The singer admits all the acclaim brings him at least some anxiety.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Apparently John Mayer is the Peyton Manning of contemporary music.
When asked to describe his current show, which appears Sunday at Blossom Music Center, the 29-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist strings together this odd stream-of-consciousness reply that truly details the audible nature that is a live concert experience.
"Laid back. Improvising. Having fun, not really being 100 percent sure where the jam is going to go, but keeping it reeled in. Summertime. Breezy. Drink-y. Trying to keep it all on point while doing as much as possible," said Mayer, calling from his New York City home.
You never know what you're going to get with Mayer, who earlier this year was named a "Guitar God" by Rolling Stone magazine. Such an aberration took place at his 2004 Blossom Music Center concert where the pop rock idol stepped outside of his acoustic "Your Body is a Wonderland" self and stunned fans with a 10-minute jam of Jimi Hendrix tunes.
At the very least it was an indication that this guitar player, often compared to Dave Matthews, was something different and unique. A year later, the Blossom incident made sense when he introduced the world to the blues-heavy John Mayer Trio. While Mayer admits he doesn't specifically remember the Northeast Ohio concert, he does recognize the onstage feeling.
"That's when I'm at my best, when I stop caring," Mayer said. "That's what makes the trio so organic. That's the most organic project I could ever be in because it just stems out of a need. Music will always be better when it extends out of a need rather than a want.
"If I want to write a great song, I probably won't, but if I need to write a great song — because I'm going to die if I don't, then it stops being about taking fame to the next level or taking record success to the next level — it'll happen. Music rewards sacred intent."
Many honors
Since the turn of the century, Mayer has been rewarded for his efforts with more platinum albums and Grammy Awards than anyone could ever wish for. His most recent effort "Continuum" yielded him this year's "Best Pop Vocal Album" Grammy, as well as "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" for his hit single "Waiting on the World to Change."
Mayer said he's already looking ahead to the "Continuum" follow-up. What remains to be seen is whether it's a solo effort or a trio affair.
"It's coming together," Mayer said. "It takes so long for me to make a record, it's ridiculous. I almost forget how long it takes when I start at the beginning. It's musical composting — make a beat, make a chord progression, get upset that it's not a song, put it away, do that times 120 and you start getting words together. Then you get in the studio, and you think you have nothing and then all of a sudden those 120 things and 50 different lyric ideas start coming together and boom, boom, boom, they start matching up.
"Everybody in the studio goes, 'He's so good. He did that so fast,' and I start saying, 'Yeah, you're right,' but I forgot it's maddening how long it takes."
Let's be honest, Mayer is living the rock-star life that millions dream about, not to mention touring the world with his on-and-off-again girlfriend Jessica Simpson in tow. So what does it feel like to be Rolling Stone magazine "Guitar God?"
"It brings more anxiety than pleasure," Mayer said. "Don't get me wrong, it's like a little mathematical equation; the great statement divided by who is saying it, equals what you should take out of it. And Rolling Stone saying the next 'Guitar God' is a hell of a lot more meaningful to me than, say, Phillip Morris."
There's nothing worse than a superstar downplaying his dream world, which by all accounts is a perfect life.
He laughed. "I'll have to remember that when I'm getting my face kicked in by life."
Friday, June 29, 2007
The singer admits all the acclaim brings him at least some anxiety.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
Apparently John Mayer is the Peyton Manning of contemporary music.
When asked to describe his current show, which appears Sunday at Blossom Music Center, the 29-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist strings together this odd stream-of-consciousness reply that truly details the audible nature that is a live concert experience.
"Laid back. Improvising. Having fun, not really being 100 percent sure where the jam is going to go, but keeping it reeled in. Summertime. Breezy. Drink-y. Trying to keep it all on point while doing as much as possible," said Mayer, calling from his New York City home.
You never know what you're going to get with Mayer, who earlier this year was named a "Guitar God" by Rolling Stone magazine. Such an aberration took place at his 2004 Blossom Music Center concert where the pop rock idol stepped outside of his acoustic "Your Body is a Wonderland" self and stunned fans with a 10-minute jam of Jimi Hendrix tunes.
At the very least it was an indication that this guitar player, often compared to Dave Matthews, was something different and unique. A year later, the Blossom incident made sense when he introduced the world to the blues-heavy John Mayer Trio. While Mayer admits he doesn't specifically remember the Northeast Ohio concert, he does recognize the onstage feeling.
"That's when I'm at my best, when I stop caring," Mayer said. "That's what makes the trio so organic. That's the most organic project I could ever be in because it just stems out of a need. Music will always be better when it extends out of a need rather than a want.
"If I want to write a great song, I probably won't, but if I need to write a great song — because I'm going to die if I don't, then it stops being about taking fame to the next level or taking record success to the next level — it'll happen. Music rewards sacred intent."
Many honors
Since the turn of the century, Mayer has been rewarded for his efforts with more platinum albums and Grammy Awards than anyone could ever wish for. His most recent effort "Continuum" yielded him this year's "Best Pop Vocal Album" Grammy, as well as "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" for his hit single "Waiting on the World to Change."
Mayer said he's already looking ahead to the "Continuum" follow-up. What remains to be seen is whether it's a solo effort or a trio affair.
"It's coming together," Mayer said. "It takes so long for me to make a record, it's ridiculous. I almost forget how long it takes when I start at the beginning. It's musical composting — make a beat, make a chord progression, get upset that it's not a song, put it away, do that times 120 and you start getting words together. Then you get in the studio, and you think you have nothing and then all of a sudden those 120 things and 50 different lyric ideas start coming together and boom, boom, boom, they start matching up.
"Everybody in the studio goes, 'He's so good. He did that so fast,' and I start saying, 'Yeah, you're right,' but I forgot it's maddening how long it takes."
Let's be honest, Mayer is living the rock-star life that millions dream about, not to mention touring the world with his on-and-off-again girlfriend Jessica Simpson in tow. So what does it feel like to be Rolling Stone magazine "Guitar God?"
"It brings more anxiety than pleasure," Mayer said. "Don't get me wrong, it's like a little mathematical equation; the great statement divided by who is saying it, equals what you should take out of it. And Rolling Stone saying the next 'Guitar God' is a hell of a lot more meaningful to me than, say, Phillip Morris."
There's nothing worse than a superstar downplaying his dream world, which by all accounts is a perfect life.
He laughed. "I'll have to remember that when I'm getting my face kicked in by life."
Friday, June 29, 2007
because I'm going to die if I don't, then it stops being about taking fame to the next level or taking record success to...
