MÖTLEY CRÜE's MARS, SLIPKNOT's FEHN Talk About Their Musical Role Models

Across a series of interviews with The Indianapolis Star, an assortment of popular singers, guitarists and a drummer — including MÖTLEY CRÜE's Mick Mars and SLIPKNOT's Chris Fehn — answered the following question related to their pre-fame days: "Who was your musical role model?"

Here are their replies:

Mick Mars on Jeff Beck:

MÖTLEY CRÜE's Mick Mars found a guitar hero in Jeff Beck, who made his name during the British Invasion as a member of THE YARDBIRDS.

After leaving THE YARDBIRDS, Beck cemented his reputation as an innovator through solo albums "Truth" and "Beck-Ola".

"He picks out something that's completely different," Mars said. "You say, 'How does he think of those notes?' He doesn't play extremely fast with all the typical scales. He plays really from his heart and soul."

Mars, who lived in Indiana until age 9, said Beck once borrowed a guitar pick from MÖTLEY CRÜE when both acts were making albums at the same studio complex.

Unfortunately, Beck was less than approachable in that setting.

"I tried to follow him back to his studio, but he turned around and gave me that look," Mars said. "I thought, 'OK, never mind.' That was about it."

Chris Fehn on SLAYER:

Chris Fehn, better known as the percussionist who wears a long-nosed mask in metal band SLIPKNOT, recalls adolescent missions to save $8 so he could buy SLAYER albums on vinyl in Des Moines, Iowa — the closest big city to his hometown.

"(SLAYER) drove me to stay alive," Fehn said.

The nine members of SLIPKNOT have translated their twisted vision of Midwestern angst into two Top Five albums and massive success in T-shirt merchandising.

A dream of Fehn's was fulfilled in 2004, when SLIPKNOT toured with SLAYER.

"I never got tired of watching them," Fehn said of vocalist-bass player Tom Araya, guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman and drummer Dave Lombardo. "They turned out to be great guys, which was even better."