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  #1  
Old 05-13-2003, 01:47 PM
Faerie Nuff Faerie Nuff is offline
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John Mayer - from whence this hate?

Okay, I gotta ask, why does everyone seem to hate John Mayer so much? I mean, I kinda have to like him cause we went to high school together. (Totally looking forward to the 10-year reunion, btw.) I have a friend who stills hangs out with him. He's always been a nice guy and, I think, a pretty good musician.

Plus he totally knows he sounds like Dave Matthews, it's just the voice though. He does a hilarious DM impression. Listening to his music, the only huge similarities I notice are the voice and the fact that he happens to also have a guitar.

So, guys, where's the love?
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  #2  
Old 05-13-2003, 02:04 PM
DarbyV DarbyV is offline
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There is this video that he does with Nora Jones where he makes the goofiest faces known to mankind while he's singing. That was the first time I really paid attention to him and it just put me off. I also don't like Dave Matthews so that might have something to do with it. I just don't like any of the songs I've heard.

I did watch an interview one time and he was amusing but the goofy faces have to go, someone should really tell him.

walks off singing your body is a taco stand...........
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  #3  
Old 05-13-2003, 02:05 PM
Zazie Zazie is offline
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Who hates him!? I only hear good things about the guy. I like his music
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  #4  
Old 05-13-2003, 02:07 PM
5-HT 5-HT is offline
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Who's John Mayer?
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  #5  
Old 05-13-2003, 02:12 PM
blanx blanx is offline
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It's the faces. watch any of his videos with concert footage. The music's fine, but once I saw the videos, I had the hate.
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  #6  
Old 05-13-2003, 02:14 PM
Lisa-go-Blind Lisa-go-Blind is offline
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His music is sappy and sentimental, and there's something vaguely creepy about him.
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  #7  
Old 05-13-2003, 02:21 PM
percussion percussion is offline
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theres too many songs on room for squares that hit home...
i really like him
-ed
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  #8  
Old 05-13-2003, 02:25 PM
In Conceivable In Conceivable is offline
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I liked him until I saw the video for "Your Body Is A Wonderland".

He looked like a creepy pervert in the video. Now when I hear the song on the radio all I can think is "Don't let him touch you lady!"

Sorry.
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  #9  
Old 05-13-2003, 02:44 PM
Zazie Zazie is offline
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Geez, I GOT to see his videos...
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  #10  
Old 05-13-2003, 03:01 PM
Skydive101 Skydive101 is offline
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Yup, I really like the Room for Squares CD. And yes, he does look goofy in the videos and live footage I've seen. Oh well, maybe it's just how he sings, not really a deal breaker in my book.
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  #11  
Old 05-13-2003, 03:18 PM
Ephemera Ephemera is offline
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I'm torn. I really like his ballads even if they're extremely sappy but I want to hate him 'cause of his videos. Dilemma.
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  #12  
Old 05-13-2003, 03:23 PM
unwashed brain unwashed brain is offline
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He needs some new material, but other than that I think he's the best songwriter to come out in quite a while. I've been catching him live since November of 1998 (long live Eddie's Attic!), and he's always made wierd faces. All the best guitar players do it. He does tend to make them more often when he's nervous, though (TV appearances, especially).

In conversation, he's a really nice guy with a mind a mouth that go twice the posted limit. Frenetically witty is how I describe him - slightly mad and extremely intelligent.
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  #13  
Old 05-13-2003, 03:26 PM
Gundy Gundy is offline
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I don't HATE him so much but he's a little too mellow for my tastes, and as I too dislike the Dave Matthews Band, the similarity is not a good thing to me. I just hate that damned wonderland song.
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  #14  
Old 05-13-2003, 03:39 PM
Faerie Nuff Faerie Nuff is offline
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Okay. I could see the weird looking thing. He's always been weird looking, since Junior High. He's got these big dark circles under his eyes that kind of make him look like Lurch. I never noticed the weird facial expressions in person, but they're hard to avoid when you have a weird face. My friends and I are wondering why all the teenage girls are swooning over him cause we don't see it. But maybe we've just known him for too long. I still think his music is good. And I almost never see any videos, so I guess I'm blessed.
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  #15  
Old 05-13-2003, 03:40 PM
unwashed brain unwashed brain is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Gundy
I just hate that damned wonderland song.
Gundy, I consider it a prime example of how clueless Grammy voters are that John won for THAT song, which (besides being a great making-whoopie song) demonstrates the least amount of his talent on the album.
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  #16  
Old 05-13-2003, 05:17 PM
Gatopescado Gatopescado is offline
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I like him so far. But I can't stand Dave Matthews. When I first heard his first single, I said to myself, "Wow. Dave Matthews wrote a good song, and shit-canned all the goofy-sounding instruments!"

Been waiting to get the album, but I'm cheap and lazy................

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  #17  
Old 05-13-2003, 05:20 PM
Payton's Servant Payton's Servant is offline
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Your Body Is A Wonderland has been overplayed to the point that it has achieved the same "I can't stand this damn song!!" status as Tom Cochrane's Life Is A Highway.


