Yacht Rock

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Yacht Rock

Title screen of the first episode of Yacht Rock.
Genre mockumentary
Created by J. D. Ryznar and Hunter D. Stair
Presented by Steve Huey
Starring J. D. Ryznar, Hunter D. Stair
Opening theme "Sweet Freedom" by Michael McDonald
Country of origin  United States
Language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 11
Production
Location(s) Los Angeles, CA
Broadcast
Original channel Channel 101
First shown in June 26, 2005 - June 25, 2006
Original run – January 27, 2008
External links
Official website

Yacht Rock was an online video series following the fictionalized lives and careers of American soft rock stars of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Contents

[edit] The show

J. D. Ryznar and Hunter D. Stair devised the series after noticing the incestuous recording careers of such bands as Steely Dan, Toto, and The Doobie Brothers and the singer-songwriters Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald. For example, McDonald co-wrote Loggins' "This Is It" and Loggins co-wrote McDonald's band The Doobie Brothers' "What a Fool Believes" and also performed backing vocals for several other 'yacht rock' artists, including Steely Dan and Christopher Cross. Yacht Rock's episodes were "hosted" by "Hollywood" Steve Huey, a legitimate music critic for Allmusic." It should be noted that the term "Yacht Rock" is never used throughout the series by any characters except for by Huey during his introductions, instead it is always referred to as "Smooth Music".

Ryznar admits to having a fascination with the music of the period. Ryznar explains, "Getting into Steely Dan really started this for me. As did the ability to buy dollar records at Amoeba and put them on tapes for my car. Kenny Loggins has made his way into all the pilots I've been involved with except [one]."[1] As Ryznar told Reuters contributor Andy Sullivan, "I'm making fun of the songwriting process, but the music is generally treated pretty lovingly."[2]

The series depicts some realistic aspects of the music, but builds exaggerated storylines around them. For example, main protagonists Loggins and McDonald receive inspiration from a fictional Yacht Rock impresario named Koko Goldstein, whose death in Episode 2 ultimately leads them to go their separate ways musically. Another example is the series' presentation of several real-life characters. McDonald is an idealistic and earnest singer/songwriter, but takes both Smooth Music and himself far too seriously. Loggins is his easygoing friend and frequent collaborator who eventually abandons Smooth Music in favor of commercial hard rock in the 80s, which strains their friendship. The portrayal of John Oates as the abusive, foulmouthed leader of Hall & Oates, exerting sometimes violent control over the milquetoast Daryl Hall, is clearly different from reality, in which Hall is the main lead vocalist and songwriter with no hint of a rivalry. Christopher Cross is depicted as a wide-eyed, timid newbie whose song "Sailing" is lauded as the "smoothest song ever". Loggins' former partner Jim Messina is a bitter wino who hates Loggins for his success and perceived betrayal. Michael Jackson is depicted as a hard-rock enthusiast who believes his partnership with guitarist Eddie Van Halen will lead to an endless parade of female sexual conquests. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, the Doobie Brothers' lead guitarist, is seen threatening to kick McDonald "out of the Doobies" if he doesn't write them another hit. The real Baxter did bring McDonald into the band but he quit himself after achieving their greatest commercial success because of his displeasure with their new commercial sound and attitude. The Eagles (portrayed here as jock-like meatheads) and Steely Dan (portrayed as snarky nerds, with Donald Fagen speaking in an incoherent babble of Scat) really did insert lyrical references to each other in their music, as depicted in the show, but these were actually friendly in nature, not part of a longtime grudge involving baseball bats and lunch-money shakedowns.[3]

The series was written, directed, and produced by Ryznar, co-produced by David Lyons and Hunter Stair, and edited by Lane Farnham. The production has a "bad-on-purpose aesthetic".[4]

Yacht Rock debuted at Channel 101's June 2005 screening. It placed in the top five at subsequent screenings until the June 2006 screening of its tenth episode, where it placed seventh and was canceled.

However, the show remained a popular download on Channel 101, convincing the creators to make an 11th episode independently. This episode, featuring Jason Lee as Kevin Bacon, debuted during a screening at the Knitting Factory in New York City on December 27, 2007. A month later, Channel 101 themselves included it in a screening, and hosted it on their website along with the other episodes on January 28, 2008.[5]

[edit] Music in the show

"Yacht rock" is a name[6][7] for the popular soft rock that peaked between the years of 1976 and 1984. Significant "yacht rockers" include Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross, and Toto. In the musical sense, yacht rock refers to the highly polished brand of soft rock that emanated from Southern California during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In part, the term relates to the stereotype of the yuppie yacht owner, enjoying champagne and smooth music while out for a sail. Additionally, since sailing was a popular leisure activity in Southern California, many "yacht rockers" made nautical references in their lyrics, videos, and album artwork, particularly the anthemic track "Sailing" by Christopher Cross. Yacht Rock music is commonly described as, "A little bit better than elevator music!"

