Steely Dan

[grassbath]

^Thanks, Janie, some great discussion in that thread.

I'm drawn to your comment about how 'Midnight Cruiser' is frequently played at funerals, and how there's a deep sadness to a lot of their music - as a body of work, it really is about the scattered fallout of the '60s, isn't it? Shattered dreams and wasted hopes, the ultimate fickleness of what is 'cool,' the co-opting of jazz and rhythm and blues in all their authenticity by the white commercial mass market, the cheap and easy escapes of drugs and Orientalist 'spirituality,' the unfulfilled imaginary worlds of postwar 50s-60s America and its associate surfeit of science fiction, and the fundamentally foolhardy gamble of giving up everything you own in the name of art and truth and whatever. And of course, they recognize themselves at all times at the center of this rather bleak picture. Genius stuff.

'All those day-glo freaks who used to paint the face
They've joined the human race
Some things will never change
Son you were mistaken:
You are obsolete
Look at all the white men on the street.'

New page squonk

[greenman]

I think I remember reading in the music press at the time the irony of Gaucho having such a slickly produced LA feel when it was recorded in NYC. Whereas Aja which has a more gritty east coast feel was recorded in California.

Previous Steely Dan thread
http://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php/topic,29325.msg1527136.html#msg1527136

I remember Fagen commenting somewhere(Aja classic albums program?) that they wrote songs about NYC in LA and as soon as they moved back started writing songs about LA in NYC

For me, with Deacon Blues it's all about the lyrics, and the little musical details, which make it the greatest song on that record (tied maybe with Peg). The melody is hardly their most grabbing and it's definitely more of an atmosphere piece than a lot of their biggest and most acclaimed songs, but it seems to distill so many of the Dan's lyrical fascinations down into one perfectly shaped character and sentiment. And it just SOUNDS amazing, a perfect example of their production and arrangement alchemy of the time, so deep and rich and detailed. So much emotional drama gets generated, yet so subtly, when those close, warm horns shift chords. The way the drums start up a steady, polite rhythm on the ride when the chorus kicks in. It's so dreamlike - almost 'psychedelic' in its jaded, boozed-out sort of way.

Certainly a great track as everything on that album is but for me its much more effective in context than in isolation. Just seems a bit of a straight ahead after hours groove compared to whats around it that's both smooth and has a lot of interesting little twists/hooks.

Personally I tend to think that Black Cow is really the ultimate ultra smooth track by them although Home at Last has slowly become my favourite on the album, I spose partly becauseits a bit of a merger of the mid and late periods style but also does feel very heartfelt.

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

Christing fuck, Katy Lied really is proper spectacular isn't it? Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Doctor Wu, Gold Teeth 2, Everyone's Gone To The Movies, Any World - just wall to wall bangers. Any World in particular is utterly gorgeous

[greenman]

Christing fuck, Katy Lied really is proper spectacular isn't it? Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Doctor Wu, Gold Teeth 2, Everyone's Gone To The Movies, Any World - just wall to wall bangers. Any World in particular is utterly gorgeous

Indeed although I think its another example of the latter albums not being best represented by there singles. In this case Black Friday whilst pleasant enough is a pretty simple rock track that I would say is actually the weakest on the album and not really representitive of it. Compare that to say Pretzel Logic where the two singles(Rikki and the title track) are debatably the best tracks on the album.

[Mini]

I woke up with King of the World in my head, what a song. That synth line is mad.

"No marigolds in the promised land, there's a hole in the ground where they used to grow..."

[grassbath]

Christing fuck, Katy Lied really is proper spectacular isn't it? Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Doctor Wu, Gold Teeth 2, Everyone's Gone To The Movies, Any World - just wall to wall bangers. Any World in particular is utterly gorgeous

It's nuts that they were so unhappy with the sound on the released Katy Lied - it still sounds pretty bloody pristine to me. 'Chain Lightning' is the only one where I can feel it's a little off. If you compare it to 'Pretzel Logic,' which compositionally feels like its cousin song of sorts, the mix doesn't pop nearly as much. The vocals feel especially subdued.

[Nowhere Man]

They're probably the only band I can think of where you can grab all the stuff from their golden period, and put it on shuffle without a dud in the pack. Seriously.

I actually consider The Nightfly the 8th album honestly, if they did another box set of the 1972-1980 period, they might as well include it. Hell, chuck in a disc of rarities, and you might have one of the greatest collections ever compiled.

[Mini]

Speaking of rarities... This All Too Mobile Home from the Rainbow Theatre 1974 bootleg. Two drummers!

[doppelkorn]

I assume everyone's seen the Classic Albums episode on Aja, but it's worth watching this segment on Peg, which features the guitar solos they rejected.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waIBA6_0GQc

Basically they'd get really renowned sessions guys to come in and record solos, then bin them.

[Nowhere Man]

Speaking of rarities... This All Too Mobile Home from the Rainbow Theatre 1974 bootleg. Two drummers!

Everyone's who's a fan of the first 7 albums + Nightfly should get a copy of this show. Absolutely fantastic, as far as i'm aware it was a direct soundboard and the last show(s) Steely Dan did for 20 years.

Rainbow Theatre, London, England – May 20th, 1974

Intro.
Bodhisattva
The Boston Rag
Do It Again
Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me)
King Of The World
Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Pretzel Logic
Introductions
My Old School
Dirty Work
Your Gold Teeth
Reelin' In The Years
Show Biz Kids
This All Too Mobile Home

A million miles better than the quite sterile Alive In America.

