Yacht Bullshit

July 4, Landenberg, PA-

"Jay, aren't you stoked to go see Hall and Oats?" The question zoomed at me from all angles. You fucking hip mutha fuckers and your chic rock, with tinges of irony embedded. Of course I wasn't excited to go see them. Just like I'm not excited when my parents put on their soft rock radio station in the car, as they have for my entire life. Just like I'm bummed that I can sing along to all the songs because of my childhood spent in an inescapable box of the same smooth music on repeat. The Celtics will have a bigger rotation this year than Magic 98.3 in New Jersey has ever had. Who understands that Celtics reference? At any rate, I wasn't stoked.

It seems to me they caught on because of the internet phenomenon Yacht Rock, which was very entertaining. That's fine, but where do we draw the line? When did the return of the 80's fashion intersect with the return of 80's excess and 70's soft rock kings? Shortly after the Birthday party for U.S.A. Hall and Oats start popping up everywhere. I'm watching an online promo for the new Chromeo album and the singer, Dave 1 holds up a Hall and Oats album. I'm watching an episode of the Flight of the Conchords and Daryl Hall has a cameo. And then yesterday on Pitchfork they have a lengthy interview with Mr. Hall. In it he calls Robert Fripp a girl and uses the term 'reverse racism,' which last I checked is same as regular racism. I could be wrong, maybe I'm just being a wigger.

I don't care how much you inject this smoothed out shit into my life. Much like the Bush administration, I'm taking a stand against revisionist history. Isn't it enough that I like Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado now? It's got to stop somewhere and I'm planting my foot. I'm not stoked and will never be stoked on Hall and Oats.

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/44913-interview-daryl-hall