Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist-rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, bassist Pete Wentz, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band has produced five albums from 2003-2008, and are inactive as of 2009.

With Pete Wentz as the band's primary lyricist and Patrick Stump as the primary composer, Fall Out Boy reached mainstream success with its major label debut, From Under the Cork Tree. Released in 2005, the album won several awards and achieved double platinum status after selling more than 2.5 million albums in the United States alone. To support the album, the band headlined tours around the world in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, the band released the followup Infinity on High to major chart success, reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 and selling 260,000 copies its first week. The lead single, "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", reached #1 on the Pop 100 and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. On February 2, 2010, the band reportedly broke up although no official press statement was released. Since then, the band has made their status more clear and the indefinite hiatus has been re-confirmed.

With the release of their 2009 compilation Believers Never Die - Greatest Hits, and in regard to the legacy of the band, Allmusic senior-editor Stephen T. Erlewine wrote that Fall Out Boy "seems like one of the quintessential mainstream rock singles bands of the 2000s."

History

Early years (2001–2002)

Fall Out Boy was formed in early 2001 by friends Joe Trohman and Pete Wentz, who had played in various hardcore punk bands in the Chicago area. Inspired by other bands they listened to growing up, such as Green Day, Descendents, and The Smiths, the pair decided to start their own band. Trohman met high schooler Patrick Stump in a Borders Bookstore. Stump auditioned as a drummer, but his impressive vocal range led to his placement as the lead vocalist. Two other Chicago musicians were recruited to play drums and guitar.

The band was nameless for their first two shows. They decided that the audience should decide, and at the end of their second show, they asked the audience to yell out their ideas for a name. One audience member suggested "Fallout Boy", a reference to the sidekick of the Radioactive Man from The Simpsons (which the band performed the closing theme song for in the 2009 episode "Lisa the Drama Queen").

The following year, the band debuted with a self-released demo and followed it up with the May 28, 2002 release of Split EP, which featured Project Rocket, on Uprising Records. The group released a mini-LP, Fall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend, on Uprising Records, in 2003.

Independent success (2003–2004)

Following the release of their mini-album, the band saw a lineup change with the addition of Andrew John Hurley (formerly of Racetraitor) on drums, Stump switching to guitar, and the departure of Raccine and Pareskuwicz. During this time, the band often played local shows at The Knights of Columbus Hall in Arlington Heights, Illinois, the site of their "Dead on Arrival" video. The same year, after signing to Fueled by Ramen, they released their first full-length album, Take This to Your Grave, on May 6, 2003. To record a proper debut, the band received an advance from Island Records which came with a right of first refusal for Island on Fall Out Boy's next album. With major financing in place, the band recorded Take This to Your Grave at the Butch Vig-owned Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, with Sean O'Keefe as producer.

In mid-2003, the band signed with Island Records which is a part of the mainstream label Island Def Jam Music Group, along with Def Jam Records. This was after it picked up the option for its next album. In the meantime of recording its mainstream debut, the band released the acoustic EP My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue on Fueled by Ramen, May 18, 2004. It debuted at #153 on the Billboard 200, the band's first such entry on the chart. The two-disc set included more acoustic performances and a fan photo gallery.

Their first single, "Sugar, We're Goin Down", peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, #6 on the Pop 100, and #3 on the Modern Rock Charts. The video reached #1 on MTV's TRL, where it was retired on August 26, 2005. The video won the MTV2 Award at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, prompting a huge new interest and surge in sales. The band was also nominated for "Best New Artist" at the 2006 Grammy Awards.

The second single off the album, "Dance, Dance", became their second Top 10 Single when it peaked at #9 on the Hot 100. It reached #6 on the Pop 100, becoming the band's highest charting single when it reached #2 on the Modern Rock Charts. The third single off the album, "A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More "Touch Me"", was much less popular than both prior singles, but still managed to peak at #65 on the Hot 100 Due to its increased success from their MTV Video Music Award, the group headlined the Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour, a pop/punk event that featured The All-American Rejects, Well-Known Secret, Hawthorne Heights, and From First to Last. The tour also featured The Hush Sound for half of the tour and October Fall for half. They played to 53 dates in the US, Canada, and the UK.

Infinity on High, Live in Phoenix and other projects (2007–2008)

In early 2007, the band released its second major label album, Infinity on High. The album had a successful debut week, selling 260,000 copies and nearly 200,000 more than their prior album did in that same time. This amount helped the album debut at number one on the Billboard 200, the band's only #1 charting on the Billboard 200. The album was retired from the Billboard 200 after 51 weeks, being the band's most successful charting, although From Under the Cork Tree charted for 77 weeks, 26 weeks longer. The album also charted at #1 on Rock Albums, #1 on Digital Albums, #1 on Tastemaker Albums, #2 on Canadian Albums, and #8 on European Albums. This charting was spurred by the single "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", which reached #2 in the US and UK. This album, along with their next album, is much more pop-orientated in sound, in contrast with their earlier albums, especially Take This to Your Grave.

Fall Out Boy then headlined the Honda Civic Tour to promote the album. Though the tour was initially postponed due to personal issues, it would take place with +44, Cobra Starship, The Academy Is... and Paul Wall as supporting acts.

A CD and DVD of live material recorded during a June 22, 2007, concert at Phoenix's Cricket Wireless Pavilion was released on April 1, 2008. Of note, the album, simply called Live in Phoenix, contains a new studio recording covering Michael Jackson's "Beat It" with John Mayer as a guest on guitar. The song premiered for the first time on Wentz's site Friends or Enemies, and was released as a single on March 25, 2008. Following its release, it debuted at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #19.

On March 18, Fall Out Boy revealed plans to play a show in Antarctica so they would in the Guinness Book of World Records as the only band to play a concert on all seven continents in less than nine months. However, weather conditions prevented them from flying to Antarctica. The following week, they began making plans for a second attempt.

Fall Out Boy collaborated with rapper T.I. for the album Paper Trail on a track entitled "Out in the Cold", but the song was left out of the final cut. T.I. told MTV that he may add some of the cut tracks to his next album.

Citizens for Our Betterment (2008)

A viral campaign was launched by Pete Wentz on August 18, 2008, to promote what is now known to be the band's fifth studio album Folie à Deux. The campaign started when the website for Decaydance Records was supposedly "hacked" by an organization called "Citizens For Our Betterment" (CFOB). Clues were left in links and images on the website, and Wentz left clues on his personal blog. On August 19, Ashlee Simpson was seen carrying a pamphlet for the organization, raising suspicion and sparking many rumors online. In the days that followed, new posts appeared on the Citizens For Our Betterment website and Wentz continued to blog, at times referring to November 4, the same day as the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Meanwhile, another band, Copeland, launched their own viral campaign. As part of it, they launched a similarly named site, CitizensFourOurBetterment.com, and spread links through various Fall Out Boy fan blogs to attract more people to their own site. Later the same day, the band made another post featuring a Buzznet video of them announcing the upcoming release of the album and explaining the name.

performing in Tinley Park, Illinois on August 15, 2009.]]

