yacht rock revue greg lee

• Arts & Events
• Great Reads
• Atlanta 500 – 2025 Nominations
• Atlanta 500 – 2024
• Block by Block: Stories from the streets that connect us
• Women Making a Mark
• Restaurant Reviews
• 75 Best Restaurants in Atlanta
• Best Barbecue
• 50 Best Tacos
• 123 Things to Eat on Buford Highway
• 50 Best Bars
• Best Breakfast
• 50 Best Things to Do in Georgia
• Hidden Georgia
• North Georgia Mountains
• School Guide
• Buckhead Guidebook
• Health & Wellness
• Top Doctors
• Top Dentists
• Sponsored: Physician & Dentist Profiles 2024
• Give Atlanta
• Readers’ Choice
• Atlanta Magazine’s HOME Digital Editions
• Artists & Galleries
• Design Advice
• Design News
• Real Estate
• Neighborhoods
• Real Estate All-Stars
• Kitchens for a Cause
• Georgia Design Awards 2024
• Southbound Digital Editions
• Southbound Newsletter
• GABiz Magazine
• GaBiz Magazine Digital Editions
• Magazine Events
• Partner Events
• GrillFest 2024
• Indulge 2024
• Whiskey Festival 2024
• Top Doctors Reception 2024 – Green Screen
• Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2022
• 2020 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Designer Showhouse
• Atlanta Baby and Beyond
• Atlanta Magazine Whiskey Festival 2019
• DINES: A Taste of the City’s Best Restaurants
• 2019 Modern Style Showhome
• Best Burger Battle
• Pinewood Forest Idea Home
• 2018 Modern Style Showhouses
• Event Photos
• Purchase Single Issues
• Newsletters
• Digital Editions
• Custom Media
• Internships
• Where to Find
• Issue Archive
• Atlanta 500
• Submit Your Entry for Georgia Design Awards 2024

Confessions of a Cover Band: Yacht Rock Revue croons the hits you love to hate

"I never would've guessed I'd be doing what I'm doing now. The 23-year-old me would punch me in the face."

One night in 2012, a man in a Ronald Reagan mask paused beneath a stop sign in the Old Fourth Ward. Armed with a stencil and a can of white spray paint, he transformed the sign into a tribute to a 1978 hit by a mostly forgotten Canadian pop crooner named Gino Vannelli: “I just wanna STOP & tell you what I feel about you, babe.”

“I Just Wanna Stop” is the kind of song whose words most Americans over 40 know despite never consciously choosing to listen to it. After peaking at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978, the tune never quite disappeared, becoming the aural equivalent of a recurring wart. The song found a second life—an endless one, as it turns out—in the musical nether region where the smooth, soft-rock hits of yesteryear remain in heavy rotation. Yes, that’s “Africa” you’re hearing in the dentist’s office. And “What a Fool Believes” in line at CVS. And that faint melody burrowing into your brain while on hold for the next available customer service agent? That’s “Steal Away.” Songs like these, disparaged by critics in their time then jokingly christened “yacht rock” by a comedy web series in 2005, are now the soundtrack to American tedium.

They’ve also become the source of a very good—if conflicted—living for the man who defaced the stop sign: Nick Niespodziani, the singer, guitarist, and de facto leader of the wildly popular cover band Yacht Rock Revue , which tours the country, headlines 1,000-plus capacity venues, and occasionally even plays with the original artists behind these hits.

At the time of the Vannelli vandalism, Yacht Rock Revue had begun to graduate from a local curiosity to a national one. Niespodziani’s sister videotaped the incident and posted it on YouTube. They then printed T-shirts of the sign and, when Vannelli performed at the Variety Playhouse, they got one to him.

On a gray Monday afternoon not long ago, Niespodziani was standing at this crossroads, looking at the sign, trying to explain the motivation behind the prank. “We had this idea, so we videotaped,” he said. “It was definitely guerrilla marketing.” Also, he was pretty drunk.

The episode seems to capture something ineffable about Yacht Rock Revue—part fandom, part joke, part self-promotion, each element infused with irony. When YRR takes the stage at Venkman’s, an Old Fourth Ward restaurant and nightclub co-owned by Niespodziani and bandmate Pete Olson, the band is fully in character, complete with gaudy shirts and sunglasses. They crack jokes about each other’s moms and theatrically highlight multi-instrumentalist Dave Freeman’s one-note triangle solo during America’s “You Can Do Magic.”

