steely dan

Well I wouldn't say that Steely Dan has done as much for rock music as the Beatles have, that's a really huge stretch, and also you have to remember that the Beatles were around for a decade before Steely Dan hit the scene.   But nonetheless Steely Dan rocks although it's not prog at all.  Just because they were more influenced by jazz doesn't mean they're progressive rock, they're just light, jazzy elevator rock.  My favorite Steely Dan tunes are Aja, Hey Nineteen, and Rikki Don't Lose that Number. 

very professional and aptmusicians and studio rats (never a group as such in their heydays)

lovely arrangement and one of the best AOR , imho, and super slick sound

 

but I would not call them prog even if they were also influenced by jazz

 

BaldJean wrote: I could never understand why an excellent drummer like Steve Gadd wasted his talents on them.

I saw SG play with Dan, as well as with Paul Simon. Never thought his talents were wasted with either. Matter of fact, he was an excellent fit for both.

its unbelievable that Steely Dan are not on this site considering some of the tripe that gets in  (off the record I`m starting to think that some people around here are losing the plot)

micky wrote: s1ipp3ry wrote: its unbelievable that Steely Dan are not on this site considering some of the tripe that gets in  (off the record I`m starting to think that some people around here are losing the plot) well Air-Mac why don't you educate those of us... who have lost the plot, how Steely Dan are considered prog.  Unless you plan on including every group that happens to have jazz influences. We have a saying here in the South... two wrongs don't make a right....

 

I really like Steely Dan.  I haven't really considered their progressiveness though.

I had always thought of Steely Dan as a rock band with smooth jazz influences. Their compositions are interesting, lyrics insightful and musicianship impeccable, both technically and emotionally. Would I recommend a fellow prog lover to listen to Steely Dan? Absolutely. I vote for their inclusion.

JusLisn wrote: I had always thought of Steely Dan as a rock band with smooth jazz influences. Their compositions are interesting, lyrics insightful and musicianship impeccable, both technically and emotionally. Would I recommend a fellow prog lover to listen to Steely Dan? Absolutely. I vote for their inclusion.

that is the problem some people have with all the inclusions.... I would recommend Steely Dan to anyone who loves music, but lets not lose sight that interesting compostions, insightful lyrics, and impeccable musicanship are not the sole property of prog...  you can have all that and still not be prog.  My two cents as always...


Edited by micky

Over the years I've grown to like SD enough to own their entire discography.  My fave is Countdown To Ecstasy, which I'd recommend to anyone interested in checking them out.

SD makes intelligent jazz/rock/pop music which also happens to include many catchy hooks. But it is also music which, if approached beyond the surface level, can be quite rewarding in terms of complexity and sophistication.  And Messers. Fagen and Becker have the uncanny ability to make it look effortless.

Musically, I hear, and have always heard, a similiarity to Gentle Giant's jazzier stuff. SD is to the right of GG to be sure, but I hear the similiarities nonetheless.

Does SD belong on this site? I'd say probably not. But just because they don't conform to the definition of prog as it applies here, doesn't mean their music isn't sophisticated, complex, and eminently recommendable, particularly to people who like a jazz flavor. (I think micky said it better than me).

And the lyrics are cryptic, funny, and intelligent.

Who else could make a reference to avant-vocalist Cathy Berberian? (Your Gold Teeth)

And who else could write a song called Hey Nineteen about a 30-something man having a fling with a 19 year old girl, getting drunk and high with her ("the Cuervo Gold, the fine Columbian..."), and have lite FM stations play it in offices and malls across America? Only the Dan could pull that off.

The name Steely Dan btw, is taken from the name of a sexual device mentioned in the novel Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs. In case anyone was wondering.

 

arnold stirrup wrote: The name Steely Dan btw, is taken from the name of a sexual device mentioned in the novel Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs. In case anyone was wondering.

 

I was wondering where could I get this device?

 

Great post btw, SD is progressive rock in the sense that they took the boundaries of rock music and re-interpreted them, integrating jazz harmonies, sophisticated lyrics, and exceptional musicianship.  And oh the satire, where would prog be without the satire? That should get them in if nothing else.

Edited by ken4musiq