Eric Clapton? Clapton should be inducted into the Hall of Fame as The biggest fraud in rock history, 60 yrs in the biz and you can't name 3 songs he's actually written
@@khangenbamavanjit122 hhahah did he really :D reminds me of when Larry King tried to pronounce Mark Wahlberg's name and it sounds like Mark Bwhwhaalhwahborg
Guitar players hate John Mayer because they say “oh he just plays pentatonic scales and a few notes, so simple.” Those same players can’t come close to replicating his sound. He’s an incredible guitar player, super versatile, and a pretty darn good songwriter to boot. His work with the Grateful Dead is amazing.
I love him most for his articulation in voice and playing, not just for his choices of notes and melodies. His range of emotions is HUGE. From being so gentle one moment to the next moment CRUNCH, and then gentle again, everything is so smooth... Nobody can do the same, not Petrucci, not Kotzen, not even Hendrix
I think you meant *over*-rated. Have you ever heard of Frank Zappa or Trey Anastasio or Duane Allman? The only reason I even like Mayer a little bit is because of his work of his years in Dead and Co.
I am a 74 year old who just took up guitar. I love your videos. I am primarily into singer/songwriters in country & country rock but I also love Buddy Guy, Son House and Jimmy Reed. Keep up the good work young man. Thanks.
I really think Mayer’s pop stuff is his most impressive. He distills so much musical talent and complexity into such an accessible format. I prefer his songwriting to his guitar playing easily.
Never hated him. Hearing him live at Crossroads was an instant hit. Only an idiot would hate him. Even if you're not a fan of his singing or style, he's a great guitarist
he sucks. he KNOWS the instrument, but he doesn't know how to make interesting music. being a very good player is not the same thing of being a good songwriter
You hit it there. It's the voice and singing style that kills me. I absolutely adore his playing, he's my generation's top hand (with apologies to Jason Isbell, Gary Clark Jr, and a few others) but the voice just grates. I have always said I wanted him to just play guitar with a band - and now he finally is, but I don't know the Dead's style or catalogue enough to access it well and haven't had time to do a deep dive and immerse myself. One of these days...
The first John Mayer song I ever heard wasn't even one of his own, it was his cover of Free Falling at the Nokia Theater. Perhaps it is still probably one of his best live performances ❤
His rendition gives me chills of how melancholic and beautiful an American iconic song could be even though it’s not. That’s talent and passion on display that I think Tom Petty would blown away with, not sure if this was pre or posthumously sung..😢
Saw his solo tour show two nights ago and right before ybiaw, he said he still gets a kick out of looking through the crowd to see people's reactions to hearing it live. The endless awkward staring at the ceiling waiting for the song to end to get back to the ones they came to hear still cracks him up 20 years later.
Guitar players don't hate John Mayer. They love John Mayer. Non-guitar players are the ones who generally hate him. Every legitimate guitar player recognizes John Mayer's amazing talent
I was thinking the other day, when Justin rides again, got me to check out his official Last Train Home live recording. John Mayer, now, would have to be in anyone's Top 10 guitarists of all time list, or even top 5 guitarists of all time. But in that Top 5/10 list, I'd wager money he would be also the best guitarist/singer in your short list.
The first song I heard was Gravity, and I was f*cking hooked. The _restraint_ and nuance from someone who could have absolutely shredded up with virtuosity was electric. I couldn’t get enough of someone with nothing to prove and a story to tell musically. I don’t care what someone’s virtuosity is, I don’t need a dick measuring contest, I need some honesty and a story, and that whole album is a master class in _serving the song_, and that concept transcends genre or player or instrument. Serve the song. Love it. Thanks for making great content! ✌️😌🎸
This is just about the best description of Gravity I've ever read. It's all restraint. Not too many musicians have the confidence to write a song that lives or dies on the story you can tell with a simple vibrato.
Always loved Jeff Ross talking about watching John record a solo and noting that he was surprised that every pass had less and less notes like he was further distilling the solo down to its most important parts.
I Thoroughly enjoyed this video. I am a HUGE JM fan and have been since I heard his 2007 Live in LA album. I was hooked after hearing the range and depth of guitar talent he displayed throughout that album. I play guitar (not very well at all), but can appreciate a skilled player when I hear one. I have heard and enjoyed every Mayer album out there and have had the privilege of hearing him live in Seattle twice in the past year. I did not notice a lot of folks that looked like me at either show, but its pretty cool to see someone that does talking about JM on YT and can actually PLAY WELL (unlike me)! 😂 Keep up the skillful play and videos. You have +1 more subscriber🙌 A Cover of 3x5 would be nice, I will watch your other vids to see if you covered it 😁
Honestly continuum is in my top 3 albums of all time. I think it's truly a masterpiece and I thought I was the only one. With that being said, I can't wait to see what he brings in the future, all these different genres and adventures he takes are a part of his journey, and I love his newest thing which is actual fan engagement. His current tour I seen a video where he was taking audience requests
"Born and Raised" is my favorite JM album. Apart from being a change in genre for him, I think it also has some of his best lyrics and songwriting of his. No shredding, no flashy solos (still amazing though), and it still is one of his best works in my opinion.
it’s so hard to choose a favorite album though because of how unique each one is. I agree though that Born and Raised has to have the most meaningful lyrics and as a complete packages may be his best
@@neildesai5743 it is a tough call. Objectively, Continuum may be his best, but B&R is very special. Also, I think even while going through his vocal cords operation, it has some amazing vocal performances from him. If I Ever Get Around... is a great example.
I am into Jazz and Classical at this stage of my life. Room for Squares came out when I was in my 50's and I thought this guy has talent! His compositions were not the average pop stuff other "artists" were coming up with. They had progression. And. his lyrics were thoughtful. I could relate although I had to think back when I was much younger. In a way John took me back there in time and I remembered my high school graduation day. I think that any artist that can transport you to another time or place and dust off some of your memories has something special to offer. And John did and still does and is a remarkable musician as I knew from that first listen. Yeah, I used to be in a band back in the day so I listen not just hear, but listen to what's going on in a piece of music, picking it apart and analyze what's going on. Sorry to be long winded but yeah, John is one of the greats.
That’s what a lot of guitarists and musicians miss today or seem not to notice - that music is a language or way to communicate. Truly great artists and musicians can invoke feelings and bring to mind memories for a large percentage of people, fans or not.
Please my friend, dont apologize. Your comment, ALL of it, is very relatable. I am & have been a Jazz fan throughout my 64+ years. I too "listen not just to hear." Of course, I respect & appreciate the masterful musicianship of the artists who play the song. But I cant resist diving deeper into a song... listening carefully... nearly hypnotized by the complexities of rhythmic patterns, of really tight chords, their structure, their changes & the song's "progression." I too will analyze (& will often ascribe personal meaning to) a song's lyrics. I believe the lyrics are a song's "heart" & that the emotions stirred by a song's lyrics are often the source from which the music itself is inspired & composed. And so my friend, not only is the way we "listen to music" something we have in common... your comment moved me on a journey of my own, down my own "memory lane." For that, I am truly grateful. I genuinely enjoyed your every word. And frankly... I would have enjoyed hearing even more from you.💗
Each album seemed to have that one song that really resonated with me and where I was in life at that moment as well. Slow Dancing off Continuum, Edge of Desire off Battle Studies, Walt Grace off B&R, In the Blood off Search for Everything etc. I listen to Continuum and even though it's still one of my favourite albums of his, I now find some of it lyrically naive; very clearly the thoughts of a younger man/me. It's great to be able to look back at his albums and in many ways be able to chart your own evolution. On a side note: I think JM will agree, no one can be an SRV clone.
It's NOT just guitar players... and for a combination of ALL the things you list, but number 4 really spoke to me. I have actually been at a B.B. King concert filled with John Mayer wannabes before John Mayer was John Mayer. They came (to a standing room venue in Manhattan) to hear BB King Shred. When he got to "Into the Night" he stopped after singing "I'll go out of my mind..." like he did at every concert... Only these white guys from connecticut didn't know they were supposed to answer back "... or into the night" and the room fell silent (my voice can't carry a crowded concert). When I think back, he had to have known what was going to happen and was having a little fun with the audience. So, for ME it IS because John Mayer (and his ilk) have appropriated musical culture of others so far back that even the young people of the "robbed" cultures don't seem to recognize it. Who knows, maybe you'll do a video about why shredders from all persuasions listen to The Blues and what they've "borrowed". Thanks!
I clicked on this, not because I’m a guitar player, but because I’m a John Mayer fan. I’m 76 years old and I love his music. Of course I have some favourites and I just went to my song list and played a couple of them. Started a new favourites list for my indoor walking tunes, just to stay motivated to complete my steps! Lol. I just finished playing Perfectly Lonely ❤. Thanks everyone! It’s fun reading your comments. And what a good channel to subscribe to!
This channel is such a vibe. John Mayer wasn't and isn't my favorite but he's a monster and you can't lose respect for the talent. The thing that separates him from others is the song writing. So many great players are terrible at writing good songs. #respect
3:25 “Your Body Is A Wonderland” was my first exposure to Mayer. Continuum is absolutely incredible. My two favorite songs by him are “8x5” (makes me cry every time) and “Gravity”. “Gravity” has a Blues riff that gives me the stank face every time.
