Michael Monroe

Finland, 1979–now

Finnish singer, born Matti Fagerholm in 1962, the voice and saxophone of Hanoi Rocks and a solo act since 1987. A rock and roll frontman of the older kind — the harmonica and sax are not decoration, they are where he started.

MusicRoots documents 3 artists who influenced Michael Monroe and 0 artists Michael Monroe influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Michael Monroe?

• Little Richard — Monroe learned the saxophone playing along to Little Richard records, and the piano stayed for the same reason — this is where the fifties rasp in his singing comes from.
• The Coasters — The other set of records he learned the horn from.
• Black Sabbath — Credited by Monroe as a major influence, and the heavy end of a singer usually filed under glam.