Folie à Deux (2008–2009)

On December 16, 2008, the band released its fifth studio album, Folie à Deux, as a follow-up to their 2007 album Infinity on High. The band collaborated with other artists such as Elvis Costello, Lil Wayne, Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco, Gabe Saporta of Cobra Starship, Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes, Doug, Alex DeLeon of The Cab, William Beckett of The Academy Is..., Debbie Harry of Blondie, and Pharrell Williams.

The lead single for the album, "I Don't Care", was released on September 3, 2008, on iTunes, and was number 68 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008. The second single to receive radio play was "America's Suitehearts", released on December 8, 2008. Wentz stated the song is about the ongoing Bush administration.

In January 2009 the band announced they would embark on the Believers Never Die Part Deux Tour with Cobra Starship, Metro Station, All Time Low and Hey Monday to support the Folie à Deux release. Its name is based on their 2004 "Believers Never Die Tour". The group also performed alongside Kanye West and Kid Rock at the Youth Ball for the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

On April 27, 2009 an EP was released on iTunes, titled . It contains a remix from Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus. Fall Out Boy, along with Weezer, were the opening acts for Blink-182's summer reunion tour in 2009.

Believers Never Die – Greatest Hits and indefinite hiatus (2009)

A compilation titled Believers Never Die – Greatest Hits was released on November 17, 2009. It includes the band's past singles as well as two new songs. One of the new songs was confirmed to be the full version of "Alpha Dog", a track that was previously released as a demo on the Welcome to the New Administration mixtape, and the other "From Now On We're Enemies". The album artwork, created by Daniel Danger, features two skeletons hugging; a reference to the skeletons found outside of Mantua, Italy who were found buried together while locked in an embrace. There are also numerous references to the band's career and previous works.

On November 20, 2009, the four band members announced they will be taking an indefinite hiatus, saying they were unsure of the future of the band. Bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz has said that his personal reason for taking a break is that he feels that his name and marriage to pop singer Ashlee Simpson had become a hindrance for the band. He added: "I think the world needs a little less Pete Wentz".

Unofficial breakup controversy and re-confirmation of indefinite hiatus (2010)

On February 1, 2010, bassist Pete Wentz said on Twitter, "Don't you get it? A hiatus is forever until you get lonely or old. I don't plan on either." "I can't imagine playing in FOB again." "Something would have to change in my head or my heart ... not my wallet."

On February 2, 2010, Spin Magazine released an interview they had with lead singer Patrick Stump, who replied to Pete Wentz's tweets by saying, "I'm not in Fall Out Boy right now. But one way or another, the band will always be around...Whether we play again or not, I don't know. If we do, it will be for the right reasons. If we don't, it will also be for the right reasons." Stump also told Spin.com that he was focusing on his upcoming solo career.

Later that day, drummer Andy Hurley simply tweeted, "I quit too." as guitarist Joe Trohman tweeted in reply, "fine, i quit too."

Wentz took to his blog to sum it all up saying, "I dont know the future of Fall Out Boy. It's embarrassing to say one thing and then have the future dictate another. As far as I know, Fall Out Boy is on break. (no one wants to say the “h” word). As much as I don't have a solo project, I also can't predict that I'd ever play in Fall Out Boy again, not due to personal relationships as much as a band we grew apart. In this statement I'd like to include there is the possibility that Fall Out Boy will play again with out me or I will be a part of it when everyone is on the same page. It is no ones fault and there is no animosity about the decision. I felt as fans you deserve to know. There is no singular reason for this. The side projects or bands are supported by all members of the band. I am the single biggest fan of fob and if this is our legacy than so be it. I am proud of it."

On February 4, 2010, Wentz tweeted that the band is "in the same place it ever was" and that "there is a chance it'll work out, or not." Then later, he tweeted again, saying, "Ok no more fob jokes. We['re] in the exact position we were when we decided to take a break".

On February 6, 2010, E! Online reported that Wentz had told them "We're just on a break," and that he is more focused on being a father right now than he is on Fall Out Boy. Pete lastly added, "...I think I'll be OK. It's too soon to say that we'll be back. We just got burned out."

Pete Wentz has also revealed that he has e-mailed lead singer Patrick Stump and that they are still on good terms with each other. Additionally, Wentz stated that he believes the whole event has been "blown out of proportion".

Post–Fall Out Boy projects (2010)

After the announcement of the band's break, Fall Out Boy members moved on to new musical endeavors. Joseph Trohman and Andy Hurley teamed up with Keith Buckley from Every Time I Die, Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano from Anthrax and David Karon to form the heavy metal band The Damned Things. The supergroup released their debut album Ironiclast in December 2010. Hurley also plays in the hardcore band Burning Empires, featuring Matt Mixon of 7 Angels 7 Plagues, and Stuart Ross, Ryan Morgan, and Kyle Johnson of Misery Signals. Hurley will also temporarily act as a live fill in for Dennis Merrick during Earth Crisis' 2010 "The Wrath of Sanity" tours, and continue working on his record label, Fuck City.

Patrick Stump began producing his debut solo album, officially confirmed to be called Soul Punk, in January 2010. The album features no guest musicians as Stump plays all of the instruments himself. He considers the album a "big, convoluted way to get me to play drums again, because I really just miss playing drums." The album is expected to be released in February 2011. The music sheet of "Spotlight" was released on Patrick Stump's official website. It currently features two versions of the song, which the public can download for free and vote for their favourite. The most popular song will be put into the album.

In July 2010, Pete Wentz, with singer Bebe Rexha, formed the ska/electropop band Black Cards, a project inspired by a discussion Wentz had with producer Sam Hollander about mashing up ska, dance and reggae with 80s British rock and pop to create a new experimental sound. The band plan to release their debut in early 2011. He also continues his family life with his wife, Ashlee Simpson, and son, Bronx as well as managing his already established clothing label, film production company and two bars in Chicago and Barcelona. More recently, Wentz acts as spokesperson of UNICEF's Tap Project, a fundraising project that helps bring clean drinking water to people worldwide. Wentz has also expressed his interest in working on new music projects, though he hopes to move outside the limitations of the common 4/4 time signature of pop music. Commenting on this, Wentz stated, "I have ideas that extend beyond [a 4/4 time signature] and I guess I scratched a lottery ticket enough that, because of my band, people let me do these (other) ideas, and some of them are good, some of them are not so good." Fall Out Boy has been described as emo and cites emo group The Get Up Kids as an influence. When interviewed for a retrospective article in Alternative Press at the time The Get Up Kids disbanded in 2005, Pete Wentz stated that "Fall Out Boy would not be a band if it were not for The Get Up Kids." Early in the band's career, when Jared Logan was producing their debut album, he asked bassist Pete Wentz what sound the band desired for recording. Wentz responded by "handing over the first two New Found Glory records".