John Mayer is one of my all time favorite players of all time and has been since the early 2000s. But “humble” is not exactly a word I’d use to accurately describe him lol
Meyer is a self proclaimed ego maniac look it up for yourself. Jennifer Annistan's problem with him was he wasnt mature. And as many musicians have said, hes really good, but not great. lmao.
Honestly when an artist changes their sound it seems like a sign of musical maturity. Mayer, like many musicians, had a lot of different influences and so he's not gonna sound like one thing all the time. I still enjoy all of his albums for their differences, not for their similarities. Thanks Mike for bringing another great video!
I just started learning guitar 4-5 months ago. I’m sure I heard John Mayer before, but looking into modern influences for guitarist, he comes up. I loved his voice before guitar playing. Once I got past the voice, I loved his playing too.
I’m a guitarist and I grew up listening to Hendrix and SRV along with Skynard and plenty of country music. Personally I believe room for squares to be John Mayers best album. His chord work on the acoustic is stellar and something no one in mainstream music was implementing at the time. He created a unique sound unlike anyone else with that album. No doubt John Mayer is an amazing blues/ rock guitarist, as good as any in his own right. For me room for square was something totally different from what anyone had done at the time. If you think the guitar parts aren’t complicated go learn Neon 😂
1000% Room For Square is a master piece. I was instantly a fan after its release. It was totally a different sound and tone from what I have been hearing all the time ranging from 80's to 90's. Brilliant works of art.
I heard “No Such Thing” about a year before he blew up. I was impressed with the rhythms, chord voicings, and clever lyrics. I remember thinking. Got R4S and loved it. I remember thinking, “too bad he’s too talented to ever get famous.” Fast forward a few months, I was at a friends house and his little brother was having a high school party. All the young girls were going, “have you heard of John Mayer?” Mind was blown lol
I was in a record store (remember those?) and heard him just riffing between songs of a live recording and was hooked. I had no idea who he was. Never heard of him. Didn't matter what his songs sounded like as long as he was playing guitar on them. Eventually I heard many songs I liked. He is a good song writer. I am certain that he was only targeting a demographic when he wrote the early naive schoolboy lyrics. He is too eloquent and sophisticated when expressing himself in interviews even when he talks about being egotistical. It had been a very long time since he was a naive young boy when he wrote those songs.
Basically, at 57 after playing for over 45 years, I heard "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" and decided to learn to play it. Immediately I developed respect for Mayer as both a guitarist and song writer as it is so beautifully voiced and by no means simple to play even for me as an experienced player (your mileage may vary - not pretending to be the greatest guitarist here). Finally, the entire composition of the song - including the solos and little riff motifs throughout - were all part of what made it a great memorable song. From that moment onwards I was, if not a fan and regular listener, at the very least I had tons of respect for him as a player, performer and songwriter.
Dude, well said. I had a friend and mentor in blues, out of the trenches of the 1950s and 1960s, he was stomping his foot to some heavy metal song I brought in on a CD (early 2000s). When I looked at him he said, "it's all blues." His way of saying good music is good music. That opened my mind. John Mayer is an excellent player, and he plays excellent blues. That's all.
For a lot of people, Mayer was the gateway to artists like SRV and BB King etc and even guitar playing in general. He opened me up into a world of music I'd never known about through his covers and performances. That's why I'll always love JM!
I was that guy in the early 2000s. I heard “Your body is a wonderland” and wrote off listening to him. Years later I listened to the “Try” trio stuff and was blown away. As you said, what he has done for pop and blues music as well as the world of guitar playing is iconic.
"The Dead" version of Mayer is truly phenomenal. A journey of self discovery and shedding of past identity that comes out with such deep passion and joy as he jams with the band. He said in an interview about playing with Dead & Company that "this has changed my life." And that is what great music is all about--to change our souls.
Were you a JM fan before he joined dead co or a GD fan? Just curious. I was shocked at how many people at the dead co show I saw were there thru JM and not familiar with GD music. Seems backwards to me.
@@BrentonAlegre so you're saying you liked The GD before you knew JM? That was my question, who you liked first. I have no agenda, just an honest curiosity.✌
@@bluecollar825 Ah... might have misunderstood the question. Yes, I've liked the GD long before ever hearing of Mayer... since the 80s... which might be a bit "late" as a GD fan.
@@BrentonAlegre right on friend. Thanks for the response. Like I said I was curious because of my dead & co experiences. And I agree its great that he turned a new generation on to the GD. I just wonder if the ones who did only listen to dead & co or actual GD music when that's what they want to hear. That was gonna be my follow up question if you were a JM fan first. That is the big mystery for me lol. ✌
Sob rock was amazing as well. And I’ve learned to appreciate and enjoy the post battle studies and continuum albums. I think it’s also important to consider the place he was in emotionally while making paradise valley and born and raised. Coming off of vocal surgery and trying to reconfigure his vocals had to be somewhat depressing. He’s even stated he can’t hit the notes he used to (some for the better). I’m most excited to see what he does next. Him leaving Columbia records after so long could mean he is getting to record the music he REALLY wants to record. Back to his roots and it being a blues or another trio album would be amazing.
Something like Olivia (acoustic version) has some seriously top-tier stuff going on in it, sure there's a lot of Hendrixy stuff going on in it but for me, I love how he uses such tchniques and his inhuman thumbs to come up with really cool and unique sounding shit
Room for squares was amazing people get food by flashy playing and they love to hate pop but you can tell the musicianship and songwriting on that album was great. People also sleep on Heavier Things which is another amazing album. I just think he’s exceptionally gifted and it’s sad that people may overlook that because he did a pop album. Pop music can also be complex and thoughtful as well
I started hearing about Mayer so had a listen. I was like....hmmm....pop music, wonder why everyone is so blown away. Some time after that I stumbled onto some live videos, then it hit me, this guy is really good. And I really enjoy that he doesn't stick to one genre or style. Love that he play with Grateful Dead and has learned new things from that experience. That is one of the things that impresses me, Mayer strives to become better and is not afraid to learn from others. I can't remember what Dead song it was but watching him and the keyboard player interact was great, the keyboardist seemed to be a mentor of Mayer's at some level. Thanks for this, great video as always!!
The first time I heard John Mayer I was around 15 years old. My friend showed me the acoustic version of Neon because he liked the way John played. I fell in love immediately. At first I didn't like Born and Raised. I don't really care for the folky country style stuff. I avoided that album for a few years. But... I ended up giving it a chance. I found myself loving the entire album and still listen to it regularly. Particularly the songs "Age of Worry" and "Badge and Gun". Everything that Johns' put out since then has just been banger after banger in my opinion.
The one thing that keeps me listening to John is he doesn’t repeat himself, always changing. And he stepped into Jerry’s shoes, and retained both the Garcia part of the music and his own identity as well.
I love how versatile he is I love continuum and sop rock but sometimes I’m in a folk mood and I want folk I can listen to the guy for i while and not get bored because he has so much different stuff. I also have a shot attention Span and can only listen to one Genre for so long without having to switch it up and pick a completely different genre
Among the comments I read songs like "Gravity", "Neon" and so on. They are good songs, but I think a song like "Stop This Train", "St. Patrick's Day" or "If I Ever Get Around To Living" are also super deep, not just musically, but also emotionally and lyrically. I think it's amazing how many different albums he made, but most of them sound great in one way or another. :)
Love “Stop this Train” alike to “In the Blood”. Also another one I have always truly enjoyed was “In Repair” “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room”made me want to learn to play guitar… Looks like a new album coming soon.
agreed, ive just started listening to born and raised and the way john is able to progress "will i ever get around to living" amazes me. That song makes me feel a certain way, just as countless of his other songs do
Hey Mike, I didn't like Mayer when I first heard him because I only heard the pop songs. Then I saw him live at Crossroads 2010 with the John Mayer trio with Pino on bass and Steve Jordan on drums. His playing and stage presence was amazing and totally gained my respect for what a fantastic guitar player he is. Love your channel, you're awesome.
I loved this content! The first time I got to hear him in concert I realized what an amazing blues guitarist he was after only having heard "Room for Squares". I WAS TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY and have loved his music ever since. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, this was fun! ♥
When John first came out I felt like he was my long lost brother. Well, his lyrics. I didn't appreciate his guitar abilities until the second time I saw him in concert (I've now seen him 5 times, and will see him a t 6th time tomorrow) I loved room for squares "my stupid mouth" "why georgia" "no such thing", and his "Inside Wants Out" album record "comfortable" was an old fave. Can't wait to see him Solo :)
First song I ever heard was 83, I was 6 and it blew me away. I’ve been listening to his music for over 20 years how and all his records growing up reached me at different parts of my life. I’ve seen him in concert 4 times and love all his music. I take massive grief from friends and people for being a Mayer fanboy, but the man can play the guitar 🎸
I’ve been playing 19 years now, massive blues fan, massive Hendrix fan. 3 years in saw him on tv with an epic rig, I’m thinking WTF!? Isn’t he just acoustic girly songs?????! 20 minutes later my world was changed! Mayer is an incredibly gifted musician.
Honestly it wasn't until Born & Raised that I got into Mayer. It came out at the right time in my life and allowed me to really get into his music. I enjoy the older stuff just fine but his last two albums (aside from the chorus of that one song) are just excellently written from lyrics to instrumentation. Like you said he doesn't stick with one style for too long and since he tends to switch styles every two albums I'm excited to see where he goes next.