Plus the goofy faces.
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  #18  
Old 05-13-2003, 05:21 PM
Qwertyasdfg Qwertyasdfg is offline
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I'd say hes an excellent guitarist, and a good singer/song writer. I agree the faces he makes while playing are weird. I've never seen the videos but now I really want to. He get's my stamp of approval.
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  #19  
Old 05-13-2003, 05:38 PM
lilbtagna lilbtagna is offline
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My friend bought me the CD for my birthday, and I really like it. He's an extremely talented writer and plays the guitar very well.

However, what puts me off are the goofy faces he makes (like everyone says), and the fact that he comes off as creepy and conceited to me. I don't know why exactly, but I wouldn't want to hang out with him.

Oh well...I'll just listening to the CD so I don't have to see him.
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  #20  
Old 05-13-2003, 07:18 PM
Peg Peg is offline
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I think it's just backlash replacing the hype.

I'm not a fan -- mostly indifferent -- and never bought into the hype, so maybe I'm not the best person to comment.
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  #21  
Old 05-13-2003, 07:20 PM
HomeSlice HomeSlice is offline
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All the people that came into contact with him when he played at Clemson a year back thought he was a huge prick.
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  #22  
Old 05-13-2003, 07:23 PM
RandMcnally RandMcnally is online now
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I like him, but I can understand why most people don't, because they are ALWAYS playing his songs on the radio. Even I am starting to dislike them.
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  #23  
Old 05-13-2003, 09:30 PM
23skidoo 23skidoo is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by In Conceivable
I liked him until I saw the video for "Your Body Is A Wonderland".

He looked like a creepy pervert in the video. Now when I hear the song on the radio all I can think is "Don't let him touch you lady!"

Sorry.
Yeah, that song bugs the crap out of me. It just strikes me as a "I wrote this song so ladies will think I'm sensitive and sleep with me from town to town" type of song.
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  #24  
Old 05-13-2003, 10:18 PM
White Lightning White Lightning is offline
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And he sings in that funny voice like he thinks it makes him sound more talented.

And the faces.

He seems alright as a songwriter though. But the songs get pretty boring (that's what gets me the most about his omnipresence on the radio -- his songs aren't even catchy).
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  #25  
Old 05-15-2003, 10:29 AM
Breezy Breezy is offline
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Personally, I LOVE the wonderland song. I haven't heard the new song too much yet, so I don't really have an opinion about it. But, I think he's wonderful.

I don't think he looks creepy at all.

and

I've seen the videos and didn't even notice the weird faces. I was probably thinking "Why doesn't my husband say these things to me?" haha
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  #26  
Old 05-15-2003, 10:37 AM
Gundy Gundy is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by 23skidoo
Yeah, that song bugs the crap out of me. It just strikes me as a "I wrote this song so ladies will think I'm sensitive and sleep with me from town to town" type of song.
Guess it works. Last I saw he's nailing Jennifer Love "Booby" Hewitt.
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  #27  
Old 05-15-2003, 10:41 AM
An Arky An Arky is offline
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He reminds me of some suburban frat boy who thinks he's Dave Matthews. Not cool. Not at all.
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  #28  
Old 05-15-2003, 10:43 AM
Zebra Zebra is online now
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I'm just wondering if enough arguments are made if Faerie Nuff will decide that she hates him.


(love the name by the way and welcome to the boards)
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  #29  
Old 05-15-2003, 10:48 AM
Faerie Nuff Faerie Nuff is offline
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No, Zebra, you can not make me hate him. He was always cool to me. My friend Matt hates him and won't tell me why. I think it involves something happening in junior high.

But even if John didn't make good music, I'd still be happy for him for finding success (and thereby making my high school semi-famous).

-Faerie Nuff, the Pixie of Justice
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  #30  
Old 05-15-2003, 12:36 PM
The Universe Lashes Out The Universe Lashes Out is offline
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I dislike him for a lot of the reasons already stated, but also just for the lyric "Your Body Is A Wonderland." It makes me cringe that he would say something that stupid sounding.
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  #31  
Old 05-15-2003, 12:47 PM
WordMan WordMan is online now
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Okay - he makes funny faces...

Okay - Your Body is a....was overplayed, and while it may have been a cool sentiment at first blush, the phrase loses its charm quickly (anyone here nominate it over "...sexiest tomboy beanpole on the planet"?)

But - he is a VERY good guitar player. I have been a player for over 25 years and the boy has chops. He can do some mean fingerpicking and also respect-worthy SRV-type blues licks.

I guess my ultimate - "nice, okay, but not great" POV comes from the fact that he seemed to have consciously shot for....the middle. Yeah, he went for singer-songwriter over guitar god or jam-band-Matthews-meister - certainly his call, and singer-songwriter as a genre has hatched a ton of respected talents. But between his album title - Music for Squares - and the seeming lack of ambition in the songs I have heard - he seems to have nothing beyond sentimental thoughts - he seems to want to be a nice guy songwriter. And while that's his choice, it doesn't move me to buy his CD and can easily evoke the ire of people who are looking for even the littlest edge to their music. Even Sheryl Crow came up with "Strong Enough to be Your Man", "Home" and a few other songs with interesting stories and edgy-ish themes...