“This music isn’t easy to perform,” Olson says. Yacht rock songs tend to be filled with complicated chord changes. All seven band members are accomplished musicians, and Niespodziani, who trained for a spell as an opera singer, is a rangy vocalist, capable of gliding through the high notes in Hall & Oates’s “Rich Girl,” Michael McDonald’s gruff tenor in “I Keep Forgetting,” and Dolly Parton’s amiable twang in “Islands in the Stream,” without seeming to strain. He, Olson, and drummer Mark Cobb first played together in Y-O-U, a band they formed at Indiana University in the late ’90s. They found scant support for original music there, so they relocated to Atlanta in 2002.

Photograph by Mike Colletta

Y-O-U built a buzz in Atlanta, thanks to Niespodziani’s catchy, Beatles-esque songs and the group’s playful gimmicks. They performed, straight-faced, as Three Dog Stevens, a sad-sack trio playing what they called “sandal-rock” (a made-up, synth-heavy genre defined by its purveyors’ predilection for wearing sandals with socks); they covered Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” entirely on keyboards while dressed as the Royal Tenenbaums; they created a YouTube mockumentary series about a competitive jump-roping team. “Comedy has always been part of what we do,” Niespodziani said. “We were doing anything to get noticed because we felt we had good songs but just couldn’t break through with them.”

“I said, ‘That sounds like hell on Earth.’ He was like, ‘But you’re going to make a lot of money.’ So we did it.”

In 2008, Y-O-U was booked every Thursday at the 10 High club in Virginia-Highland. They’d stage “Rock Fights,” playing dueling sets of covers by artists like Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, and INXS, or rejigger Y-O-U songs as soul rave-ups with horns and backing singers, or do a standup comedy night. Yacht Rock Revue was just another of these goofs: Put on silly clothes, and play songs everybody knows but nobody really likes—or claims not to. It was Cobb and guitarist Mark Dannells who came up with the idea. Dannells thought about calling it “A.M. Gold” but Cobb had recently seen a viral web series called Yacht Rock and felt like the term would resonate. Niespodziani went along because his friends needed his vocals. Two band members wore wigs to that first show, and, at one point, Niespodziani stripped off his shirt. People loved it. The club’s booker invited them back the next Thursday. The gig sold out. He asked them to do it every Thursday.

“I said, ‘That sounds like hell on Earth,’” Niespodziani recalls. “He was like, ‘But you’re going to make a lot of money.’ So we did it.”

Most cover bands are awful. But because they play well-known songs, they often secure regular, paying gigs that bands playing original music can’t. Even for the good ones, there’s a ceiling. Few ever perform further than 20 miles from wherever they played their first gig. What’s more, performing other people’s music for a living carries a degree of shame. Cobb has heard the mutterings about Yacht Rock Revue: “Why are these guys playing covers? They could write their own songs. They don’t need to hide behind a gimmick.”

Most of the guys in Yacht Rock Revue—which also includes bassist/vocalist Greg Lee and keyboardist/vocalist Mark Bencuya—had already spent half a lifetime dragging gear into dank basement bars to play for a few bucks and even fewer people. They did this in an era when the music business was cratering. The rise of the internet taught a generation of consumers that music is free, devaluing the dream to which musicians dedicate their lives.

When Yacht Rock Revue started in 2008, Dannells was nearly 40. “It’s not like the world is beating down the door of 40-year-old rock stars,” he says. Today, Yacht Rock is a business, owing its success partially to the corners of the business that haven’t collapsed: live music and merchandising. Besides their public shows, Yacht Rock Revue plays a steady stream of well-paying corporate gigs. They also sell lots of captain’s hats, T-shirts, and other swag. The success of the franchise means it’s been more than five years since any of them had a day job. Niespodziani and Olson created a company, Please Rock , that provides the bandmembers and their families with health insurance, 401Ks, and all the other trappings of comfortable, upper-middle-class stability few musicians ever achieve. All this grants bandmembers some real creative freedoms. “I just released a whole record of orchestral music,” Dannells says. “I don’t care if it sells. I just do it for enjoyment.”

Niespodziani shuttered Y-O-U years ago but still writes elegant power-pop songs for his other band, Indianapolis Jones . But the difference between his two bands’ profiles is stark. Troy Bieser, who has been working on a documentary about Yacht Rock Revue, says he’s seen this in the juxtaposition of the footage he’s compiled. “I’ve seen Nick going through the journey of being thankful for the success but it also feeling ill-fitting,” Bieser says. “That existential dilemma has followed him.”

