Ten reasons Zac Brown Band will never win us over

By Nikki Miller-Rose Fri., Nov. 9 2012 at 6:00 AM

It goes without saying that country fans and foes alike love Zac Brown Band in all their genre-bending glory, and many will no doubt turn out in droves to see them when they play the Target Center on Saturday.

Fronted by a robust, bearded man by the name of, yes, Zac Brown, the band was established in 2002, a smaller act than they are today at just three members. (Today, they're a seven-piece.) The following year, Brown started his own label called Home Grown, which still operates today but under a new name -- Southern Ground. In 2004, Brown and his father opened a music club and restaurant in Lake Oconee, Georgia, calling it "Zac's Place." When a developer purchased the restaurant, Brown's band bought themselves a tour bus, and then embarked on full-time touring. And the rest, they say, is history.

Oh, but the story doesn't end there. In 2008, I heard them and decided I didn't like them -- because - and to help us all put a finger on just what it is about this band that is so... so... so ugh, here are ten important considerations.

A little background: The scene is my mom's living room, one week ago today. Watching the Country Music Association Awards (which brought the band only two nominations and zero wins), we see Zac Brown and company take the stage to play a coveted early spot in the show's telecast.

Mom: You like Zac Brown Band?
Me: (Aghast.) No.
Mom: (Sincere.) Why not? I kinda like them.
Me: ...
Mom: ...
Me: I don't like them... because. Because, Mom!

My conviction was strong and yet, the conversation brought about an unhealthy amount of navel-gazing over this Atlanta-based country/folk band okay not really country/folk let's be honest, they're a bona fide jam band. Why are they so ugh!?!

Let's begin.

10. Summer 2008 Earworm
"Chicken Fried." It was featured in a 2008 Larry the Cable Guy piece entitled Witless Protection, a filmic endeavor which won numerous awards and the accolades of both the motion picture establishment and the indie underground. For a moment in the summer of 2008, we thought this might be a catchy little tune. Maybe we like it! But then it never went away, and we'll never forgive you for it, Zac Brown Band. Ugh that opening guitar lick! Make it stop!

9. Behold the Bonnaroovian Code, maaaannn...
Sure, they play all the big country festivals - CMA Music Festival, WE Fest, Cheyenne's Frontier Days -- but you'll as likely find them at hippie hangs like the Hangout Music Festival and Bonnaroo, or opening for a Dave Matthews Band tour. How many frisbees have been tossed to the gentle sounds of Zac Brown Band? How many?!?

8. Cruisin'
After several years participating in the annual the Rock Boat theme cruise, in September 2010 Zac Brown Band hosted their own. It was called "Sailing Southern Ground," and it featured Michael Franti and Spearhead. You know, in case you've never thrown a frisbee overboard or been trapped at sea with Michael Franti, this was your chance.

7. Beanie
Do beanies fill you with raaaaaaaage? Does the fact that Zac Brown always wears one just make you so angry? Is an omnipresent beanie not reason at all to dislike this band? To the logical mind, that's correct. You shouldn't hate a band over a beanie. And yet, you do. It fills you with the rage of one hundred bare Michael Franti feet.

6. Toes
PLEASE EVERYONE STOP TRYING TO BE JIMMY BUFFETT. Please. One Jimmy Buffett is Jimmy Buffett enough for this world.

Tags:

Are You Ready For the Country, Target Center, Zac Brown Band

We Recommend

lundkd

Once in awhile I come back and read a little something from city pages. Articles like this are why I stay away for the most part. Giving valuable space to more of the trendy local bands of the moment that usually can't play, write or hold up for long; then you actually have a band that can play their instruments and write a real song you bash em...gotta love it...

WestCoastOR

Great article! Very funny! You got people thinking and commenting. That's what it's all about. And at the end of the day, Zac Brown Band fans are that much stronger in their love and loyalty when they get to defend it. And non fans (like myself) get a great laugh! It's a win win situation! Dang I love freedom of speech!

brennanlee.o

I just love the feedback you are getting for this article. Look I don't care for country and I certainly don't like the Beanie head band, but its music and its meant to be subjective. The problem is this article really has no reason to be on Citypages, yes the band is coming and if you want to do a highlight real of the show.. by all means, but don't waste your web page space on silly articles that are completely pointless.. and obviously bias.

Lucy51008

Wow! There are plenty of bands and other things in life that I don't like "just because." But I would have a hard time justifying getting paid to write an article with the gist of my distaste as "just because."

Jessica Olson

The reasons you don't like the Zac Brown Band are so petty and ridiculous. Trying to make it into a funny article just makes you look more like an ass. Way to be fair in your reporting on different genres.

Doug McGraw

You know what's worse than listening to The Zac Brown Band? Reading an article by a writer who thinks he/she is funny and they aren't.

courtney.klos

I don't completely agree with this article, but when I saw this band play live, it struck me that they aren't a country band. They are really a talented reggae-jam band that wanted to be successful. So they broke into country, using Country Radio, which promotes the hell out of their own music, to launch to stardom. I bet they look at each other every day, grinning and saying "wow, that was easy...and all we had to do is write a southern-fried jingle that mentions freedom (Chicken Fried)"

Scoops

ugh.. this is a stupid article but at least you admit that you are just a hater... Also, while bluegrass can get old, Im not seeing this "everyone hates bluegrass" trend...

Erica

You don't like a band "just because"? Wow. WTF does City Pages hire people to write these awful articles? Craigslist? I get it. You don't like Zac Brown Band. I don't like country music in general but you don't see me rambling on and on about it.