Stones. Piles and piles of albums, including some of the greatest riffs and sing-a-longs ever written. From blues to country to rock n roll. A plethora of instruments, especially in the early days, lovely keyboard work, tons of fun guitar and singing.

I'd be hard pressed to choose between the two. Right now I'd be inclined to pick the Stones. If I ever grow up a bit more, I might go for Clapton.