John Mayer: Sob Rock and a Pink Silver Sky

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  • Strat54Strat54 Frets: 2329
    First time I saw him he played the Marquee Club in London circa 2003, the last time was in 2019 at a packed Manchester Arena. A real mixed demographic too and so nice to see so many younger people at a gig I go to lol. He was 41 at the time so not really of their age group either. I wasn't a huge fan of the last record @Ossyrocks either until I heard him play a lot of it live then it kind of made more sense. 
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  • Musicman20Musicman20 Frets: 2296
    I don't think I'd ever heard of him until some random gossip social media post mentioned him and Taylor Swift.

    Gifted guitarist. Cool looking dude. I have a feeling the whole social media craze after the song is VERY carefully planned for pure marketing. Same when new pedals drop.

    Pink PRS? It's catching attention. Marketing.

    However, I have no interest in Bonamassa or this chap. Not my vibe. Too polite, too polished, not at all raw. I prefer the guitar to be part of a band not the main attraction. But that's me... Serve the song and let everyone have the limelight. 
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23906
    dindude said:
    Strat54 said:
    I like Mayer he's a clever guy. Great catchy track, it is what it is...a simple pop song. He's enjoying himself, having fun, making music and raking in the cash. At his level you can do exactly what you want. Nice to see him hand Miss Youtube her ample ass too, her version was over thought , overly dramatic and cringeworthy much like most her songs. In comes Mayer with a simple catchy hook laden track and blew her away. That's why she's sat on Youtube making music at home for the over 40's who thinks she's pretty and Mayer is out there filling arenas and shifting product. 
    Don’t get me started on Spender, shameless self promotion for per non-talent - I wouldn’t mind if she kept herself to herself and stopped popping up like a bad smell.
    Ok boomer.
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23906
    Is it my imagination or is JM channeling the very worst Clapton era?
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  • adampeter said:
    I liked everything about that single, the Mike and the mechanics/Toto vibe, the Clapton 80's era guitars, the hooks, and i have always loved a pink guitar.
    Then again the 80's was my decade, so the pull is strong
    That's everything I don't like. I lived through the 80s and didn't like that stuff then. I have no idea why this sound is suddenly so popular with artists who usually play really interesting music. 

    The bland 80s sound and overbearing production was never for me, thankfully there was still some bands that didn't fall into that trap. 

    I can understand that always looking back at the sixties and seventies can get a little stale, but surely there must be something new people can create. Instead of recreating a bland sound. A lot of the big acts from the seventies fell into that MTV, CD thing in the 80s and most regretted it.

    Is Don Was in that video, thought I spotted him

    Instagram is Rocknrollismyescape -

    FOR SALE - Catalinbread Echorec, Sonic Blue classic player strat and a Digitech bad monkey

     

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  • Strat54Strat54 Frets: 2329
    Is it my imagination or is JM channeling the very worst Clapton era?
    That was his intention. 
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22515
    Guys it's meant to be a homage. The Clapton tone, the licks, the style. You can't be annoyed when it's so clearly meant to be a homage. 
    Strat54 said:
    Is it my imagination or is JM channeling the very worst Clapton era?
    That was his intention. 
    I can understand paying homage by maybe playing a song like this live, because it was EC's birthday or something.

    But to do a whole album(?) in a cheesy '80s style?  It's a novelty record.  Like Shaddap You Face.

    And the artwork looks like a Don Johnson album.

    John Mayer Announces New Album 39Sob Rock39 With Cover
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  • tone1tone1 Frets: 5111
    What’s the main part of this and Clapton’s 80’s tone? 
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  • BidleyBidley Frets: 2912
    dindude said:
    Bidley said:
    Have to say, I've never been (knowingly) exposed to any of his music outside this forum. Which is probably a good thing because he's as far away from something I'd want to listen to as I can imagine.
    Thanks for letting us know. 

    No worries babe.
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  • WazmeisterWazmeister Frets: 9443
    edited June 2021
    dindude said:

    Don’t get me started on Spender, shameless self promotion for per non-talent - I wouldn’t mind if she kept herself to herself and stopped popping up like a bad smell.
    Dan, I feel exactly the same about Miss Spender... she just really annoys me for some reason (along with Chappers) for her endless self promotion, and non-talent.

    Back to Mayer, I absolutely love Continuum, but this is a little 'old-man music' sounding to me...
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    dindude said:
    Strat54 said:
    I like Mayer he's a clever guy. Great catchy track, it is what it is...a simple pop song. He's enjoying himself, having fun, making music and raking in the cash. At his level you can do exactly what you want. Nice to see him hand Miss Youtube her ample ass too, her version was over thought , overly dramatic and cringeworthy much like most her songs. In comes Mayer with a simple catchy hook laden track and blew her away. That's why she's sat on Youtube making music at home for the over 40's who thinks she's pretty and Mayer is out there filling arenas and shifting product. 
    Don’t get me started on Spender, shameless self promotion for per non-talent - I wouldn’t mind if she kept herself to herself and stopped popping up like a bad smell.

