Yacht Rock a Dockumentary (24 Viewers)

[saintmdterps]

Sort of. Steve Miller and Boz Scaggs were both original members of the Haight-Ashbury mid-late 60's S.F. "counter-culture" jam-rock, pop bands like the Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and lastly, Santana. I think Scaggs played rhythm or co-lead guitar in the Steve Miller Band up until his major breakthrough, 1973's The Joker. IIRC, Scaggs left for an eventually very successful solo career after the Joker's release because it wasnt until 3 years after that album's release that Steve Miller Band released a follow-up, 1976's Book of Dreams.

Despite being of the most critically and commercially successful bands of the 1970's and early 80's, Steve Miller still strikes me as one of rock's most underrated, somewhat over-looked acts and musicians over the past 50 years. He could jam with the best of them even if his band became more well-known for their many radio-friendly hits in the 70's and early 80's. Songs like "Living in the USA", " Space Cowboy", "Gangster of Love"--they were good, well-written tunes in his pre-Joker days. He was also a very sharp, highly intelligent businessman in that he held out for a huge signing bonus and a then-high royalty rate. He was one of a few rockers who helped eventually change the economics of rock music where it became more artist-friendly.

Originally it was the Steve Miller Blues Band. He released an slbum called The Vault in 2019 with a lot of his old blues work. Very well done

 

[Poison]

Cool sidenote to this doco: one of my mates plays in a local Melbourne (Australia, not Florida) band called Yacht Rock Revival and they are depicted at the start as one of the modern “tribute” bands. There is footage of them because they got a gig on a live music cruise. I’ve seen them live a handful of times locally in the last few months (usually the youngest one in the room) and they’re great. So have my parents, for that matter.

I thought the documentary was awesome, for what it’s worth. Toto are a top three all-time favourite band of mine, and Steve Lukather is a great interviewee on this doc. If you want a really good insight into the LA music scene during the 70s and early 80s, his autobiography is a great read too. Those sessions guys are amongst the most influential and talented musos in history - they don’t get anywhere near the credit they deserve. I was so pleased to get the chance to meet Luke, Joe Williams and Steve Porcaro a few years back.

Also, it’s hard not to like guys like Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross and Kenny Loggins on a personal level based on this documentary.

I don’t love the whole catalogue of Yacht Rock songs like I do the heavy metal/hair metal era that followed - but the best of the genre holds its own against anything. Give me eight beers outside on a Sunday in summer and a live band with a talented saxophonist who can nail Baker Street and I’m good.

 

[Grumpy Old Manatee]

Is that meant as a compliment or a put down?

I don't consider Steely Dan "yacht rock" for even a second. It's jazz fusion and not anywhere near "poppish" enough to be thrown in with the likes of Cross, Loggins, etc. And I admit my bias as one who is not a fan of yacht rock.
While I'm okay with the tunes Michael McDonald wrote for The Doobie Brothers, I will quickly tell you they are near the bottom of my list of Doobie Brothers songs. His solo stuff you can have. Just my taste...

Steely Dan is a lot more than jazz fusion, but I get where you’re coming from.

Considering that several of their songs are referring to prostitutes and narcotics, I can see how it can be lumped into yacht rock.

PS - Bring Lawyers, guns and money (man I miss Warren Z)

 

[superchuck500]

Sort of. Steve Miller and Boz Scaggs were both original members of the Haight-Ashbury mid-late 60's S.F. "counter-culture" jam-rock, pop bands like the Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and lastly, Santana. I think Scaggs played rhythm or co-lead guitar in the Steve Miller Band up until his major breakthrough, 1973's The Joker. IIRC, Scaggs left for an eventually very successful solo career after the Joker's release because it wasnt until 3 years after that album's release that Steve Miller Band released a follow-up, 1976's Book of Dreams.