That's why.
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  #32  
Old 05-15-2003, 01:10 PM
White Lightning White Lightning is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Gundy
Guess it works. Last I saw he's nailing Jennifer Love "Booby" Hewitt.
Really???

Mannnnnn...
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  #33  
Old 05-15-2003, 01:31 PM
Auntie Social Auntie Social is offline
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I think WordMan nailed it. Nobody cares that much about how goofy his face or voice is. There's plenty of goofy-looking rock stars with middling voices. I think the real ire comes from people who hate to see milquetoast performers singing sappy love songs hit it big, when there are tons of cool bands with soul or vision working in obscurity. Probably some jealousy, but also some genuine desire to see someone who's willing to take some creative risks earn some recognition, rather than another dude with a guitar singing run-of-the-mill romantic wuv songs.
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  #34  
Old 05-15-2003, 03:26 PM
MeanOldLady MeanOldLady is online now
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I love John Mayer. Sure he looks like a big dork, but he's undeniably talented. Yes, Body is a Taco Stand has been played to death, but he's got some other songs which I think are infinitely better than that one. Try to get a hold of the acoustic versions of his songs. They're much better than the album versions. Damn record company's trying to make him sound poppish (and hence crappy). I recommend "Back to You", "Neon" and "My Stupid Mouth."
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  #35  
Old 05-15-2003, 03:28 PM
Intaglio Intaglio is offline
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It's not that I hate him or his music, but he is over-saturated-he is played all the time, it seems every radio station and VH1 (when they play videos) are wet over this guy. I just don't see or find the appeal, I like music with more of a pulse.
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  #36  
Old 05-15-2003, 11:22 PM
NoCoolUserName NoCoolUserName is offline
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I, too, hate the song. And the squeegie voice. But I watched the Grammys and he played the CRAP out of the guitar. I'm a guitarist, and I like it when somebody does that, live, on national TV.

Anybody out there tape it and could send me just that 3 minute segment?
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  #37  
Old 05-16-2003, 12:50 AM
Salieri2 Salieri2 is offline
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Guitar Foreplay

I'd be interested to see how many women out there agree with my own assessment: he's off-putting because he sounds exactly like the guy we met at frat parties or bonfires who played acoustic guitar in the corner solely in hopes of getting into our pants. His voice is breathy, his glance is meaningful, and what it means is, Hey Baby, I'm Mr. Sensitive. Hop on. I know Grafenberg personally, wanna see?

He just doesn't seem quite sincere; as if he just wants to appear sincere. Your Body is My Wonder Gland is a perfect example; the whole song sounds like a pickup line. Lean close to the car speaker and you can almost smell the Everclear in the lukewarm punch.

And it's sad! and I feel guilty, because it may not be his fault he sounds like this, but not guilty enough that if he were singing to me in a video I wouldn't edge towards the door. I like to see singing and songwriting emphasized over pyrotechnics; as far as such things go, I'm a James Taylor, Paul Simon, Dar Williams, Dan Fogelberg fan [yes, Dave Matthews as well, recently] but I just can't like John Mayer. I get the distinct sense that as soon as he's done playing he heads for the foosball table, then spends the day skipping class and walking through the quad with someone else's philosophy textbooks under his arm to impress chicks with.

Sorry, John.

Maybe I would understand his talents better if I heard someone else singing his song. If there were a way to eliminate the ick factor in his voice, I could get past it to honestly evaluate the rest of his performance, but as it is, ICK.
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  #38  
Old 05-22-2003, 01:12 AM
radiohead49 radiohead49 is offline
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Has anyone read the newest issue of Stuff magazine? They do an "ugliest rock stars" update, and this time they rate them all on the John Mayer scale for example that putz from Good Charlotte is rated as "0.89 Mayer" which makes him 89% as ugly as John Mayer, pretty funny stuff.
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  #39  
Old 05-22-2003, 06:47 AM
Kyomara Kyomara is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Gundy
Last I saw he's nailing Jennifer Love "Booby" Hewitt.
Her friends call her "Love."

Faerie, I don't doubt that he's a really nice guy. But his lyrics are obvious and trite and he really does sound like the Acoustic Guitar Guy at the Party. The songs are boring and Middle-of-the-Road.
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  #40  
Old 05-22-2003, 06:51 AM
tramp tramp is offline
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Yeah he is nailing Jennifer Love Huge Tits. And I hate John Mayer because he rips off Dave Matthews and I have an unwholesome obsession with Dave Matthews.
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  #41  
Old 05-22-2003, 07:57 AM
SkipMagic SkipMagic is offline
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Heh-heh... I just downloaded the video for the Taco Stand song and I see that Mayer looks very much like a psycho Joshua Jackson

I'm not sure who actually died on Dawson's Creek in the series' finale, but I think I now know who killed him.

Was anyone else disappointed that we didn't actually get to see the girl's body so that we could be the judge of the whole "wonderland"conclusion? I mean, really, we shouldn't have to take a sociopathic Pacey's word on this matter...

Also, I think, music style-wise, Jude Cole is much better than Mayer.
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