Niespodziani knows whenever Yacht Rock plays anywhere, that’s a slot a band like Indianapolis Jones can’t get. “We’re a big part of the problem,” he says. As a 39-year-old father of one, who’s worked hard to get what he has, he isn’t about to give it up, but he’s also honest about the compromises he’s made and doesn’t hide from the question that is a natural byproduct of his own success: When a joke becomes your life, how do you keep your life from becoming a joke?

“I never would’ve guessed I’d be doing what I’m doing now,” he says. “The 23-year-old me would punch me in the face and leave me for dead.”

Yacht rock was mostly made in the late ’70s and early ’80s, but the genre wasn’t named until 2005 when JD Ryznar, a writer and actor, created the Yacht Rock web series with a few friends. The video shorts imagined the origins of songs like the Doobie Brothers’ “What a Fool Believes,” Toto’s “Rosanna,” and Steely Dan’s “FM.” The music, Ryznar says, was well-crafted, like a yacht, and recurring nautical imagery in songs like Christopher Cross’s “Sailing” or on Loggins and Messina’s album Full Sail made the term fit. According to Ryznar, true yacht rock has jazz and R&B influences, is usually produced in California, and frequently involves a rotating group of interconnected studio musicians. The term was never intended to be a pejorative—“we never thought it was silly music,” Ryznar says—but the web series is most definitely comedy, and feelings about the music itself tend to be buried under layers of hipster irony, warm nostalgia, and veiled contempt. Yacht rock songs are finely constructed: They’ve got indelible pop hooks, but they’re decidedly professional, not ragged and cool like punk or early hip-hop, which were canonized among the music of that era.

For the first Yacht Rock Revue gig, much of the set list came from a compilation CD that Cobb had burned titled The Dentist’s Office Mix. It included songs like Player’s “Baby Come Back,” Ambrosia’s “The Biggest Part of Me,” and Rupert Holmes’s “Escape (The Piña Colada Song).” “I’d put it on at parties and just see what the reactions would be,” Cobb says. “It was a weird, guilty pleasure.”

Niespodziani’s initial feelings about the music were uncomplicated. “I wasn’t a fan,” he says. “I was really into music that made people feel something, that had some grit and humanity to it. The ethos I thought was important in rock ’n’ roll was rebellious fun crossed with a heart-on-your-sleeve kind of thing. Yacht rock doesn’t do any of that. It doesn’t rebel.” He found a lot of yacht rock to be technical, clinical, and sterile. “Sophisticated for the sake of being sophisticated.”

Onstage, Niespodziani is the picture of unapproachable retro cool. Tall, with shaggy hair and an angular face, he hides behind large, dark sunglasses and frequently surrenders a thin half-smile. In other words, he personifies the classic, arrogant, coked-up, late-’70s rock frontman. In person, he gives off nearly the opposite impression. Over coffee, he’s thoughtful, earnest, and self-deprecating. His sharp facial features are accentuated by wide-lensed prescription glasses, and, having traded the polyester shirts he favors onstage for a camouflage green hoodie, the vibe Niespodziani exudes is hardcore music geek. Olson, who has known Niespodziani since they were in fourth grade in Columbus, Indiana, says when they met, “Nick was the nerdy kid who was good at math and jump-roping.”

Photograph by Emily Butler

Yacht Rock Revue, for Niespodziani, is a part he plays: “I’m almost more an actor than a musician.” He and his bandmates spend hours prowling vintage stores looking for the retro leisure wear that they don onstage—and then a not inconsiderable amount of money getting those old clothes tailored to fit. “It’s a war of attrition,” he says. “You find something that might work, and then it’s itchy or it smells or holes develop because the shirt is older than I am. You have to be shopping at all times.” They once did a gig in street clothes, but it felt wrong. “Polyester,” he says, “is our armor.”

Sometimes that armor hasn’t been enough for Niespodziani. During the band’s first few years, they played weekly at the 10 High. “I would drink a lot and almost sabotage myself, sometimes onstage, and make fun of it,” he says. “People would ask me about the band, and I’d talk down about it and act like I was too cool. I didn’t lash out at people, but it was strange to get well-known for something that didn’t make me feel good about myself. I’d get drunk onstage to deal with it.”

His bandmates certainly noticed, but, for the most part, they let their friend work through it. “He’s been the moodiest about it,” Cobb says. “He just hates Rupert Holmes’s ‘Escape (The Piña Colada Song).’ Hates it. But he knows it goes over well.” So when Niespodziani’s got to play it, he’ll often deadpan an introduction comparing Holmes to da Vinci and Picasso. “By talking about how great it is, it helps me shed that song’s terribleness.”