Despite being of the most critically and commercially successful bands of the 1970's and early 80's, Steve Miller still strikes me as one of rock's most underrated, somewhat over-looked acts and musicians over the past 50 years. He could jam with the best of them even if his band became more well-known for their many radio-friendly hits in the 70's and early 80's. Songs like "Living in the USA", " Space Cowboy", "Gangster of Love"--they were good, well-written tunes in his pre-Joker days. He was also a very sharp, highly intelligent businessman in that he held out for a huge signing bonus and a then-high royalty rate. He was one of a few rockers who helped eventually change the economics of rock music where it became more artist-friendly.

No they actually went to grade school together in Dallas - Miller taught Scaggs to play guitar when they were 12. They played in a band together in high school and then went to U. of Wisconsin together.

Boz Scaggs - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[superchuck500]

eh...Kenny Loggins seems more like an earlier Huey Lewis - more a concept of music than actual music

 

[Paul]

Funny thing: I first heard the term “yacht rock” last Tuesday, November 28, 2024 in a discussion with one of my new employees. She wanted to know what type of music is my “go-to”, and she almost hit the floor when I responded with classical. She’s very direct, and she said, “wait, you’re a 40 something year old black guy from New Orleans and your go-to music is classical? I have much to learn about the world,” to which I responded, “I also own a yacht”. I then proceeded to show her a picture of said yacht, which is actually a canoe with the name “Yacht” painted on the side.
This brought up “yacht rock” and I’m like “huh?” and she said, you know, Christopher Cross, The Bee Gees…” and I’m like yeah I know those folks and their music, but never heard of yacht rock.

Then this thread a few days later.

So, in summation, nice try OP - enfil4stnias, but you’re not getting a raise.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

“wait, you’re a 40 something year old black guy from New Orleans and your go-to music is classical? I have much to learn about the world,” to which I responded, “I also own a yacht”. I

do you know @livefromDC ? That dude has a whole *** library in his house

 

[livefromDC]

do you know @livefromDC ? That dude has a while *** library in his house

You're not going to let that go soon huh. This is what I get for oversharing on SR. I was told this was a safe place.

If it helps, I've purposely avoided this thread because I don't have yacht money.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

If it helps, I've purposely avoided this thread because I don't have yacht money.

was thinking about that - maybe if we can convince some posters to quit throwing money away on Kenny Loggins CDs, we can all chip in on a Yacht Timeshare

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Interesting take.. i can kinda understand this point of view as well .


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[sfidc3]

Interesting take.. i can kinda understand this point of view as well .


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Firmly agree with both Beato and Donald Fagan on this….Most music labels like this are lazy and stupid…..Would never classify Steely Dan as “anything rock” they are a fusion band….

It’s akin to calling ABB a “southern rock band”, it is all BS…..

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Firmly agree with both Beato and Donald Fagan on this….Most music labels like this are lazy and stupid…..Would never classify Steely Dan as “anything rock” they are a fusion band….

It’s akin to calling ABB a “southern rock band”, it is all BS…..

I agree, and i mentioned upthread a while back that i think one of the main problems with YR is it’s too broad; im way pickier about what i would call true Yacht Rock, or what constitutes Yacht Rock at all .


But i also think two things can be true- i think i can sit here as a guy with no discernible musical talent and say to people who’s life work is this music, who’s livelihood is this music (even if YR increased the exposure and money somewhat) and i can say to these people ‘Lighten up, it’s only a fun phrase !’…. But i think it can also be true that these guys feel like their careers are being boiled down to a catchy term and almost belittled.. How could i tell them that’s not valid when they are in the thick of it ? To me it’s very much like Andrew McCarthy’s docu we discussed here last year on the Brat Pack.. even though that term came about in real time, whereas YR was coined a quarter century later- both are things most of us think are cool, and would loved to have been a part of back then.. but who’s to say casting directors didnt see it as a negative back at the time and maybe it cost Anthony Michael Hall or Molly Ringwald certain parts they wanted ? I certainly cant tell them that didnt happen.. So yeah i see validity on either side with this, for sure .