A central part of Fall Out Boy's sound is rooted in the band's lyrics, mainly penned by bassist Pete Wentz, who commonly uses irony and other literary devices to narrate personal experience and stories. and Infinity on High features a wide range of styles and instrumentation, including orchestral and choral arrangements ("Thnks fr th Mmrs" and "You're Crashing, But You're No Wave") and a slower piano ballad ("Golden"). On Folie à Deux, Fall Out Boy continues to evolve their sound, increasing the use of piano ("What a Catch, Donnie", "Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet", and "20 Dollar Nose Bleed"), synthesizers, and guest artists. The band also shows a number of influences, with the opening track borrowing a chord sequence from The Who song "Baba O'Riley" and "What a Catch, Donnie" referencing Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway in both sound and lyrics.

The band has worked with many producers and artists, including The Neptunes, Timbaland, Lil' Wayne and Kanye West, who Patrick Stump described as "the Prince of his generation." Following the news that Fall Out Boy would be taking a break, Rock Sound revealed that Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley have teamed up with members of Every Time I Die and Anthrax to create a metal supergroup called The Damned Things.

Band members

Patrick Stump – lead vocals (2001–2009), rhythm guitar (2003–2009)

Joe Trohman – lead guitar, backing vocals (2001–2009)

Pete Wentz – bass, backing vocals (2001–2009)

Andy Hurley – drums, percussion (2003–2009)

Former members

T.J. "Raccine" Kunasch – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2001–2003)

Mike Pareskuwicz – drums, percussion (2001–2003)

Discography

Studio albums

Fall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend (2003)

Take This to Your Grave (2003)

From Under the Cork Tree (2005)

Infinity on High (2007)

Folie à Deux (2008)

Awards

|- || 2005 || "Sugar, We're Goin Down" || MTV Video Music Award - MTV2 Award || |- |rowspan="7"| 2006 || "Dance, Dance" || MuchMusic Video Award - People's Choice: Favorite International Group || |- || "Sugar, We're Goin Down" || Kerrang! Award - Best Video || |- || "Dance, Dance" || Teen Choice Award - Rock Track || |- || "Dance, Dance" || Teen Choice Award - Single || |- || Fall Out Boy || Teen Choice Award - Rock Group || |- || Fall Out Boy || MTV Video Music Award - Viewer's Choice || |- || Fall Out Boy || Grammy Award - Best New Artist || |- |rowspan="5"| 2007 || "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" || Kerrang! Award - Best Video || |- || "Thnks fr th Mmrs" || Teen Choice Award - Single || |- || Fall Out Boy || Teen Choice Award - Best Group || |- || Fall Out Boy || MTV Video Music Award - Best Group || |- || "Thnks fr th Mmrs" || Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award - Single || |- |rowspan="7"| 2008 || ""The Take Over, the Breaks Over"" || MuchMusic Video Award - People's Choice: Favorite International Video || |- || Fall Out Boy || TMF Award - Best Live International || |- || Fall Out Boy || TMF Award - Best Rock International || |- || Fall Out Boy || TMF Award - Best Alternative International || |- || "Beat It" || MTV Video Music Award - Best Rock Video || |- || Fall Out Boy || Teen Choice Award - Choice Rock Group || |- || Pete Wentz || Teen Choice Award - Choice Hotties || |- || 2009 || "I Don't Care" || NRJ Music Award - Best International Band ||

References

External links

Official website

Category:Fall Out Boy Category:2000s music groups Category:American pop punk musical groups Category:American emo musical groups Category:Musical groups from Chicago, Illinois Category:Musical quartets Category:Wilmette, Illinois Category:Decaydance Records artists Category:Fueled by Ramen artists Category:Musical groups established in 2001 Category:Crush Management artists Category:American pop rock music groups Category:Kerrang! Awards winners

{{Infobox musical artist| | Name = The Veronicas | Img = The Veronicas 2009.jpg | Img_capt = The Veronicas. | Born = | Background = group_or_band | Origin = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | Genre = Alternative rock, Electro-rock, Electropop, Pop punk,

Background

In 2004, Lisa Origliasso and Jessica Origliasso were introduced to the Music Director of The Bell Hughes Music Group (BHMG), Hayden Bell. After producing some demo recordings with the twins, Bell invited them to sign a publishing agreement with Excalibur Productions (a subsidiary of BHMG). In the process, Bell helped facilitate their progression in musical style from acoustic pop to the more rhythmic rock pop approach that is now their trademark. On the strength of these demos, Bell took them to meet the executives at Engine Room (a subsidiary of PBL (Packer) Group) and they were immediately signed to a production deal.

To further develop their song writing skills, Bell connected them with several internationally acclaimed songwriters and producers including Clif Magness (who has written for Avril Lavigne), Billy Steinberg (Madonna, Cyndi Lauper), Max Martin (Britney Spears, Katy Perry, P!nk), Eric Nova, Dead Mono and Vince DeGiorgio, where they created a catalogue of over 50 songs.

Meetings were then arranged with Warner Bros. Records in the USA. Seymour Stein and senior executives recognised that Bell had indeed discovered and developed a musical talent, signing them quickly to a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records/Sire America, for a reported sum of 2 million dollars.

Bell then took one of The Veronicas' songs titled "All About Us" and placed it with the Russian girl group t.A.T.u; it became a massive worldwide hit. In Australia, he placed the song "What's Goin' On" with Casey Donovan and the song "Faded" for Kate DeAraugo. Both of these artists were winners of the Australian Idol Competition. "What's Going On" was also placed by Bell on the Japanese pop singer Miz's album. And "Faded" was also placed on German electronica group Cascada's album Perfect Day.

Band name

Regarding how they chose their name, Jess Origliasso stated: "The name is something we thought about for a short time, and we wanted it to be a girl's name, but we didn't want it to be 'the Jesses.' We were very conscious of not wanting to make it a twin thing, because we don't think that's really cool." "We didn't want it to be called 'the Lisas,' either," singer Lisa Origliasso added. "So one day we saw the movie Heathers, and there's a line where Christian Slater asks, 'Are you a Heather?' and Winona Ryder's character answers, 'No, I'm a Veronica,' and so we went with that, because she was this kind of cool, unique chick with an attitude."

