Is John Mayer any good?

[Fumblyfingers]

Hear, hear! He is assisting in bringing back the jam and the extended solo.

[Warthog]

He's a lot better than me, so if he's no good then I'm a non-player...

[picker]

I kinda want to hear his new trio album. If it's more like the live stuff I've heard than the stuff on Heavier Things, I'll love it.

[Eric Iverson]

I think he's a good guitar player, and a so-so singer, although heartfelt. I haven't heard enough of his songs to rate him as a songwriter.

 

I don't hear any greatness there, but great musicians are few and far between, anyway. Lots of damn good ones out there, though!

[Tedster]

Ahh, the naysayers are out in full force. "I can't stand his voice". "Too poppy".

 

Well, his pop stuff was well constructed. Even his "sappy" "Run the halls of my high school" (Real World). Listen to the chord structure of that song. It's jazz.

 

He's a mofo of a guitar player. I don't necessarily like everything he does, but, for the most part, I don't like everything anyone does.

 

I agree with the folks that pointed out that guys like him might make guitar interesting for youngsters again.

[Funk Jazz]

Originally posted by Eric Iverson:

I think he's a good guitar player, and a so-so singer, although heartfelt. I haven't heard enough of his songs to rate him as a songwriter.

 

I don't hear any greatness there, but great musicians are few and far between, anyway. Lots of damn good ones out there, though!

you know, eric, i think you touched on something here. there is an almost palpable desire to create the next "great" guitar player in the musician world.

 

what seems happening with JM is that he is getting the media attention of a "great" but is in fact just "really good." give him another 10-15 years he might be great ~ but for now he sounds like he's putting the pieces together.

 

maybe this is why any conversation about mayer goes on and on and on --- there nobody's committed to saying he's a great, and nobody will commit to saying he sucks.

[fantasticsound]

So the question, "Is John Mayer good", asked on a guitar forum, has yielded the following observations;

 

1. Many don't like his voice or his use of it. (On that I agree, but given this is a guitar forum I, personally, only spoke of his guitar playing.)
   
2. Blues is overdone in rock/pop-rock, and somehow this is a dig against Mayer. This I don't understand at all.
   
3. Nobody here seems all that enamored of his songwriting. Like Eric, I don't say one way or another because I haven't been moved by the few songs I've heard, but haven't listened to anything else.
   

 

I don't see much relevance in mentioning his voice more than in passing given this is the Guitar Player forum, not the Vocal forum.

 

If you don't like blues based pop songs, or feel they've been overdone, that's your perogative. But if that's the music that moves him and he's making a living playing it, who are we to tell him he should be stretching our musical horizons by stepping out of the more common form for something more daring? If you want to hear music that's more sophisticated, technically, go find it. It's out there, though you may have to search a bit. I don't care if there are 100 or 1000 guitarists down the street who can play blues great. The question was, "Is John Mayer good?" Not even great. Just good. From the few songs I've heard I'd say he does an excellent job of playing tasty licks. I'd much rather hear that then solos in an eclectic mode that may be sophisticated by comparison, but do little or nothing for me emotionally.

 

Why people get upset with a guy like John Mayer I'll never know. Jealously of his celebrity? Maybe. All I know is despite not being a fan of his music (I'm not buying his albums despite enjoying his guitar playing because, again, I don't care for his songs or voice.) I enjoy listening to the instrumental bits of the bluesy stuff he's done. Maybe I'm wrong, but he seems like an affable guy who is thoroughly enjoying the success he's had without being a royal prick. Character says something to me, even if the music isn't quite my style.

[Eric Iverson]

Originally posted by Funk Jazz:

Originally posted by Eric Iverson:

I think he's a good guitar player, and a so-so singer, although heartfelt. I haven't heard enough of his songs to rate him as a songwriter.

 

I don't hear any greatness there, but great musicians are few and far between, anyway. Lots of damn good ones out there, though!

you know, eric, i think you touched on something here. there is an almost palpable desire to create the next "great" guitar player in the musician world.

