I've played in a few cover bands, started off playing lead guitar ended up playing bass, drums and even keyboards a few times and although it was fun never had any great success. I'm now more of an amateur song writer and trying very hard to come up with some songs that might impress someone enough to want to record them.
Been writing songs from I learned myself the guitar at 16, some good, some bad, but it's a process and the better musician you become I think makes for a better song writer.
more at home in my humble recording studio, but play live when the opportunity presents itself.
Led Zeppelin first and foremost, then good old British heavy metal like, Whitesnake, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple etc Rollin Stones, Pink Floyd, Clapton, Knopfler, Tom Petty a major influence, Bruce Springsteen, JAckson Browne, the list goes on.
A good old Strat, A Telecaster copy, A Bronco Bass, Yamaha Keyboard and record with Sonar Producer 8 on PC.
A good song is a good song regardless of music genre