First Mayer song I ever heard was "No Such Thing" off his first album. I was literally 4 years old riding in my moms car to preschool, I loved the short acoustic intro, and the singing, even though I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. And that was how I became a music nut at 4 years old, and later a 26 year old guy who's played guitar for 12 years. Time flies.
I think you hit the nail on the head around the 6:00 mark. John's ability to go from pop, to soul, to blues, to folk, "yacht rock", whatever the genre is, just shows you how talented and gifted he is musically. Playing all of these different genres of music is something most artists can't, and won't even attempt to do. I think this is another reason why playing in Dead & Co seems to come so natural to him. The Dead has so many different musical influences and he thrives on that.
He's one of few that people today know for his guitar playing first. He's ever evolving and really just has a style that connects with people. I will never forget the day i first heard the solo in Magnolia. Literally made my cry. It was that beautiful.
When I first properly listened to Mayer, it was with Heartbreak Warfare. I never properly did a deep dive into it so I kinda just hand waved it away as one of those songs by a popular Artist that sound nice. (Plus I wasn't as much a music person at the time compared to now) When I picked up guitar, I quickly checked to see how to play the popular radio hits by guys like Ed Sheeran and the like. I then realized that pretty much every single song by a popular modern artist was just the same few basic chords. (Emphasis on "Pretty Much") I figured I was gonna stagnate quickly if I stuck around there, so I left pretty fast, Didn't bother checking out any Mayer cuz I figured he was just the same. Fast forward about a few months, I was listening to quite a bit of Rock. AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Green Day, RHCP, Aerosmith, and even some Metallica. Still kinda shit at guitar, but I was getting there, and while I was scrolling through reddit, I came across a comment talking about difficult songs. They mentioned a few standard songs, like G.O.A.T, and Cliffs of Dover. And then I saw that they also mentioned Neon by John Mayer alongside them. There was confusion...a hell of a lot of confusion. And then I looked it up on UA-cam, and saw *that* video, and that confusion quickly turned into understanding...and then more confusion as I wracked my brain trying to figure out wtf he was doing. Never looked back from there
first i heard was neon, a friend just showed it to me and was like "yeah, play that!" and its definitely the hardest song ive had to learn in my 7-8 or so months on guitar
This is a great video. I've always been a fan of John's skill - I try to play it, but it stays in my living room. He really adds a lot of complexity that is often not appreciated by the masses.
I’ve been listening to Mayer since R4S, and honestly his whole body of work has just reflected different times in my life. He’s an amazing artist and I’ll be listening to him as long as he plays and I breathe.
I started listening to JM when nobody knew who he was. They had his first album in a listening station at the record store, I'd never heard of him before so I gave it a listen. I wasn't expecting much, my mind was somewhere else, but gradually I felt myself being sucked in and I ended up buying it. That album ended up establishing him as not only a radio star, but a teenage heartthrob. Which is a hard note to follow for a new artist. Some years later I went to see him play, the people next to me were there to see Counting Crows and dismissed him as a teen idol to the point they were going to leave before he came on. I convinced them to stay and assured them he WAS the real deal. They thanked me afterwards. What many don't realize is he went to music school (Berkeley I believe) and toured as a hired hand with a couple artists to work on his stage presence and polish up already good playing BEFORE they released his first solo record. It's easy to hate him for all the starlets he's been with, but he is the real deal! 👍
Room for Squares was not his first album…and Inside Wants Out was not the album that “established him as a heartthrob”- He went to Berklee College of Music (not to be confused with Berkeley..)
Thanks Mike--you are extremely well spoken and knowledgeable about JM's music and its a pleasure to listen to someone who intelligently breaks down his argument like you did.
I wish more artists were as logical and open minded like you. I hate when other musicians just hate. I love all styles and think it's made me the musician I am today. Awesome video 💯 watched it twice and shared 🤘😎🤘
Great video! If you want to see the breadth of Mayer's capabilities as a musician just listen to or watch "Where The Light Is". Acoustic, blues/rock, and pop on full display. He's a legit talent that can do it all. I don't like everything he's done, but he in no way deserves to be dismissed out of hand.
I grew up on John Mayer, according to my mom I actually listened to him in the womb lmao. I've probably heard his entire discography at this point. Room for Squares and Continuum are basically lullabies in my family haha. Matter of fact, when I was really young, I recall running to tell my mom cause I heard Waiting on the World to Change on tv. I respect all of his genre changes, and especially as a budding guitarist I greatly respect his playing skills and how some stuff you really can't play since he's got such big hands lmfao. Just today I was trying to learn Why Georgia (with zero fingerstyle experience) and I was like Damn! This is hard 😅 Even so he'll always hold a special place in my heart, since he was the first musician I ever saw in concert. At that very concert, he did a couple's gender reveal, but everyone was confused since he sang some lines from Daughters, so he ended up having to flat out say "its a boy" lol. Along with everything else I mentioned, I just like knowing that that little baby is probaby 5 years old now, and that they got to listen to John Mayer in the womb too🙏🏾❤
how much of a musical genius he is ? Just listen to his interpretation of 'Ain't no sunshine' in the live 7 min version and ask yourself 'did anyone possibly expect this?'. He got me instantly when a beloved friend and blues guitar player studied 'gravity' and tried to copy it in awe. I'm not so much into pop music and would love him to come back to the blues.
I am a 50 something life-long drummer. Continuum inspired me to take up guitar, which led me down the blues rabbit hole. As much as I loved EVH and SRV, something about JM’s sound moved me to give it a try.
The more I listen to Mayer the more I appreciate his music. Easily one of the most versatile musicians out there. Master singer/songwriter and guitarist across a variety of genres including but not limited to pop, blues, folk, r&b, even dabbling in hip hop. Off the top of my head can't think of any other modern artist like that.
Neon was the first song of his that I heard - actually it was a friend who arranged it as an acoustic duet for a recital a few years ago. Loved it instantly.
I used to watch John Mayer at Eddies Attic and around Atlanta before he became famous. First time I saw him I said, how is he not famous!! Then he released his first album and I was amazed. Then he went blues, and I was impressed with how hard he worked at it. I think he has earned respect.
I too remember when e played regularly at Eddies Attic in Atlanta (Decatur). He has worked hard to get where he is. He is also well spoken and can extrapolate in interviews. Many players who diss him and think he had it easy don't know his background of hard work.
I was never a John Mayer fan, and then I was convinced to listen to “Where the Light Is, Live in LA”. He’s since become one of my favorite artists and one of my biggest influences in my play. I had no idea he was so bluesy before that live album.
Great video and yup, I'm one of those who couldn't stand the earlier "let me whisper my singing" pop stuff to later material that showcases his amazing gift at expressing emotion thru soloing. Of course it helped when I found out he was a huge Stevie Ray fan as Stevie has been my guitar god since 1990.
Definitely my biggest inspiration, his guitar playing can be just as deep as his lyrics. I love all of Mayer's musical styles, especially with the most recent 80s pop album 'Sob Rock'. His ability to change up his sound completely frees him from the box, his record labels definitely hate him for this, but to be free to do whatever you want rather than being stuck in one style for your whole career takes courage, but once you get there it's bliss. When I first heard 'Why You No Love Me' (which I actually like very much) I thought to myself "this sounds awfully familiar", so I did some research to find what it sounded like but came up empty handed. Then I saw an Apple Music interview with John Mayer where he describes 'Why You No Love Me' in the same way that I thought of it, that being very familiar, but you cannot find anything like it!
I honestly think that the man may by most part is still living by the Continuum payback through all these years. • First, this shit is incredible - just revisited the album not so long ago first time in five years, listened from top to bottom with literally a tear or two running down my face. it ages like a fine wine with every time I stumble upon it after a long break. Lyrics, composition, guitar playing - this shit is out of this universe. • Second, imagine that you need to buy a vinyl record as a present for someone who collects them, but u’re not that much of an appreciator or a crate digger yourself. What would be the perfect choice that you can come up with and to hear back a genuine gratitude as you hand the record, not a polite “oh, thank you, that’s so sweet..!..?” You may already know the answer from the context of this paragraph loool. the thing is that it’s so universally and sincerely acclaimed by anyone, that it’ll be appreciated by almost anyone genre-wise. I imagine that you may even be able to get away with a murder with this album as an excuse loool. that’s why I think that he may be largely noticeably living by the income from all-occasions-vinyl sells of Continuum to this very day (i’m exaggerating obviously, but I think it’s still a visible part of his income in a pie chart) i don’t dig most of his stuff outside this LP, though I listen every single release as they roll out - but the fact that this man channeled his creative energy that hard once in a lifetime to produce only one single Continuum for us to have it to comeback through the years, and chose to get back to his acoustic stuff - you know, I can give him that 😆, he gave us truly this timeless collection of music in one longplay - the man is welcome to do whatever fuck he wants after that. I mean man - Gravity, Vultures, Stop that Train, Slow Dancing-Burning, I Don’t Trust Myself…, Waiting on the World to Change - come on, what hate (real hate, not your H.A.T.E.) are we talking about? This man gave us a lot more than most of his colleagues in combined output of their lives, let him chill, he’s paid his artistic dues early loool
continuum is certainly my favorite -- and i was surprised to learn that it wasn't his best selling album and didn't contain any of his top ten most streamed songs on spotify. basically all of his albums have done really well and sold a ton and this dude is just minting money every time he releases something.