 

what seems happening with JM is that he is getting the media attention of a "great" but is in fact just "really good." give him another 10-15 years he might be great ~ but for now he sounds like he's putting the pieces together.

 

maybe this is why any conversation about mayer goes on and on and on --- there nobody's committed to saying he's a great, and nobody will commit to saying he sucks.

------------------------------

As far as the "palpable desire to create the next great guitar hero", I agree on that point.

 

The problem with that is two-fold: 1) there are more accomplished guitar players out there than ever, in a wide variety of styles. In part because of the incredible amount of instructional material available these days. 2) Times have changed. Even if another Jimi Hendrix were to come along, there have been so many guitar heroes that it just wouldn't resonate the same - he'd be popular maybe and idolized by fellow guitarists, but hardly a cultural icon in that sense!

 

Do we even need another "guitar hero"? I think the guitar world is doing perfectly fine without one... and there are plenty of people out there to admire and enjoy and learn from. Do we need one individual to monopolize mass attention and create an army of wanna-be clones?

[Tedster]

"Guitar heroes" don't create themselves, other than just following their muse. The myth is created by public perception of them.

 

There are thousands upon thousands of great guitarists. What elevates some of them to "hero" status while others remain obscure...or given marginal nods?

 

Example...

 

Jimi Hendrix was once quoted as saying to Robert Lamm of Chicago, "Your guitarist is better than me" ...true, a matter of opinion...

 

But, it's Hendrix, not Kath, who graces blacklight posters, Guitar Player covers, all sorts of things.

[ekoldr]

Damn I really don't know what to say, I mean I know what I want to say but I know I'm going to get hated on and bashed on for saying it. But... here goes. John Mayer as a Guitar player, I love him I think he's great, John Mayer as a song writer, I love it, he's great. I'm sorry but I think that what makes a Guitar player good is his or her ability to make a song that people like. What I hate about guitarists is the ones who are just shredders, especially these young guns who think they're all that, when all they can do is shred. It pisses me off that people will criticize a song for it's simplicity, calling a guitarist unskilled for what they do. John Mayer may not be the greatest guitarist in the world but to me he is deffinately one of the best, for the simple reason that he can make MUSIC. Jimi Hendrix, phenominal guitarist, but I hate him. I do not enjoy listening to him because I don't like the MUSIC. If I wanted to listen to great guitar playing I'd ask my friend to play for me, but the truth is I want to listen to MUSIC. I'd say people enjoy someone who can pull out an acoustic guitar and play a million 1 4 5 chord songs that everyone knows and loves then someone who can make his fingers bleed for the "shredding". It's the MUSIC people! I'm sorry if you all dissagree but that's what I have to say.

[Gifthorse]

I agree, it is about the songs & the singer first when you are talking about rock music.

 

But everyone likes something different. This being a guitar forum, of course people will express opinions about a specific player with regard to guitar playing.

 

I don't criticize songs for simplicity if I like them.

[ekoldr]

True, but It's kind of irritating when people base they're entire music persona around guitar playing, which it seems alot of people here do. NOw I understand this is a guitar forum, but still people.

[Fumblyfingers]

Wow, don't let it get to you so much dude!

 

You hate Jimi, that's kinda harsh. I can understand you don't like his music, but to waste your own energy on hatred for him. Maybe you did not mean it like that.