Niespodziani believes the ironic distance he puts between the guy he is onstage and the guy drinking coffee at Ponce City Market is fundamental to the band’s success. “Because we thought—or at least I thought—I was too cool to be doing this, everything has keyed off what the audience reacts to, whether it’s the clothes we wear, the sidestep dance we do, whatever. The audience has been the head of the snake. We’ve just been following it.” It helps that with more than 500 songs in their repertoire, the band doesn ’ t burn out too badly on any tune. “The only song we have to play is ‘Africa.’” The 1982 hit by Toto, by a band made up of talented but largely anonymous studio musicians, has become something of an Internet meme itself, with multiple think pieces devoted to untangling its allure. “Part of it may be the audacity of the synthesizer sound,” Niespodziani says. “They’re just so cheesy. The chords are fairly complex and pretty unexpected. The way it goes to the minor key in the chorus is kind of a cognitive disconnect. And when you listen to the words, it’s not really about anything. Maybe that’s why it’s so quintessentially yacht rock. It’s not so much what the words are saying, it’s how they make you feel, this combination of pure joy crossed with reminiscing.”

Despite his ambivalence about the music, Niespodziani is first among equals within the band. He sings lead on more songs than anyone else, and it’s his judgment they trust when adding songs to their catalog. He has a system: “Generally, the more a song annoys me, the more likely it makes sorority girls want to eat each other’s brains. Also, almost every song would be an encore for the band we’re covering. So, those are the basics: Does it annoy me? Are girls going to like it? Would it be an encore for the band we’re covering?”

“I’m almost more an actor than a musician.”

Others in the band are more unabashed about the music. “I’ve always loved all this stuff,” says Lee, the bassist. “You have to love it before you can play with it in that comedy sense and do it right.” This ability to walk that line between having fun with the music and making fun of the music has won over many of the original artists. When the band first reached out to guys like Dupree, Gary Wright (“Dream Weaver”), and Player’s Peter Beckett, some artists disdained the term “yacht rock” and feared being treated as a joke. Dupree was an early convert and evangelized about the band to his peers, touting their musicianship and enthusiasm. He says those who eventually performed with Yacht Rock Revue were “staggered that they were playing in front of 4,000 people who knew every word to their songs.”

The genre’s rise as a cultural touchstone—Jimmy Fallon has been a big booster, inviting Dupree, Cross, McDonald, and others to perform on TV, and there’s now a SiriusXM station devoted to it—has benefited these artists. Their Spotify and YouTube streaming numbers have risen noticeably. “It’s made a big impact financially,” Dupree says. “Even the skeptics have seen the power of it.”

For a while, the band had a bit of a good-natured Twitter beef with the creators of the Yacht Rock web series. Ryznar admits he initially felt like the band had hijacked his idea, but now his only real gripe is Yacht Rock Revue’s liberal definition of yacht rock. “Half their set is incredible yacht rock,” Ryznar says. “The other half, they play way too much Eagles, America, and Fleetwood Mac. Those aren’t yacht rock bands.”

The band makes no apologies. As Niespodziani puts it, “Yacht rock is what we say it is now.” That’s not just bravado. Yacht Rock Revue trademarked the term “yacht rock” for live performances, so other acts can’t use it without permission. The maneuver helped snuff out competition from other cover bands but occasionally puts them in conflict with some of the genre’s originators. When Cross’s manager tried to assemble a “Yacht Rock” tour featuring Cross, Orleans, and Firefall, it ran afoul of the trademark.

“We said, ‘If you want to call it Yacht Rock, we’ve got to be the [backing] band,’” Olson says. That compromise collapsed when Cross’s manager “wanted a piece of the trademark and of all our earnings over three years.” Yacht Rock Revue sent a cease-and-desist letter instead.

The band’s set list is anchored in the classic late ’70s, early ’80s yacht-rock era but can stretch to include songs as old as the late ’60s or as recent as the early ’90s. Of course, there’s a balance to be struck: If they go too far afield, they risk becoming just another cover band, but there are other considerations to take into account, too. As Cobb explains, “Nothing about Whitney Houston is in the genre, but when we play ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody,’ the chicks go crazy, everybody orders another round, the bar sells out of Tito’s and Red Bull, and they’re like, ‘When can you come back? You broke alcohol records.’”

