Calling all fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid books and rumored Fleetwood Mac biopics: it is time to finally watch the series adaptation of Daisy Jones & the Six.
Jenkins Reid’s viral 2019 book was acquired by Amazon Studios shortly after but did not deliver the 10-part series until March of this year due to production delays with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the New York Times. The author is well on her way to becoming a legendary romance writer and has several viral books by the way, including The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo which is also rumored for a screen adaptation.
For all the fans who are happily waiting to watch Daisy Jones & The Six the series, consider moving it to the top of your watch list, especially if you are a music lover.
What To Know About The Series
The book is written in a format similar to a play where each paragraph is a different character speaking, but the dialogue is actually interwoven with interviews with the band, Daisy Jones & The Six. The series brings this format to the screen jumping between interviews in the current day, and telling the story of how they became one of the biggest rock bands in the world in the 70s.
Daisy Jones is struggling to make a name for herself growing up near Laurel Canyon in LA and singing in iconic music bars on Santa Barbara Boulevard – known by music historians as a cultural fountain in the 70s.
It is there that she meets a music producer who introduces her to her perfect match: The Six. They need a singer and she needs a band, but Jones is met by creative conflict with the band’s leader, Billy Dunne.
The book follows their highs, lows, and love triangles on their rise to fame.
Why Music Lovers Will Love The Series
For music lovers, especially fans of 70s rock, there is a lot to appreciate about the series in terms of research that went into creating an authentic experience of what the music scene was like in the 70s. From filming in the iconic Laurel Canyon to some of the most famous rock bars like the Troubadour, it is like a graphic walk through history – not to mention the very well-curated fashion.
Other than the rock scene, the book follows a character named Simone who is Daisy’s best friend, who goes to New York and becomes a trailblazer in disco clubs. This aspect of music history is very well represented in the series, and not as focused on in the book, making for a welcome change.
A definite point in favor of the series is the complete look at the 70s music scene that does not necessarily focus on rock but is complete with the innovative genres of its time in various cultural scenes. For example, the balls in New York served as a visibility hub for LGBTQ+ communities and documented their contribution to music history.
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Apart from the representation, the series elevates an authentic element in that all of the actors performed their own music. Actors Riley Keough who plays Daisy and her co-star Sam Claflin who portrays Billy told Variety magazine that they went through extensive vocal training to sing the 25 original songs represented in the series. A standout for the series is that the actors actually recorded an album for the band they are portraying, bringing to life not just their creative process but also their final product.
For music lovers, you can find the album on Spotify and listen along as you bring the series this summer.
Is Daisy Jones and the Six Actually Based On Fleetwood Mac?
There is a lot of buzz that the book is loosely based on Fleetwood Mac, due to the romantic strife and struggle between the band members. Vanity Fair reported that Jenkins Reid Felt inspired by Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham singing Landslide and rising to fame shortly after their breakup, but that is the extent of the parallels between the actual group and the fictional band. Although actor Riley Keough does bear a striking resemblance to Nicks in her fashion sense!
That being said, don’t let it be a reason not to dive into the series or the book especially if you are a music lover and enjoy a romantic tie-in (check out this list for your next romantic read).
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Do You Have To Read The Book First?
While it might be a controversial opinion, no. The book and the series are entirely separate entities, they might tell the same story but are portraying it in different ways.
The book has a very artistic flow to it, as each paragraph is a different person explaining a piece of the story in their own way. Not a single line of the book is written in the third person, the dialogue is provided completely through interviews. This artistic choice compels some readers and repels others.
If you tried the book and were super interested in the storyline but got a bit tired of jumping from paragraph to paragraph, the series is definitely worth your time.
If you are thinking of reading the book at some point, having the series as a base is also an interesting way to approach the storyline. As always, the series and the book have some creative differences so don’t be surprised when you see some small details vary.
Overall, Daisy Jones & The Six offers the viewers a visual guide to 70s music, fashion, and subculture that hasn’t seen the screen in several years (think Almost Famous), whether you have read the book or not it is sure to be a pleasant summer-series full of 70s glam and love-triangles.
