‘Yacht Rock’: HBO Doc Shows How Bands Like Steely Dan, Christopher Cross and Toto Became Cool All Over Again

As a music enthusiast who grew up in the 80s, I can’t help but be captivated by the resurgence of yacht rock. The genre, although it wasn’t officially recognized back then, was the soundtrack to my childhood, with the Doobie Brothers, Toto, and Christopher Cross dominating the airwaves. These artists were the cool uncles I never had – their music was always playing at family gatherings, and their songs were the anthems of our generation.

Ask any two music fans what qualifies as yacht rock, and an argument is sure to ensue.

Does Steely Dan count? (Absolutely.) What about Hall & Oates? (No, too East Coast.)

During the late 70s and early 80s, the term “yacht rock” hadn’t been coined yet. However, the music of bands like the Doobie Brothers, Toto, and Christopher Cross was widely popular. In fact, Christopher Cross won big at the 1980 Grammys with his hit song “Sailing,” which had a gleaming ballad quality to it.

In that particular period, those hits dominated the charts, characterized by polished production, sweet melodies, and top-notch skills. Radio waves were also filled with country-flavored hits from the Eagles. However, everything shifted dramatically when MTV emerged. Tracks like “What a Fool Believes” and “Africa” were relegated to the outdated “soft rock” category. Post the rise of icons such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, some of the initial music trendsetters transitioned to soundtracks, for instance, Kenny Loggins with his hit “Danger Zone” from “Top Gun.

‘Yacht Rock’: HBO Doc Shows How Bands Like Steely Dan, Christopher Cross and Toto Became Cool All Over Again

2005 saw comedians J.D. Ryznar and Steve Huey coining a term for the genre they humorously referred to as “Yacht Rock.” Their low-key show depicted artists such as Kenny Loggins and Jimmy Buffett, portraying them as they worked tirelessly to produce the smooth tunes reminiscent of a cocaine-infused yacht party. Unsurprisingly, the music was central in every episode. The series ignited a resurgence of Yacht Rock, leading to three Sirius XM stations and bands like Yachtley Crew being born.

One Gen X filmmaker who switched over was Garret Price, the director whose movie “Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary” debuts this Friday within HBO’s Music Box collection. Earlier, Price tackled a more somber narrative with another series episode, “Woodstock ’99.” This time around, he sought to delve into a brighter chapter in music history – and how the timeless tunes his parents cherished managed to attract a fresh, younger fanbase.

Price, an editor for the Prime Video miniseries “Daisy Jones & the Six,” which is deeply influenced by a Fleetwood Mac-esque 1970s L.A., notes that often people romanticize acts like the Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Carly Simon – the Troubadour scene. However, he points out that there’s another lesser-known scene from the same era featuring artists such as Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Steely Dan, and the Toto guys, which doesn’t get as much attention.

In a serendipitous turn of events, I recently crossed paths with Madison, the daughter of none other than Kenny Loggins’ longtime collaborator, Jim “Jimmy” Messina, also known as Cross. Remarkably, Madison shares a close bond with the daughter of Michael McDonald, a former member of Doobie Brothers. This unexpected connection paved the way for the conception of this engaging documentary.

Price decided to talk to the key personalities from the Yacht Rock genre to understand their perspective on it. “My goal has been to focus on the Mount Rushmore figures – Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, and Toto,” he explains.

Initially, upon hearing the new catchphrase, I must admit it seemed a touch whimsical. Yet, as I contemplate its potential for injecting some cheerfulness into our world, my response is one of openness and readiness.

‘Yacht Rock’: HBO Doc Shows How Bands Like Steely Dan, Christopher Cross and Toto Became Cool All Over Again

Price mentioned that generally, there was consensus among them: “They’ve seen the light – they recognize this revitalizes their music, and it’s exposing them to a massive army of fresh admirers.

The exception was Fagen, the well-known grump and Steely Dan co-founder, who initially ignored his attempts. (Here, “overtures” refers to efforts or attempts to contact someone.)

Following a few months, Irving Azoff, Steely Dan’s long-term manager, informed Price that Fagen would reach out to him within the upcoming weeks. “Prepare to start recording,” Azoff instructed him.

Eventually, Fagen phoned, and Price inquired if he’d be part of the documentary, clarifying it was centered around “yacht rock.” Fagen’s reaction, as depicted in the movie, is swift, explicit, and undeniably characteristic of Fagen.

He may have been hesitant about appearing on camera, “yet simultaneously, he granted me permission to use all his music. Therefore, I believe it was a subtle sign of approval,” Price suggests.

Why is Steely Dan’s inclusion in the genre so controversial?

Price remarks, “I find it challenging when people group together the author of ‘Sailing’ with the one who penned ‘Peg,’ as this leads to a dispute about whether Steely Dan, known for their intellectual music, aligns more with the sophisticated style of Steely Dan or the soft rock genre of either Cross or Poco.

Regardless of their opinions on the modern label, the bands featured in Price’s Mount Rushmore share a similar genetic makeup. As he puts it, “It’s deeply rooted in rhythm and blues, soul, funk, jazz, and Black music, essentially. And all of this happened within the same Southern California ecosystem, where there were numerous studios and session musicians.

Furthermore, these songs continue to resonate significantly: Contemporary musicians such as Questlove, Thundercat, and Mac deMarco detail in a documentary how these jazz-infused pop melodies shaped their individual styles. In fact, Thundercat enlisted McDonald and Loggins to collaborate on his 2017 track “Show You the Way.

Price explains that these musicians were white and had been inspired by Black music. They aimed to capture what they admired about it and usher in a unique wave of pop music. It’s no surprise then, that as hip hop began to emerge, it started incorporating songs from the late ’70s by groundbreaking artists like De La Soul and Warren G, who embraced the funky elements of this music through sampling.

It’s appropriate, as he points out, that “Yacht Rock” debuts a day after Thanksgiving, providing families with a shared, cross-generational form of entertainment while they spend time together.

“There’s humor to it, yes, but there’s also reverence and love and respect.”

2024-11-30 00:17

‘Yacht Rock’: HBO Doc Shows How Bands Like Steely Dan, Christopher Cross and Toto Became Cool All Over Again

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