John Mayer has said that Stop This Train is his father's favorite song. I adore Born And Raised and Paradise Valley. He really showed us what a versatile artist he is with those two albums. Waitin' On The Day is one of my all time favorite JM songs.
First time I happened to hear his name was a musical quiz on UA-cam. So I decided to check out who he was. The first JM's song that I heard was that live performance of "Slow dancing in a burning room" at Rock am Rio 2013. Epic final solo, girls were crying. That was really impressive.
If I'm recommended an artist and I dont like them after listening to a few of their songs, I will often come back to that artist in a couple months to a year and re-listen to them. Found many good artists that way. Taste in music evolves and changes through the years so it's always worth going back to take another listen.
First song I heard by John mayer was waiting on the world to change. I hated that song so much because of how overplayed it was on the radio at the time. But then I seen his DVD live in LA and I was completely blown away by his guitar skills. I've been a fan of his playing ever since
I once thought he was a sappy pop singer that I could easily forget. But then he caught my attention at Micheal Jackson's funeral where he played guitar and I was genuinely shocked and I had no idea he was so talented. But, the song that made me a genuine fan, was his cover of "Free Fallin" by Tom Petty. It's so f'n smooth and really got me interested in exploring more of his work. In fact, I watched this video to learn more about him, and now I'm going to listen to "Continuum" for the first time!
I remember hearing John for the first time riding around in the car with my sister at around 10 years old and she would always play Heavier Things and Room for Squares and I have liked him a lot every since
As a guitarist, Mayer is simply awesome. He can play just about any style of music either out front or supportive. As an artist, he's made the right choices for himself to enjoy what he does and to stay relevant over a long span of time. That's impressive as a lot of his peers and those who came before simply fade into the past and play the same old songs in concerts. Anyway, as a fan of JM, I appreciate all of his records differently.
Mike, you rock! And while we are on the topic of rocking, IMO JM is one of the most thoughtful artists in the game. Yes, he’s got the marketing patina, but it’s impossible to argue against the range, architecture, and beauty of his art.
One thing I don’t like in a video essay is editing that leaves no stops,no pauses to occur in the flow of the music of a sentence. As a musician you would appreciate this critique. You saved yourself a minute perhaps by compressing everything,but these kind of essays are the ones that people use ,to go to sleep at night.
The first song I heard was "Your Body is a Wonderland". I hated it then, and I still do. Very grateful that I ended up listening to "Neon" and "Why Georgia", because he is one of my favorite guitarists.
@@BigBrothar that's how you're supposed to grow a fan base? By writing dozens songs that all sound exactly like Slow Dancing in a Burning Room or Gravity?
I get that people change, and change is hard. But I honestly miss John's old style, more blues and less pop. It was one of the things that made me admire his music, doing awesome quality blues in an moment that the trend is all over pop. His guitar skills are insane, and in pop we don't get to see them as often by the reasons you mentioned. Great stuff as usual man! John Mayer, if you watch this, please comment to show Mike some support!
Youre kidding right? Pop is always “the thing” but if there is a bloated and overrated genre at the moment its the blues. Modern and poppy blues like John mayer is almost completely mainstream and friendly to basically everyone. Lets not act like john mayer blues is some deep cut that most people cant enjoy.
I believe the first John Mayer song I ever listened to was In Your Atmosphere live in LA and I've been hooked ever since. I especially love the hidden gem Mayer songs- Lenny/Man on the Side, City Love, Clarity, the list can go on. He is just such a soul touching artist and is also brilliant!
I love John Mayer. I saw him very early in his career and in between his hits he just looked out to the audience and said, "I'm just going to play..." and he went into a 10-minute amazing solo. I was blown away. With that said I was disappointed in Sob Rock. While some can look at it as ironic I thought he was reaching back to his "Daughters" sound. I wish he would give The John Mayer Trio another shot.
Okay, so here’s why i don’t like John Mayer: First off, I have never heard a song of his that I have liked. I haven’t done a deep dive, but all his radio singles I think are… cheesy. Second, his vocals are so cheesy. And sorry I am using that word twice. Corny. There we go. He’s corny. Guitar playing: it isn’t that he’s a bad or incompetent guitarist, and while I do think he’s quite derivative, he commits a much greater offense: he’s boring. Super boring. There is none of the vitality, urgency, blood of SRV in his playing, nor the majestic and otherworldly fire and exploration of Hendrix. He postures like these players, but has none of their… aliveness. So, in summation: bad songs, cheese vocals, boring derivative playing. Oh… and he wears cargo pants. Hahahaha! Low hanging fruit, but I had to.
So you're gauging music based on if they sound like Stevie or Hendrix? I guess BB King, Robben Ford, Knopfler and anyone not in the mold of the first two aren't exciting. I get liking certain style of playing but it's also reductive to have such a thin palate.
Born and raised is the album that brought me to JM. After that I started listening to his old pop stuff and I started to recognize his genius and fell in love with his abilities and talent and just greatness. I'm like you Mike. Crazy bout John. Thx for what your doing I'll be watching from here on out.
Hi Mike, Great Video as usual. John Mayer has always been one of my favorite artists. He is an absolute master of his craft. I feel like his playing and his unique voice combination allow him to dip into the different styles of music effortlessly and makes him feel genuinely right at home in the moment. I always admire artists that are willing to step out of their comfort zone and expand and explore and not limit themselves to one style of music.I live in the Atlanta Ga area and have gotten to see John live many times here and He never disappoints.
That cover riff from the Blues jam that you went to Mike is John Mayers intro for his version of "I Don't Need No Doctor"? Also, I believe that "Born And Raised" is John exploring the Grateful Dead sound and that is what led him to fronting Dead & Company. John has said in not so many words after he formed The John Mayer Trio that he did the pop music stuff so he could eventually do the Blues music like SRV which is what influenced him to play guitar in the first place. John's musical writings area lot of his own feelings as well as an homage to the great guitar players before him that he has studied. Because every kind of music that is being made today, with the exception of classical music, came from the Blues. Keep it real Mike! ✌️
I saw his solo tour. This man entertained 30k people for three hours with nothing but a guitar and his voice. He’s one of the GOATS.
I saw his Solo tour in Tampa. Absolutely one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
Definitely, One of the GOATs
"He’s extremely gifted. His faculties are phenomenal. He’s a master. I don’t think he even knows how good he is." Quote: Eric Clapton
Don't mean to be a killjoy but I believe he said "facility is phenomenal" 😅
Eric Clapton? Clapton should be inducted into the Hall of Fame as The biggest fraud in rock history, 60 yrs in the biz and you can't name 3 songs he's actually written
I'm going to be real I do not care for his phrasing it's bland also I'm a guitar player his covers are good live but his own playing overated for sure
Why don't you kiss Kenny Wayne shepherds ass just as good but no one talks about him
@@khangenbamavanjit122 hhahah did he really :D
reminds me of when Larry King tried to pronounce Mark Wahlberg's name and it sounds like Mark Bwhwhaalhwahborg
Guitar players hate John Mayer because they say “oh he just plays pentatonic scales and a few notes, so simple.” Those same players can’t come close to replicating his sound.
He’s an incredible guitar player, super versatile, and a pretty darn good songwriter to boot. His work with the Grateful Dead is amazing.
The fact that he has become the lead guitarist for the Greatful Dead is telling enough that he deserves it.
The Gratef*l Dead are not known to be anyone's idea of strongly musical musicias.@@MatthewLiebrich
He has contributed nothing to guitar whatsoever. He’s a great pop star. That’s it. Guitar god? No.
@@MatthewLiebrich He is not the lead guitarist for the Grateful Dead. Jerry Garcia is.
JM never played with the Grateful Dead, and he never even came close to filing in forJerry. JM's biggest fan is JM.
I love him most for his articulation in voice and playing, not just for his choices of notes and melodies. His range of emotions is HUGE. From being so gentle one moment to the next moment CRUNCH, and then gentle again, everything is so smooth... Nobody can do the same, not Petrucci, not Kotzen, not even Hendrix
Love him to pieces. Hands-down, one of the most underrated musical geniuses of all time among people who think they know him. ❤
I think you meant *over*-rated. Have you ever heard of Frank Zappa or Trey Anastasio or Duane Allman? The only reason I even like Mayer a little bit is because of his work of his years in Dead and Co.
Genius where?
Genius ? wow
One of the most overrated guitar players of all time...............................
you mean Eric Clapton?
I am a 74 year old who just took up guitar. I love your videos. I am primarily into singer/songwriters in country & country rock but I also love Buddy Guy, Son House and Jimmy Reed. Keep up the good work young man. Thanks.
I really think Mayer’s pop stuff is his most impressive. He distills so much musical talent and complexity into such an accessible format. I prefer his songwriting to his guitar playing easily.
A lot of his early pop stuff has some interesting chords progression. Not many musicians are getting Jazz chords onto MTV
Exactly, for me as a guitar player, his early stuff it's the most challenging stuff to learn
nice profile picture.
