WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - I've Got Aux: “Still Got it Going On” by Young Gun Silver Fox

Episode Date: April 10, 2024

Gavin is on Aux this week and chose "Still Got it Going On" by Young Gun Silver Fox. We talk about nostalgic sounds and what qualifications you must have in order to be considered a "silver fox."

Right, well now this is a first, never done this before, but how exciting is this on the internet? Okay, there you go. It's hard to really pin down certain definitions for a genre, and even harder when you take into account subgenres and the many common exceptions to these often arbitrary rules for categorizing styles of music. In the end, the task is almost impossible. Take Yacht Rock, for example. I'm sure a few bands pop into your mind, in certain songs even, but for some of us it's just a vibe or a feeling that really defines the genre.

For me, Yacht Rock is a day of sunshine and good feelings. But thankfully, the band for today makes it a little easier to pin down what Yacht Rock is. The decade-long collaboration of Andy Platts and Sean Lee under the name of Young Gunn and Silver Fox entered the scene in 2012, effectively wearing a name tag that said, Hi, I'm Yot Rock. With the advantage of being 50 years removed from the time of the genre's conception, Young Gunn and Silver Fox stand on the shoulders of bands like Steely Dan, Player, Doobie Brothers, and many others to craft a cohesive sound that brings old sounds. to the modern audience for what is Yacht Rock.

This is I've Got Ox and Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I'm Gavin Leastrow, and this is Still Got It Going on by Young Gun, Silver Fox. Welcome back to Radio Free Hillsdale, 11.7 FM. This is I've Got Ox. And I'm Gavin, and I'm joined by Ali and Bella, as always. And I'm on Ox today, and the song was Still Got It Going on that you just heard by Young Gun Silver Fox off of the. their album,

tickets to, author album titled Tickets to Shangri La from 2022. So, we, I'm just going to confess right now to dispel the rumors that I did have to pause the episode

and how to say that. And I voiced over saying that album title four times already. Yeah, but we didn't look it up. And once I schooled Gavin, I got insecure and I thought I was lying. But Shangri-La is actually not a real place. It is a fictional place.

But now we're all up to speed. So if you heard some glitches in those first couple seconds. No, you didn't. But Bella was the blind listener. Bella was a blind listener, so she had no part in that. Yeah, so she's absolved. She does have a part in her opinions, though.

So what are your opinions, Bella? It was good. I liked it. I mean, what? At first I was like, at first I didn't get, like, at first I didn't get the Yacht Rock connection, like at first. But I get it now. that it is yacht rock

yeah you gotta wait for their vocals to come in yeah yeah for sure and I thought they have really good voices it's yeah we're gonna talk about that very easy listening I guess yeah and we're gonna talk about what is yacht rock because obviously you are operating under

a definition that maybe I'm not operating under well I have a yacht so we're both yacht owners two out of three people on the show are yacht owners Ali and I are actually part of the yacht club and it's the two women in STEM neither are in STEM anymore Bella is secretly a biologist.

She's a chemist, the chemistry department here. Yeah, you guys didn't know that. Gavin, but if we were to distill what Yacht Rock is, what is that? What is your functioning definition or the general accepted definition of Yot Rock? Well, for the listener who is here for the intro, I did, I mentioned my definition of what I think it is, is I just think of sunshine. I think of it more of a feeling than as a genre. And so, I don't know, that sounds really dumb. It's a vibe, guys.

It is. But it's an idea of like sunshine and just good feeling music. And so music you would hear on the beach. Inebrated. Yeah. But I think it emulates a style of music that you would listen to on the beach from 1970 to 1980. Yes, I was going to say it was a sunny era. Yeah.

So it's definitely just a feeling, but it's constrained by a time period, which then comes with its own genres. Yeah. How did you end up picking this song? Um, because I like Yacht Rock and I think it's so cool that... Well, this one's modern. Well, yeah, and I... You know?

