Yacht Rock

[Jules Gray]

authentic yacht rock

Because there's nothing I hate more than that phony yacht rock!  

Jules



Edit: This topic formed in the Upcoming Gigs thread, but was too good not to have a thread of its own...

[davidmjs]

authentic yacht rock

Because there's nothing I hate more than that phony yacht rock!  

Jules

Oh, my, I did laugh...

[ColinB]

authentic yacht rock

Because there's nothing I hate more than that phony yacht rock!  

Jules

I've never even heard of yacht rock. Seems to cover quite a variety of bands - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_yacht_rock_artists

I correctly guessed that CSN would be on the list as Crosby was into yachting.  

[davidmjs]

authentic yacht rock

Because there's nothing I hate more than that phony yacht rock!  

Jules

I've never even heard of yacht rock. Seems to cover quite a variety of bands - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_yacht_rock_artists

I correctly guessed that CSN would be on the list as Crosby was into yachting.  

That is a truly preposterous list - because CSN, Kool and the Gang, Fleetwood Mac and Spandau Ballet just have so much in common, don't they?

[Nick]

Everything you ever wanted to know about Yacht Rock was summed up in a couple of BBC4 programmes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000627v

(ok, the episodes are not currently available, but the synopsis and tracklists tell you a lot...)

[wayne stote]

Tomorrow night, Pablo Cruise at "The Haute Spot" in Cedar Park, Texas!

I bought all the Pablo Cruise records when I was 14. Their breakthrough single came in 1977, with the eminently danceable "Whatcha Gonna Do (When She Says Goodbye)?" I particularly love the 1978 LP "Worlds Away," which includes the title song, a great cover of Peter Allen's "Rio," and their biggest hit, "Love Will Find A Way." (They are cut from the same cloth as the Michael McDonald-era Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan and the Little River Band.)

The current band includes original guitarist/vocalist Dave Jenkins and original keyboardist Cory Lerios. The original drummer, Steve Price, recently stepped away after 50 years' service. Original bassist/vocalist (and former member of "It's a Beautiful Day") Bud Cockrell passed away years ago, sadly. They added lead vocalist Robbie Wyckoff just a few years ago; he sang David Gilmour's parts on Roger's "The Wall" tour.

Pablo Cruise were inactive through most of the '80s and '90s, but started a low-key comeback in the early 2010s, playing California and Florida and rarely in between. Mrs. J From A and I caught them for the first time at the Sonoma Music Festival in 2013, and I've since seen them a few more times. Only recently, they started venturing into more states. They attract a small but enthusiastic crowd of late-era baby boomers like me.

This is authentic yacht rock at its finest, and I'm always thrilled when they come my way.

Love Pablo Cruise. They put out a very good new single a couple of years ago so I was hopeful they'd follow up with an album. Nothing as yet. I live in hope though.

I was delighted when their most recent studio album, 1983's Out Of Our Hands, finally got a CD release, last year. Great to eventually complete the catalogue!

[Shane (Skirky)]

Everything you ever wanted to know about Yacht Rock was summed up in a couple of BBC4 programmes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000627v

(ok, the episodes are not currently available, but the synopsis and tracklists tell you a lot...)

Essentially, "overproduced schmaltz you listen to whilst wearing espadrilles" 😂

[davidmjs]

Everything you ever wanted to know about Yacht Rock was summed up in a couple of BBC4 programmes:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000627v

(ok, the episodes are not currently available, but the synopsis and tracklists tell you a lot...)

Essentially, "overproduced schmaltz you listen to whilst wearing espadrilles" 😂

Well, what the hell are CSN doing in there then?  The fact that the Croz owned a yacht and there's a picture of it on the cover of one of their albums seems a tad weak as the benchmark for a musical definition...

[John From Austin]

Sorry to stray so far of the "upcoming gigs" topic, but here is episode one of the world's greatest primer on yacht rock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMTI8vg7A5U

Warning: Some of the humor is NSFW. If I'm not mistaken, these comedians popularized (if not coined) the term "yacht rock" to define late '70s to early '80s soft rock. Jazz pretensions, excessive production, and imagery involving sun and sand (think Jimmy Buffett) put you in this category.

And there is, in fact, phony yacht rock out there. I saw an excellent cover band called "Yacht Rock Revue" opening for Kenny Loggins (a yacht rock pioneer) last month. Wall-to-wall covers of Toto, Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, etc. I think "Southern Cross" (not a Crosby but a Stills tune) is quintessential yacht rock.