@NEP84 dude have you heard covered in rain? Live performance at oak mountain amphitheater
I have tried to like his music many times but I just don't get why he is so successful..I really tried
Never hated him. Hearing him live at Crossroads was an instant hit. Only an idiot would hate him. Even if you're not a fan of his singing or style, he's a great guitarist
Crossroads 1 is where I first heard him. The video that is.
he sucks. he KNOWS the instrument, but he doesn't know how to make interesting music. being a very good player is not the same thing of being a good songwriter
agreed
You hit it there. It's the voice and singing style that kills me. I absolutely adore his playing, he's my generation's top hand (with apologies to Jason Isbell, Gary Clark Jr, and a few others) but the voice just grates. I have always said I wanted him to just play guitar with a band - and now he finally is, but I don't know the Dead's style or catalogue enough to access it well and haven't had time to do a deep dive and immerse myself. One of these days...
The first John Mayer song I ever heard wasn't even one of his own, it was his cover of Free Falling at the Nokia Theater. Perhaps it is still probably one of his best live performances ❤
His rendition gives me chills of how melancholic and beautiful an American iconic song could be even though it’s not. That’s talent and passion on display that I think Tom Petty would blown away with, not sure if this was pre or posthumously sung..😢
Saw his solo tour show two nights ago and right before ybiaw, he said he still gets a kick out of looking through the crowd to see people's reactions to hearing it live. The endless awkward staring at the ceiling waiting for the song to end to get back to the ones they came to hear still cracks him up 20 years later.
Guitar players don't hate John Mayer. They love John Mayer. Non-guitar players are the ones who generally hate him. Every legitimate guitar player recognizes John Mayer's amazing talent
I was about to come on here and say this very thing
even world class chefs hate some foods
a generational talent. just an incredible artist
Yup u nailed.
On God
He's complete package. He can make music for everyone, from casual music listeners to the experienced musicians.
His guitar playing sounds fine but his singing is unbearable. "Stop this Train" is a great example of that, what a way to ruin a nice rhythmic melody.
@@underground-radio-x there's a song called emoji of a wave ,go listen to it or in the blood and tell me he's not a decent singer
I was thinking the other day, when Justin rides again, got me to check out his official Last Train Home live recording. John Mayer, now, would have to be in anyone's Top 10 guitarists of all time list, or even top 5 guitarists of all time. But in that Top 5/10 list, I'd wager money he would be also the best guitarist/singer in your short list.
The experienced musicians I know can't stand him
Not "the complete package."
The first song I heard was Gravity, and I was f*cking hooked. The _restraint_ and nuance from someone who could have absolutely shredded up with virtuosity was electric. I couldn’t get enough of someone with nothing to prove and a story to tell musically.
I don’t care what someone’s virtuosity is, I don’t need a dick measuring contest, I need some honesty and a story, and that whole album is a master class in _serving the song_, and that concept transcends genre or player or instrument. Serve the song. Love it.
Thanks for making great content! ✌️😌🎸
This is just about the best description of Gravity I've ever read. It's all restraint. Not too many musicians have the confidence to write a song that lives or dies on the story you can tell with a simple vibrato.
meh. nothing special ,most blues players play like that.. also it makes the tune more radio friendly..
Invincible
Always loved Jeff Ross talking about watching John record a solo and noting that he was surprised that every pass had less and less notes like he was further distilling the solo down to its most important parts.
Very well put. Another guitarist that is great at serving the song is John Frusciante.
I Thoroughly enjoyed this video. I am a HUGE JM fan and have been since I heard his 2007 Live in LA album. I was hooked after hearing the range and depth of guitar talent he displayed throughout that album. I play guitar (not very well at all), but can appreciate a skilled player when I hear one. I have heard and enjoyed every Mayer album out there and have had the privilege of hearing him live in Seattle twice in the past year. I did not notice a lot of folks that looked like me at either show, but its pretty cool to see someone that does talking about JM on YT and can actually PLAY WELL (unlike me)! 😂 Keep up the skillful play and videos. You have +1 more subscriber🙌 A Cover of 3x5 would be nice, I will watch your other vids to see if you covered it 😁
Honestly continuum is in my top 3 albums of all time. I think it's truly a masterpiece and I thought I was the only one.
With that being said, I can't wait to see what he brings in the future, all these different genres and adventures he takes are a part of his journey, and I love his newest thing which is actual fan engagement. His current tour I seen a video where he was taking audience requests
"Born and Raised" is my favorite JM album. Apart from being a change in genre for him, I think it also has some of his best lyrics and songwriting of his. No shredding, no flashy solos (still amazing though), and it still is one of his best works in my opinion.
it’s so hard to choose a favorite album though because of how unique each one is. I agree though that Born and Raised has to have the most meaningful lyrics and as a complete packages may be his best
Agree!! Born and raised (the song) has amazing song writing.
@@neildesai5743 it is a tough call. Objectively, Continuum may be his best, but B&R is very special. Also, I think even while going through his vocal cords operation, it has some amazing vocal performances from him. If I Ever Get Around... is a great example.
@@Gabrielsplaytime absolutey agree! Very simple, very subtle, but brilliant. And some lyrics just hit home for me.
....
I am into Jazz and Classical at this stage of my life. Room for Squares came out when I was in my 50's and I thought this guy has talent! His compositions were not the average pop stuff other "artists" were coming up with. They had progression. And. his lyrics were thoughtful. I could relate although I had to think back when I was much younger. In a way John took me back there in time and I remembered my high school graduation day. I think that any artist that can transport you to another time or place and dust off some of your memories has something special to offer. And John did and still does and is a remarkable musician as I knew from that first listen. Yeah, I used to be in a band back in the day so I listen not just hear, but listen to what's going on in a piece of music, picking it apart and analyze what's going on. Sorry to be long winded but yeah, John is one of the greats.
I am into Jazz and Classical at this stage of my life/ Well I really hope you feel better soon, what a shame it must be to live like that.
That’s what a lot of guitarists and musicians miss today or seem not to notice - that music is a language or way to communicate. Truly great artists and musicians can invoke feelings and bring to mind memories for a large percentage of people, fans or not.
Please my friend, dont apologize. Your comment, ALL of it, is very relatable.
I am & have been a Jazz fan throughout my 64+ years. I too "listen not just to hear."
Of course, I respect & appreciate the masterful musicianship of the artists who play the song. But I cant resist diving deeper into a song... listening carefully... nearly hypnotized by the complexities of rhythmic patterns, of really tight chords, their structure, their changes & the song's "progression."
I too will analyze (& will often ascribe personal meaning to) a song's lyrics. I believe the lyrics are a song's "heart" & that the emotions stirred by a song's lyrics are often the source from which the music itself is inspired & composed.
And so my friend, not only is the way we "listen to music" something we have in common... your comment moved me on a journey of my own, down my own "memory lane." For that, I am truly grateful. I genuinely enjoyed your every word. And frankly... I would have enjoyed hearing even more from you.💗
…”any artist that can transport you to another time or place …has something to offers“
Very well said sir! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Each album seemed to have that one song that really resonated with me and where I was in life at that moment as well. Slow Dancing off Continuum, Edge of Desire off Battle Studies, Walt Grace off B&R, In the Blood off Search for Everything etc. I listen to Continuum and even though it's still one of my favourite albums of his, I now find some of it lyrically naive; very clearly the thoughts of a younger man/me. It's great to be able to look back at his albums and in many ways be able to chart your own evolution. On a side note: I think JM will agree, no one can be an SRV clone.
Only answer: Jealousy. No but seriously. He’s a living legend in every sense.
It's NOT just guitar players... and for a combination of ALL the things you list, but number 4 really spoke to me. I have actually been at a B.B. King concert filled with John Mayer wannabes before John Mayer was John Mayer. They came (to a standing room venue in Manhattan) to hear BB King Shred. When he got to "Into the Night" he stopped after singing "I'll go out of my mind..." like he did at every concert... Only these white guys from connecticut didn't know they were supposed to answer back "... or into the night" and the room fell silent (my voice can't carry a crowded concert). When I think back, he had to have known what was going to happen and was having a little fun with the audience.
So, for ME it IS because John Mayer (and his ilk) have appropriated musical culture of others so far back that even the young people of the "robbed" cultures don't seem to recognize it. Who knows, maybe you'll do a video about why shredders from all persuasions listen to The Blues and what they've "borrowed".
Thanks!
I clicked on this, not because I’m a guitar player, but because I’m a John Mayer fan. I’m 76 years old and I love his music. Of course I have some favourites and I just went to my song list and played a couple of them. Started a new favourites list for my indoor walking tunes, just to stay motivated to complete my steps! Lol. I just finished playing Perfectly Lonely ❤. Thanks everyone! It’s fun reading your comments. And what a good channel to subscribe to!
John has a formula for his albums. He always makes one for the fans and then one for him. The gems in-between is what we know and love.
This channel is such a vibe. John Mayer wasn't and isn't my favorite but he's a monster and you can't lose respect for the talent. The thing that separates him from others is the song writing. So many great players are terrible at writing good songs. #respect
Amen.
Beautiful and respectful analysis. You should be proud of YOUR contribution to this topic. Keep livin'. Keep growing and thank you.
3:25 “Your Body Is A Wonderland” was my first exposure to Mayer. Continuum is absolutely incredible. My two favorite songs by him are “8x5” (makes me cry every time) and “Gravity”. “Gravity” has a Blues riff that gives me the stank face every time.