The band’s audiences have evolved over time. The earliest shows were heavy on hipsters and fellow musicians. Then, those fans brought their parents. At a Buckhead Theatre gig in March, the crowd leaned toward balding guys in button-down shirts and platinum-blond women wearing expensive-looking jewelry. Niespodziani once called yacht rock “the music of the overprivileged,” which was a joke, but also not. Getting older, wealthier fans out to shows is an impressive accomplishment most artists would envy, but it has changed something fundamental about Yacht Rock’s appeal. “When we started, it was people elbowing each other, laughing at this music,” Niespodziani says. “Now, there’s no irony.”

On a night off during a Vegas stand in 2015, the entire band went to see Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band perform at the Pearl Theater in the Palms Casino. Starr began doing these tours in 1989, fronting a band of aging rockers like Gary Wright, Steve Lukather (Toto), and Gregg Rolie (Santana, Journey), whose names and faces you might not recognize but whose songs you certainly would. Just past the midway point in the show at the Pearl, Lukather stepped to the mic, and Starr began beating out a familiar rhythm on the drums. As Lukather picked out the first few notes on the guitar and the synths pumped out the insistent melody, the song was instantly recognizable: “Africa.” In the theater balcony, Cobb recalls looking across at Niespodziani and seeing something change in his friend. “I just watched Nick’s face and, all of a sudden, it was as if this weight lifted off him.”

The Beatles had always been Niespodziani’s favorite band. “Now, I’m watching Ringo Starr, and he has to play fucking ‘Africa’ every night, too,” Niespodziani says. “He was in the Beatles! That was a life-changing moment for me.” Starr and his band were touching many of the same nerves in the audience at the Pearl Theater that Yacht Rock Revue touches all the time. “When we started Yacht Rock, I didn’t like the music we were playing. I didn’t like myself for being in a cover band. I had some dark times. It’s been a journey for me to get okay with it. That was a pretty key moment. Once you get to a certain point in the music business, everybody’s hustling. I’m not going to look down my nose at anybody for doing anything that makes it possible to feed their family by singing songs.”

Seeing Starr go yacht rock was a significant step that’s made enjoying Yacht Rock Revue’s triumphs a little easier. For years, Olson and Niespodziani waited for interest in yacht rock—and their band—to fade. Opening Venkman’s was a hedge against that. But Yacht Rock Revue’s stock continues to rise. Their touring business has grown 375 percent since 2014. “It’s not a fad,” Niespodziani says. “This is going to be our biggest year by far.” They play increasingly larger venues and have recently started booking dates overseas, including this summer in London.

The question is, where else can they take this, literally and figuratively? Back in 2013, the band quietly released a five-song EP: four original songs and a cover of—what else?—“Africa.” They used to occasionally drop an original tune into their shows, sometimes announcing it as a “Hall & Oates B-side.” The crowds were amenable, kind of. “It’s hard when they know every word to every song,” Niespodziani says. “They don’t come for discovery; they come for familiarity.” That’s a truism any band who has ever had a hit knows all too well. The essential appeal of Yacht Rock Revue—and yacht rock—is a combination of nostalgia and escape, a yearning for the simpler, easier time these songs evoke. Yet Niespodziani has been wondering lately if it’s possible to pivot fans to his own songs, either with Yacht Rock Revue or Indianapolis Jones.

“That’s still my dream,” he says, “to have one song that matters to somebody the way ‘Steal Away’ matters to people. No matter what else I do in life, if I don’t ever get over that bar, part of me will feel like I failed at the one thing I wanted. I don’t know if I can ever let go of that. I don’t know if I’m ready to face that darkness.”

In 2013, during a commencement speech at Syracuse University, the author George Saunders told graduates, “Success is like a mountain that keeps growing as you hike up it.” Niespodziani brought this quote up to me while we were having coffee. He knows his life is nothing to complain about. He lives a rarefied existence where he gets paid a lot of money to play music. But clearly, the mountain grows in front of him, and the hike up isn’t always easy. He’s still prone to self-deprecating asides about his band, he still kinda envies the Robbie Duprees of the world—but, hey, he doesn’t need to get drunk onstage anymore, and he doesn’t lose sleep wondering if he’s a force for good or evil in the world. That stop sign at the crossroads in the Old Fourth Ward isn’t an omen or a cautionary tale. It’s simply a funny story that makes people smile. He’s just working on becoming one of them.

“The way I really made peace with it is, it occurred to me that everywhere we went, everyone was so happy to see me,” he says. “These people, it’s the highlight of their week to come sing along with these tunes. If your job is making people happy, that’s a pretty good calling.” He leans back in his chair and smiles. “My job is to make it okay for everybody else to have fun. That’s kind of cool.” He gets quiet for a moment and shrugs.