[Jules Gray]

And there is, in fact, phony yacht rock out there. I saw an excellent cover band called "Yacht Rock Revue" opening for Kenny Loggins (a yacht rock pioneer) last month. Wall-to-wall covers of Toto, Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, etc. I think "Southern Cross" (not a Crosby but a Stills tune) is quintessential yacht rock.

So yacht rock is phony if performed by a covers band, but authentic if performed by a band from the 1970s with just two original members left? Seems like a pretty arbitrary call to me. I genuinely don't think that fans of this sort of music are looking for authenticity.

Jules

[John From Austin]

And there is, in fact, phony yacht rock out there. I saw an excellent cover band called "Yacht Rock Revue" opening for Kenny Loggins (a yacht rock pioneer) last month. Wall-to-wall covers of Toto, Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, etc. I think "Southern Cross" (not a Crosby but a Stills tune) is quintessential yacht rock.

So yacht rock is phony if performed by a covers band, but authentic if performed by a band from the 1970s with just two original members left?

Sounds right!

But seriously, "phony" may not be the exact opposite of "authentic." Perhaps "inauthentic?" Or a "facsimile?"

[Jules Gray]

But seriously, "phony" may not be the exact opposite of "authentic." Perhaps "inauthentic?" Or a "facsimile?"

I might buy a facsimile yacht.

Jules

[MarkV]

Yacht Rock seems like an accident waiting to happen.  Personally though, my music is divided into stuff I like and stuff I dont. Though as time progresses either can move into the other category and back, mainly be over exposure.

[David V B]

I always thought yacht rock was just a snide name given by a lazy journalist. Bit like dad rock. I have never felt the views of anyone who blithely dismisses acts like Steely Dan in this way were worth giving any credence to.

[John From Austin]

Here they are, Cory Lerios and Dave Jenkins, founders of yacht-rock pioneers Pablo Cruise, last night in Cedar Park, Texas! Great show, tons of fun. The ticket taker, a 20-something young lady, told us "I wasn't familiar with Pablo Cruise, so I looked *him* up before the show."

[John From Austin]

Since we have our own topic now, I can list some Yacht Rock standards:

Kenny Loggins: This is It
Doobie Brothers: What a Fool Believes
Michael McDonald: Sweet Freedom
Christopher Cross: Sailing
Beach Boys: Kokomo
Jimmy Buffett: Margaritaville
Little River Band: Reminiscing
Pablo Cruise: Island Girl
Steely Dan: Peg
Toto: Rosanna
CSN: Southern Cross
Steve Miller Band: Jungle Love
I might even say the Eagles' New Kid in Town qualifies.

One thing several of these songs have in common is Michael McDonald. He's the unofficial king of the genre. BTW, I have tons of this music in my collection. I love this era.

[davidmjs]

Since we have our own topic now, I can list some Yacht Rock standards:

Kenny Loggins: This is It
Doobie Brothers: What a Fool Believes
Michael McDonald: Sweet Freedom
Christopher Cross: Sailing
Beach Boys: Kokomo
Jimmy Buffett: Margaritaville
Little River Band: Reminiscing
Pablo Cruise: Island Girl
Steely Dan: Peg
Toto: Rosanna
CSN: Southern Cross
Steve Miller Band: Jungle Love
I might even say the Eagles' New Kid in Town qualifies.

One thing several of these songs have in common is Michael McDonald. He's the unofficial king of the genre. BTW, I have tons of this music in my collection. I love this era.

I hereby dedicate the rest of my life to removing CSN from the horrific indignity of a list such as this...  

[Phil Perry]

..... & don't forget Sails of Silver by our very own Steeleye Span, noting in particular the photo on the back of the LP  

[Jules Gray]

I hereby dedicate the rest of my life to removing CSN from the horrific indignity of a list such as this...  

The first album and the follow-up with Neil are definitely NOT yacht rock.
The '77 record leans a bit in that direction though.  And as for the Daylight Again LP - choc full of yachtitude.

Jules

[davidmjs]

I hereby dedicate the rest of my life to removing CSN from the horrific indignity of a list such as this...  

The first album and the follow-up with Neil are definitely NOT yacht rock.
The '77 record leans a bit in that direction though.  And as for the Daylight Again LP - choc full of yachtitude.

Jules

Infidel!