The guitarist John Mayer called a “superhero”
Despite being hailed as one of the greatest guitarists in the business, John Mayer claims not to know the formula. Although there are many aspects he considers when crafting the perfect guitar part, most of it, in his view, boils down to effort. “I mean, if you start high, there’s nowhere left to go, right? So I see it as building a ramp,” he once said.
While delving into some of his favourite musical aficionados, Mayer recognises the power of true excellence. For instance, while immersing himself in the craft, he realised the power of Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia, and his “brilliant” ability to provide effortless licks. Similarly, he regarded Doyle Bramhall II as the best soloist when it comes to learning from the best.
Although Bramhall has played with a handful of big names, including Eric Clapton and Roger Waters, there’s only one figure who urged Mayer to pick up a guitar in the first place, and that’s Eddie Van Halen. Mayer revealed this fact following the guitarist’s death in 2020, which prompted him to write a heartfelt tribute on social media about how the late musician inspired him.
In fact, Mayer was keen to express that Halen was more than mere inspiration: He was “a guitar superhero,” “a true virtuoso,” and “a stunningly good musician and composer.” He also recalled discovering his artistry at a young age, admitting that his playing was one of “the driving forces in my needing to pick up a guitar.”
Continuing, he praised the guitarist endlessly, claiming to have been “blown away watching him exert such control and expression over his instrument” and that being a guitarist only made him realise more than ever that he knew “absolutely nothing about how to play like Eddie Van Halen.” He added, “For that reason, I never stopped watching him in adolescent awe and wonder, and I promise you I never will.”
Considering Mayer’s appreciation for ingenious guitar playing, it’s easy to see why he grew so attached to the late musician, especially when you look at the legacy he left as far as truly impressive technique goes. While many of Halen’s approaches weren’t new, he perfected various tricks and brought them into the mainstream, adding extra texture to compositions and adding a sharp, metallic tone.
Mayer’s appreciation for Halen has been demonstrated on multiple occasions, not least in his attempt at performing his famous tapping. He also once covered the Van Halen hit ‘Panama’ using Halen’s Frankenstein guitar. Watching the performance, you can practically feel the passion as Mayer pays the ultimate tribute to his idol, pouring his soul into the technique and delivering an eye-opening solo mid-song.