This article appears in our  July 2018 issue .

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

The accidental success of Yacht Rock Revue

Newsletters.

Most recent

33 top things to do in the South that don’t cost a thing

Snake wrangler? Intimacy coordinator? 5 odd jobs in Georgia film.

Leading designer Matthew Quinn holds book signing and panel discussion at PDI’s Atlanta showroom

Great reads.

The Big Green Egg turns 50: Inside its eggstensive cult following

Danielle Deadwyler: Made in Atlanta

• Business Forum
• Privacy and Cookies Policy
• Terms of Use
• General Contest Rules

• Skip to content
• Accessibility
• Buy Tickets

{{decodeURI(data.name)}}

Yacht Rock Revue

• Date Thursday March 6 , 2025 8:00 PM
• On Sale On Sale Now
• Ticket Pricing $32.50 - $65.00

Embark on a nostalgic voyage through the shimmering seas of music with Yacht Rock Revue, the ultimate purveyors of the smooth, yacht rock sound and who many reverently consider the godfathers of Yacht Rock. Hailing from Atlanta, GA this sensational band has captivated audiences worldwide with their immaculate renditions of classic hits from the late '70s and early '80s.

Inspired by the golden era of soft rock, Yacht Rock Revue has mastered the art of recreating the breezy and laid-back tunes that defined a generation. From the sun-kissed melodies of Steely Dan and Michael McDonald to the velvety harmonies of Hall & Oates, their repertoire spans an ocean of beloved hits that evoke memories of palm trees, ocean breezes, and carefree summers.

Since their formation in 2007, Yacht Rock Revue has amassed a devoted following, drawing fans from all walks of life to their extraordinary live performances. Their attention to detail and devotion to authenticity are unrivaled, transporting audiences to a time when yacht parties and smooth sailing were the order of the day.

But Yacht Rock Revue isn't just a tribute band; they are musical alchemists, seamlessly blending their own unique style with the iconic yacht rock vibe. Their original compositions are a modern ode to the genre, capturing the essence of those bygone days while infusing it with a fresh and invigorating twist.  Their first original record, titled Hot Dads In Tight Jeans, showcases the bands complete range of skills that simultaneously transports the listener to a more modern era.  While “Step,” the record’s first single, is a peppy number replete with falsetto and bumping bass, the rest of the album is more akin to Phoenix or Air, the hip bands that adapted Yacht for a younger audience.

Beyond the stage, Yacht Rock Revue's infectious energy extends to their fans, creating a community that celebrates the joy of music and the timeless appeal of yacht rock. Their concerts are not just shows; they're immersive experiences that leave audiences craving more.

Whether you're a longtime lover of the yacht rock era or a newcomer to its smooth grooves, Yacht Rock Revue promises an unforgettable journey across the azure waters of musical history. So grab your captain's hat and set sail with Yacht Rock Revue for a melodic adventure like no other.

YACHT ROCK REVUE is…

Nicholas Niespodziani - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Percussion

Peter Olson - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Percussion

Greg Lee - Bass, Vocals

Mark Dannells - Guitars, Vocals

Mark Bencuya - Keyboards, Vocals

David B. Freeman - Saxophones, Keyboards, Flute, Piccolo, Percussion, Vocals

Keisha Jackson - Vocals, Percussion

Kourtney Jackson - Vocals, Percussion

Jason Nackers - Drums

Ganesh Giri Jaya - Drummer

NEVER MISS A BEAT. SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER.

People also viewed.

Joanne Shaw Taylor

Austin City Limits Celebrates 50 Years

A Magical Cirque Christmas

Stay in touch.

Love live music as much as we do? Sign up for exclusive updates, offers, and events to be the first to know all things ACL Live!

