Above all: Kris "Garm" Rygg AKA Trickster G - Ulver, Arcturus, Borknagar. This man has taught me everything I would ever want to know about music. What he creates is what I define as aural beauty. I would kill to be half the musician he has become in the past 12 years.

Pete Vententonio - Sticks And Stones - His tone and simple yet uplifting chord progressions showed me how much more layered and powerful punk music can be.

Nick Kirby - 1905, Songs of August - Taught me to expand my horizons on timing with his constant use of 3/4 and 12/8 timing, and led me to explore timing even farther. Also showed me some interesting tones and general musical harmonies that I particularly like.

Infernus - Gorgoroth - A fantastic guitarist who creates fantastic black metal riffs. Simply listed as a person to look at if I think something is good, he's a person I compare to to see if something is up to snuff.

Jade Puget - AFI - One of my earliest inspirations on guitar. Strong sense of the structures on the neck of a guitar and was one of the first gutiarists to show me really beautiful harmonies that are possible on guitar.

East Bay Ray - Dead Kennedys - Pure tonal genious and a fantastic fusion of surf guitar, delay effects and a totally original style that has and never will be re-produced.

Chris McCaughan - The Lawrence Arms - Fantastic use of chorus and flange effects and fantastic yet simple chord structures that create a truly emotional feel.

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez - The Mars Volta, At The Drive-In, De Facto - One of the most creative musicians and guitarists of our time. He is a fantastic composer and extremely skilled guitarists easily rivaling legends like Hendrix.

Spencer Seim - Hella, The Advantage - How the fuck does a human being play guitar like this?

Jan Axel Blomberg "Hellhammer" Arcturus, Mayhem, Kovenant, Winds - One of the most technically proficient and tight drummers anyone will ever hear. My favorite drummer and the man who has led me to take drumming into my own hands.

Zach Hill - Hella, Zach Hill and The Holy Smokes - The most coordinated drummer you will ever hear and on eof the most progressive drummers you'll find. A true inspiration in every sense.

Rob Wright - Nomeansno, Hanson Brothers - One of the most interesting bassists in punk, and music in general and one of the greatest vocalists ever.

Carson McWhirter - The Advantage - Though he didn't write any of it, his playing ability and the music he does play is some of the most interesting playing on the bass guitar.

E. Lancelot - Ulver - Always creative, super coordinated, and highly qualified to play everything that is placed in front of him. The greatest driving force behind the beauty that is Ulver besides Garm.