It was almost after we did that episode of, um... World was going up in flames. World was going up in flames. Charles Bradley. Yeah, Charles Bradley. Yeah, shout out Charles Bradley. He's dead. Oh.

Oh, rest in peace with... Rest and peace with... Stop. Love and peace. Love and peace. But after you did the episode, I was thinking about, you know, people emulating old style of the music in modern day. And I was like, hey, I listened to this band, Young Gun, Silver Fox. who has emulated almost perfectly,

I think that sound of West Coast kind of yacht rock sounds from the 70s in 2022, which is crazy because one of the guys in this band, the Silver Fox of the band, is, well, no, that's the name. That's what it's talks about. No, I know. I just didn't make that connection

that, like, he was calling himself. Gavin is personally calling him the Silver Fox. No, if you look at a picture of them, one of them has like, long beautiful silver hair. Wait, that's crazy. So is he old? Yeah, he's pretty old.

He's older. He's older. So do you think he was like, guys, okay, young gun silver fox? Like, he's like, that's me? Well, or is he like? The other guy in the band, the young gun, had another band called Mama's Gun. And so I think. So he named himself Silver Fox.

I don't. And they both had solo careers and or still do concurrently with this project. I think so. But I think from what I can tell, this is definitely the most successful artistic fans. venture together. That's so nice though, just an old guy and a young guy. Yeah, it's an interesting dynamic because it's like, it's not like someone trying to do jazz music from the 60s who was born in, you know, 2005 or something like that. Like you're so separated from something like that. This guy lived during the 70s probably. He grew up in the 70s. Do you know when he was born?

He looks like he's probably in his mid to late 50s, early 60s. And so that would have been, at least when he was born. Yeah, so they kind of have this sound that I feel is, emulating a lot of artists. And so I'm wondering if you guys have any artists that you kind of heard in their song. Like, were there times where like, oh, that's like a reference to that sound. Because I definitely have at least one.

Okay, I'm going to say something that you're going to find a tiny bit offensive. For a second, it reminded me of like... Jason Derulo trumpets. Like a jawed bellion song or something. Like, you know. Is it because of the trumpets? Yeah, I don't know.

But I liked it. But for a second, I was like, oh, it's like a little, like, I don't know, A.J.R. Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. When I was listening, I was thinking of someone and I've forgotten it now. But, like, following this vein of, like, neo-soul, yacht, like, I don't know, resurrecting some old genres. It's very much, like, these sacred souls and then Duran Jones and the indications.

But which one are you thinking of? Is it like vocals reminds you of someone? This reminds, all the production style and the instrumentation just reminds me a ton of Steely Dan. I don't know how much you listen to Steely Dan. I know I subject Bella. Wait, no, I get that. That makes sense.

And so I want to play a little game, guys. Okay. Steely Dan or? Is it Steely Dan or is a Young God Silverfog? Oh, real. This is so perfect. So Bella might have a little edge up on this because I, I play her a lot of Steely Dan.

So, okay, ready? Yeah. Steely Dan. No, no, no, that's this, that's this band. Yeah, it's, it's Young Guns Silver Rock. Yes! Nice. But this is, yeah, this is rolling back.

It just sounds a little newer. Yeah. But like, you listen to the harmonies in this chorus. Yeah, you're so right. So 70s. Yeah. What's this one? I like this one.

Yeah, that's rolling back off the same album. Oh, that's fine. You played me that before. Yeah. Okay, well, who's this? Steely Dan. Yeah. It's just, yeah, there's old.

Yeah, you can kind of hear the production What, yeah Yeah, so this is It sounds faded Yeah, that's my old school By Steely Dan Which is something a little bit different than what Charles Bradley does

Where they're not as committed to like You know, production techniques Right, Charles Bradley like vibe Who's that? That's the guy Allie did No, that's the one I did Sorry Which one's the fox guys?