Yacht Rock Revue

Embark on a nostalgic voyage through the shimmering seas of music with Yacht Rock Revue, the ultimate purveyors of the smooth, yacht rock sound and who many reverently consider the godfathers of Yacht Rock. Hailing from Atlanta, GA this sensational band has captivated audiences worldwide with their immaculate renditions of classic hits from the late '70s and early '80s. Inspired by the golden era of soft rock, Yacht Rock Revue has mastered the art of recreating the breezy and laid-back tunes that defined a generation. From the sun-kissed melodies of Steely Dan and Michael McDonald to the velvety harmonies of Hall & Oates, their repertoire spans an ocean of beloved hits that evoke memories of palm trees, ocean breezes, and carefree summers. Since their formation in 2007, Yacht Rock Revue has amassed a devoted following, drawing fans from all walks of life to their extraordinary live performances. Their attention to detail and devotion to authenticity are unrivaled, transporting audiences to a time when yacht parties and smooth sailing were the order of the day. Yacht Rock Revue's infectious energy extends to their fans, creating a community that celebrates the joy of music and the timeless appeal of yacht rock. Their concerts are not just shows; they're immersive experiences that leave audiences craving more. YACHT ROCK REVUE is. Nicholas Niespodziani - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Percussion Peter Olson - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Percussion Greg Lee - Bass, Vocals Mark Dannells - Guitars, Vocals Mark Bencuya - Keyboards, Vocals David B. Freeman - Saxophones, Keyboards, Flute, Piccolo, Percussion, Vocals Keisha Jackson - Vocals, Percussion Kourtney Jackson - Vocals, Percussion Jason Nackers - Drums Ganesh Giri Jaya - Drummer

• Mark Forums Read
• View Site Leaders
• Who's Online
• Advanced Search

• Progressive Ears Forums
• Progressive Ears MUSIC Forums
• Off-Topic (OT) - Music And Arts

The History Of Yacht Rock

• If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

• Jump to page:

Thread: The History Of Yacht Rock

Thread tools.

• Show Printable Version
• View Profile
• View Forum Posts
• Private Message
• View Articles

This week I devoted an episode of my show to some music I remember fondly from my youth. Basically, slick rock from the 1970s meets a few tunes with nautical themes. What became known as Yacht Rock in the mid 2000s thanks to a tongue in cheek parody tv series (now on YouTube - 12 episodes) of the same name. That is the most unique way any musical genre has been named. Years after the fact thanks to an internet sensation. That's a one of a kind situation. My co-host is Greg Lee, bassist for the premiere yacht rock tribute, The Yacht Rock Revue. We take a look at around 100 albums that make up the core of the yacht playlist. Big names and ones that are far from it. For Episode #48 we set a course for adventure as we look at the history of Yacht Rock. A musical genre that is unique. Unlike any other, the yacht rock genre was coined/named decades after it's heyday, thanks to a show in the mid 2000s that was a tongue in cheek parody of it called....wait for it..... Yacht Rock! Out of that 12 part series a new reverence for the artists included in it grew and new generations became hip to the music. We take a look back at the well known artists like Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald, Hall and Oates, Ambrosia, Boz Scaggs first. Then, we dig into a list of groups and artists that had a handful of seminal yacht tunes. One hit wonders and two and three hit ones in some cases. Many songs share a similar "uptown" approach to harmony, but occasionally a simple nautical lyric or a groovy captain's get up gets in the yacht ballpark too. Our co-host is Greg Lee, bassist/vocalist for the Atlanta based Yacht Rock Revue. Their flawless attention to detail has garnered them worldwide acclaim as THE ultimate tribute to Yacht Rock in a live setting. They also have an album of original music that transcends the Yacht tag too and offers a fun, fresh compliment to their classic live catalog.

Last edited by Sean; 11-15-2020 at 04:29 AM .

Out of that 12 part series a new reverence for the artists included in it grew and new generations became hip to the music. We take a look back at the well known artists like Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald, Hall and Oates, Ambrosia, Boz Scaggs first. Then, we dig into a list of groups and artists that had a handful of seminal yacht tunes. Funny, I never considered H&O as Yacht rock.... but then again, I just found out that they were at it for 10 years (thanks to you) before I became aware of them on MTV/MM, so go figure. BTW, I checked out Lunchonette and it's spot on (despite the dupo being from the east cost). I tend to view Yacht Rock as a form of LA Scene west-coast country rock ala Eagles, Captain & Tenille, Seals & Croft, Loggins & Messina, SHF Band... and of course the MMcD (fuck, I loathe that dude ) era of Doobies and Steely Dan yacht.jpg anyways thanks for the cruise , though I stopped halfway thru. Will probably watch/listen to the second part soon.

my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

• Visit Homepage

Would Al Stewart's Year of the Cat be considered yacht rock?

https://thewintertree1.bandcamp.com/

And how about Moonlight feels right by Starbuck?

http://methofer.home.xs4all.nl/ http://www.rarebirdproductions.bandcamp.com

Originally Posted by the winter tree Would Al Stewart's Year of the Cat be considered yacht rock? I would think not, as it is too "edgy" and electrified in my view. However, I named it as one of my top 100 songs of all time, so definitely a fan of it and it's composer. I can't imagine "Sailing" by Christopher Cross or "Cool Change" by Little River Band not making the list, but I haven't watched the episode yet so maybe they have made the Yacht Rock register. The first time I heard the term 'YR' was on a radio station in the BVI's and they had just played "Another Park" by the DB's. The station was entirely Yacht Rock, 24 hours a day' as they catered to the sailing crowd in that gorgeous part of the World. Perfect demographic for them.

