The Greatest Single Influence on Metal
 

Looking ahead to Metal Month IV already (I know, I know!) and I'd like to do a major feature on one person who has been a really massive influence on metal, so I'd like your thoughts.

Conditions: one person only --- can be anything; singer, guitarist, bassist, drummer (yeah) :rolleyes: --- no bands. Does not have to be living, but must work, or have worked, completely in the sphere of heavy metal. There are people who have worked outside that --- Hendrix, Page etc --- and have been a big influence on metal, but this is going to be part of Metal Month IV and so they have to be, or have been, heavily involved in the scene.

You guys know much more about this than me, so vote now and let me know your thoughts. Also preferably someone with a decent discography, whether in one band, many or none (solo), as I intend to obviously explore his music deeply as I can.

Thanks!

Probably Tony Iommi. Seems like there are a lot of people who jack off to his silhouette.

Frownland.

Going to have to nominate Lemmy Kilmister. Lemmy has never considered Motorhead to be Metal, more of just a straight up rock n' roll band. But I feel that there are a ton of people in Metal that are influenced by the guy.

So there is my pick.

...however, I may change my vote if people agree he doesn't exactly fit the bill.

Actually, looking at overall influence, I think that you can make a solid case for Haydn. Half of the metal bands out there basically Haydn with distortion.

Yeah but I'm not featuring Joseph Haydn on Metal Month! I appreciate the influence, certainly, but like I said in the conditions, must be working or have worked within the metal scene.

I don't particularly care, my answer remains.

And what are the thoughts on Lemmy and his influence?

*starts a thread asking for opinions about the greatest influence in metal*

*gets mad when people write about what they think are the greatest influence in metal because it doesn't work for metal month*

Hmm.

I'd say that it's more Philthy Animal's doing with the double bass drum style than Lemmy.