I recently made a bold decision in my life that has made me a happier person. I decided to be completely honest with myself and others. I finally admitted that I don’t enjoy the music of Toto, Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, Hall & Oates, Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald ironically. I just enjoy it. It is beautiful. It will set you free.
The only hint of irony that I will allow with regard to this glorious genre of soft seventies rock that’s oh so smooth is the remarkable comedy gem ‘Yacht Rock’. A fictionalised rockumentary series with incredibly realistic bad 80s production and film grade, it tells apocryphal tales of how this miraculous music came into being. I would call it a genesis document, but Genesis is not included as they came onto the scene a little later.
Before long you’ll have trouble separating the mild-mannered John Oates in your mind from the violently agressive John Oates of Yacht Rock who picks fights and holds an abusive control over Daryl Hall. And when I imagine Kenny Loggins, it’s definitely not the real one. It’s worth noting, though, that ‘Hollywood Steve’ is in fact a real person, and is playing himself.
It originally featured at Channel 101 a short film festival, but has reverberated throughout the Yacht Rock community. In an interview in 2008, Michael McDonald was asked the question ‘have you ever owned a yacht?’ His reply is one for the ages:
“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.”