Oh, man But yeah, so that's interesting that they kind of have more newer sounding stuff but still have that old vibe. And it doesn't sound like they're trying too hard to make it sound vintage. No, no. Because you know, some groups will like,

it'll be very distorted or like they'll try to make it sound too vintage. And then it just doesn't. My favorite is like, oh, you're emulating a tape machine. Yeah. Just on the one instrument. Not on the entire thing. Yeah.

Not on the whole thing. Yeah. Oh, man. Okay, what about this one? Steely Dan. Well, you're smiling. Gavin is smirking. That almost gave a little Billy Joel, the little trail there.

Up on the hill. Now the voice gave it away, yeah. Wow. I was right. Who does that sound like? I'm not going to lie, right there, that one vocal, and I'm saying this completely isolated, it was a little Frank Zappa. They're like, up on the hill.

I'm going to do Zappa song. It kind of looks similar. Oh my gosh. Oh, my gosh. I just decided that right now. That will be a good episode. That would be so funny. We should play more games, honestly.

More games. Yeah, that was a great game, Gavin. Wait, there's more. Okay. Who's this? Stelian. Yeah. Who's this?

This band. Yeah, new one. How do you guys telling so quickly, you think? Is it the production? Yeah, and you can hear it just, I mean, the newer stuff obviously just sounds like crisper, but maybe like a little finger. I wish I knew music well enough that I could use actual words to describe what, here because sometimes I'm like, because the drum is going ting, ting, ting.

The crazy thing is Ali Hall saying, I wish I knew music. Like, actual music. Like, I don't know. That's crazy. I could never be like, the chord progression. Oh, like, music's neary. I know what you made. I was like, probably like, otherwise I'm the boss of music saying that like that one.

Because sometimes I'm just like, the drums go boom, bong. Yeah. And that one goes tink, ting. It sounds really quick, guys. That's literally what I sound like. And then music grows like, kill me. I know. but I like that better because I can understand

Ting Ting and boom bong. Yeah. If you say like the two, four and like, you know, I'm just like, I don't know what you're saying. Gavin speaks for the musicians. We speak for the musicians. We speak for the drums that go Bing Bong. Like, if you get it and get it. Oh, man. If you're trying to tell me the time signature with drum being, like, I don't know what's happening.

Yeah. Give me Bing Bing. It's called I've got ox. We're playing the music. Doesn't mean we know anything about it. It's this diversity that matters. Yeah. If you're just tuning in, we're listening.

We're not listening. You're listening to I've Got OX on Radio Free Hillsdale, 1-1.7 FM. We're talking about a little band called Young Gun Silver Fox. And this time they're actually a little band. That's not like a, they actually have like no listeners on Spotify. But they're really awesome. Yeah, it's pretty small. I remember when Gavin sent this song, it's one of those things where sometimes, you know, when you listen to like insane amounts of music when you're younger. And then you'll hear stuff and you're like, oh, I kind of know what this is. I realized I had one song downloaded from, I think, might be their debut album. It was 2015. It's called West End Coast, and the song I knew was better. And it has a similar vibe, but it definitely seems like they've grown a lot.

And I would say even the production does sound a little bit. Yeah. Is this better? This is better. That sounds very steely, Danny. Yeah. This was in my...

That's good. I like this better. Yeah, that's so Steely Dam. This is my like stoner rock era. It's like sticky fingers and Ocean Alley. Jeez. It was 85% of my music tastes for many, many years. And like I can, I can like analyze the chords and be like, yeah, they're using like complicated chords in the same way that Sealy Dan does.

But for me, when like beat one hits and it's just like this wash of sound that like equates just like sunshine hitting your face. Like that's yacht rock to me. Wash is a really good description. It's a beautiful just... It all comes down at once. Yeah. And it's not in an overwhelming way. Yeah.

It's just kind of a smooth way. It's like, it's not prompting you to like get up and dance, but it's also like going to put a smile on your face. And we're very much into that because today was the first time the sun has come out. Oh my gosh. It's like, it was 59 degrees today when I got my car. Yeah. The shorts are on. We had class outside.