However, some believe that Archie Comics character Veronica Lodge had some influence on the naming, including people at Archie Comics themselves, who launched legal action against the group for trademark infringement, in an attempt to stop them from using the name. Archie comics had asked Warner Music Group to hand over all publicity rights and to pay US$200 million dollars in damages. Of this amount $20 million dollars was for damages and $180 million as a penalty against Warner. The issue (#167) featured a card with a code allowing a free download of their single "4ever" in MP3 form. A few months later, Archie and Friends (#100) featured The Archies meeting The Veronicas. The next issue of Archie and Friends (#101) also featured The Veronicas, with Archie as their biggest fan.

Music career

2005–2007: The Secret Life of...

The Veronicas debut album, entitled The Secret Life of..., was released in Australia on 17 October 2005, entering the ARIA Album charts at the position of #7. Since then, it has peaked at #2 and gone 4x Platinum. Due to the success of the album, five singles were released in Australia: "4ever", "Everything I'm Not", "When It All Falls Apart", "Revolution" and "Leave Me Alone". The song "4ever" was featured on the website of Curly Grrlz Skateboards.

The Secret Life of the Veronicas spent a year in the ARIA album charts without leaving the top 40. They won "Best Pop Release" but lost the other two to other nominees. The girls also performed their 2nd single "Everything I'm Not" on the night.

The album was released in the US on 14 February 2006; it debuted at #133 on Billboard 200 and #3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. Only two singles were released in the United States off the album. A special DVD was released with the US version as a limited edition exclusive. The limited edition included two extra songs and videos, and was only available online. However, copies have been found to have been shipped to several stores in Australia as well. Other releases in the US include Sessions@AOL which features their songs "Heavily Broken" and "Revolution" live in the AOL studios, also released was which also features live performances of their songs including a new song, entitled "Stay".

The album has also had success in other countries such as New Zealand where it debuted at #5, #75 on the Dutch Album Charts and #11 in Belgium. Due to their chart success in Belgium, they won the award for Best International New Artist at the TMF Awards of 2006. "When It All Falls Apart" spent a record of 17 weeks of MTV Asia's Pop 10 Chart, in which 7 of them were at the number 1 spot. The song was recorded in Simlish and is featured in the Sims 2 expansion pack Seasons.

Lisa and Jessica are the faces of Choice Calvin Klein and Australian hair product company nu:u. The sisters sang the title song on the short-lived television show Related which had featured songs from their debut album. They appeared in an episode that aired 6 February 2006. In March 2006, their debut single "4ever" was featured in the Amanda Bynes comedy She's the Man. It was featured in the promotional television spots, the film itself and the soundtrack. Their song "Revolution" appeared in another Amanda Bynes film, "Sydney White", in 2007.

The girls also appeared on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody episode "The Suite Life Goes Hollywood" as guest stars and performed their song "Cry". The twins have also created a fashion line called "The Veronicas for Target" which was released in stores on 25 August 2007 in Australia.

On 2 December 2006 The Veronicas released a CD/DVD, entitled Exposed... The Secret Life of The Veronicas in Australia which features live performances from their Australian 2006 Revolution Tour and a DVD featuring parts of the sisters' live performances throughout 2005–2006, including footage that had previously not been seen, and their music videos. The album debuted at #6 on the ARIA DVD Charts accrediting platinum in its first week. The second week it rose to its peak of #3 and was accredited Double Platinum.

2007–2009: Hook Me Up

In 2007, the Veronicas began work on their second album. The album was written and recorded in Los Angeles with Toby Gad, Billy Steinberg and John Feldmann.

Hook Me Up was released in Australia on 3 November 2007. The album debuted at number two on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart with sales of 9,531 copies in its first week, and was certified Gold. It has since gone 2x platinum. The album became the twenty-eighth highest selling album in Australia for 2007. Hook Me Up was released in the UK on 12 October 2009 and has peaked at number thirty-five.

The lead single from the album, "Hook Me Up", was added to Australian radio on 27 August 2007, but was physically released on 22 September 2007. It debuted at number five, eventually reaching number one after seven weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart, making it their first number one hit in Australia.

in Melbourne|200px|right]]

"Untouched" was the first single to be released from their album in the United States, Canada, Europe and New Zealand. The song reached number 2 in Australia eventually reaching platinum accredation. The song became their first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 first debuting at number sixty-two and eventually peaking at number seventeen making it their first top twenty hit in the United States. They became the first Australian artists to have a single Certified Platinum in the U.S. with over 1,000,000 paid downloads. It was also their debut single in the UK, peaking at number eight and in Ireland peaking at number one, their first international number-one single

Their third and fourth singles "This Love" and "Take Me on the Floor" were both top ten hits hits in Australia and were both certified Gold. On 11 October, their fifth single, "Popular" was released digitally in Australia. It has only gained heavy airplay and peaked at #11 on the Australian Airplay Chart.

Their debut single "4ever" was rereleased as their second single in the UK and Ireland on 21 September 2009 and has peaked at number 17 in the UK and twenty in Ireland.

In support of the album, The Veronicas embarked on their third Australian tour The Hook Me Up Tour in 2007. The tour, which began on 30 November and concluded on 12 December, was held in eight major cities around Australia.

On 16 October 2008 The Veronicas announced their second tour for the album, Revenge Is Sweeter tour, which was their first tour to extend into New Zealand, United States, Canada, UK and Japan beginning on 13 February 2009 in Newcastle, Australia and ending on 25 September 2009 in Manchester, UK as well as a European promotional tour which included France, Germany and Italy. As part of their tour in Japan they released a two disc compilation album called The Veronicas Complete featuring all their songs from their first and second albums as well as three bonus tracks on 18 March 2009. On September 2008 the nominees for the 22nd annual ARIA Awards were announced, with The Veronicas receiving four nominations. Hook Me Up received 2 nominations for Best Pop Release and Highest Selling Album and Untouched and Hook Me Up (single) received a nomination for Highest Selling Single each. The Veronicas performed their hit single "Untouched" at the event, but left with no awards.

