~*~Musical Heros~*~

313 · Post by **313** » Wednesday Jul 21, 2004

rickw wrote:
Wow lonewolf, Robbie Johns! I haven't heard that name in awhile. I had the pleasure of being in a band with him many moons ago, and man was he gifted. I hear he's a "higher up" with Gibson guitars these days.

Is this the same Robbie Johns that was in the legendary Pittsburgh hard rock band "Diamond Reo" - circa 1978 ?

MOONDOGGY · Post by **MOONDOGGY** » Wednesday Jul 21, 2004

Got started like most bassists my age on Metallica, then went on a 2 year voyage thru nothing but Chili Peppers.
I then made a big and stupid jump into Dream Theater. Those guys messed me up man. I couldn't listen to anything else but DT for the longest time just because no one could touch their talent or sound. Now almost 4 years after I first heard them (I'm sure its the same for the 10 and 15 year fans), they can still make my jaw drop. It isnt until recently that I got into DT's influences like Rush, Floyd, etc...

Thanks Myung, for making me buy a 6 string bass!

Ohh yeah...all their side projects are equally as crazy like LIQUID TENSION!

Staceman · Post by **Staceman** » Thursday Jul 22, 2004

Even though I didn't care for his later solo stuff, Ozzy was always my biggest influence as a singer, from the very beginning, with Sabbath as a whole being influential to me getting into music. I remember taking the Sabotage album into school for Show & Tell in 3rd grade (which would have been around '79/80) and wondering why the teacher wouldn't allow me to show it.

Robert Plant was a big influence as well, along with Ian Gillan, and Eric Burdon.

ZappasXWife · Post by **ZappasXWife** » Thursday Jul 22, 2004

Terry Kath was great, cannot think of a better example of a group totally changing their vision, sound, and fan base when a key player dies than Chicago pre-Kath/post-Kath. Unfortunately changed for the worse in my opinion. Oh, Fleetwood Mac is another one but those changes were not always bad, just REAL different.
I'm not a musician in a band, but I do enjoy playing piano...Elton John was the first rock musician that made me WANT to practice after the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. Especially Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.

oobie · Post by **oobie** » Thursday Jul 22, 2004

johnny cash was the reason i wanted to learn how to play music. i could sit and listen to his stuff all day long from his first album to his last. as for playing bass i would have to say big influences were flea, billy gould(faith no more), and tons more of influences

homerski · Post by **homerski** » Monday Jul 26, 2004

Here's a clip of my "Homer's Army" personal bio sheet:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
John Homerski, Jr.

Drums, Vocals, Band Manager

Started playing at age 14 (38 Years of Rock Experience)

Rank in Homer’s Army – General Disorder

Performed in: Homer’s Army 1 (1966 - Dave Hassen, Jim Mitasky, & Me)

Homer’s Army 2 (1967–1970 Donny Duriez, Mike Formeck (Tuba), Brian Keith, Stanley Urgolites, Frank Rosmus, & Me)

US Army Bands (1970-1979 266th Army Band, Long Binh, Vietnam, 1st Army Band – Ft. Meade, MD, 79th Army Band, Panama Canal Zone, 101st Airborne Division Band, Ft. Campbell, KY)

Payday 1 (1975-1978 Top 40 Dance Band in Panama)

Fantasy Airlift (1979-1981 Tim Homerski, Andy Rhody, Joe Diederichs & Me)

Little Brother (1981 Bill Filer, Randy Rutherford, Jeff Michel, & Me)

Payday 2 (1981-1983 Western Swing Band in Colorado, Dave Bowker, Jeff Michel, Pete Pietrowski, & Me)

Payday 3 (1985-1988 Tim Homerski, Bill Kibler, & Me),

Payday 4 (1988-1992 Tom Sibert, Bill Kibler, John Koeck, Benjamen Gerideau, Lou Kopler, & Me)

The TopKats (1992-1994 John Shimko, Dave Zajec, Harry Hagen, & Me)

The Musician’s Concert Band (2002 to present – Slippery Rock, PA)

Northern Cambria Community Band (2002 to present - Founder and Percussionist)

Influences:

My Dad, Three Dog Night, Steely Dan, Aaron Copeland, John Phillip Sousa, Bloodrock

Favorite Quote: “Good things take time, Great things happen all at once"
-------------------------------------------------------

First and formost, my ultimate hero is my Dad (The original "Homer") who served in WWII, was wounded twice, came home and worked in the mines for 24 years. Then he was crushed in a mining accident which put him in the hospital for an entire year. He then lived another 25 years dragging himself around on crutches and finally died of pneumonia in 1998 at the age of 79. I can only hope for a fraction of his optimism and determination!!

But musical heros!!

I have always tried to play drums like Peter Erskine. Rock solid, not flashy, just the right stuff at the right time.

I first met one of my local heros when I played in "Little Brother" in the early '80's. Randy Rutherford is a musical genius!! I swear, he could pick up an old pair of shoes and somehow make music with them!

My favorite entertaining musician is Bob Helbig of RPH. Bob recorded the legendary "Fantasy Airlift - LIVE at the Country Pub" in 1980. He also played with us in Fantasy Airlift toward the end of that dream.

And finally, my brother Tim. Am I biased? Of course! But Tim is one of the finest musicians I have ever met or played with.

Sorry for the long post, but we are truly blessed here in Central/Western PA with scores of living legends and heros!!

John Homerski Jr. - HOMER'S ARMY

GUITARII · Post by **GUITARII** » Tuesday Jul 27, 2004

Randy Rutherford ROCKS!!! I love it everytime I get to see him jam. The first time was at TJ's house/end of summer jam. I remember seeing him on bass first.... then the guitar--Rippin it up mind you, then showin somebody the correct way to play a tune on the keys..... to top it all off he pulls out a sax and proceeds to turn into the white version of Clarence Clemens...... the dude is frickin amazing!

ROCKPAGE

~~Musical Heros~~