Stevie Ray Vaughan Discussion

[Vaughanabe13]

Ok, so what is it with John Mayer playing like SRV all of a sudden? Actually, it's been like this for awhile. I find it rather odd actually, because his usual stuff is really...poppy (for lack of a better word).

He is the least likely person to play SRV-inspired blues rock, but hey...whatever floats his boat.

I remember I saw him play a sweet SRV-like instrumental type thing at the Crossroads Guitar Festival (with Eric Clapton). Very nice actually, but I can't stand those awful faces he makes on stage. Pretty rediculous stuff. SRV always looked like he was pouring his soul into the music... Mayer looks like a he's got bad constipation and inflammation.

Anyway, enough of my ranting. What do you guys think of Mayer?

[TTrahan]

Mayer = great tone, great gear, great chops, awful voice.

BAD FACES!!

[UncleSalty]

The fact that he gets to hang with BB, Buddy Guy & Clapton must count for something, but I'm not sure what. Those faces are just wretched!

[Vaughanabe13]

I've heard that he likes to steal solos from the big guys like Buddy Guy, Clapton, etc. Any truth to that?

[TTrahan]

I've never noticed any "solo stealing", if you mean he steps on the other guy's feet when they play together.

I think Mayer is an awesome player, he is just another one of those guys that thinks he knows everything about the blues, but he's never had to play it with 5 strings, know what I mean?

[Soul_Taker]

You can download many John Mayer bootlegs from this FTP server. http://www.score1more4me.com/ftp.html
I recommend the concerts jm2004-12-28.4011.trak2.shnf and jm2004-12-28.4011.trak2.shnf
He plays Little Wing and many other blues songs.

[Lee]

If by solo stealing you mean copying solos from others, that's a tradition that goes way back. Clapton would be nowhere without Freddie King and others.

I thought that Mayer was very respectful of SRV. In the DVD where they interviewed Mayer to comment on SRV he said something like, "lots of folks can do what SRV did for a minute or two, but Stevie was able to do it all the time." (or something like that).

I have to admit, I was surprised that Mayer was interviewed for the DVD with SRV. I think of Mayer as a pop singer with a little jazz/blues thrown in. Not a blues player.

If you can catch Mayer dropping in on the Dave Chappelle show (Comedy Central...it's a cable show), try to see it. Mayer and Chappelle are hilarious. Mayer's the straight man for Chappelle's comedy.

[TTrahan]

Some good points there Lee.

[Vaughanabe13]

Lee, I didn't mean "copying licks" or whatever... I've heard that he likes to jump out front and start soloing while somebody else is playing and try to "steal" the show. Then again I don't have first hand experience so that's why I was asking if there is any truth to that.

I also kind of wonder why he was interviewed for the SRV Montreaux dvd. I think Kenny Wayne Shepherd probably would have been a better candidate for interview since SRV was his biggest influence as a kid.

And I agree about that Chappelle's show bit! Hilarious stuff. My favorite part was when John started playing some screaming blues rock licks inside the barbershop and the guy was like, "hey.....shut the f*** up!" Great stuff. lmao

[bluz_playa85]

[UncleSalty]

[Vaughanabe13]

Exciting news you guys! This is taken off another forum:

Mayer Creates "Continuum"

Pop star plays the blues on upcoming album



"I'm ready to shake it all up," John Mayer says of his next studio album, Continuum, due in early 2006.
"They are tunes that live on guitar. When it comes out, I may never win a Grammy again, I may never sell a million records again, but the world will get where I'm coming from," he tells Rolling Stone's Smoking Section column. "I'm not afraid to lose it all."

Meanwhile, Mayer has been an in-demand guest for his heroes: He has recorded with Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy for their upcoming albums, and he'll be performing at Bonnaroo on June 10th with Herbie Hancock's reunited Seventies funk-jazz group, the Headhunters. The group will play additional gigs on the 8th in St. Louis, on the 9th in Kettering, Ohio, and on the 11th in Memphis.

Mayer is also preparing to flex his new blues-based outfit, the John Mayer Trio, on the road and on a live disc. "I'm gonna go out in the fall with the trio and just play," he says. "Power-rockin', electric-guitar, in-your-face blues."



AUSTIN SCAGGS
(Posted May 13, 2005)


YES! FINALLY!

[Adam H]

I had two students about a year or two ago that brought in some bootlegs of early Mayer concerts, and the guy can really play. There was a really nice version of The Wind Cries Mary, with just him on electric, no bass or drums. The only thing, when I've heard him play lead, there's not much bite - it is all soft edges and pretty strat tones. There's nothing wrong with that, but I like the loud, brash strat tones, too.

[Vaughanabe13]

You haven't heard some of his blues stuff then... plenty of bite. I agree though, he does carry a little of his "pop" sound over to slow covers like Lenny and The Wind Cries Mary.

[UncleSalty]

But can he write blues/guitar heavy stuff? I like the blues shows but a lot of that is because I love the classic Stevie & Hendrix tunes he chooses. The part about him guesting with the HeadHunters threw me, too. I'm interested to see how he fares but I'd rather see Mike Landau, Scott Henderson or one of those guys get the gig. Sounds like he really wants to prove himself as a player. Good luck to him.