3x5
Just saw his solo tour 4 days ago. He’s humble, mature, And a once in a generation talent.
Just got to see his show a few days ago! My first ever concert, he's such a wonderful artist!
Humble is one thing he’s NOT. Listen to some stories lmao
John Mayer is one of my all time favorite players of all time and has been since the early 2000s.
But “humble” is not exactly a word I’d use to accurately describe him lol
Meyer is a self proclaimed ego maniac look it up for yourself. Jennifer Annistan's problem with him was he wasnt mature. And as many musicians have said, hes really good, but not great. lmao.
He is possibly one of the least humble and mature musicians to ever exist!
Honestly when an artist changes their sound it seems like a sign of musical maturity. Mayer, like many musicians, had a lot of different influences and so he's not gonna sound like one thing all the time. I still enjoy all of his albums for their differences, not for their similarities. Thanks Mike for bringing another great video!
That's a pleasant video to watch.
A simple guy that understands music and can talk about it without being boring .
Thank you .
I just heard Vultures. Its a very great song and solo in it. Im gonna listen to more of his songs. Your intro also was very niceee :)
I just started learning guitar 4-5 months ago. I’m sure I heard John Mayer before, but looking into modern influences for guitarist, he comes up. I loved his voice before guitar playing. Once I got past the voice, I loved his playing too.
I’m a guitarist and I grew up listening to Hendrix and SRV along with Skynard and plenty of country music. Personally I believe room for squares to be John Mayers best album. His chord work on the acoustic is stellar and something no one in mainstream music was implementing at the time. He created a unique sound unlike anyone else with that album. No doubt John Mayer is an amazing blues/ rock guitarist, as good as any in his own right. For me room for square was something totally different from what anyone had done at the time. If you think the guitar parts aren’t complicated go learn Neon 😂
Room For Squares is such an amazing album. Every song is phenomenal.
Continuum is my favorite album of the last 30+ years
1000% Room For Square is a master piece. I was instantly a fan after its release. It was totally a different sound and tone from what I have been hearing all the time ranging from 80's to 90's. Brilliant works of art.
Thanks for saying that. I’m crazy about RFS, and it took me a while to appreciate his work that followed.
Exactly. No one in “mainstream” music. Because all the people who are 100 times better than him aren’t playing mainstream music
I heard “No Such Thing” about a year before he blew up. I was impressed with the rhythms, chord voicings, and clever lyrics. I remember thinking. Got R4S and loved it. I remember thinking, “too bad he’s too talented to ever get famous.” Fast forward a few months, I was at a friends house and his little brother was having a high school party. All the young girls were going, “have you heard of John Mayer?” Mind was blown lol
I was in a record store (remember those?) and heard him just riffing between songs of a live recording and was hooked. I had no idea who he was. Never heard of him. Didn't matter what his songs sounded like as long as he was playing guitar on them. Eventually I heard many songs I liked. He is a good song writer. I am certain that he was only targeting a demographic when he wrote the early naive schoolboy lyrics. He is too eloquent and sophisticated when expressing himself in interviews even when he talks about being egotistical. It had been a very long time since he was a naive young boy when he wrote those songs.
Basically, at 57 after playing for over 45 years, I heard "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" and decided to learn to play it. Immediately I developed respect for Mayer as both a guitarist and song writer as it is so beautifully voiced and by no means simple to play even for me as an experienced player (your mileage may vary - not pretending to be the greatest guitarist here). Finally, the entire composition of the song - including the solos and little riff motifs throughout - were all part of what made it a great memorable song. From that moment onwards I was, if not a fan and regular listener, at the very least I had tons of respect for him as a player, performer and songwriter.
Dude, well said. I had a friend and mentor in blues, out of the trenches of the 1950s and 1960s, he was stomping his foot to some heavy metal song I brought in on a CD (early 2000s). When I looked at him he said, "it's all blues." His way of saying good music is good music. That opened my mind. John Mayer is an excellent player, and he plays excellent blues. That's all.
For a lot of people, Mayer was the gateway to artists like SRV and BB King etc and even guitar playing in general. He opened me up into a world of music I'd never known about through his covers and performances. That's why I'll always love JM!
Def not for a lot of people but for you perhaps. Weird to push that onto others, just enjoy.
I was that guy in the early 2000s. I heard “Your body is a wonderland” and wrote off listening to him. Years later I listened to the “Try” trio stuff and was blown away. As you said, what he has done for pop and blues music as well as the world of guitar playing is iconic.
"The Dead" version of Mayer is truly phenomenal. A journey of self discovery and shedding of past identity that comes out with such deep passion and joy as he jams with the band. He said in an interview about playing with Dead & Company that "this has changed my life." And that is what great music is all about--to change our souls.
Were you a JM fan before he joined dead co or a GD fan? Just curious. I was shocked at how many people at the dead co show I saw were there thru JM and not familiar with GD music. Seems backwards to me.
@@bluecollar825 I've enjoyed The Dead for a long time and thrilled that Mayer fans have been drawn to them through him.
@@BrentonAlegre so you're saying you liked The GD before you knew JM? That was my question, who you liked first. I have no agenda, just an honest curiosity.✌
@@bluecollar825 Ah... might have misunderstood the question. Yes, I've liked the GD long before ever hearing of Mayer... since the 80s... which might be a bit "late" as a GD fan.
@@BrentonAlegre right on friend. Thanks for the response. Like I said I was curious because of my dead & co experiences. And I agree its great that he turned a new generation on to the GD. I just wonder if the ones who did only listen to dead & co or actual GD music when that's what they want to hear. That was gonna be my follow up question if you were a JM fan first. That is the big mystery for me lol. ✌
Sob rock was amazing as well. And I’ve learned to appreciate and enjoy the post battle studies and continuum albums. I think it’s also important to consider the place he was in emotionally while making paradise valley and born and raised. Coming off of vocal surgery and trying to reconfigure his vocals had to be somewhat depressing. He’s even stated he can’t hit the notes he used to (some for the better).
I’m most excited to see what he does next. Him leaving Columbia records after so long could mean he is getting to record the music he REALLY wants to record. Back to his roots and it being a blues or another trio album would be amazing.
His voice is really strong on his current tour.
Something like Olivia (acoustic version) has some seriously top-tier stuff going on in it, sure there's a lot of Hendrixy stuff going on in it but for me, I love how he uses such tchniques and his inhuman thumbs to come up with really cool and unique sounding shit
Facts on facts that shit is nuclear
Room for squares was amazing people get food by flashy playing and they love to hate pop but you can tell the musicianship and songwriting on that album was great. People also sleep on Heavier Things which is another amazing album. I just think he’s exceptionally gifted and it’s sad that people may overlook that because he did a pop album. Pop music can also be complex and thoughtful as well
I started hearing about Mayer so had a listen. I was like....hmmm....pop music, wonder why everyone is so blown away. Some time after that I stumbled onto some live videos, then it hit me, this guy is really good. And I really enjoy that he doesn't stick to one genre or style. Love that he play with Grateful Dead and has learned new things from that experience. That is one of the things that impresses me, Mayer strives to become better and is not afraid to learn from others. I can't remember what Dead song it was but watching him and the keyboard player interact was great, the keyboardist seemed to be a mentor of Mayer's at some level. Thanks for this, great video as always!!
The first time I heard John Mayer I was around 15 years old. My friend showed me the acoustic version of Neon because he liked the way John played. I fell in love immediately.
At first I didn't like Born and Raised. I don't really care for the folky country style stuff. I avoided that album for a few years. But... I ended up giving it a chance. I found myself loving the entire album and still listen to it regularly. Particularly the songs "Age of Worry" and "Badge and Gun". Everything that Johns' put out since then has just been banger after banger in my opinion.
The one thing that keeps me listening to John is he doesn’t repeat himself, always changing. And he stepped into Jerry’s shoes, and retained both the Garcia part of the music and his own identity as well.
You have interesting perspective and eloquence. Plus you riff like a pro! Great channel, man.
When he was doing his blues trio that was some of the best I've ever heard
I love how versatile he is I love continuum and sop rock but sometimes I’m in a folk mood and I want folk I can listen to the guy for i while and not get bored because he has so much different stuff. I also have a shot attention Span and can only listen to one Genre for so long without having to switch it up and pick a completely different genre
Among the comments I read songs like "Gravity", "Neon" and so on. They are good songs, but I think a song like "Stop This Train", "St. Patrick's Day" or "If I Ever Get Around To Living" are also super deep, not just musically, but also emotionally and lyrically. I think it's amazing how many different albums he made, but most of them sound great in one way or another. :)
Love “Stop this Train” alike to “In the Blood”.
Also another one I have always truly enjoyed was “In Repair”
“Slow Dancing in a Burning Room”made me want to learn to play guitar…
Looks like a new album coming soon.
@@coryanderson5210 There is a documentary of him writing In Repair on youtube (one song, one day), if you haven't seen it Great stuff.
In your atmosphere sends me to another plane of existence
agreed, ive just started listening to born and raised and the way john is able to progress "will i ever get around to living" amazes me. That song makes me feel a certain way, just as countless of his other songs do
@@samxware wherever i go aswell
Hey Mike, I didn't like Mayer when I first heard him because I only heard the pop songs. Then I saw him live at Crossroads 2010 with the John Mayer trio with Pino on bass and Steve Jordan on drums. His playing and stage presence was amazing and totally gained my respect for what a fantastic guitar player he is. Love your channel, you're awesome.
