As/Is is a live album by John Mayer, released October 19, 2004, available for download from iTunes and also available as a double-CD release. The albums were released from live concert performances across the United States from the tour following the release of Mayer's second album, Heavier Things. The recordings include five albums-worth of material as sold on iTunes. As of July 2009, the four concert-specific albums were still available on iTunes in the United States, though Volume One is no longer available; Each album has its own artwork. A two-disc compilation was released physically and digitally which features the "best" of the iTunes series, plus an additional song, "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", a Marvin Gaye cover. In "Inner City Blues", Mayer called upon DJ Logic, the support act of the Heavier Things tour, to join him to perform a turntable solo.
Performing band The songs all feature Mayer's touring band of the time:
John Mayer – guitar and vocals David LaBruyere – bass guitar David Ryan Harris – guitar and backing vocals JJ Johnson – drums and percussion Michael Chaves – guitar & vocals Eric Jacobson – trumpet and dented flugelhorn Chris Karlic – saxophone and flute Kevin Lovejoy – keyboards
Cover art for the series Volume one features a cut-out silhouette version of Mayer (from the cover of Heavier Things) with two tones of blue. As it is separate from the other volumes, its artwork is rather distinct from the rest.
Artwork for the covers of volumes two, three, four, and five is by the artist Kozyndan. They feature bunnies in out-of-character situations on their covers, including hanging from helium balloons (two) and in washing machines (three). The bunnies on the cover of four begin as amoeba and diagonally evolve into bunnies. The cover of volume five has several bunnies with their midsections replaced with springs.
The CD release continued the use of bunnies, using the artwork 'Uprisings' by Kozyndan, which has hundreds of bunnies in formation to appear like revered Japanese artwork The Great Wave off Kanagawa. The artwork was originally created as a cover for issue 28 of the magazine Giant Robot.Kozyndan - Uprisings, Kozyndan.com Notably, the CD is considered volume six (the last) of the series, and The Great Wave woodblock printing is the first of a 36-part series of art.
Track listings As/Is iTunes EP Volume oneReleased:December 1, 2003 "Come Back to Bed" "Your Body Is a Wonderland" "Neon" "St. Patrick's Day" "83" "Bigger than My Body"
As/Is iTunes concert releases Volume two Volume three Volume four Volume five Mountain ViewCalifornia The WoodlandsTexas ClevelandOhio CincinnatiOhio PhiladelphiaPennsylvania HartfordConnecticut Shoreline Amphitheatre C.W. Mitchell Pavilion Blossom Music Center Riverbend Music Center Tweeter Center Meadows Music TheatreRecorded:July 16, 2004Released: August 10, 2004Recorded:July 24, 2004Released: August 17, 2004Recorded:August 3–4, 2004Released: August 24, 2004Recorded:August 14–15, 2004Released: August 31, 2004 "No Such Thing" "Come Back to Bed" "Something's Missing "Split Screen Sadness" "New Deep" "Why Georgia" "Bigger than My Body" "Home Life" "Tracing" "Comfortable" "Clarity" "No Such Thing" "Back to You" "Daughters" "Blues Intro" "Come Back to Bed" "Your Body Is a Wonderland" "Bigger than My Body" "Comfortable" "Neon" "Only Heart" "New Deep" "No Such Thing" "Something's Missing" "My Stupid Mouth" "Daughters" "Clarity" "Quiet" "3x5" "Wheel" "Your Body Is a Wonderland" "Only Heart" "Something's Missing" "New Deep" "Daughters" "My Stupid Mouth" "Covered in Rain" "Come Back to Bed" "83" "Hummingbird"
As/Is CD release Volume Six #TitleComposer(s)DateVenueDisc one1. "Only Heart"John MayerAugust 3, 2004Blossom Music Center2."My Stupid Mouth"MayerAugust 14, 2004Tweeter Center3."No Such Thing"MayerClay CookJuly 24, 2004C.W. Mitchell Pavilion 4."Covered in Rain"MayerAugust 14, 2004Tweeter Center5."Split Screen Sadness"MayerJuly 16, 2004Shoreline Amphitheater 6."Blues Intro"MayerJuly 24, 2004C.W. Mitchell Pavilion7."Come Back to Bed"MayerJuly 24, 2004C.W. Mitchell Pavilion Disc two1."Your Body Is a Wonderland" MayerJuly 24, 2004C.W. Mitchell Pavilion 2."Something's Missing"MayerAugust 4, 2004Riverbend Music Center3."Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" Featuring DJ LogicMarvin GayeJames NyxJuly 27, 2004Sandstone Amphitheater,Bonner Springs, Kansas4."Clarity"MayerAugust 3, 2004Blossom Music Center5."3x5"MayerAugust 3, 2004Blossom Music Center6."Home Life"MayerDavid LaBruyereJuly 16, 2004Shoreline Amphitheater 7."Comfortable" MayerCookJuly 24, 2004C.W. Mitchell Pavilion 8."Neon"MayerCookJuly 24, 2004C.W. Mitchell Pavilion
References