2010-present: Third studio album

Writing for their third studio album had begun while on their Revenge Is Sweeter tour during May but an official announcement was made on Twitter on 8 October 2009 by Jess that work would begin on the up-coming album. The album will have a different sound with them confirming that they will work with Suzi Quatro. On Christmas Day they posted a clip online to wish fans a Merry Christmas and accompanied the clip with a preview of a song that will be on their third studio album. The song is called "Could've Been" which is a ballad which they did a live acoustic performance for on the clip. According to Jess they are writing and recording in Brisbane with Jungle George, citing influences from artists such as The Subways, The Dead Weather, Mazzy Star, Ladytron and Peaches. On the 5 March 2010 Lisa and Jess performed at Dusk in Atlantic City. There they played the crowd the song 'Victim' for the first time. In June 2010, singer Michael Paynter released a new single titled, "Love the Fall" which features backing vocals from The Veronicas. They are also featured in the song's music video. On 15 August 2010, they previewed three new songs at The Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The songs were "Woah Oh," "Set It Off," and "Heart Like a Boat."

The girls recently recorded a cover of Grown Up Christmas List for the holiday season. On the 22nd of October it was released on iTunes for the annual Myer Christmas compilation album titled 'The Spirit Of Christmas 2010'.

The girls are currently working on their third studio album, which is set to be released in the first quarter of 2011.

Philanthropy

In 2006, The Veronicas joined Steve Irwin's Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, a charity that deals with the protection of animals and their natural environments. The band was also featured in an Australian public service announcement campaign against music piracy targeting schools, labeled Australian Music In Tune. Other successful Australian artists included were Powderfinger, Jimmy Barnes and Silverchair.

Work for this charity has included a texting competition to reach two-thousand text messages in the hopes of raising one thousand dollars. In January 2009, it was announced Jess would pose nude for PETA after getting attention from a member of the organization.

Lisa also marched alongside Drew Barrymore, Pete Wentz, Janice Dickinson and other celebrities in support of gay marriage in California at a May 2009 march in Los Angeles protesting the 26 May 2009 decision of the California Supreme Court ruling upholding Proposition 8. They also joined a "Wear it with Pride" campaign to reform same-sex laws in Australia for the 85 legislative changes made in 2010 to overturn discrimination against same-sex couples and their families. The campaign involved them wearing numbered T-shirts representing each legislative change. In 2010 Lisa and Jessica were honoured as Wildlife Warriors of the year for their efforts in publicizing animal protection and conservation on a worldwide scale.

Products and endorsements

The Veronicas range of endorsements have included Australian hair products Nu:U and were also chosen to be the faces of the fall 2005 promotional campaign for Choice Calvin Klein range. In 2006 they entered into a co-marketing deal with shoe brand Keds for their first US tour. The deal included web promotions and in-store acoustic performances at selected stores. They became ambassadors for the fragrance with the deal to including a multi-million dollar promotion during mid-2010 which also included giving make-up tips via the Rock-n-Rebel website and judged a beauty contest where young women were asked to submit photos of their "ultimate rock star style".

On 25 August 2007, The Veronicas launched their self-titled fashion line at Target Miranda store and is available in stores around Australia. According to the girls the fashion line was created to reflect their style which had been sought after by their younger fans and what they would like to see younger girls wear. The colours used for their fashion line include black and white and also features cherries, pirate motifs and love heart details. The current clothing range includes day-wear and pyjamas.

Discography

Studio albums

The Secret Life of... (2005)

Hook Me Up (2007)

TBA (2011)

Awards and nominations

Tours

Revenge Is Sweeter tour (2006-2008)

References

External links

Official website

Official Website

Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:ARIA Award winners Category:Feminist artists Category:Musical groups established in 2004 Category:Girl groups Category:Identical twins Category:Australian singers of Italian descent Category:People from Brisbane Category:Pop punk singers Category:Queensland musical groups Category:Sibling duos Category:Sicilian Australians Category:Australian vegans

Name	John Mayer
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	John Clayton Mayer
Born	October 16, 1977Bridgeport, Connecticut
Origin	Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Instrument	Guitar, vocals, omnichord, piano, vibraphone, percussion
Genre	Blues rock, pop rock, blue-eyed soul, acoustic rock, soft rock
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, graphic designer, columnist, comedian
Years active	–present
Label	Arista, Aware, Columbia
Associated acts	John Mayer Trio
Url
Notable instruments	Fender StratocasterMartin GuitarsGibson Guitars

John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he attended Fairfield Warde High School. He then attended Berklee College of Music in Boston before moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1997, where he refined his skills and gained a following. His first two studio albums, Room for Squares and Heavier Things, did well commercially, achieving multi-platinum status. In 2003, he won a Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for "Your Body Is a Wonderland".

Mayer began his career performing mainly acoustic rock, but gradually began a transition towards the blues genre in 2005 by collaborating with renowned blues artists such as B. B. King, Buddy Guy, and Eric Clapton, and by forming the John Mayer Trio. The blues influence can be heard on his album Continuum, released in September 2006. At the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007 Mayer won Best Pop Vocal Album for Continuum and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Waiting on the World to Change". He released his fourth studio album, Battle Studies, in November 2009.

Mayer's career pursuits have extended to stand-up comedy, design, and writing; he has written pieces for magazines, most notably for Esquire. He is also involved in philanthropic activities through his "Back to You" fund. Several high-profile romantic relationships and his involvement with the media caused him to become a tabloid staple, beginning in 2006.

Early life

Mayer was born on October 16, 1977 in Bridgeport, Connecticut to Margaret, an English teacher, and Richard, a high school principal. He grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut, the second of three children. Mayer is Jewish on his father's side, and has said that he "relat[es] to Judaism". Growing up in Fairfield, Mayer became friends with future tennis star James Blake. He attended Fairfield Warde High School (then called Andrew Warde High School), although he was enrolled in the Center for Global Studies at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk for his junior year. (Then known as the Center for Japanese Studies Abroad, it is a magnet program for students wanting to learn Japanese.) During an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Mayer said that he had played the clarinet for a while in middle school, with minor success. After watching Michael J. Fox's guitar performance as Marty McFly in Back to the Future, Mayer became fascinated with the instrument, and when he turned 13, his father rented one for him.

Soon after, a neighbor gave him a Stevie Ray Vaughan cassette, which began Mayer’s intense love of the blues. Mayer started taking lessons from a local guitar-shop owner, and soon became consumed with playing the instrument. His singular focus concerned his parents, and they took him twice to see a psychiatrist—but Mayer was determined to be fine. Mayer considered skipping college to pursue his music, but the disapproval of his parents dissuaded him from doing so. Shortly thereafter, he began suffering from panic attacks, and lived with the fear of having to enter a mental institution. After graduation, he worked for fifteen months at a gas station until he saved enough money to buy a 1996 Stevie Ray Vaughan signature Stratocaster.

Career

Early career

John Mayer enrolled in the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, at age nineteen. In Atlanta they formed a two-man band called LoFi Masters and began performing in local coffee houses and club venues such as Eddie's Attic. As a result, the two parted ways, and Mayer embarked on a solo career. Mayer and LaBruyere then began to perform throughout Georgia and nearby states.

