Steely Dan

I'm not one-hundred percent sure about this but I noticed that Steely Dan is not one this website. I think that they would fit into Jazz/Rock Fusion. Their music has a very Jazzy sound to it while still being great rock music. I was wondering if that is what other people thought about this. 

I also agree

There are at least three threads on the some subject.. Using the search function could be useful sometimes.

BTW, there is no such category as Jazz-Rock-Related... The Admin team is responsible for additions to Prog-Related, so you should bring the matter to their attention.

I doubt if they're Prog, they are a very good rock band.

While the quality and musicianship in Steely Dan's music are undeniable, to include them in PA would be a tricky proposition, and it most likely could not be done without creating a whole new subgenre (i.e. jazz-fusion related) because their music does not truly fit into any of the current subgenres. However, any band that does an impromptu Q&A session with the audience during their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where the first question was, "Who can tell me who was the original drummer in the Mothers of Invention?" is pretty cool in my book and worthy of inclusion in PA!  

Edited by jimidom - September 24 2007 at 14:23

Defintely not prog, but "My Old School" is a work of geniuses!!!!

Ghost Rider wrote: There are at least three threads on the some subject.. Using the search function could be useful sometimes. BTW, there is no such category as Jazz-Rock-Related... The Admin team is responsible for additions to Prog-Related, so you should bring the matter to their attention.

exactly... I'll sum up my feelings.... like I did in the last thread that dealt with Steely Dan... last week.

micky wrote: cymbaline777 wrote: Steely Dan definitely belongs on the sight, the quality of production and musicianship on their albums warrants it. There are already quite a few bands that are a lot less "progressive" then Steely Dan on this site, so why not? you know... to be honest.....  they are, and if we judged SOLELY upon the music they would, they could be a textbook example of Crossover Prog....but like some other bands... they are too well known to be fairly judged on just their work alone.  They have several strikes against them.... they are american and not european... STRIKE 1...   they were active in the 70's and not generally associated with prog..or even with Art Rock.... STRIKE 2...   have several prominent fans and supporter here who don't want to push this for appearing to be fanboys..  STRIKE 3... the music itself out-progs prog in many aspects... the lyrical artiness trumps some of the sophomoric or just plain nebulous matter of some other groups..  Want some virtuosos?   Steely Dan were the best band money could buy...  anyhow...   just do what I do..and enjoy the HELL out of the albums.. whether they are here or not.

Slartibartfast wrote: I've always considered them Jazz-Rock/Fusion.

fused with popular music....Xover most likely...

  off the top of my head... you have to go to some heavy hitters like Lennon/McCartney,  Jagger/RIchards,  Neil Young, Roger Waters etc.. to find a better songwriter than Donald Fagen.   Again...  judged solely on the basis of their work, and done in a bubble.. .yeah they should probably be here.  But artists... well known ones.. are not judged strictly on the music here... history/perception  is... hell... has to be taken into account.  It is with well known groups already here.. and those on the outside looking in.  Where it becomes interesting is when artists are known for something... yet their career, is in fact,  far more than that and touches HARD upon prog.  That is where additions get tricky... and yes ...I refer to a particular artist hahahhaha

micky wrote: Ghost Rider wrote: There are at least three threads on the some subject.. Using the search function could be useful sometimes. BTW, there is no such category as Jazz-Rock-Related... The Admin team is responsible for additions to Prog-Related, so you should bring the matter to their attention. exactly... I'll sum up my feelings.... like I did in the last thread that dealt with Steely Dan... last week. micky wrote: cymbaline777 wrote: Steely Dan definitely belongs on the sight, the quality of production and musicianship on their albums warrants it. There are already quite a few bands that are a lot less "progressive" then Steely Dan on this site, so why not? you know... to be honest.....  they are, and if we judged SOLELY upon the music they would, they could be a textbook example of Crossover Prog....but like some other bands... they are too well known to be fairly judged on just their work alone.  They have several strikes against them.... they are american and not european... STRIKE 1...   they were active in the 70's and not generally associated with prog..or even with Art Rock.... STRIKE 2...   have several prominent fans and supporter here who don't want to push this for appearing to be fanboys..  STRIKE 3... the music itself out-progs prog in many aspects... the lyrical artiness trumps some of the sophomoric or just plain nebulous matter of some other groups..  Want some virtuosos?   Steely Dan were the best band money could buy...  anyhow...   just do what I do..and enjoy the HELL out of the albums.. whether they are here or not.

Just a note re : the 3 strikes - it is true that being american & popular is a great disadvantage when it comes to some PA members accepting that a group may be progressive. Even in their heyday, the only genre that would have fit them was the "Rolling Stone" artificial construct - Rock music, that great aggregation of pop music that wasn't 4/4 time all the time or pop culture disposable top 40, i.e. serious music. As for the lyrics & the instrumental virtuosity, one could also say the same for Stevie Wonder's output during roughly the same period. There are great lyricists in many genres (for example Steve Earle in country, Joe Strummer in punk), and prog does not really have a lock on musical virtuosos, again with many examples to be found in claasical, country, jazz, bluegrass et al.
But they are one of those bands whose music will last for generations. By their second album, they had hit their groove & never looked back.

Not unless "prog" just means "good."

Edited by Peter - September 24 2007 at 18:53