John Mayer - My biggest influence

At first, I hated John Mayer. "Your Body Is A Wonderland" made me want to puke at first, but that's before I actually took the time to see what this guy was all about. I started to get into him when I picked up the acoustic guitar. This is when his album No Room For Squares was out. After learning some of his songs, I noticed he was different from other artists in the Pop/Rock category. This guy made you feel like he was your best friend. His lyrics - relatable. His songwriting - relatable, poppy, catchy, stylish. Acoustic guitar playing - great rhythm, interesting use of chords, solid.

This first CD didn't truly hit me for how awesome it was until I saw him grow as an artist. Heavier Things came out and showed Mayer's love for electric guitar. He was still holding back from showing off his impeccable guitar skills, but this CD was definitely a great transition into what genre he really wanted to get into - the blues.

Mayer released a live album with his trio called Try! which showcased gritty rock and blues original songs and unbelievable renditions of some cover songs by renown artists such as Jimi Hendrix for example. He nailed everything. He played the guitar effortlessly and really started to come into his voice.

I heard from a friend that when he went to high school, he sat in the cafeteria during lunch in the corner by himself playing the guitar. People in his high school knew him as "John, oh yeah, that kid who plays guitar." Well, that surely paid off.

Continuum really put me over the edge. I became a die hard fan after this CD came out. It made me look at songwriting in a complete different way. There's so much headroom in this album and the whole album contains this "vibe." It makes me think of rock albums that were recorded in the late 60s - the albums that you can listen to 15 times through without becoming sick of them.

What makes John Mayer a superstar is obviously his songwriting skills first. He continues to write hits after hits as he grows as a musician. He taps into different styles of music and consistently succeeds. His lyrics are always relatable. Now, he's known as one of the best guitar players of our generation. Amazing performer. Hilarious person. He understands the social networking age as he engages his audience through his website and Twitter.

If you aren't a John Mayer fan yet, please go listen to him. Go buy his newest DVD called Where The Light Is and you will be amazed.

This guy is my biggest influence, and I practice every day for hours upon hours hoping to get a chance to meet with him and hopefully play with him one day.

Having the determination to achieve your dreams

It's simple to say you want to be a famous musician, artist, or director one day. Anybody can say that.

However, it's not easy to actually follow through on achieving a dream. I know many musicians, artists, and filmmakers that have the same aspirations as me but seem to give up or become lazy with their craft. Opportunities don't show up at your door everyday. You have to work for them, but sometimes you'll get lucky. Sometimes, someone will be asking for your service or art and it can launch you to the next step closer to your dream. Here's what I don't understand. There are so many people who won't take the opportunity because it is out of the norm or interferes with something that had already been planned. So what! It's your dream. Cancel your plans and go after something that can be huge.

If I was offered an amazing tour, show, etc., I'd jump on that and cancel everything I had planned because it can be a great experience to move further into my career and make me better off than I was the day before.

If you have some sort of talent and you think you can dance with the top stars, make it happen. It's great that you spend a lot of time in your bedroom creating a beautiful art, but it's another thing actually letting the public see it.

Album comes out 09.09.09.

I can't wait.

Risks

I'm 22 years old.  Even though responsibility has found its way into my life, it doesn't mean I'm dead.  

You know when you go to a local restaurant and you see an old man drinking his coffee looking miserable all by his lonesome?  Maybe he was a successful business man but never had a family due to his all work and no play mentality.  I don't know, maybe he's senile and doesn't remember what he ate earlier that day.  

On the other hand, you see those old couples walking together holding hands enjoying life together.  As embarrassing as this is to say, it's like what those two old people in The Notebook should have been experiencing.  *Side note:  I was forced to watch it.*  **Double side note:  No I wasn't.**  I want to be that man when I'm older.  I want to feel complete.

Thus, why do people always take the safe route for everything?  I'm talking, the risky people that always take the safe route once they get out of college and start with the whole "real world" thing.  I'm going all out now so when I'm 40 years old and looking back on my life, I will have no regrets.

If you have a dream, follow it now.  Do it while you're young.  Even if you're older and always wanted to accomplish something, take a couple years out of your life and do it!  What is stopping you, man?

If you play the guitar and dream to be on stage one day, work harder and do it.  You can be the best.  If you sing and know you can sing, why not do it and be the next Janis Joplin?

The most fulfilling experience of my life is when somebody compliments me on what I create - most of the time it's created in my basement or in my bedroom.  That is the coolest feeling to create something so organic and have other people take something from it and put it into their own lives.  

If you don't have a talent and you're more business minded, why not start your own business?  You know you can do it, but you're scared of failing.  Who cares, man?  Nobody is going to make fun of you if you fail.  Go all out or else you're going to be looking back on what could have been.

I've never felt more comfortable in my life.