I am not a wine snob and I don't own john mayer cd's.
The REAL music aficionados you know are total wankers apparently. These clowns didn't influence one musician or band I've ever enjoyed listening to.
As a matter of fact, Van Halen is indeed benchmark. Around musicians that I respect they and all their cock rock arena hair metal contemporaries are THE example of everything music should not be.
I often think that that period in music is undoubtebly the worst and most embarrasing in history. The gimmicks, the athletics, the terrible songwriting, the terrible lyricism, the image, everything. Totally embarrasing.
You don't have to be a wine snob or listen to contemporary corny lite rock like john mayer to understand why music like this is such a joke. You do have to have an appreciation for what it means to be an artist. Sorry if that sounds too snobby for you. Art is something I'm not too casual about.