John Mayer knows his place in the music industry. But that doesn't mean he's not trying to change it.
"I have the songwriter stereotype," Mayer said in a conference call. "I don't even know if I'd even call it a stereotype; it's more like a side effect for the messages that you're post- famous for putting across. I come across as a sensitive bed wetter."
Well, bed wetter or not, Mayer still knows how to play guitar. It's a safe bet that tonight as the "Continuum" tour rolls into Syracuse for an 8 o'clock show at the OnCenter, the audience will be getting a healthy dose of that. But at the same time, that could be something most don't expect. Because when it comes down to it, there are two John Mayers.
One John is the musician many on this campus are familiar with: ladies man, acoustic guitar player … you know, the guy who wrote "Your Body is a Wonderland." The other guy is Eric Clapton's protégé, who graced the cover of Rolling Stone's "The New Guitar Gods" issue. He has shared the stage with guitar legends Buddy Guy and B.B. King.
Most know of Mayer's recent Grammy winning effort, "Continuum," as well as his previous studio discs. But fewer are familiar with his work in The John Mayer Trio and its 2005 release "Try!" The Trio effort, while not a commercial blockbuster, was recorded live over the group's 2005 tour and allowed Mayer the opportunity to show off his guitar abilities in a more bluesy format.
But which guy is he? Sensitive songwriter or guitar god? After releasing two very different albums in the past two years, Mayer started to figure it out for himself.
"The 'Continuum' record is kind of the result of having burned off a lot of what I needed to play in the Trio," he said. "I'd gone three or four years into a career that I was neglecting a certain side of my playing and thinking and writing, and to go straight into that and to just commit to that, really when I was done with the Trio, I had been successfully play(ing) pop music and really kind of guitar-based rock music. With both of those things under my belt, I could go into the studio and make 'Continuum' in a really genuine way."
While playing in the Trio may have made "Continuum" a more accessible record, the return of Mayer's pop sensibilities doesn't mean the side project will forever be silent.
"I think I'm in two bands," he said. "I think John Mayer Trio will rise again. I think when you're playing with great people and everybody's busy, it's really difficult to get around each other, but we'll do a studio record. I'm sure of it."
Mayer has also spent time working with other artists. He contributed guitar to the Dixie Chicks' Grammy-winning "Taking the Long Way," and he also collaborated with artists such as Rob Thomas and Kanye West. In 2004, Mayer and Justin Timberlake recorded a single called "Done." Unfortunately, Mayer said it won't be coming out anytime soon.
"I bet you'd think that if Justin was dying for it, he'd have said 'Hey, I'm going to put that on my record," Mayer said. "But I don't think that it would fit on the record anymore. It's part of an older sound for both of us."
But just because one song isn't coming out doesn't mean there's not more Mayer music on the way. "Continuum" was actually briefly considered as a double disc. In fact, Mayer also recorded a string of intimate live shows in December 2005. Still, it sounds like it might be a while before they reach the public's ears.
"With 'Continuum' coming out exactly as I want it to be, I just don't want another record that I don't have as much quality control over to be the next record that comes out," Mayer said. "Each time you put a piece of work out, you're indebted to that work by having to put out something as good or better next time. I really believe that."
No matter what he decides to release, Mayer won't be getting off the road in the near future. There's still a lot of touring to be done, and Mayer is more than aware of that. Although he is getting older, touring makes settling down not really an option for the 29- year-old. But he seems to be all right with the grind, as well as aging and the prospects of "Continuum."
"This is a really important record for me," he said. "It's the first record that I've gotten this right. And one of the things that has also happened from getting older is that you can see the 'longview' of things. If something doesn't go right today, I'm going to be around for a while; it's going to be fine."
If you go:
Who: John Mayer (Mat Kearney opens)
Where: OnCenter
When: Tonight at 7 p.m. doors open, 8 p.m. performance
Tickets: $35-$45
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