Yesterday (October 2), the late-night TV shows returned to the air. That’s a return to normalcy for the television landscape, but it’s also a big deal for the music world, as there are once again regular slots to perform on national TV. To help kick off The Tonight Show post-writers strike, Jimmy Fallon tapped John Mayer for both an interview and a performance.
During their conversation (an extended version of which was shared on the Tonight Show YouTube channel), Mayer spoke about a sketch he wrote for the show that actually made it to air (for a fictional product called “Crypto Bismol”). He also reminisced about the time last year when Questlove (of Tonight Show house band The Roots, of course) played drums for Mayer at Madison Square Garden after Mayer’s regular drummer, Steve Ferrone, was unable to perform due to COVID.
Elsewhere, Mayer also discussed his solo tour and the creative freedom that gives him on stage, as well as his newly announced SiriusXM channel, “Life With John Mayer.” After the interview, Mayer took the stage (solo, of course) for a performance of “Shouldn’t Matter But It Does,” from his 2021 album Sob Rock.
Check out Mayer’s Tonight Show interview and performance above.