Major label success

Mayer’s reputation began to build, and a March 2000 appearance at South by Southwest brought him to the attention of "launch" label, Aware Records. After including him in the Aware Festival concerts and having his songs included on Aware compilations, in early 2001, Aware released Mayer’s internet-only album entitled, Room for Squares. During that time, Aware inked a deal with Columbia Records that gave Columbia first pick in signing Aware artists, and so in September of the same year, Columbia remixed and re-released Room for Squares. As part of the major label "debut", the album's artwork was updated, and the track "3x5" was added. The re-release also included reworked studio versions of the first four songs from his indie album, Inside Wants Out.

By the end of 2002, Room for Squares had spawned several radio hits, including "No Such Thing," "Your Body Is a Wonderland", and ultimately, "Why Georgia". In 2003, Mayer won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Your Body Is a Wonderland." In his acceptance speech he remarked, "This is very, very fast, and I promise to catch up." He also figuratively referred to himself as being sixteen, a remark that many mistook to mean that he was only sixteen years old at the time.

In 2003, Mayer released a live CD and DVD of a concert in Birmingham, Alabama entitled, Any Given Thursday. The concert featured songs previously not recorded, such as "Man on the Side" (co-written with Cook) and "Something's Missing", which later appeared on Heavier Things. The concert also included "Covered In Rain". According to the accompanying DVD documentary, this song is "part two" of the song "City Love", which features the line "covered in rain". Commercially, the album quickly peaked at number seventeen on the Billboard 200 chart. The CD/DVD received conservative, although consistent, praise, with critics torn between his pop-idol image, and (at the time) emerging guitar prowess. Erik Crawford (of Allmusic) asked "Is he the consummate guitar hero exemplified when he plays a cover of Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Lenny', or is he the teen idol that the pubescent girls shriek for after he plays 'Your Body Is a Wonderland?'"

Heavier Things, Mayer's second album, was released in 2003 to generally favorable reviews. Rolling Stone, Allmusic and Blender all gave positive, although reserved, feedback. PopMatters said that it "doesn't have as many drawbacks as one might assume". The album was commercially successful, and while it did not sell as well as Room for Squares, it peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. Mayer earned his first number one single with the song "Daughters" as well as a 2005 Grammy for Song of the Year, beating out fellow contenders Alicia Keys and Kanye West. He dedicated the award to his grandmother, Annie Hoffman, who died in May 2004. He also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, beating Elvis Costello, Prince, and Seal for the award. In his February 9, 2009 interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Mayer said that he thought he shouldn't have won the Grammy for Song of the year because he thought that Alicia Keys' If I Ain't Got You was the better song. Because of this, he removed the top half of the Grammy and gave it to Keys, and kept the bottom part for himself. At the 37th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2006, Mayer was honored with the Hal David Starlight Award.

Mayer again recorded live concerts across seven nights of his U.S. tour in 2004. These recordings were released to the iTunes music store under the title as/is, indicating that the errors were included along with the good moments. A few months later, a "best of" CD was compiled from the as/is nights. The album included a previously unreleased cover of Marvin Gaye's song "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", featuring a solo from Mayer's support act—jazz and blues turntablist, DJ Logic. All the album covers of the as/is releases feature drawings of anthropomorphic bunnies.

, John Mayer and Steve Jobs at Macworld 11, SF Moscone Center.]] With increased exposure, Mayer's talent came into demand in other areas. Steve Jobs invited Mayer to perform during the keynote address of Apple's annual Macworld Conference & Expo, in January 2004, as Jobs introduced the software application GarageBand. The gig led to Mayer becoming a fixture of the event. He rejoined Jobs on stage for a solo performance at Macworld 2007, following the announcement of the iPhone. Mayer has also done endorsements, such as a Volkswagen commercial for the Beetle's guitar outlet and for the BlackBerry Curve.

Change in musical direction

Mayer began to collaborate extensively, often working with artists outside of his own genre. He appeared on Common's song "Go!" and on Kanye West's "Bittersweet Poetry". Following these collaborations, Mayer received praise from rap heavyweights Jay-Z and Nelly. When asked about his presence in the hip hop community, Mayer said, "It's not music out there right now. That's why, to me, hip-hop is where rock used to be."

It was around this time that Mayer began hinting a change in his musical interests, announcing that he was "closing up shop on acoustic sensitivity."

John Mayer Trio

This sample features an extended electric guitar solo.}}

In the spring of 2005, Mayer formed the John Mayer Trio with bassist Pino Palladino and drummer Steve Jordan, both of whom he had met through previous studio sessions. The trio played a combination of blues and rock music. In October 2005, the Trio opened for The Rolling Stones during a sold-out club tour of their own, and that November, released a live album called Try! The band took a break in mid-2006. In September 2006, Mayer announced plans for the Trio to begin work on a future studio album.

Continuum era

Mayer's third studio album, titled Continuum, was released on September 12, 2006, and was produced by Mayer and Steve Jordan. Mayer suggested the album was intended to combine his signature pop music with the feel, sound, groove, and sensibilities of the blues. In that vein, two of the tracks from his trio release Try!—the funky "Vultures" and the blues centerpiece "Gravity"—also were included on Continuum.

The first single from Continuum was "Waiting on the World to Change", which debuted on The Ron and Fez Show. The song was the third most downloaded song of the week on the iTunes Music Store following its release on July 11, 2006, and debuted at #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. On August 23, 2006, Mayer debuted the entire album on the Los Angeles radio station Star 98.7, giving commentary on each track. A subsequent version was released the next day on the Clear Channel Music website as a streaming sneak preview. On September 21, 2006, Mayer appeared on , playing "Waiting on the World to Change" and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room." The song "Gravity" was featured on the television series House in the episode "Cane & Able" and Numb3rs. He recorded a session for the British program Live From Abbey Road at Abbey Road Studios on October 22, 2006.

On December 7, 2006, Mayer was nominated for five 2007 Grammys, including "Album of the Year." The John Mayer Trio also received a nomination for their album, Try!. He won two: Best Pop Song with Vocal for "Waiting on the World to Change" and Best Pop Album for Continuum. Mayer remixed an acoustic version of his single "Waiting on the World to Change" with vocal additions from fellow musician Ben Harper. In preparation for recording Continuum, Mayer had booked the Village Recorder in Los Angeles to record five demo acoustic versions of his songs with veteran musician Robbie McIntosh. These recordings became The Village Sessions, an EP released on December 12, 2006. As usual, Mayer oversaw the artwork of the release.

