When the Power of Rock Met the Power of Yacht

OK, I hate being late to a fad (makes you feel so worthless) but I’m only just now getting around to YACHT ROCK, the Channel 101 series that’s been something of a small internet sensation for the last two years or so. The premise takes the stories behind some of the smooth rock hits of the mid-70s from such bands as The Doobie Brothers, Loggins & Messina and Steely Dan and turns them into a series of shorts depicting the “real” truth behind these hits. While there is some truth to all this (many of these performers did play on each other’s albums and co-wrote songs together) the series is far from the truth, although infinitely more interesting than the truth could ever possibly be.

Part of the reason I never turned in until recently is because I’ve never been particularly impressed with the Channel 101 “programs” I’ve watched; they all seemed too self-satisfied, amusing only to their creators, but YACHT ROCK feels like the perfect fit of idea and execution. While certainly giving the music a well-deserved ribbing, there’s an earnestness to it too, an admission that this music doesn’t quite suck as much as rock critics would like you to believe. After all, haven’t we all taken a moment out to enjoy “Sailing” or “Summer Breeze” in an elevator or doctor’s office and have it given you that nice, warm funny feeling? Yes, you have.

What follows is the first episode of YACHT ROCK (“What a Fool Believes”). Subsequent episodes are likewise very funny, although your first is always the funniest. Enjoy!