:||digital kitchen||:

It is very hard for me to choose one amongst all the musical inspirations in my life. I could say i'd love to make intricate and de-constructive music as good as AphexTwin, swinging with groove of Sonny Rollins or Thelonious Monk, mind wondering and travelling as far as F.S.O.L. , Andrew Weatherall or William Orbit.
The pop component would need to be present, Bowie's Low or Hunky Dory would be a good insight as also as Raymond Scott's Cindy Electronium or Cylob or AAKurtz or Yellow Magic Orchestra or... . .
End, Luke Vibert, Cycheouts Ghost and many other make me dance with their breaks; Luke Slater, Carl Craig and many other make dane to the rythm of their beats.
Dev//Null, Terminal11, Jason Forrest, Aaron Spectre and/or Mochipet I admire (not only!) for their innovation, creative mash and ultra-sampling revolutionary techniques.
Wisp, SquarePusher, Joseph Nothing, Nathan Fake and many others with their lyricism and storytelling sonic adventures... . .... . . ..

and , yes, I can keep on shouting names of all these magicians that make my body and mind tremble, jump travel, die and reborn, but, no, I don't (and I don't think I'll ever be able) to make music like theirs.
All the music I listen to has something (or many things) that inspires me but I also feel it very much as part of that artist's work and life.

As a performer I'd love to be free and have full control. In my perspective both things are inseparable:
to be free and be able to jam and improvise, one needs to be in full control of their instrument/interface and know its full capabilities.