The foundation of the yacht rock scene was a local pool of versatile session musicians who frequently played on each other's records. This professionalism often gave yacht rock recordings a high level of sophistication in composition, arrangement, and instrumental skill.

The most popular yacht rock artists enjoyed considerable commercial success. During its peak years, yacht rock dominated the Grammy Awards, with Christopher Cross and Toto sweeping the major awards in 1981 and 1983 respectively, feats consistently derided by Grammy prognosticators. [8] However, yacht rock was not a hit with most rock critics at the time, who dismissed it as being corporate rock that was overproduced, generic, and middle of the road, instead favoring punk and new wave acts such as The Clash, Blondie, Patti Smith, and Elvis Costello.[9] (See Rockism.)

In developing the show Yacht Rock, creator J. D. Ryznar commented that the term was intended to describe the "more elite studio artists" of the period, such as Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins.[10] David B. Lyons, who co-produced the show and played Koko Goldstein, noted that a friend of his devised the term "marina rock" in college to describe a more "working-class" group of artists that didn't achieve the same high profile, such as Seals and Crofts, Rupert Holmes, and Looking Glass.[11] However, despite the show's intentions, music journalists have begun using the term yacht rock to describe all of the similar-sounding music of the period, including bands such as Ambrosia, 10cc, Pablo Cruise, Firefall, England Dan & John Ford Coley, Orleans, Ace, and Player.[12]

While Ryznar and the show popularized the term "yacht rock," it had existed previously. Its earliest-known appearance came in 1990 from Dave Larsen, popular music critic for the Dayton Daily News, describing an upcoming Jimmy Buffett concert in Cincinnati. Buffett does make an "appearance" in Episode 11, depicted as a buffoonish, tropic and cheeseburger obsessed flunky of Loggins' and McDonald's fictional arch-nemesis, slimeball Hollywood executive Gene Balboa.[13]

[edit] Artist Acknowledgment

John Oates credited Yacht Rock in 2007 with rekindling interest in Hall & Oates and lowering the demographic age of the group's fans. He wrote:

“ I think Yacht Rock was the beginning of this whole Hall & Oates resurrection...They were the first ones to start to parody us and put us out there again, and a lot of things have happened because of Yacht Rock.[14] ”

Michael McDonald acknowledged Yacht Rock in 2008:

“ Have you ever owned a yacht?

No, but I thought Yacht Rock was hilarious. And uncannily, you know, those things always have a little bit of truth to them. It’s kind of like when you get a letter from a stalker who’s never met you. They somehow hit on something, and you have to admit they’re pretty intuitive.

Okay. So what’s the craziest thing you ever did with Kenny Loggins?
We mostly worked a lot when we would get together. Kenny, he’s one of those guys who was a more serious artist; I was just a schlub. He was like, "C’mon, let’s get this right," and I was like, "Got any beer?"[15]

 ”

[edit] Yacht Rock episode list

JD Ryznar as Michael McDonald and Hunter Stair as Kenny Loggins from episode two of Yacht Rock.
  1. "What a Fool Believes"
    In the pilot episode, Kenny Loggins, under the guidance of Koko Goldstein, reaches out to a struggling Michael McDonald, who's having trouble writing a smooth hit for his band the Doobie Brothers.
  2. "Keep the Fire"
    Loggins and McDonald pair up against the duo Hall & Oates for a songwriting competition. Koko is impaled by his lucky harpoon during the ensuing melee, but is at peace before his death by hearing the smoothest song ever sung by a young Christopher Cross.
  3. "I'm Alright"
    As everyone grieves Koko's death, Loggins lashes out at McDonald and "smooth music" as a whole, causing a rift between the two. An entertainment executive behind the movie Caddyshack demands that the movie's director, Harold Ramis, obtain Loggins' talents to write the movie's theme song. He writes the hard rock song "I'm Alright" much to McDonald's dismay.
  4. "Rosanna"
    Steve Porcaro (Steve Agee), the keyboard player of the band Toto, is asked by his girlfriend, Rosanna Arquette, to write a song about her, and she wants him to have Michael McDonald sing on the track. Discouraged by McDonald's disdain for his band, Porcaro devises a three-step plan to make it happen.
  5. "Believe in It"
    Toto has been commissioned to write a smooth song for Michael Jackson's Thriller, but Jackson rejects the band, believing after working with Eddie Van Halen on Beat It that such material is in his past. Fearing that Jackson will destroy "smooth music" for a decade, Porcaro turns to McDonald, Loggins, Skunk Baxter, Cross, and Vincent Price (James Adomian), to summon up Koko's ghost for help writing Human Nature.
  6. "The Seed Drill"
    "Hollywood" Steve's father demands that Steve stop wasting his time on Yacht Rock, and regales a historic tale of Jethro Tull, which is very similar to episode one.
  7. "I Keep Forgettin'"
    McDonald and Loggins make a bet about McDonald's new song, "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)", that takes a decade to resolve. Ten years later, Long Beach-based rappers Warren G and Nate Dogg struggle with creating smooth rap (yacht rap), and only when they kidnap McDonald, is there a solution to everyone's problems.
  8. "Gino (the Manager)"
    "Hollywood" Steve returns to the very beginning, where Doobie Brothers producer Ted Templeman explains his dream about the origin of "the smoothest rock [he's] ever heard." He sees his dream come into fruition as he meets a young McDonald, then a backup singer for Steely Dan, being talked into joining the Doobie Brothers by Steely Dan and Koko, Loggins showing signs of his imminent break from Messina and solo stardom, and an effeminate Hall and Oates with a very familiar looking manager named Gino.
  9. "Runnin' with the Devil"
    Van Halen puts a curse on Ted Templeman to force him to produce their hard rock song. In a subplot, Loggins loses his car keys and more or less holds everyone hostage until they are found. Comedian Drew Carey makes a cameo appearance.
  10. "FM"
    Steely Dan and the Eagles settle a long-time, childish feud with a hit song.
  11. "Footloose"
    Jimmy Buffett is convinced by Kevin Bacon and Gene Balboa to trick Loggins into making yet another movie song. He is subsequently kidnapped by Buffett and psychotic "Parrot Heads" and its up to McDonald and James Ingram to rescue him. Jason Lee makes a guest appearance as Bacon.

