[epaludo]

I personally thinks John Mayer is a tremendous guitar player. He's lirics can be a little soft, but he plays like a giant.
Specially his Try! album which is absolutely fantastic.
Nerevr saw him playing live, but hopefully will so ...

 

[Jahn]

Folks love to hate, but he's a young guy - he's just going to get better if he keeps it up. It's not a crime to be derivative, as he's just putting the Chops Library in his head, sometimes directly from the Father Lode (as mentioned a ton with the Clapton collabs). Already he can pants most amateur rockers, and if pros are giving him nods who are we to argue? Someday he's going to come out with a Seminal Album and y'all can say "i remember him from high school" or "i remember hating on him during his poppy years" etc etc. But already he has a crapload of commercial and critical fame, so he must be doing something right, hehe.

personally, he hasn't struck a chord in me yet, but he hangs out with musicians that do, so again i figure it's just a matter of time.

 

[Aman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn /img/forum/go_quote.gif y'all can say "i remember him from high school" or "i remember hating on him during his poppy years" etc etc. But already he has a crapload of commercial and critical fame, so he must be doing something right, hehe.

Fame and artistic purity have little to do with one another. Such is the case for John, who barely finished high school, and was a social outcast, but had magnificent ideas. He didn't reach fame until far after he started gaining obscure popularity on the internet. He didn't reach fame until far after he'd changed his image, gotten his life back on track, and completely changed all of his musical qualities. What he did "right" was simply do what everyone else wanted.

Now that he has the fame, the fortune, and the name recognition, John can return to his roots. But we aren't seeing that. We're seeing him explore the blues, because he obviously believes (and he's said this himself) that he can be a good vessel to spread the popularity of the dying genre. You know what, good for him, but it's not the talented John I know. My reason for posting was simply to point out that it is in fact a common misconception that he isn't a talented player. He is! But most experienced musicians with only the typical John Mayer exposure wouldn't know that. You have to look well before his popularity, or even his first studio album, to know.

 

[Coltrane]

That may all be fine and good Aman, but to what extent is he responsible for what he has released commercially? There is no doubt John took a very specific path. Do those decisions factor in on how we view him as a musician? Or should we simply think about the supposed music he created in high school, as relayed to us by a (semi)random internet source?

I have to go by what I hear, and try as I might I have heard literally nothing of value in any of his work, including any promise of future times. The next Clapton? If you are talking Clapton circa 1985, sure I'll buy that. Then again, I clearly have a very different approach to the blues, and indeed to music in general, than many on here.

 

[trose49]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coltrane /img/forum/go_quote.gif That may all be fine and good Aman, but to what extent is he responsible for what he has released commercially? There is no doubt John took a very specific path. Do those decisions factor in on how we view him as a musician? Or should we simply think about the supposed music he created in high school, as relayed to us by a (semi)random internet source? I have to go by what I hear, and try as I might I have heard literally nothing of value in any of his work, including any promise of future times. The next Clapton? If you are talking Clapton circa 1985, sure I'll buy that. Then again, I clearly have a very different approach to the blues, and indeed to music in general, than many on here.

Gotta to see him live to see "The Monster" come alive. I have friends the music industry that have all commented to me that all they hear the same thing about John and that they havent had a chance to see em live but they will based on live reputation. I am a blues purist as well Coltrane and I would be shocked if you were thoroughly impressed!

When was the last time you checked him out because I think since trio and Continuum it's a new John Mayer we are talking about.

 

[Aman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coltrane /img/forum/go_quote.gif That may all be fine and good Aman, but to what extent is he responsible for what he has released commercially? There is no doubt John took a very specific path. Do those decisions factor in on how we view him as a musician? Or should we simply think about the supposed music he created in high school, as relayed to us by a (semi)random internet source? I have to go by what I hear, and try as I might I have heard literally nothing of value in any of his work, including any promise of future times. The next Clapton? If you are talking Clapton circa 1985, sure I'll buy that. Then again, I clearly have a very different approach to the blues, and indeed to music in general, than many on here.

Each time he released a studio album, he gained more and more creative control over the release. The last time I spoke with him (which was before the new album was released) he told me that he had pretty much full control over the production over his upcoming release. He chose the musicians, he edited it himself, he wrote all the songs, but engineering and mixing were not his responsibilities.

I'm not entirely sure how to judge a musician. I know I wouldn't judge a musician based upon just one work, but rather a body of works. Unfortunately, the general public only has access to one phase of his career. Understandable; most who have opinions on him wouldn't even bother seeking out the old bootlegs. If I had never heard any other aspect of Mayer's work, I too would think the same as you. I basically already do, as I am no fan at all of his new material, which I already stated. However, I thought it was important to make the distinction that John is not necessarily an untalented musician. Though, most people think he's talented for the wrong reasons. Most people who rag on his guitar playing are right to, but that's only because they haven't heard him play anything but the pseudo-blues he's interested in now. I'm sure if I played you the recordings I have, you'd change your mind about his level of "talent".

Personally, I think "the next Clapton" is far more of an insult than a compliment.

 

[sonick]

Hopefully he'll take more control over the engineering and mixing in future releases... From his blog, it sounds like he is an audiophile himself, and I'd love to hear him on a well-mastered recording. Continuum was decently mastered, but Heavier Things was horrible.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Someday he's going to come out with a Seminal Album and y'all can say "i remember him from high school" or "i remember hating on him during his poppy years" etc etc.

