John Mayer: Sob Rock and a Pink Silver Sky

ToneControl

monquixote said:

ToneControl said:

monquixote said:

TINMAN82 said:

monquixote said:

TINMAN82 said:

Whatever you think of JM you can’t deny his massive positive influence on current guitar music. I happen to think he’s one of the most talented guitarist songwriters on the scene, last gig I saw pre COVID too.

I can honestly say I've never heard him mentioned outside of nerdy blues obsessed guitarists.

You haven’t investigated very far then, or attended any of his gigs.

No I haven't and that's the point.

He's mentioned every ten minutes on guitar related YouTube channels but I've never heard his name mentioned by anyone who doesn't play guitar.

I know many people who own bonamassa and Vai albums for example.

I think there is this myth that he's a big star and he's just not.

Unlike Vai and Bonamassa, his fanbase is not just (mostly old) male guitarists

Apparently Mayer is the 74th most famous pop artist
The most famous pop music artists in America | Entertainment | YouGov Ratings

the only other guitarists in the top 100 are Prince and Ed Sheeran
Therefore in this survey he is currently the most famous living electric guitarist 

If you play with the selections on demographic, he seems to be just as famous amongst women and younger age groups

Not disagreeing with anything you say.

My point was that like someone like Hootie and the Blowfish or the Dave Matthews group he's someone who does well in America but has very little impact over here.

I'm not sure why people have edited the bit out of my comment where I said he had sold a lot of records in America and then incredulously pointed out multiple times that he's sold a lot of records in America.

maybe his pop style is too bland for the UK

Kebabkid

richardhomer said:

Greg Philingaines on keys - who played with EC in the 80s and EC’s chorused 80s Strat sound. Highly derivative - but nice enough. 

I’m glad there’s a young(er) lead player out there - but I wouldn’t pay money to listen to him. He just doesn’t have that ‘hairs on the back of my arms’ thing for me.

And Lenny Castro (percussionist to the stars) but who's also been a touring member of Toto for yonks.

It's all tongue-in-cheek, even the album cover.

Cookiemonster

DrCornelius said:

dindude said:

Interestingly I’ve just watched the Clapton Forever Man video and it’s dated a lot less than Mayer’s pastiche! 

You’ve inspired me to watch it and I’m glad you did . I’ve always been a fan of his 70s output but I’d I forgotten how much I enjoyed this at the time too.

Apparently the video was based on sweet child of mine.

Hair rock Mayer would have been more fun

Winny_Pooh

It's amazing how everyone has an opinion on JM so here's mine:

english_bob

Kebabkid said:

It's all tongue-in-cheek, even the album cover.

Exactly. I laughed out loud when I saw the album cover, then had to give Mrs_bob the old "oh, nothing" routine when she heard me because she isn't geeky enough to get the joke.

I've been listening to some 80s stuff recently of the style that JM is going for- there's a lot to love about the best of it, in no small part because it's often played by the same few dozen session players who were fucking brilliant at what they did. Everyone's spotted Greg Phillinganes and Lenny Castro in the credits for Last Train Home, but Sean Hurley and Aaron Sterling (bass and drums respectively) have a pretty long and impressive list of  session credits too.

Lewy

It's interesting to see other players like Mary Spender mentioned on this thread because for me the difference is just so stark when it comes to their writing and also arrangements, and it's why they are destined to stay confined to their youtube channels and the occasional 500 person gig as opposed to achieving the kind of popular success John Mayer has.

Generally most people just don't have the patience to indulge artists who's approach to writing and arranging songs basically boils down to a tedious combination of "look how clever I am" and "welcome to my problems". 

Everyone on that Mayer track is doing 5% of what they're capable of, and the lyrics are super relatable. I see no evidence the Spenders and Posens of the world have that in them. I think that's what leads people to refer to them as talentless despite them clearly having skills....they are arguably a bit talentless when it comes to connecting with people through music, other than with people who have some other vested interest in giving them the time of day (like they aspire to learn their techniques, want to know about gear etc).

Barnezy

The Mayer thing is interesting. He seems to appeal to women and men in equal measures which is unusual. I think it's because his songs are written to appeal to women but his guitar playing is for men. 

Went to watch him at the O2 last time he was here. I think the 2 guys sitting behind us, jizzed their pants about 5 times with excitement. I'd never experienced anything like it. When he played Neon, they wouldn't shut up about how amazing he was to be able to play that song, they even spilt their beer on my Mrs, they were so excited. These were guys in their 30's.  

I like his pop stuff as some of it reminds me of Phil Colins who was my idol when I grew up. I find some of his blues stuff a bit tryhard with a sterile feeling, but I can only wish to play like that. 

Roysterdoyster

Mayer is a dreamboat on every level! 

I want to like Mary Spender, but to me it always sounds like she’s singing a different song to the one she’s playing on the guitar. 

dindude

Lewy said:

It's interesting to see other players like Mary Spender mentioned on this thread because for me the difference is just so stark when it comes to their writing and also arrangements, and it's why they are destined to stay confined to their youtube channels and the occasional 500 person gig as opposed to achieving the kind of popular success John Mayer has.

