Rock Docs Podcast: Yacht Rock: A Documentary, with director Garret Price

Rock Docs is back this week, and it’s smooth sailing. Quite literally: Your hosts Andy Keatts and David Lizerbram are wading into the cool waters of yacht rock. Yacht Rock: A Documentary, directed by Garret Price, recently debuted via HBO and it’s a survey of some of the key players of a genre that wasn’t actually coined until well after its moment was dead in the water. (Before having a pretty big return voyage, that is.)

The movie features luminaries from the era such as Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Christopher Cross, various members of Toto, and (sort of) Steely Dan‘s Donald Fagen, as well as contemporary musicians who are inspired by the genre, such as Thundercat. Also included are the creators of the mid-2000s Yacht Rock webseries that ended up defining “Yacht Rock” as a thing.

Joining the team is Price, himself, who previously joined Rock Docs to discuss his 2021 documentary Woodstock 99: Peace, Love and Rage. As you’ll hear, this one is way mellower but no less compelling.

Garret tells us how the movie came together thanks to a surprising pair of roommates, shares the real story behind the Fagen encounter, and happily engages in the time-honored “What is Yacht Rock?” debate.

Hear the full episode below, and watch the trailer for Yacht Rock: A Documentary.