▁have ▁been ▁Joe ▁Str um mer , ▁John ▁L enn on , ▁and ▁Bob ▁Mar ley , ▁with ▁The ▁Beat les ▁being ▁a ▁particularly ▁strong ▁influence . ▁For ▁lyr ics , ▁he ▁has ▁c ited ▁po ets ▁such ▁as ▁W alt ▁Whit man ▁as ▁insp iration . ▁After ▁learning ▁guitar ▁he ▁also ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁learn ▁instruments ▁such ▁as ▁bass , ▁ped al ▁steel , ▁piano ▁and ▁key boards , ▁harm onica , ▁ban jo , ▁uk ule le , ▁per cussion , ▁and ▁drum ▁programming . ▁ ▁Music ▁career ▁ ▁The ▁Bl am ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁Ad ler ▁co - f ounded ▁the ▁Brook lyn - based ▁ind ie ▁rock ▁band ▁the ▁Bl am . ▁He ▁played ▁guitar ▁and ▁sang ▁vocals , ▁and ▁was ▁joined ▁by ▁guitar ist ▁Re uben ▁Mah er , ▁bass ist ▁It amar ▁Z ieg ler , ▁and ▁drum mer ▁Yu val ▁Lion . ▁The ▁members ▁had ▁adm ired ▁each ▁others ' ▁separate ▁work ▁for ▁some ▁time , ▁and ▁incorpor ated ▁influ ences ▁such ▁as ▁punk , ▁pop , ▁and ▁ind ie ▁rock . ▁Ad ler ▁has ▁stated ▁he ▁was ▁especially ▁influenced ▁by ▁The ▁Beat les ▁while ▁writing ▁music ▁for ▁the ▁group . ▁ ▁The ▁band ▁began ▁recording ▁in ▁their ▁own ▁Williams burg ▁gar age ▁studio ▁and ▁released ▁their ▁debut ▁The ▁Bl am ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Pop Mat ters ▁pra ised ▁the ▁album ' s ▁single ▁" Vari ous ▁Dis gra ces ", ▁calling ▁it ▁" a ▁pr ist in ely