Generally most people just don't have the patience to indulge artists who's approach to writing and arranging songs basically boils down to a tedious combination of "look how clever I am" and "welcome to my problems". 

Everyone on that Mayer track is doing 5% of what they're capable of, and the lyrics are super relatable. I see no evidence the Spenders and Posens of the world have that in them. I think that's what leads people to refer to them as talentless despite them clearly having skills....they are arguably a bit talentless when it comes to connecting with people through music, other than with people who have some other vested interest in giving them the time of day (like they aspire to learn their techniques, want to know about gear etc).

I think the likes of Mary, also someone like Mick and Dan from TPS when they write and record their own music, sit in that middle ground where it’s impressive that they can write/record and complete a process to decent level, and to a non-musician or beginner it seems very advanced, but it’s a million miles away from being professional grade musician who connects on an emotional level with absolute quality control.

Hattigol

It's still a crap song.

Jonathanthomas83

Bidley said:

Have to say, I've never been (knowingly) exposed to any of his music outside this forum. Which is probably a good thing because he's as far away from something I'd want to listen to as I can imagine.

Not knocking this at all, but along with the hundreds of other comments along the same lines, I'd absolutely love to know what people DO listen to - this gives the reader context as to why this is or isn't to your tastes.

This comment is on page 2, I pretty much gave up reading around this point.

LPManic

Played the new song on Kimmel last night. Enjoyed the MJ-esque ending.

Lewy

Hattigol said:

It's still a crap song.

If he was a Nashville songwriter he'd have artists and publishers banging his door down to get hold of that song.

Wouldn't it be the ultimate irony of Clapton covered it on his next outing (when he's done duetting with Van Morrison on lockdown denial anthems that is)

Lev

I think the song is decent however youtube seems to have gone crazy about it. My youtube feed is full of covers of this and song dissection's/lessons, some are 30 mins long. I'm not sure what it says about the current music industry that a fairly run of the mil pop song gets so much attention. BTW I am a big Mayer fan, this song is good but not one of his best IMHO.

Fifty9

Lev said:

I think the song is decent however youtube seems to have gone crazy about it. My youtube feed is full of covers of this and song dissection's/lessons, some are 30 mins long. I'm not sure what it says about the current music industry that a fairly run of the mil pop song gets so much attention. BTW I am a big Mayer fan, this song is good but not one of his best IMHO.

Mine too. Getting on my wick now tbh but only highlights his pull in the guitar/t’internet space. EVERY ONE of the main you tubers seems to have jumped on it. Content saturation in the YouTube guitar space now. 

RaymondLin

I have never sat through one single JM track...am I missing out?

not_the_dj

RaymondLin said:

I have never sat through one single JM track...am I missing out?

Depends on what sort of stuff you like ;-)

I think he has written some fantastic songs (Walt Grace Submarine Test...), and played some great guitar (live album Where the Light is)

I can see how his image and online presence turns people off him, but I’d certainly count myself as a fan of most of his work. I said in an earlier post he’s jumped styles a few times so there might be something in his back catalogue you click with. Continnuum is generally the album most see as his best. 

EricTheWeary

monquixote said:

thecolourbox said:

Fifty9 said:

I like it. Am a similar age to him so get the nostalgia thing 

He could only have been about ten though when this music was out - was he really listening to middle of the road type soft rock as a ten year old enough to get nostalgic about it? I'm not really sure I get it. 

It would presumably be like me releasing an album in the style of James Blunt or Gary Barlow or something like that I'd have thought?

He's the perfect age.

He's a little bit older than me and it's exactly the kind of stuff my dad would have played in the car.

That's what you get really nostalgic for.

Yes, what you remember from in the car as a kid is very influential ...hence my forthcoming album based on awkward silences and arguments about whether my grandmother needed to be put in a home. 

RaymondLin said:

I have never sat through one single JM track...am I missing out?

He’s a pretty varied artist even based on my casual listening. Acoustic torch songs, electro pop, blues rock, bit of country and blue eyed soul. But, to me, he does seem to want to knock the rough edges off these styles and some of us really quite like the rough edges. 

So, if you listened to any one JM song it wouldn’t be a typical song, I guess. I first heard him because Gravity* was used on the tv series House and, in the right mood, it’s still evocative. It’s either a beautiful ballad or self indulgent white blues depending on your point of view...


https://youtu.be/_iGOWk-r614

* now he plays PRS it should be retitled Cavity! 

[ not even my joke, sorry] 

Philly_Q

EricTheWeary said:

Yes, what you remember from in the car as a kid is very influential ...hence my forthcoming album based on awkward silences and arguments about whether my grandmother needed to be put in a home. 

LOL awarded.

EricTheWeary said:
Gravity* 

* now he plays PRS it should be retitled Cavity! 

LOL rescinded.

Hattigol

Philly_Q said:

EricTheWeary said:

Yes, what you remember from in the car as a kid is very influential ...hence my forthcoming album based on awkward silences and arguments about whether my grandmother needed to be put in a home. 

LOL awarded.

EricTheWeary said:
Gravity* 

* now he plays PRS it should be retitled Cavity! 

LOL rescinded.

LOL awarded for your LOL rescinded