Mayer was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone (#1020) in February 2007, along with John Frusciante and Derek Trucks. He was named as one of the "New Guitar Gods," and the cover nicknamed him "Slowhand, Jr.," a reference to Eric Clapton.

On November 20, 2007, the re-issue of Continuum became available online and in stores. The release contains a bonus disc of six live songs from his 2007 tour: five from Continuum and a cover of the Ray Charles song "I Don't Need No Doctor". His new single, "Say", also became available through iTunes. On December 6, 2007, "Belief" was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. He accompanied Alicia Keys on guitar on her song "No One" at the ceremony.

In February 2008, Mayer hosted a three-day Caribbean cruise event that included performances with various musicians including David Ryan Harris, Brett Dennen, Colbie Caillat and Dave Barnes, among others. The event was called "The Mayercraft Carrier" and was held aboard the cruise ship known as the Carnival Victory. A follow up cruise titled "Mayercraft Carrier 2" set sail from Long Beach, California on March 27–31, 2009 on the Carnival Splendor.

On July 1, 2008, Mayer released Where the Light Is a live concert film of Mayer's performance at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 8, 2007. The film was directed by Danny Clinch. It features an acoustic set and a set with the John Mayer Trio, followed by a set with John's band from the Continuum album. The DVD and Bluray bonus material includes footage of Mayer backstage and playing outside on Mulholland Drive.

Australian artist Guy Sebastian invited Mayer to collaborate on three songs from his 2009 album Like it Like That. Mayer also played guitar on the title track of Crosby Loggins's debut LP, Time to Move, released on July 10, 2009.

On July 7, 2009, Mayer performed an instrumental guitar version of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" at Jackson's memorial service.

Battle Studies

On November 17, 2009, Mayer's fourth studio album, Battle Studies, was released and debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. The album consists of 11 tracks with a total time of 45 minutes. The first single from the album, "Who Says", was released on September 24, 2009 in advance of album, and was followed on October 19 by the single "Heartbreak Warfare". Despite the album's commercial success, critics were mixed with their praise; while some reviews were glowing, calling it his "most adventurous", others called the album "safe" and noted that "Mayer the singer-songwriter and Mayer the man about town sometimes seem disconnected, like they don’t even belong in the same body." Mayer himself admitted to Rolling Stone that he thought Battle Studies was not his best album.

Other projects

Philanthropic activities

In 2002, Mayer began the "Back To You" Fund, a non-profit organization that focuses on fundraising in the areas of health care, education, the arts, and talent development. The foundation raises funds through the auction of exclusive John Mayer items, such as guitar picks, t-shirts, and signed CDs, made available on Mayer's auction site. The auctions have been successful, with some tickets selling for more than seventeen times their face value.

In an April 2007 blog entry, Mayer announced a new effort to help reverse global warming, dubbed "Another Kind of Green" (originally "Light Green", but changed because of copyright concerns). He envisioned it mostly as a line of "products that are cheap, easy alternatives to cut down on plastics," and encouraging others to do the same through his blog. He has also converted his tour bus to bio-diesel fuel. In the summer of 2007, the environmental advocacy group Reverb set up informational booths and helped his crew conserve energy on his tour dates.

Mayer has performed at a number of benefits and telethons for charity throughout his career. In response to the Virginia Tech massacre, Mayer (along with Dave Matthews Band, Phil Vassar, and Nas) performed a free concert at Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium on September 6, 2007. On December 8, 2007, Mayer hosted the First Annual Charity Revue, a tradition he has continued each year. Charities who have benefited from the concerts include Toys for Tots, Inner City Arts, and the Los Angeles Mission. Both CDs and DVDs of the first concert were released under the title "Where the Light Is" in July 2008. It has not been announced whether the DVD proceeds will go to charity or not. Mayer also appeared on Songs for Tibet, a celebrity initiative to support Tibet and the Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso.

Design

In a Rolling Stone interview, Mayer recalled that after former Columbia Records head, Don Ienner, panned Continuum, he briefly considered quitting music and studying design full time. The guitar was limited to a run of only 404, an Atlanta area code. This model was followed by the release of two Fender signature Stratocaster electric guitars, beginning in 2005. A third Stratocaster, finished in charcoal frost metallic paint with a racing stripe, was also a limited-release, with only 100 guitars made. In January, 2006, Martin Guitars released the Martin OMJM John Mayer acoustic guitar. The guitar was intended to have many of the attributes of the Martin OM-28 John Mayer but with a more affordable price tag. In August 2006, Fender started manufacturing SERIES II John Mayer Stratocasters. The new Olympic white with mint green pickguard and cream plastics replaced the shoreline gold model. In January 2007, Two Rock collaborated with Mayer on custom-designed amps. Only 25 (all signed by Mayer himself) were made available to the public. June 2007 saw the release of the "album art" guitar, with the Continuum motif repeated on the face of the instrument, as well as a 500-run John Mayer signature Fender Stratocaster in Cypress-Mica. Included with the limited Cypress-Mica model was the INCSvsJM gig bag that Mayer collaborated on with Incase designs. Not surprisingly, Mayer is a passionate collector of guitars, and in 2006 his collection was estimated at more than 200. The winner was Tim Fagan of L.A., as announced in the following January's issue.

Mayer has been active online, and has maintained four blogs: a MySpace page, a blog at his official site, another at Honeyee.com, one at tumblr.com, as well as a photoblog at StunningNikon.com. He also is one of the most-followed persons on the micro-blogging site Twitter, reaching 3 million followers in January 2010. Although his posts often deal with career-related matters, they also contain jokes, videos, photos, his convictions, and his personal activities; they sometimes overlap in content. He is noted for writing the blogs himself, and not through a publicist. In the mid-2000s, stand-up comedy became a sporadic hobby of Mayer's.

Television

In 2004, Mayer hosted a one-shot, half-hour comedy special on VH1 entitled John Mayer Has a TV Show, with antics including wearing a bear suit while anonymously teasing concertgoers in the parking lot outside one of his concerts. The American network CBS announced on January 14, 2009 that they were in negotiations with Mayer for a variety show; it may air as a special or as a regular series. In an interview with Rolling Stone, posted online on January 22, 2010, Mayer confirmed that the program, also called John Mayer Has a TV Show, was still in development, and that personnel were being hired. He described the concept as "a high quality music performance show, where I could also steer it a little bit. It's about there being a bastion of artists being made to look good and sound good.".

Mayer has made many appearances on talk shows and other television programs, most notably, on a Chappelle's Show comedy skit, Late Night with David Letterman and on the final episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

Mayer made an appearance with Rob Dyrdek in the MTV show Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, in which Mayer helped Dyrdek write a song dedicated to Dyrdek's mother.