[edit] Real people portrayed in Yacht Rock

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ryznar, J.D. (2005-07-27). "Yacht Rock, Ep. 2". Channel 101 Public Forum. Channel 101. http://channel101.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=54719#54719. Retrieved on 2006-10-09. 
  2. ^ Sullivan, Andy (2005-12-13). "Web TV Helps Comedy Writers Find Audience". Reuters (Fox News). http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178467,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-10-07. 
  3. ^ Powers, Ann (2008-05-27). "Hall & Oates redeem their cool cred". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-hall-oates-0527may27,0,6549277.story. Retrieved on 2008-06-22. 
  4. ^ Hornaday, Ann (2007-02-04). "Rules for YouTube: Make Art, Not Bore". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/02/AR2007020200358_pf.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-29. 
  5. ^ Chiu, David (2008-05-28). "'Yacht Rock' Docks in Sea of Musical Spoofs". Spinner. http://www.spinner.com/2008/05/28/yacht-rock-docks-in-sea-of-musical-spoofs/. Retrieved on 2008-06-22. 
  6. ^ Crumsho, Michael (2006-01-09). "Finally, a name for that music: "Yacht Rock"". The Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2002726917_yachtfix09.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-29. 
  7. ^ Berlind, William (2006-08-27). "Yacht Rock Docks in New York". The New York Observer. http://www.observer.com/node/52629. Retrieved on 2008-07-29. ""yacht rock" is now a legitimate subgenre of music criticism" 
  8. ^ "Grammys play catch-up -- again". CNN.com. 2001-02-23. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/23/grammy.albums/index.html. Retrieved on 2006-10-09. 
  9. ^ Caro, Mark (2006-02-13). "U2 vs. Kanye revisited". Pop Machine. Chicago Tribune. http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_popmachine/2006/02/u2_vs_kanye_rev.html. Retrieved on 2006-10-09. 
  10. ^ Matos, Michaelangelo (2005-12-07). "Talk Talk: J.D. Ryznar". Seattle Weekly. http://www.seattleweekly.com/music/0549/051207_music_talktalk.php. Retrieved on 2006-10-09. 
  11. ^ "GuyCharisma" [David Lyons] (2005-12-04). "yacht rock #5". Channel 101 Public Forum. Channel 101. http://channel101.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=69553#69553. Retrieved on 2006-10-09. 
  12. ^ Spence D.; Brian Linder (2006-05-30). "Top 10 Yacht Rock Songs Of All Time". IGN. http://music.ign.com/articles/710/710545p1.html. Retrieved on 2006-10-09. 
  13. ^ Larson, Dave (1990-07-14). "PARROT HEAD FANS SPELL SUCCESS FOR JIMMY BUFFETT'S OHIO VISIT". Dayton Daily News: pp. 8C. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=0F4FB10738B8C7EB&p_docnum=1. Retrieved on 2008-06-22. 
  14. ^ Maerz, Jennifer; Ben Westhoff (2007-08-21). "Seattle Music - Hall & Oates Are Living, Harmonizing Proof That There's No Such Thing as Ironic Hipster Kryptonite". Village Voice Media. http://www.seattleweekly.com/2007-08-22/music/hall-oats-are-living-harmonizing-proof-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as-ironic-hipster-kryptonite.php. Retrieved on 2009-03-07. 
  15. ^ Sellers, John (2008-02-27). "Michael McDonald". Time Out New York. http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/hot-seat/26823/michael-mcdonald. Retrieved on 2009-03-07. 

[edit] External links

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