One if by land, two if by sea—MAGNET’s Mitch Myers says let’s blow yacht rock out of the water!
That’s it. I’m hereby calling for mutiny and urge that we band collectively to push again in opposition to the rising yacht-rock phenomenon. I objected after I first heard the time period and have grown much more against the idea since then. My actual remorse is that I waited so lengthy to talk out, and now it simply could also be too late. There’s been a yacht-rock channel on SiriusXM for practically a decade, however the brand new HBO “dockumentary” has made this contrived fake-genre all too actual.
Newer and older yacht-rock performers have turn out to be emboldened and are actually plowing full steam forward, reserving summer time excursions and different inevitable live performance revivals. My conclusion is that in the event you’re being advised that it’s yacht rock, then it’s in all probability not rock, and it has to cease. This can be a unhappy looming image of yet one more cultural divide, and we should endeavor to show again the tide. After all, you may’t anticipate to cancel something with out leaving a void within the nice American psyche. What we actually must do is substitute it with one thing slightly extra right down to earth.
So, individuals: Are you prepared to affix within the Birkenstock-rock revolution? We’ve bought extra ft on the bottom than yacht rockers have palms on deck, and we are going to finally outnumber them. No worries about confrontation—Birkenstock rockers aren’t uptight like these captain’s cap/ascot-wearing varieties demanding precision within the recording studio or no matter it’s. We simply grasp unfastened and are nonetheless extra grounded than our yacht-rock rivals, who’re mainly all moist.
This previous 12 months truly noticed the 250th anniversary of the Birkenstock shoe model, and with that form of momentum, we must always be capable to supplant a manufactured music state of affairs that peaked someplace between 1978 and 1982. Pay attention, I like Skunk Baxter as a lot as the subsequent man, nevertheless it’s time we let our ft take us again to the place we as soon as belonged and head towards dry land.
After all, Birkenstock rock is extra than simply music—it’s a way of life—and company re-branding is most actually within the offing. I perceive just a few trade insiders have already been calling it Birkenrock, and which will transform a superb factor, as a result of we don’t need any lawsuits concerning copyright infringement. We’re not being proprietary about it, but when we do get a Birkenrock channel on SiriusXM, we need to receives a commission.
Sure, yacht rock’s crunchy counterculture cousin has come marching dwelling, and we’re able to take a stand. If we are able to simply settle this branding situation, we must always be capable to make Birkenstock rock a factor very quickly. We’re extra inclusive than our yacht-rock counterparts, and meaning we are able to get behind all types of music from the final six or seven many years and nonetheless preserve a robust sense of id and tribal belonging.
In effort to stay absolutely knowledgeable, MAGNET solicited greater than 50 civilians to report what their high Birkenstock-rock tunes may be. A number of the individuals we requested didn’t “get it” and wanted extra data or had been utterly unable to wrap their heads across the concept. We suspect that these rigid people establish as yacht-rock sympathizers, however irrespective of.
Those that did reply to our ballot had been apparently hippies at coronary heart. We’re not moving into the main points, however relaxation assured, solutions included artists like Phish, the Grateful Lifeless, Neil Younger, James Taylor, Janis Joplin, Warfare, Nick Cave, the Yardbirds, the Allman Brothers Band, Bob Dylan, Buddy Miles, Lou Reed, Jefferson Airplane, Blackberry Smoke, the Doorways, Massive Star, Blues Traveler, Spirit, the Conflict, Joni Mitchell, Visitors, Todd Snider, Van Morrison, the Lovin’ Spoonful, NRBQ, Tom Petty, Crosby Stills Nash & Younger, Sly & The Household Stone, Bonnie Raitt, the Band, Bob Marley, Warren Zevon, Little Feat … You get the concept.
Removed from being mutually unique, Birkenstock rock is so inclusive that it subsumes yacht rock, which permits for some Doobie Brothers (and others) to pop up in your prolonged Birkenstock-rock playlist. No hurt, no foul, however now not will these yacht-rock warlords be manning the helm. We’ve given them broad berth lengthy sufficient, and their complete idea is lifeless within the water.
So then, Birkenstock rock is a frame of mind for the lots—are you prepared? Bear in mind, in the event you don’t stand for one thing, you’ll fall for something. Even this.