I loved this content! The first time I got to hear him in concert I realized what an amazing blues guitarist he was after only having heard "Room for Squares". I WAS TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY and have loved his music ever since. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, this was fun! ♥
When John first came out I felt like he was my long lost brother. Well, his lyrics. I didn't appreciate his guitar abilities until the second time I saw him in concert (I've now seen him 5 times, and will see him a t 6th time tomorrow) I loved room for squares "my stupid mouth" "why georgia" "no such thing", and his "Inside Wants Out" album record "comfortable" was an old fave. Can't wait to see him Solo :)
First song I ever heard was 83, I was 6 and it blew me away. I’ve been listening to his music for over 20 years how and all his records growing up reached me at different parts of my life. I’ve seen him in concert 4 times and love all his music. I take massive grief from friends and people for being a Mayer fanboy, but the man can play the guitar 🎸
Average guitar player but nice people see it differently and get pleasure from him
I’ve been playing 19 years now, massive blues fan, massive Hendrix fan. 3 years in saw him on tv with an epic rig, I’m thinking WTF!? Isn’t he just acoustic girly songs?????! 20 minutes later my world was changed! Mayer is an incredibly gifted musician.
girly songs? dude we're on 2023...
X-irly songs
Honestly it wasn't until Born & Raised that I got into Mayer. It came out at the right time in my life and allowed me to really get into his music. I enjoy the older stuff just fine but his last two albums (aside from the chorus of that one song) are just excellently written from lyrics to instrumentation. Like you said he doesn't stick with one style for too long and since he tends to switch styles every two albums I'm excited to see where he goes next.
ngl, I really love Why You No Love Me.
What made me love him was the live show DVD’s he did early on. That was career management genius
First Mayer song I ever heard was "No Such Thing" off his first album. I was literally 4 years old riding in my moms car to preschool, I loved the short acoustic intro, and the singing, even though I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. And that was how I became a music nut at 4 years old, and later a 26 year old guy who's played guitar for 12 years. Time flies.
I think you hit the nail on the head around the 6:00 mark. John's ability to go from pop, to soul, to blues, to folk, "yacht rock", whatever the genre is, just shows you how talented and gifted he is musically. Playing all of these different genres of music is something most artists can't, and won't even attempt to do. I think this is another reason why playing in Dead & Co seems to come so natural to him. The Dead has so many different musical influences and he thrives on that.
The video didn’t mention dead and Co. once. Very disappointing. I saw both Citi Field shows this summer and they were the best yet.
He's one of few that people today know for his guitar playing first. He's ever evolving and really just has a style that connects with people. I will never forget the day i first heard the solo in Magnolia. Literally made my cry. It was that beautiful.
When I first properly listened to Mayer, it was with Heartbreak Warfare. I never properly did a deep dive into it so I kinda just hand waved it away as one of those songs by a popular Artist that sound nice. (Plus I wasn't as much a music person at the time compared to now)
When I picked up guitar, I quickly checked to see how to play the popular radio hits by guys like Ed Sheeran and the like. I then realized that pretty much every single song by a popular modern artist was just the same few basic chords. (Emphasis on "Pretty Much") I figured I was gonna stagnate quickly if I stuck around there, so I left pretty fast, Didn't bother checking out any Mayer cuz I figured he was just the same.
Fast forward about a few months, I was listening to quite a bit of Rock. AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Green Day, RHCP, Aerosmith, and even some Metallica. Still kinda shit at guitar, but I was getting there, and while I was scrolling through reddit, I came across a comment talking about difficult songs. They mentioned a few standard songs, like G.O.A.T, and Cliffs of Dover.
And then I saw that they also mentioned Neon by John Mayer alongside them. There was confusion...a hell of a lot of confusion. And then I looked it up on UA-cam, and saw *that* video, and that confusion quickly turned into understanding...and then more confusion as I wracked my brain trying to figure out wtf he was doing.
Never looked back from there
first i heard was neon, a friend just showed it to me and was like "yeah, play that!" and its definitely the hardest song ive had to learn in my 7-8 or so months on guitar
At now 72, I love his music. I remember when he played blues with BB King and held his own.
This is a great video. I've always been a fan of John's skill - I try to play it, but it stays in my living room. He really adds a lot of complexity that is often not appreciated by the masses.
I’ve been listening to Mayer since R4S, and honestly his whole body of work has just reflected different times in my life. He’s an amazing artist and I’ll be listening to him as long as he plays and I breathe.
I started listening to JM when nobody knew who he was. They had his first album in a listening station at the record store, I'd never heard of him before so I gave it a listen. I wasn't expecting much, my mind was somewhere else, but gradually I felt myself being sucked in and I ended up buying it.
That album ended up establishing him as not only a radio star, but a teenage heartthrob. Which is a hard note to follow for a new artist.
Some years later I went to see him play, the people next to me were there to see Counting Crows and dismissed him as a teen idol to the point they were going to leave before he came on. I convinced them to stay and assured them he WAS the real deal. They thanked me afterwards.
What many don't realize is he went to music school (Berkeley I believe) and toured as a hired hand with a couple artists to work on his stage presence and polish up already good playing BEFORE they released his first solo record.
It's easy to hate him for all the starlets he's been with, but he is the real deal! 👍
Room for Squares was not his first album…and Inside Wants Out was not the album that “established him as a heartthrob”-
He went to Berklee College of Music (not to be confused with Berkeley..)
Thanks Mike--you are extremely well spoken and knowledgeable about JM's music and its a pleasure to listen to someone who intelligently breaks down his argument like you did.
I wish more artists were as logical and open minded like you. I hate when other musicians just hate. I love all styles and think it's made me the musician I am today. Awesome video 💯 watched it twice and shared 🤘😎🤘
Great video! If you want to see the breadth of Mayer's capabilities as a musician just listen to or watch "Where The Light Is". Acoustic, blues/rock, and pop on full display. He's a legit talent that can do it all. I don't like everything he's done, but he in no way deserves to be dismissed out of hand.
I grew up on John Mayer, according to my mom I actually listened to him in the womb lmao. I've probably heard his entire discography at this point. Room for Squares and Continuum are basically lullabies in my family haha. Matter of fact, when I was really young, I recall running to tell my mom cause I heard Waiting on the World to Change on tv. I respect all of his genre changes, and especially as a budding guitarist I greatly respect his playing skills and how some stuff you really can't play since he's got such big hands lmfao. Just today I was trying to learn Why Georgia (with zero fingerstyle experience) and I was like Damn! This is hard 😅 Even so he'll always hold a special place in my heart, since he was the first musician I ever saw in concert. At that very concert, he did a couple's gender reveal, but everyone was confused since he sang some lines from Daughters, so he ended up having to flat out say "its a boy" lol. Along with everything else I mentioned, I just like knowing that that little baby is probaby 5 years old now, and that they got to listen to John Mayer in the womb too🙏🏾❤
how much of a musical genius he is ?
Just listen to his interpretation of 'Ain't no sunshine' in the live 7 min version and ask yourself 'did anyone possibly expect this?'.
He got me instantly when a beloved friend and blues guitar player studied 'gravity' and tried to copy it in awe.
I'm not so much into pop music and would love him to come back to the blues.
I am a 50 something life-long drummer. Continuum inspired me to take up guitar, which led me down the blues rabbit hole. As much as I loved EVH and SRV, something about JM’s sound moved me to give it a try.
The more I listen to Mayer the more I appreciate his music. Easily one of the most versatile musicians out there. Master singer/songwriter and guitarist across a variety of genres including but not limited to pop, blues, folk, r&b, even dabbling in hip hop. Off the top of my head can't think of any other modern artist like that.
Neon was the first song of his that I heard - actually it was a friend who arranged it as an acoustic duet for a recital a few years ago. Loved it instantly.
I used to watch John Mayer at Eddies Attic and around Atlanta before he became famous. First time I saw him I said, how is he not famous!! Then he released his first album and I was amazed. Then he went blues, and I was impressed with how hard he worked at it. I think he has earned respect.
I too remember when e played regularly at Eddies Attic in Atlanta (Decatur). He has worked hard to get where he is. He is also well spoken and can extrapolate in interviews. Many players who diss him and think he had it easy don't know his background of hard work.
I was never a John Mayer fan, and then I was convinced to listen to “Where the Light Is, Live in LA”. He’s since become one of my favorite artists and one of my biggest influences in my play. I had no idea he was so bluesy before that live album.
Great video and yup, I'm one of those who couldn't stand the earlier "let me whisper my singing" pop stuff to later material that showcases his amazing gift at expressing emotion thru soloing. Of course it helped when I found out he was a huge Stevie Ray fan as Stevie has been my guitar god since 1990.
Just saw him at the opening of his Solo tour. Fantastic, captivating and memorable performance. I've loved each of his albums after a few listens
Definitely my biggest inspiration, his guitar playing can be just as deep as his lyrics. I love all of Mayer's musical styles, especially with the most recent 80s pop album 'Sob Rock'. His ability to change up his sound completely frees him from the box, his record labels definitely hate him for this, but to be free to do whatever you want rather than being stuck in one style for your whole career takes courage, but once you get there it's bliss.