[Warthog]

Originally posted by ekoldr:

Damn I really don't know what to say, I mean I know what I want to say but I know I'm going to get hated on and bashed on for saying it. But... here goes. John Mayer as a Guitar player, I love him I think he's great, John Mayer as a song writer, I love it, he's great. I'm sorry but I think that what makes a Guitar player good is his or her ability to make a song that people like. What I hate about guitarists is the ones who are just shredders, especially these young guns who think they're all that, when all they can do is shred. It pisses me off that people will criticize a song for it's simplicity, calling a guitarist unskilled for what they do. John Mayer may not be the greatest guitarist in the world but to me he is deffinately one of the best, for the simple reason that he can make MUSIC. Jimi Hendrix, phenominal guitarist, but I hate him. I do not enjoy listening to him because I don't like the MUSIC. If I wanted to listen to great guitar playing I'd ask my friend to play for me, but the truth is I want to listen to MUSIC. I'd say people enjoy someone who can pull out an acoustic guitar and play a million 1 4 5 chord songs that everyone knows and loves then someone who can make his fingers bleed for the "shredding". It's the MUSIC people! I'm sorry if you all dissagree but that's what I have to say.

I agree 99%. The only part I disagree with is that I don't hate Hendrix. Some of my favorite songs are very easy to play on the guitar. Something about acoustic guitar and a good chord progression that I love.

[Lightningdan]

I respect his guitar playing, and he's way better at moving jazz chords around on guitar (and very good at the acoustic). The only thing I don't like about him is that he sounds like he's singing with a mouthfull of juice. I dug his stuff on Crossroads blues fest, and I saw him play with Buddy Guy (sort of) on PBS. To me, his stuff doesn't quite sound like anyone else's. The one thing I do like also is that he's actually been able to get very popular based on his musical merit, and not his looks and dance moves like so many other new artists.

[Eric Iverson]

I may have to break down and actually buy a John Mayer CD to see what I think! Assuming I'd get time to actually listen to it carefully....

[Gifthorse]

Just seems like 'getting big' is so much about money spent on hype and marketing.

 

SO LITTLE of it is in your talent. It is in image and marketing.

 

You can sell any band if you have a good marketing machine.

[Rhino Madness]

Originally posted by Lightningdan:

(...) The one thing I do like also is that he's actually been able to get very popular based on his musical merit, and not his looks and dance moves like so many other new artists.

That says a lot right there (and I agree, too)!

 

Like him or not, he's there to play his music.

[Fumblyfingers]

Originally posted by flagshipmile:

You can sell any band if you have a good marketing machine.

True, but it will die soon, when it faces the court of public opinion. There has to be something there, it does not necessarily have to be outstanding musicianship. Talent could be construed as good songwriting, a great image, a combination of what each person in the band brings to the table, etc etc.

 

You have to have something working for you to get to the point that a major label shells out hundred's of thousands of dollars in recording costs and promotion, I would think.

 

Now whether you or I like it is another thing altogether.

[Gifthorse]

Lets use Godsmack as an example.

 

They are the poster child for crappy band in my book.

 

What makes them sell records? I know they play them CONSTANTLY on the radio.

 

King's X never got radio play. Maybe 1 or 2 songs rarely.

 

I just think the masses are asses. You can feed them anything and they will eat it up. They are hungry and there is no food.

[Eric Iverson]

Yes, maybe the "masses are asses" and will readily consume garbage if that's what they're fed. But will they listen to it 20 years from now?

 

Lots of stuff from the late '60s has stood the test of time, and a lot of it hasn't! (Of course, if you're doing it for a living, you have to pay your bills NOW!)

 

I also think a lot of "the masses" would appreciate music that is of higher quality if exposed to it; and there are still those who are actively curious and seeking, like a lot of us were as teenagers. Some of us are still that way today!

 

So why not, if we have friends in that age bracket, just play stuff for them that we think is better... as in, "hey, check this out, you might like it!" If we do so without pontificating or bloviating too much, they might be receptive! Food for thought....

 

Will people be listening to John Mayer 20 years from now? Much too soon to tell!

[tyler1]

http://www.napster.com/player/tracks/10221361

 

I definitely think John Mayer is a very talented musician, singer, and artist. In fact, I've been listening to "Your Body Is A Wonderland" on Napsterlinks. You can click on the link above, and enter your email address to hear the full length song. It's pretty awesome.