a Lifetime in Rock and Roll
John Mayer Bass Guitar
Early beginnings
John has been involved in music from an early age being taught piano from the age of seven until his teens. Moving to guitar at sixteen John purchased his first classical guitar that he still has to this day.
A First Band
John"s first band was formed with a group of friends initially just jamming and playing their favourite songs. John made the move to bass guitar. Unfortunately due to family and business commitments John hung up his bass at the age of 23 but continued to study music so he could combine his talent with the more technical aspects of musicianship whilst he spent his spare time as a piano accompanist for several solo singers .
A Taste for Rock and Roll
Moving to the seaside town of Weston-Super-Mare in 2000 it was time for John to form a new band
With two local musicians Ian Davies and Martin Thomas they started a band called Jackawawa. John played keys and bass with the band morphing into a family concern with both Martins and John’s sons. Ben Thomas playing drums, David Mayer joining the band and playing initially bass guitar subsequently moving to lead guitar. The band went through several vocalists during the period, prominently Ian Williams, (now David) who was much involved with the local Weston music scene organising festivals etc.
From The Ashes
With Ian David deciding to move back to his roots in the north, and Martin and Ben experiencing a sad family illness of their middle son and subsequent bereavement the band had to cease. John reformed a band bringing in two ex-professionals Bill Underhay on drums and Debbie Beckett bass guitar who were also joined by experienced rhythm guitar player Steve Eastment and vocalist John Green,with David Mayer on lead guitar. The band now known as Groundhog Daze stayed together playing their last gig in January 2018 playing local venues after which the band members amicably decided to tread other paths, David Mayer moving to Bristol and setting up two bands and Groundhog Daze was folded.
John on Keyboards with Groundhog Daze
In The Wilderness
John then joined various other bands playing keyboards or bass guitar, but could not seem to find the music genre and comradeship that he was looking for and none of these ventures stood the test of time
Joining The Frogs
Still looking for the right band John was approached by the band members with the band searching for a new bass player.From the outset John new that this was a band he wanted to belong to.After a successful try out John joined the band in August 2019 and has never looked back . John is the power house behind the Frogs laying down the bass lines that are at the core of the frogs music. John is really enjoying the ‘Frogs’ experience, and loves playing with the fantastic team of talented musicians , playing rock and roll, and having fun with a great bunch of guys.