When I first heard 'Why You No Love Me' (which I actually like very much) I thought to myself "this sounds awfully familiar", so I did some research to find what it sounded like but came up empty handed. Then I saw an Apple Music interview with John Mayer where he describes 'Why You No Love Me' in the same way that I thought of it, that being very familiar, but you cannot find anything like it!
I honestly think that the man may by most part is still living by the Continuum payback through all these years.
• First, this shit is incredible - just revisited the album not so long ago first time in five years, listened from top to bottom with literally a tear or two running down my face. it ages like a fine wine with every time I stumble upon it after a long break. Lyrics, composition, guitar playing - this shit is out of this universe.
• Second, imagine that you need to buy a vinyl record as a present for someone who collects them, but u’re not that much of an appreciator or a crate digger yourself. What would be the perfect choice that you can come up with and to hear back a genuine gratitude as you hand the record, not a polite “oh, thank you, that’s so sweet..!..?”
You may already know the answer from the context of this paragraph loool.
the thing is that it’s so universally and sincerely acclaimed by anyone, that it’ll be appreciated by almost anyone genre-wise. I imagine that you may even be able to get away with a murder with this album as an excuse loool.
that’s why I think that he may be largely noticeably living by the income from all-occasions-vinyl sells of Continuum to this very day (i’m exaggerating obviously, but I think it’s still a visible part of his income in a pie chart)
i don’t dig most of his stuff outside this LP, though I listen every single release as they roll out - but the fact that this man channeled his creative energy that hard once in a lifetime to produce only one single Continuum for us to have it to comeback through the years, and chose to get back to his acoustic stuff - you know, I can give him that 😆, he gave us truly this timeless collection of music in one longplay - the man is welcome to do whatever fuck he wants after that.
I mean man - Gravity, Vultures, Stop that Train, Slow Dancing-Burning, I Don’t Trust Myself…, Waiting on the World to Change - come on, what hate (real hate, not your H.A.T.E.) are we talking about? This man gave us a lot more than most of his colleagues in combined output of their lives, let him chill, he’s paid his artistic dues early loool
continuum is certainly my favorite -- and i was surprised to learn that it wasn't his best selling album and didn't contain any of his top ten most streamed songs on spotify. basically all of his albums have done really well and sold a ton and this dude is just minting money every time he releases something.
your videos just keep getting better.
John Mayer has said that Stop This Train is his father's favorite song. I adore Born And Raised and Paradise Valley. He really
showed us what a versatile artist he is with those two albums. Waitin' On The Day is one of my all time favorite JM songs.
First time I happened to hear his name was a musical quiz on UA-cam. So I decided to check out who he was. The first JM's song that I heard was that live performance of "Slow dancing in a burning room" at Rock am Rio 2013. Epic final solo, girls were crying. That was really impressive.
It's one of the best versions of that song
If I'm recommended an artist and I dont like them after listening to a few of their songs, I will often come back to that artist in a couple months to a year and re-listen to them. Found many good artists that way. Taste in music evolves and changes through the years so it's always worth going back to take another listen.
First song I heard by John mayer was waiting on the world to change. I hated that song so much because of how overplayed it was on the radio at the time. But then I seen his DVD live in LA and I was completely blown away by his guitar skills. I've been a fan of his playing ever since
*saw
Great lyrics ! I love the simplicity of the song because the lyrics / message was important
I once thought he was a sappy pop singer that I could easily forget. But then he caught my attention at Micheal Jackson's funeral where he played guitar and I was genuinely shocked and I had no idea he was so talented. But, the song that made me a genuine fan, was his cover of "Free Fallin" by Tom Petty. It's so f'n smooth and really got me interested in exploring more of his work. In fact, I watched this video to learn more about him, and now I'm going to listen to "Continuum" for the first time!
I remember hearing John for the first time riding around in the car with my sister at around 10 years old and she would always play Heavier Things and Room for Squares and I have liked him a lot every since
As a guitarist, Mayer is simply awesome. He can play just about any style of music either out front or supportive.
As an artist, he's made the right choices for himself to enjoy what he does and to stay relevant over a long span of time. That's impressive as a lot of his peers and those who came before simply fade into the past and play the same old songs in concerts. Anyway, as a fan of JM, I appreciate all of his records differently.
Mike, you rock! And while we are on the topic of rocking, IMO JM is one of the most thoughtful artists in the game. Yes, he’s got the marketing patina, but it’s impossible to argue against the range, architecture, and beauty of his art.
well said!
Let's face it, John Mayer is handsome, skillful, has plenty of female fans and he bangs Jessica Simpson, of course lots of men will hate him
One thing I don’t like in a video essay is editing that leaves no stops,no pauses to occur in the flow of the music of a sentence. As a musician you would appreciate this critique. You saved yourself a minute perhaps by compressing everything,but these kind of essays are the ones that people use ,to go to sleep at night.
The first song I heard was "Your Body is a Wonderland". I hated it then, and I still do. Very grateful that I ended up listening to "Neon" and "Why Georgia", because he is one of my favorite guitarists.
I love John Mayer. His stuff is the soundtrack to my life.
🤦🏻♂️
I absolutely love continuum and I never want Mayer to make another continuum-like album. His songwriting versatility is his best asset IMO
It doesn't make sense. It's like saying we did enjoy a night with a girl so we want to dump her to not have it again
@@BigBrothar that's how you're supposed to grow a fan base? By writing dozens songs that all sound exactly like Slow Dancing in a Burning Room or Gravity?
I get that people change, and change is hard. But I honestly miss John's old style, more blues and less pop. It was one of the things that made me admire his music, doing awesome quality blues in an moment that the trend is all over pop. His guitar skills are insane, and in pop we don't get to see them as often by the reasons you mentioned. Great stuff as usual man!
John Mayer, if you watch this, please comment to show Mike some support!
Check him out on certain Dead and Co tunes. He rips it up. Lots of space to express the depth of his guitar playing.
@@mrzombieotaku cool, I will. Thanks
Youre kidding right? Pop is always “the thing” but if there is a bloated and overrated genre at the moment its the blues. Modern and poppy blues like John mayer is almost completely mainstream and friendly to basically everyone. Lets not act like john mayer blues is some deep cut that most people cant enjoy.
Insane? Its just bog standard Clapton style pentatonic stuff,
I love you. You're videos are awesome and this just brings everything home.
I believe the first John Mayer song I ever listened to was In Your Atmosphere live in LA and I've been hooked ever since. I especially love the hidden gem Mayer songs- Lenny/Man on the Side, City Love, Clarity, the list can go on. He is just such a soul touching artist and is also brilliant!
I love John Mayer. I saw him very early in his career and in between his hits he just looked out to the audience and said, "I'm just going to play..." and he went into a 10-minute amazing solo. I was blown away. With that said I was disappointed in Sob Rock. While some can look at it as ironic I thought he was reaching back to his "Daughters" sound. I wish he would give The John Mayer Trio another shot.
The first John Mayor song I learned is neon
Okay, so here’s why i don’t like John Mayer: First off, I have never heard a song of his that I have liked. I haven’t done a deep dive, but all his radio singles I think are… cheesy. Second, his vocals are so cheesy. And sorry I am using that word twice. Corny. There we go. He’s corny.
Guitar playing: it isn’t that he’s a bad or incompetent guitarist, and while I do think he’s quite derivative, he commits a much greater offense: he’s boring. Super boring. There is none of the vitality, urgency, blood of SRV in his playing, nor the majestic and otherworldly fire and exploration of Hendrix. He postures like these players, but has none of their… aliveness.
So, in summation: bad songs, cheese vocals, boring derivative playing. Oh… and he wears cargo pants. Hahahaha! Low hanging fruit, but I had to.
So you're gauging music based on if they sound like Stevie or Hendrix? I guess BB King, Robben Ford, Knopfler and anyone not in the mold of the first two aren't exciting.
I get liking certain style of playing but it's also reductive to have such a thin palate.
Born and raised is the album that brought me to JM. After that I started listening to his old pop stuff and I started to recognize his genius and fell in love with his abilities and talent and just greatness. I'm like you Mike. Crazy bout John. Thx for what your doing I'll be watching from here on out.
Hi Mike,
Great Video as usual. John Mayer has always been one of my favorite artists. He is an absolute master of his craft. I feel like his playing and his unique voice combination allow him to dip into the different styles of music effortlessly and makes him feel genuinely right at home in the moment. I always admire artists that are willing to step out of their comfort zone and expand and explore and not limit themselves to one style of music.I live in the Atlanta Ga area and have gotten to see John live many times here and He never disappoints.
That cover riff from the Blues jam that you went to Mike is John Mayers intro for his version of "I Don't Need No Doctor"? Also, I believe that "Born And Raised" is John exploring the Grateful Dead sound and that is what led him to fronting Dead & Company. John has said in not so many words after he formed The John Mayer Trio that he did the pop music stuff so he could eventually do the Blues music like SRV which is what influenced him to play guitar in the first place. John's musical writings area lot of his own feelings as well as an homage to the great guitar players before him that he has studied. Because every kind of music that is being made today, with the exception of classical music, came from the Blues. Keep it real Mike! ✌️