DANTE: Influences in the 70's of course fell into several genres such as:

PROGRESSIVE ROCK: Pink Floyd, SuperTramp, Jethro Tull, The Who, Genesis, King Krimson, Yes, UK

HEAVY ROCK: Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Journey, Deep Purple, Rush

FUSION: John McLaughlin, Jaco Pastorius, Steve Vai, Jeff Beck, Jean Luc Ponty, Mahavishnu Orchestra

ELECTRONIC: Tangerine Dream

DANTE: Then came the 80's:

NEW WAVE: Simple Minds, Thomas Dolby, A-Ha, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Human League, Blondie, Gary Numan, Mr Mister, The Police, Sting, Frankie Goes To Hollywood (Holly Johnson), Split Enz.

ELECTRONIC: Jean Michel Jarre

ROCK: Peter Gabriel, Billy Idol, INXS, The Church, Midnight Oil

DANTE: And in the 90's:

TRANCE: Brian ‘BT’ Transeau,

ELECTRO POP: Cher, Kylie Minogue.  Producers Stock Aitken and Waterman.

HEAVY/PROG ROCK:  Dream Theatre (collectively and solo) John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess

COMEDY ROCK:  Bad News (funny Rock Band), Jack Black (Tenacious D), Spinal Tap

I find that I learn a lot by recording cover versions of songs by some of these artists.  Examples are:

Star Cycle - Jeff Back:  When I was moving from Tasmania to Canberra to take up my computer programming career driving over the VIC/NSW border it was a very hot day.  At Wangaratta I stopped for a drink and when I got back into the car the engine made a weird noise.  A customised plastic oil gauge line had melted and a con rod cracked.  RACV came and plugged the leak but I had to drive the remaining 400 km at reduced speed - so it took me about 10 hours.  Listening to the Jeff Beck album 'There and Back' kept my spirits up.  Jeff kept me company on that journey.

Don't Need a Gun - Billy Idol :  Great combination of synth/guitar rock.  This is possibly one of my best uses of the analog simulation technology. And luckily it sat well for my limited vocal range (mostly).

Supertramp - I'm Beggin You: From the 90's album 'Free as a Bird'.  This is the vocal effort I'm most happy with.

Alan Parsons - Wouldn't Wanna Be Like You:  Alan Parsons produced The Beatles 'Abbey Road' and then went on to fame by producing Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side Of The Moon'.  His second album 'I Robot' produced this hit and its just one of my favourite radio pop songs from the 1970's.

Money - Pink Floyd:  You can see I keep mentioning this band and record.  It was as influential to me in the 70's as The Beatles St Peppers album was to me in the 1960's.  I first hear 'Peppers' at Stephens place when he lived with his mum in Toorak.  So Stephen got me into both bands really.