There was something naggingly familiar about this thread, and it just came to me. This thread could have been written 30-plus years ago about another massively popular guitarist: Peter Frampton. When Frampton Comes Alive was released (1976 I believe), it was oppressive; you couldn't get away from that freakin' record. It was on the radio every five minutes -- sometimes on more than one station at a time -- and you heard it at parties, at your friends's houses, etc. For self-consciously "cool" people, he was an object of ridicule, the ultimate teeny bopper idol working his looks.

Which obscured the undeniable fact that he was, and is, a brilliant guitar player. Fast forward several decades, and you find a seasoned musician who is no longer a pretty-boy and no longer a superstar. But he still records and tours, and the people who follow him buy his records and go to his shows to listen - not to jump up and down and shriek while their parents stare at their watches.

You never know.

P.S. Actually Frampton has had more lives than a cat. He became famous in an English teeny-bopper band called The Herd. Never heard them, but I've read that it was basically teen-pop drivel. Then he got serious as the lead guitar player in Humble Pie, a sadly forgotten band that was absolutely great at its best. Then came superstardom in the mid-70s, followed by fading popularity. Now, as a mature working musician, his focus is on craft. It will be interesting to see where John Mayer is, thirty years from now.

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Personally, I think "the next Clapton" is far more of an insult than a compliment.

Oh oh now no you didn't!

Anyhow, for now even Mayer has to admit that his current stock in trade is more Popularity than Artistic Purity. Even though people thought Clapton was God decades ago, only recently did he start considering himself worthy of being considered a Bluesman. I'm certain Mayer feels the same way - I'm not counting him out, but he hasn't released anything I've heard yet that has a unique voice to it - but as I said before, I'm more than willing to be proven wrong in the future. Mayer Comes Alive!

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Even though people thought Clapton was God decades ago, only recently did he start considering himself worthy of being considered a Bluesman.

I've always admired Clapton's passion for the blues, his humility, and his efforts to promote mostly non-white blues artists who he looked up to artistically. So I don't fault him for the aura of "genious bluesman" that has followed him around. But it makes me wince when I hear people, especially younger people, listing their favorite blues guitarists, and everybody on the list is white. There are a lot of young-to-middle-aged listeners who consider themselves blues fans, yet have never heard of Otis Rush, Elmore James, Hubert Sumlin, or J.B. Hutto. Or even Freddie King, for that matter.

That said, I think Clapton is truly devoted to the form, and he has, over the years, made some very fine blues recordings. But I wouldn't call him an innovator in blues. As a rock player, on the other hand, he has few peers. I believe he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath with Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman and the other true giants of rock guitar. The Cream and Derek and the Dominos material is brain melting.

As for Mayer, so far he is nowhere near any of the people I have mentioned in this post. But as I said in previous posts, give the kid some time. When he loses his looks and his tabloid-friendly love life, and hence his extreme marketability, you never know what might happen.

 

[Zanth]

I'm not a fan of his music but when I heard his cover of Kid A I felt he had a lot of hidden talent just waiting to bust out. In fact, in many ways, I prefer his rendition to Radioheads (I know I know...shock horror blasphemy lightning strikes and all that)

If he can really put on a show, I'd pay to see him.

 

[Coltrane]

Kid A? Well now its official. That coffin has been completely nailed shut.

 

[Zanth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coltrane /img/forum/go_quote.gif Kid A? Well now its official. That coffin has been completely nailed shut.

When I first read that he had covered it I thought, my gosh how could he get any worse. Then I heard it and I was stunned. It's seriously great (at least I think so and I'm a big Radiohead snob, can't stand 99.9% of the covers out there).

 

[immtbiker]

John plays a decent time on the the last song of the first disc on Eric Clapton's "Crossroads Guitar Festival" that was recorded in Texas last year with 30+ other guitarists to benefit his drug treatment program in Antigua.

It is an excellent solo followed by a lead in to one of his own songs. He puts on his "sour lemon" face and jams. I mean JAMS! I found a new respect for him. I would like to see an entire album (now that he's made it) with him just jamming.

That, and the fact that he wears my Submariner (no date) and a K-Mart Tee, put him on my A-List.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanth /img/forum/go_quote.gif When I first read that he had covered it I thought, my gosh how could he get any worse. Then I heard it and I was stunned. It's seriously great (at least I think so and I'm a big Radiohead snob, can't stand 99.9% of the covers out there).

Have you heard the tribute to "O.K. Computer" covers album available at Stereogum, the music blog? I suspect you have, but, just in case, here's a link. They were giving it away as a free download, but now it's limited to streaming. Each track is accompanied by notes and/or reminiscences from the cover artist.

Be curious to know what you think.


http://www.stereogum.com/okx/

Track list:

Doveman - "Airbag"

Slaraffenland - "Paranoid Android"

Mobius Band - "Subterranean Homesick Alien"

Vampire Weekend - "Exit Music (For a Film)"

David Bazan's Black Cloud - "Let Down"

John Vanderslice - "Karma Police"

Samson Dalonoga feat. The Found Sound Orchestra - "Fitter Happier"

Cold War Kids - "Electioneering"

The Twilight Sad - "Climbing Up the Walls"

Marissa Nadler feat. Black Hole Infinity - "No Surprises"

My Brightest Diamond - "Lucky"

Flash Hawk Parlor Ensemble - "The Tourist"

B-Side: Northern State - "No Surprises"

B-Side: Chris Walla - "Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2)"