Music Genealogy Padlet by Garth Boyd

Me

1033583_2 — 2024-05-29 00:36:58 UTC

JEFF BUCKLEY

1033583_2 — 2024-05-29 00:37:08 UTC

Buckley's hauntingly melancholic chord structures and tender, soulful vocals truly inspired me to explore music and how it can convey heart and emotion.

ELLIOTT SMITH

1033583_2 — 2024-05-29 00:37:20 UTC

Songwriting techniques, lyricism, vocal style, guitar playing + chord progressions.

THE BEATLES

1033583_2 — 2024-05-29 00:38:07 UTC

Songwriting techniques are reflected in Smith's writing through playful metaphors and references, always telling a story within the song. Smith described for a magazine, that 'Day in the Life' was “probably my favourite song ever.”

BIG STAR

1033583_2 — 2024-05-29 00:38:16 UTC

Guitar melodies and chord progressions, as well as a "double track" style has carried forward to Smith's music. Smith also has done a number of covers for Big Star, whether live or recorded, with "Thirteen" even being put on his album, New Moon.

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND

1033583_2 — 2024-05-29 00:38:30 UTC

TVU's quiet, poetic lyricism paired with their melancholic guitar rythms and musical pacing resonates heavily with Smith's work, specifically on Either/Or, with tracks like Punch and Judy taking straight notes from Reed's guitar playing and writing. Smith once was quoted saying, “Everybody gets a tag. If you listen to a Velvet Underground record, you don't think, 'Godfathers of Punk.' You just think, 'This sounds great.'"

LED ZEPPELIN

1033583_2 — 2024-05-29 00:39:12 UTC

Zepplin's guitar riffs and bass loops in tandem create swelling harmonies, with that same tone and technique being reflected within Buckley's songs, such as Grace and Forget Her. Buckley's guitar style also took major inspiration from Zepplin. Buckley has described himself (2005) as “the warped lovechild of Nina Simone and all four members of Led Zeppelin…”

COCTEAU TWINS

1033583_2 — 2024-05-29 00:39:36 UTC

Slow, enchanting guitar paired with angelic singing really shines through Buckley's music. CT's use of flange and phaser on their guitar choruses create these immersive and vibrant harmonies that really become the spines of the songs. Buckley found major inpiration from Liz Fraser, with the two even being in a relationship from 1994/1995, claiming that she was his muse, and he was hers.

THE SMITHS

1033583_2 — 2024-05-29 00:39:57 UTC

Poetry-like lyrics, playful guitar and emotional vocal performances really characterise The Smiths' music, so much so that when they are an influence to someone, its immediately obvious. The strongest influence to Buckley that they had was in lyricism, as choosing to write poetry then stretching it to match the rythm or the song was top priority. Buckley's own mother was even quoted saying "Jeff was a huge Smiths fan"