Some of my favorite players and influences in chess are Morphy, Pillsbury, Lasker,Capablanca, Rubinstein, Alekhine, Bronstein, Tal, Larsen, Fischer, Spassky, Anand. Some of the players I've met include Anand, Larsen, Najdorf, Lombardy,Rossolimo, Browne. In music, my favorite musician is Beethoven, and my favorite performer is Annie Haslam of Renaissance, the most incredible voice I've ever heard. Favorite bands: Cactus (!!!), Johnny Winter, Dylan, Grand Funk, Blue Cheer, MC5, Led Zep, Deep Purple, Mountain, Traffic, Cream, and of course, Renaissance. Some favorite hard-rockin' songs: Parchment Farm, Restrictions, Evil, You Can't Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover (Cactus), Theme For An Imaginary Western, Nantucket Sleighride (Mountain), Still Alive and Well (Johnny Winter), In Need, Inside Looking Out (Grand Funk), Kick Out the Jams (MC5), Summertime Blues (Blue Cheer) Favorites by Annie Haslam and Renaissance: Ocean Gypsy (one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs I've ever heard), A Trip to the Fair (don't play this around children--they get scared!), Black Flame, Mother Russia, The Vultures Fly High, Bound For Infinity, Midas Man--basically anything from the albums "Prologue" through "Novella"; they are all beautiful. My favorite solo song by Annie is Summon the Angels off of the "Dawn of Ananda" album.