Thursday, May 17, 2007

Mentioned something bout how you were right

Nothing gets me more excited than a blog about John.

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RUMINATIONS ON A TREADMILL
Here's some stuff I was thinking about on the treadmill today. I don't bring my iPod to the gym anymore. I can't really explain it except to say that there's something unsatisfying about it. The songs kind of drill into my ear when I'm working out and I can't concentrate on the parts of the music I want to. (I told you I couldn't really explain it.)
1.) Chris Rock came by the Comedy Cellar last night and KILLED IT. I have to say that watching Chris do an hour of brand-new material in front of 45 people on a Sunday night seems tantamount to Miles Davis slipping into a supper club and playing a few ballads with the house band. Watching someone create like that in front of you - especially at the level that Chris Rock can - is just plain badass. I won't be the guy to try and regurgitate someone's comedy to make my point. Just trust me when I say the new stuff is hilarious. The world needs a new hour from Chris Rock to set us all straight, I can tell you that.
After his set, I committed the cardinal sin around comedians, called "try and make the funny guy laugh". I did not make the funny guy laugh, and in fact, made a fool out of myself in the process. Who knew he was coming by and that I was going to have so many Jack and Dianes... (my new name for Jack and Diet...)
2.) I just saw a commercial for Lexus featuring Elvis Costello, and as I like to pay attention to my reactions when I'm being sold something, I thought this was an interesting one. Here's the order of impressions made on me.
a. Oh look, there's Elvis Costello.
b. Man, that guy looks cool. I hope I look that cool someday.
c. How old is he? He's just plain cool. And it's got nothing to do with age. I'd like my cool to have nothing to do with age.
d. Do you just decide to do that and you can? I hope so. I'm deciding right now to be that cool.
e. He's talking about Beethoven. Interesting.
f. He's in a Lexus. Cool looking car.
g. Oh, it's a Lexus ad, centered on the stereo system.
h. THAT STEREO SYSTEM SOUNDS GREAT, I BET.
Two things here interest me - number one, at no time during the commercial did I have the response of "Oh, look, Elvis Costello got paid to do a Lexus commercial. Times must be tough!" The words "sell-out", "shill", "hock" also never came to mind. Just how cool I thought Elvis Costello was and how that stereo system looks like it sounds great. And that's where number two comes in. How difficult must it be - and subsequently how impressive is it - to sell a sound to you over a TV commercial? The car looks like it smells like brand-new upholstery and that stereo looks like it sounds great. Elvis looks cool, the car looks cool, and everybody goes away happy. Maybe I'll re-think my stance on things...
3.) Regarding my conversation with John Edwards, It was one of several conversations I had with very intelligent and engaging people during the Time 100 event. I have nothing on my schedule in terms of meeting privately.
4.) Reading on a treadmill is very bad for my eyes.
5.) I want to hear Donny Hathaway's "The Ghetto" from Donny Hathaway Live. You should find it if you can. It's one of the best recordings of all time.
6.) This songwriting stuff is hard work. I forgot how much time it takes. I have more melodies than I know what to do with, but I can't come up with words yet. I got nothin'. I'll just keep logging melodic ideas so that when the words come I'll just match them up like socks out of the laundry. I shouldn't be so hard on myself to produce, but let me be honest with you here; I make music because I have a void to fill. Make no mistake about it - everyone in the entertainment industry is where they are because of the way they've chosen to fill in that void. I'm an artist, not a CPA. I'm not normal by conventional social standards, and I'll never be, so maybe I should stop worrying and just embrace the insanity a bit.
7.) I want to mess with an acoustic set this summer. Maybe the first two songs of the encore... Oldies. Gotta think about that...
and then my 20 minutes was up and I moved to work on back and obliques. I stopped thinking so much then, so that's all I've got.

POSTED BY JOHN MAYER AT 03:05 PM FROM NEW YORK, NY

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1.) I love the idea of John on a treadmill. All sweaty and thinky and active - the body laboring; the mind laboring. I think he probably had an ipod-falling-to-the-ground-and-ripping-out-of-the-ears-and-tripping-over-the-ipod-so-not-to-crush-it experience the last time he treadmilled and THAT's why he doesn't use it at the gym anymore. But because he's John he was witty enough to come up with a very artistic reason for not using it.

2.) Something has to be said for someone who re-names their favorite alcoholic beverage. Jack and Dianes? Love it.

3.) John Mayer had a conversation with John Edwards? How do we feel about that? "How wonderful"? Or "that's not good."??

4.) Knowing that John is pluggin away at new songs gets me all kinds of giddy. John "knocking my socks off" now has a whole new meaning.

5.) Me too. I should just embrace the insanity a bit. It is who I am.

6.) Messing with an acoustic set this SUMMER?!?!!? OLDIES?!?!

7.) When his 20 minutes were done? Is John working out at a public gym (remember the "to the gym"comment made at the beginning?)? Or is he just incredibly precise with his at-home workouts? What would YOU do if John was ipodless on the treadmill next to you? I know what I'd do. Keep running; and should my breath ever even out enough, I'd say "so who's Tori?"

2 comments:

Kristen said...

Man I'm glad you blog. :-)

Lori said...

Me too (I'm glad you blog that is). What's the deal with Tori's? One of my fav. male crooners mentions a Tori in one of his songs too.

I know what I'd say if I were next to John on a treadmill: "Jessica?!? Really?!? What were you thinking ?!?". :)