    In fairness I think this:


    Is very well done. 

    I'm a big fan of Adam Neely, not so much Mary Spender (although she can clearly sing). 

    I actually like the production on the new Mayer song, but it's a bit lacking in hooks and I couldn't hum it back to you having listened to it a couple of time. 
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  • BlueingreenBlueingreen Frets: 2582
    As a singer/songwriter he's not really my thing, although I do think Gravity and Slow Dancing are really good songs.  As a guitarist I think he's an excellent blues/blues-rock player, but it's not a style of playing I listen to a lot these days, and when I very occasionally do there are guys I prefer, like Marcus King.

    All the same, whatever I think of him personally think it's just plain wrong to describe him as an artist who only interests blues guitar geeks.  He's "big" by any reasonable definition.

    Spotify plays are one way of working out how major an artist is.  The most popular track by Joe Bonamassa (maybe the most famous of the players who really are only interesting to blues guitar geeks) has around 15 million plays.  Mayer has 5 tracks that each have more than 250,000 million plays, and his most popular one has 440,000 million. 

    That may not be Kanye or Taylor Swift level "big" but for a singer/songwriter/guitarist in 2021 he's obviously massive.  As for the idea that he's less big because most of his fans are in America, I just don't get the point.  If you're American you're going to want to be big in America.  And if you're British you don't usually qualify as big until you're big in America.
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23906
    tone1 said:
    What’s the main part of this and Clapton’s 80’s tone? 
    The main part of Clapton’s tone is pentatonic racism.


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  • hollywoodroxhollywoodrox Frets: 4078
    I like the whole 80s sound of the rest of the band ,  but find Mayer and his playing boring 
    Would sooner have Steve Lukather on there  or Steve Farris  and someone else singing like Steve winwood  (flipping heck its all Steve’s)  good comparison to August  that’s a Clapton album I like  with songs like behind the mask .  Even Huey Lewis would be better on there than Mayer .
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  • TeleMasterTeleMaster Frets: 10102
    edited June 2021
    So we've gone from Mayer bashing to Spender bashing. I'm not much of a fan of Mary Spender but talentless? That's a ridiculous thing to say. She could out play most of the people here. She can obviously play very well in her style, writes original music and performs. She can sing fairly well. 

    If you're gonna say that she's talentless, I'd hope you're incredibly talented or... well, you know. lol 
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  • HattigolHattigol Frets: 8175
    I'm assuming it's not coincidence that SOB is pretty much 80S backwards?
    "Anybody can play. The note is only 20%. The attitude of the motherf*cker who plays it is  80%" - Miles Davis
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  • Philly_QPhilly_Q Frets: 22515
    Hattigol said:
    I'm assuming it's not coincidence that SOB is pretty much 80S backwards?
    Good spot!  I think you're right.  At least it makes sense now.
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  • TeetonetalTeetonetal Frets: 7801
    Strat54 said:
    I like Mayer he's a clever guy. Great catchy track, it is what it is...a simple pop song. He's enjoying himself, having fun, making music and raking in the cash. At his level you can do exactly what you want. Nice to see him hand Miss Youtube her ample ass too, her version was over thought , overly dramatic and cringeworthy much like most her songs. In comes Mayer with a simple catchy hook laden track and blew her away. That's why she's sat on Youtube making music at home for the over 40's who thinks she's pretty and Mayer is out there filling arenas and shifting product. 
    The track has hooks? Passed me by. Sounded like bland pap to me with no memorable features except the 80s production.
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  • TINMAN82TINMAN82 Frets: 1845
    Strat54 said:
    First time I saw him he played the Marquee Club in London circa 2003, the last time was in 2019 at a packed Manchester Arena. A real mixed demographic too and so nice to see so many younger people at a gig I go to lol. He was 41 at the time so not really of their age group either. I wasn't a huge fan of the last record @Ossyrocks either until I heard him play a lot of it live then it kind of made more sense. 
    The last album (The Search for Everything) disappointed me slightly at first listen but it’s now right up there with my favourites of his. Really worth a few listens. As you say, the songs translate particularly well live.
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  • Moe_ZambeekMoe_Zambeek Frets: 3419
    Interesting track, way 80s. Rad video too, I almost expected Phil C to appear :).

    Loads of Clapton in it right enough, down to the 80s wah sound he had back then. Is the hairdo also a tribute to Eric’s luscious late 80s locks?

    Then the modern country backing singer at the end, which was a little odd but again pretty 80s in approach. 

    I liked it, strangely. 


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