[Mini]

They really tear up Pretzel Logic in that show.

[momatt]

Everyone's who's a fan of the first 7 albums + Nightfly should get a copy of this show. Absolutely fantastic, as far as i'm aware it was a direct soundboard and the last show(s) Steely Dan did for 20 years.

I am a big fan, but never heard this.  Can anyone give me a hand with this please?
I've had a look, but have only found dead links or FLAC versions[nb]never got into that format[/nb].

[doppelkorn]

FLAC's fine. It should play on most applications and devices. When I was DJing I'd always rip to FLAC because it was lossless and you could still add metadata.

In other news, Walter Becker has a lot of Replies From View about him.

[Mini]

I am a big fan, but never heard this.  Can anyone give me a hand with this please?
I've had a look, but have only found dead links or FLAC versions[nb]never got into that format[/nb].

I'll upload it tonight - will DM you (and anyone else who's interested).

[momatt]

FLAC's fine.

Well yeah, I know it's good, but I'd prefer mp3 as that's what all my other digital music is on.  I don't fancy messing about with other players or converting.

I'll upload it tonight - will DM you (and anyone else who's interested).

Thank you!

[doppelkorn]

Well yeah, I know it's good, but I'd prefer mp3 as that's what all my other digital music is on.  I don't fancy messing about with other players or converting.

Fair enough. I never found it a problem though. FLAC and mp3 just play as if there's no difference but I'm not gonna tell you how to manage your own music.

I'll upload it tonight - will DM you (and anyone else who's interested).

I'd be very grateful...

[momatt]

I'm not gonna tell you how to manage your own music.

Maybe you should if I'm doing it wrong!  I mainly use iTunes for listening to music from my desktop, which doesn't support flac.  But I would never assume that's the best way.  I'm just being lazy.

Another music program that works on a Mac, supports flac and Chromecast, that's controllable from an Android phone would be pretty sweet.
Maybe a good subject for another thread anyway.

[phantom_power]

I have just bought their 1978 Greatest Hits double album from Ebay. I look forward to my new record player arriving tonight so I can give it a spin

[greenman]

Rikki and Do it Again from the Rainbow show are generally around on youtube as well.

[doppelkorn]

Maybe a good subject for another thread anyway.

Fire away!

[Mini]

I've messaged you, doppelkorn and momatt - hope it works!

Incidentally, Herbie Hancock's cover of Your Gold Teeth II is a thing of beauty.

[greenman]

For more unreleased stuff, Royal Scam and Guacho outakes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJISmWm3QGM

Funky Driver from the Katy Lied sessions...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw8jVP85RJM

Wonder if Fagen and Becker might take a pointer from the likes of Floyd and Zep dropping there perfectionism and give us an office outtakes release or reissues with an extra cd.

[Ptolemy Ptarmigan]

For more unreleased stuff, Royal Scam and Guacho outakes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJISmWm3QGM

Funky Driver from the Katy Lied sessions...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw8jVP85RJM

Wonder if Fagen and Becker might take a pointer from the likes of Floyd and Zep dropping there perfectionism and give us an office outtakes release or reissues with an extra cd.

I think it was on here years ago that someone (possibly Louis Barfe) linked to the instrumental version of Green Earrings with the long, long outro.  Never get tired of that.

This might be for Dan completists only, but Fagen has collaborated on a track called Tin Foil Hat on Todd Rundgren's upcoming new album.

[Nowhere Man]

I've got some ahem, rarities. if anyones interested. Of course you have to Personally Mind how you go about stuff on the internet.

this is my rarities comp:

Steely Dan: 1972-1980: Rare Tracks

1. Dallas [Single]
2. Sail The Waterway [Single]
3. Mr. Sam [Outtake]
4. Funky Driver [Outtake]
5. Here At The Western World [Single]
6. Stand By The Seawall [Demo]
7. You Got The Bear [Outtake]
8. FM (No Static At All) [Single]
9. FM (Reprise) [Single)
10. I Can't Write Home About You [Demo]
11. The Second Arrangement [Demo]
12. Talking About My Home [Outtake]
13. Kind Spirit [Outtake]
14. Kulee Baba [Demo]

[momatt]

I've messaged you, doppelkorn and momatt - hope it works!

Love it.  They're playing their arses off and clearly having a right laugh while doing so.  Thanks!

Another music program that works on a Mac, supports flac and Chromecast, that's controllable from an Android phone would be pretty sweet.
Maybe a good subject for another thread anyway.

Made it.  See here:
http://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=59044

[Golden E. Pump]

Doctor Wu came on my iPod on shuffle at Sainsbury's the other day. Delightful.

[greenman]

Picking up the unoffical/official Transmission Impossible 3CD set with 2 CD's of 74 shows and a third with a 93 show, pretty good value for £13 I'd say.

Interesting hearing Royce Jones singing on stuff like Any Major Dude and Brooklyn Owes the Charmer.

[Maurice Yeatman]

This might be for Dan completists only, but Fagen has collaborated on a track called Tin Foil Hat on Todd Rundgren's upcoming new album.

Not out for a couple of weeks, but a low quality preview of that track is here, a few seconds in after the introduction: https://www.mixcloud.com/ClosertotheEdge/closer-to-the-edge-4-27-2017mp32755mb/  More Fagen than Rundgren, but maybe Rundgren wrote and produced it in Fagen's style.

[Sparers]

Couple of albums for the Steely Dan completist

[Sparers]

That didn't work. https://sparersthings.tumblr.com/image/160184817193