Touring

Mayer has toured with many musical groups, including Maroon 5, Guster, Howie Day, Mat Kearney, Counting Crows, Ben Folds, The Wallflowers, Teitur, Brett Dennen, Sheryl Crow, Colbie Caillat, Train, OneRepublic and Paramore. Crow and Mayer, who had just previously appeared on the Cars Soundtrack together, co-headlined a tour that ran from August to October 2006. In 2007, Mayer toured Europe, hoping to reach the popularity abroad that he enjoys in North America. The initial North American Continuum tour ended on February 28, 2007, with a show at Madison Square Garden, a performance which the New York Post described as "career-defining." In 2010, Mayer and Keith Urban performed at a CMT Crossroads concert which saw Mayer and Urban performing a medley of their own songs together and a rendition of George Michael's single, "Faith". This performance was led to Urban and Mayer teaming up again for future performances, including at the 2010 CMT Awards.

Mayer allows audio taping at most of his live performances, and he also allows for the non-commercial trading of those recordings. He does this to give fans the opportunity to recreate the live experience, and to encourage fan interaction.

Touring band members

;Current members

David Ryan Harris – guitar, backing vocals (2003–present)

Robbie McIntosh – guitar, slide guitar, backing vocals (2006–present)

Sean Hurley – bass, backing vocals (2008–present)

Charlie Wilson – keyboards (2009–present)

Keith Carlock - drums, percussion (2010–present)

Bob Reynolds – saxophones, flute (2006–2008, 2010–present)

Bryan Lipps - trumpet (2010–present)

;Former members

David LaBruyere – bass (1999–2008)

Nir Z - drums (2001)

Matt Mangano - guitar (2001)

Matt Johnson - drums (2002)

Stephen Chopek – drums, percussion (2001–2002)

Michael Chaves – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2001–2005)

Kevin Lovejoy – keyboards (2003–2004)

Erik Jekabsen – trumpet, flugelhorn (2003–2004)

Chris Karlic – saxophone, flute (2003–2005)

J.J. Johnson – drums (2003–2005, 2006–2008)

Onree Gill – keyboards (2004–2005)

Chuck McKinnon – trumpet, flugelhorn (2004–2005)

Ricky Peterson – keyboards, organ, backing vocals (2006–2007)

Tim Bradshaw – keyboards, organ, lap steel guitar, backing vocals (2007–2008)

Kenna Ramsey - backing vocals (2009–2010)

Melanie Taylor - backing vocals (2009–2010)

Steve Jordan – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2003, 2005–2006, 2009–2010)

Brad Mason - trumpet, flugelhorn (2006–2008)

Personal life

Mayer follows the discipline of Krav Maga. He hosts an annual Interfaith Baking Contest, in which he judges his favorite from pictures of baked goods sent in by his fans during the end-of-year, holiday season.

Mayer has a number of tattoos. These include: "Home" and "Life" (from the song title) on the back of his left and right arms respectively, "77" (his year of birth) on the left side of his chest, and a koi-like fish on his right shoulder. His entire left arm is covered in a sleeve tattoo that he acquired gradually, ending in April 2008; it includes: "SRV" (for his idol, Stevie Ray Vaughan) on his shoulder, a decorated rectangle on his biceps, a dragon-like figure on his inner arm, and various other floral designs. In 2003, he got a tattoo of three squares on his right forearm, which, he has explained, he will fill in gradually. As of 2010, two are filled.

He is an avid collector of watches and owns timepieces worth tens of thousands of dollars. Mayer also has an extensive collection of sneakers, estimated () at more than 200 pairs.

Mayer's parents concluded an uncontested divorce on May 27, 2009. After the divorce, Mayer moved his (82-year-old) father to an assisted-living facility in Los Angeles. Despite rumors to the contrary, Mayer did not date Heidi Klum in 2003. When Ryan Seacrest asked Mayer on the red carpet of the 2007 Grammy Awards, about his relationship with Simpson, Mayer responded in Japanese. Despite some initially conflicting translations, he said, "Jessica is a lovely woman, and I'm glad to be with her." Simpson also accompanied Mayer for a portion of his 2007 Continuum tour, and the two went on a trip to Rome in March of that year. However, the couple split in May 2007. He began dating actress Minka Kelly in September 2007, but they split up before the year's end. Mayer began dating actress Jennifer Aniston in April 2008, but Mayer broke it off the following August. They resumed dating in October 2008 and split up again in March 2009. His relationships with high-profile celebrities has led to his having a reputation as a "womanizer." Mayer's relationship with Jessica Simpson coincided with some personal behavior changes that served to significantly increase his tabloid exposure. Previously, Mayer had expressed his resolve to completely avoid drugs, alcohol, clubbing, "red-carpet" events, dating celebrities and anything else that he felt would detract from his focus on his music. In interviews, however, Mayer has alluded to experiencing an extreme "anxiety bender" episode in his twenties that motivated him to be less reclusive.

Mayer's relationship with the media has drawn controversy. He has been called long-winded and self-aware, culminated in an impromptu press conference outside of his gym in New York, where he explained why he had broken-up with Aniston. The fall-out was unfavorable, and he was branded a "" for "saving face"; and maintains he did it to take responsibility for hurting her. He apologized via Twitter for his use of the word "nigger," saying, "It was arrogant of me to think I could intellectualize...a word that is so emotionally charged." He also tearfully apologized to his band and fans at his concert in Nashville later that night.

Solo discography

Room for Squares (2001)

Heavier Things (2003)

Continuum (2006)

Battle Studies (2009)

Awards

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Mayer has won seven awards from fifteen nominations.

Others awards and nominations

See also

Battle Studies World Tour

Notes

Footnotes

References

Edwards, G. (2006) Is Tiny Dancer Really Elton's Little John?, New York: Crown Publishing Group. ISBN 0-307-34603-X

External links

;Official

;Written by Mayer

Segment on Jimi Hendrix that Mayer wrote for Rolling Stone

Segment on Brett Dennen, that Mayer wrote for Rolling Stone

"Music Lessons with John Mayer", database of Mayer's Esquire column at Esquire.com

;General

Comprehensive John Mayer guitar tabs

"Square pegged", Mayer's first feature article in 2001, from Creative Loafing

Rolling Stone Q&A; Podcast: John Mayer, from December 2005: transcript

Iceberg Radio interview with John Mayer from September 2006: Listen: (32K) (64K)

John Mayer Exclusive Performance and Behind the Scenes footage on AOL Sessions

"John Mayer's Soft-Sell 'World'", NPR Morning Edition interview from March 2007. (listen) (read)

Nikon Podcast #3: "Exclusive Interview with John Mayer" (posted September 9, 2007) (listen)

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