Great show. Funny as hell with all the singing. Loads of fun.

Originally Posted by Rarebird And how about Moonlight feels right by Starbuck? Absolutely. We talked about it

Originally Posted by Sean Absolutely. We talked about it I have a weird relation with that song. I don't like it, but I love the percussion-parts.

I haven't checked most of it out yet, but did you talk about America?

allmediareviews on YouTube

Ya know Sean, I think Chicago started going a bit Yacht with their 6th album (Just You And Me). I stayed for albums 7 and 8 then gave up. They didn't become full, blown Yacht until the 80s I'd guess.

I only like avant-yacht (Yacht in Opposition). Not that retro garbage. Unless it's from Norway. Norwegian yachts are sleekly built. If you don't look at the manufacturing date, you would swear they're from the 70's.

In the UK last year there was a two-part documentary about this 'genre' on a BBC channel. Worth seeking out if you can. I like pretty much all of the acts deemed part of it. There's always been a place for this sort of music as far as I'm concerned. But I don't think Steely Dan quite fit. Although there's some musical crossover, Steely Dan differed lyrically to most 'yacht rock' acts.

I honestly think so too. A bit more...substance?

Originally Posted by mnprogger I haven't checked most of it out yet, but did you talk about America? Sure!

Originally Posted by Vic2012 Ya know Sean, I think Chicago started going a bit Yacht with their 6th album (Just You And Me). I can see that, sure.

Originally Posted by Sean I honestly think so too. A bit more...substance? Yes, a lot of these other bands, the lyrics weren't that taxing. Mostly standard-issue romance stuff. And Steely Dan were more complex musically too, I'd say. Sometimes you get a vaguely progressive track from these bands. England Dan and John Ford Coley have one, it's called 'Soldier In The Rain'. And there's the album version of 'It's A Long Way There' by Little River Band...do they have anything else like that? I know the hits really.

Originally Posted by Rick L. I only like avant-yacht ( Yacht in Opposition ). Not that retro garbage. Unless it's from Norway. Norwegian yachts are sleekly built. If you don't look at the manufacturing date, you would swear they're from the 70's. Yes, you nailed it; YIO is the beast of all music genres. The only example I can think of though is "Surfin' Bird", by The Trashmen. Another would be Part Three of "Zero Tolerance For Silence". Just think of music that reminds you of nails running over a chalkboard and you'll have the idea.

In the UK we also had this, some years ago: https://www.discogs.com/Various-Yach...elease/7826645 A few oddities but basically a solid track list. It encompasses the slicker end of R&B/soul. Sometimes there was crossover- see the writing credits for 'After The Love Has Gone' for instance, and Toto members on Michael Jackson/Lionel Richie records.

Now, is Dust in The Wind Yacht? I say yes.

Well, the album cover does have a boat on it. LOL

You guys didn't mention Gary Wright, "My Love Is Alive." Pure Yacht.

Would maybe "Pirates" qualify as 'Yacht in Opposition'? As far as maritime law is concerned…

τί ἐστιν ὃ μίαν ἔχον φωνὴν τετράπουν καὶ δίπουν καὶ τρίπουν γίνεται; εἰσί κασίγνηται δισσαὶ, ὠν ἡ μία τίκτει τὴν ἑτέραν αὐτὴ δέ τεκοῦσ` ὑπό τὴσδη τεκνούται τίς δὲ κασίγνηται δύο;

You would think Rio would cut it. But by then the yacht had already pretty much sailed. 80s production methods and sounds sort of flew in the face of the warmer approach those 70s yacht albums had too.

• Private Messages
• Subscriptions
• Search Forums
• Forums Home
• Progressive Music Discussion (THE MAIN BOARD)
• What's On, What's New
• Artists' Forum
• Way Off-Topic (WOT)
• Community - Birthdays, Announcements
• The Trading Post
• Discuss Site Issues

Posting Permissions

• You may not post new threads
• You may not post replies
• You may not post attachments
• You may not edit your posts
• BB code is On
• Smilies are On
• [IMG] code is On
• [VIDEO] code is On
• HTML code is Off

Forum Rules

• 21st Century Progressive Rock
• Terms of Service