Q: What do you get when you put two actors with zero musical experience into Sound City Studios — home to the recordings of Neil Young’s “After the Gold Rush” and Nirvana’s “Nevermind?”
A: An 11-track album and 10-episode television series. Meet “Daisy Jones & the Six.”
What began as a book by Taylor Jenkins Reid in 2019 has evolved into a multimedia empire. On March 3, the Amazon Prime Video floodgates opened, luring viewers to follow the coming-of-age story of the greatest fictional rock band of the ‘70s — Daisy Jones & the Six.
While trying my best to preserve spoilers, I am here to give you the most authentic review I can. As what I consider to be the love child of “Almost Famous” and “Big Little Lies,” I scored “Daisy Jones & the Six” a whopping nine out of 10. The acting chemistry, ‘70s wardrobe, soundtrack and casting are great, but minor quirks hampered the plot.
“Daisy Jones & the Six” captures the band’s progression through the highs and lows of fame, love, loss and rock and roll. Filmed like a documentary, the bandmates are asked to reminisce and lament on their experiences after the rock band called it quits.
The duality of capturing the musicians in the present during the interviews and 20 years prior during their musical reign added a layer of intrigue to the storyline.
Back in 2019, following the release of her novel “Daisy Jones & the Six,” Reid shared about the inescapable presence of Fleetwood Mac in the summer of 1997, amidst the release of their two-hour-long reunion concert,“The Dance.” She could not divert her eyes from the tension Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham shared.
“I kept coming back to that moment when Lindsey watched Stevie sing ‘Landslide,’” Reid wrote. “I wanted to write a story about that, about how the lines between real life and performance can get blurred, about how singing about old wounds might keep them fresh.”
As actors,“Daisy Jones & the Six” bandmates had the skills to produce all of the emotions behind a rock and roll band. The real work to fit the part was done in band camp required for the actors. Some actors had musical experience, but actors Sam Claflin and Riley Keough (who play lead singers Billy Dunne and Daisy Jones) had to start from square one.
What was intended to be only a few months of rehearsal became a year-and-a-half-long band camp for cast members due to the pandemic. Especially for Claflin and Keough, who had to master vocals and instruments before filming.
In a Variety interview with Claflin and Keough, both actors admitted they were petrified when they first heard the original television score.
The two admitted in the interview that the discussion of needing stunt vocalists inspired them both to “work harder” and “be better.”
Learning that neither of the lead singers had any musical experience before the show — even Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley — made me appreciate “Daisy Jones & the Six” more.
It is apparent in each episode how seriously they took their practice. The live performances were remarkable, especially when the other band members joined in with the bass, guitar, drums and keys.
I gave this show a nine out of 10 for a few reasons.
Some songs sounded a bit tacky and pop-like. Not ‘70s-esque, which took away from the rock-and-roll appeal. Some of the characters were awfully annoying too. At times I wanted to turn off the show, but I promise patience is a virtue. Most of the quirks sorted themselves out by the finale.
“Daisy Jones & the Six” is a phenomenal source of entertainment. I found it a great inspiration for pursuing your dreams (especially learning how to sing,) and it made me appreciate live music. Despite my mild slander, I have repeatedly listened to the soundtrack since finishing the series. Especially the song, “The River.”