It was great. What? We walked all the way to the Arboretum. Oh. Humanities major. I saw something that was like, you don't. when you don't think seasonal depression is real until you walk outside and the sun hits your face and you feel like you just took a molly.

I was like, yeah. Took a molly is awesome. That's crazy. You feel like you took, can I say Molly on the radio? It's a thing. Yeah, okay. We're not telling anybody to take it. Yeah.

Let the record show. Anyways, I was like, yeah. Because when it's all dark, I'm like, guys, I don't even get it. I feel great. And then you're like only listening to Elliot Smith. And then suddenly, in one day in February, we start listening to this band. Yes, exactly. You're like, I step outside and I'm like, ah.

My blood is warm again. But yeah, so. Anyways. So talk about sunshine and yacht rock, which yacht rock, I feel like to me is not a real genre. It's like a name that puts on something. And in a similar way that people have this thing called Dad Rock. Yes. And to you guys, what does Dad Rock make you think?

Well, mine is kind of discriminant. Like, mine is usually, when I say it, it's like a slur. When I sing, when I sling Dad Rock, it's, I think of the time I was 15 and I was cornered in a kitchen by someone's dad and I was talked at about Rush for like two hours. And he was making me watch videos on his phone. And I was like, sir, I don't care. So Dad Rock to me, I almost associated with like 80s, 90s more so. Oh, wow.

I think like Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam is the big one. Well, that's like your dad, right, Gavin? Well, like Pearl Jam's your dad rock To me, Dad Rock would be like My dad listening to Billy Joel Yeah Him telling me about his first time getting that record

Because Pearl Jam for him was like college Right And so that's a little bit different That Dad Rock to me is something that he would put on When he's like at the grill Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah And so it's still like his music But it's not quite Yacht Rock

Because he doesn't really like Yacht Rock Yeah, I don't know My Dad Rock, when I think Dad Rock I think like Grateful Dead And basically that's it's it And like the cure or the clash. And so like Spotify is, they're so cool the way they have their playlists and they have a dad rock playlist that they curate. And like all those people you're talking about are on there.

But it is more, it's less 90s like you were saying. Interesting. So there's like Bruce Springsteen. Bruce Springsteen. Yeah. Crosby stills in a match. That's like Billy Joel. America.

America. Tom Petty Eagles. Derogatory. We should segregate it further to derogatory dad rock, endearing dad rock. Yes, exactly, exactly. Good dad, bad dad. Yeah. Present dad, absent dad.

Some dad is out there listening, man. I'm like, guys, I love her springsteen. And then there are Rush dads. Rush dads are the worst. Just kidding. Don't be a Rush dad. Love Rush. I don't, but I love if you do.

Wait, is Crosby stills a Nash derogatory dad? No, I love Crosby. I was like, my dad loves Crowsman. No, no, no, no, no. I was just bitten. It's interesting. There's like Finn Lizzie and Paul Simon are both on this playlist for That's crazy.

Yeah. Which is like... I feel like hair metal also could get lumped into dad rock. Because it's really whatever was on the radio. Yeah. They were kids that they're still listening to it. And now they're imparting on their own children.

Right. This is what I listened to when I was your age. That's what they're passing off. Yeah. But it's cool that someone's doing that currently, making the music that they listen to as kids, but today. Yeah.

So it's like I'm having the same experience as my dad would have had because the music is new to me. Right. But so that's why I love Young Gun, Silver Fox. so much. Very cool. And they played in Detroit

the other week but I couldn't go. Oh, nice. So sad. Yeah. But yeah. So we are out of time pretty much for this episode

but thank you for listening to Ready for Hillsdale 101.1.1.7 FM talking about Dad Rock, talking about Yacht Rock and Young Gun Silver Fox. So see you next week. See you next week.

Bye. Bye.