Music:
In no particular order... The Pixies, The Sugarcubes, The Smiths, Morrissey, Elvis, Eric Clapton, Bjork, Black Eyed Peas, The Roots, De La Soul, Gillian Welch, Better Than Ezra, Fugazi, A Tribe Called Quest, Jane's Addiction, Public Enemy, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Led Zeppelin, Liz Phair, Wu Tang Clan, Notorious BIG, Tupac, Tori Amos, Tenacious D, Velvet Underground, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, Run DMC, Radiohead, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Marva WhitneyPharcyde, Lou Reed, Aimee Mann, Marva Whitney, James Brown, Leonard Cohen, Jurassic 5, Guru, Gangstarr, Jon Brion, Fiona Apple, Velvet Underground, Zero 7, Miles Davis, 2Pac, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Neko Case, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Magnolia Electric Co., Lucinda Williams, Jolie Holland, et. al.
Books:
For Whom the Bell Tolls, Welcome to the Monkey House, A Prayer for Owen Meany