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Steely Dan Appreciation Thread
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HolyMoly View Drop Down
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Points: 26138 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HolyMoly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 02 2022 at 17:02
Originally posted by Guldbamsen Guldbamsen wrote:

The Royal Scam just so happens to be my fave SD album
mine too

I’ll also say that album has my favorite rock lyrics ever!
Every song is like a gold mine of great lines.

Edited by HolyMoly - May 02 2022 at 17:03
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Originally posted by Saperlipopette! Saperlipopette! wrote:

Originally posted by Stressed Cheese Stressed Cheese wrote:


Extremely late reply, but it's true that to some degree all bands 'sound like no other bands' and all bands have some similarities to other bands as well. With Steely Dan, though, the former aspect is especially strong IMO. I've never been satisfied when people have given me suggestions about artists similar to SD.



Wow, this almost sounds like a lost Royal Scam sessions track.  The first time I have found something truly SD like.

I think the reason why Chicago, Doobie Bros, Toto never evoked Dan for me is Dan is the musical equivalent of reading Catch22 or Art Buchwald.  They have that sharp, pungent brand of humour which ensures they are never at risk of sounding too earnest and a laugh is always just around the corner.

I haven't read the lyrics of this Pages track but they do have the SD sound down pat. "Well crafted pop and jazz fusion sound" is exactly like SD.
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^It does, doesn't it? I'm quite a fan really. As for their lyrics, they are adequate but nowhere near the level of SD. Far from bad though. I suppose Steely Dan belongs to an exclusive group of "rockers" not indebted to the romantic era (post Dirty Work). There you'll find tongue in cheek, sophisticated, intellectual and cynical pranksters such as Sparks, 10CC and probably Zappa... well and The Residents and other experimental acts. But I feel Steely Dan are still in a league of their own.

Btw: I have a feeling you'd enjoy Michael Franks. If you don't know him already, I'd suggest you'd start with The Art Of Tea and take it from there. He's like a clever, lightly jazzfusioned-version of Paul Simon. Maybe. Always with the best session musicians in town. We're talking Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Larry Bunker, Larry Carlton, John Guerin, Steve Gadd, Dave Liebman, Kenny Barron, Mike Mainieri, Randy Brecker, Ron Carter, Eric Gale, Eddie Gómez etc.. on every album.
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Originally posted by Saperlipopette! Saperlipopette! wrote:

^It does, doesn't it? I'm quite a fan really. As for their lyrics, they are adequate but nowhere near the level of SD. Far from bad though. I suppose Steely Dan belongs to an exclusive group of "rockers" not indebted to the romantic era (post Dirty Work). There you'll find tongue in cheek, sophisticated, intellectual and cynical pranksters such as Sparks, 10CC and probably Zappa... well and The Residents and other experimental acts. But I feel Steely Dan are still in a league of their own.

Btw: I have a feeling you'd enjoy Michael Franks. If you don't know him already, I'd suggest you'd start with The Art Of Tea and take it from there. He's like a clever, lightly jazzfusioned-version of Paul Simon. Maybe. Always with the best session musicians in town. We're talking Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, Larry Bunker, Larry Carlton, John Guerin, Steve Gadd, Dave Liebman, Kenny Barron, Mike Mainieri, Randy Brecker, Ron Carter, Eric Gale, Eddie Gómez etc.. on every album.

Thanks, I will check out Michael Franks.  How good are Steve Khan's albums, if you have heard them?  I came across a wonderful, if partly caustic, interview of his time working with Steely Dan on Peg.


I do love Sparks a LOT, but yeah, totally different band from Steely Dan.  Zappa, Residents are way more experimental.  Steely Dan is in this sweet spot where their music is outwardly very accessible almost to the point of sounding generic (which is why I didn't see the fuss about them in the beginning) but is informed by lots and lots of interesting chord choices and the most magnificent collection of guitar solos in a single band's discography, and the lyrics then bring their own pungent flavour.  In totality, I haven't heard that combination in a single band's work, indeed in their general style.  A band or artist might have some songs that conform somewhat to that combination.  The closest I can think of is actually Fiona Apple rather than any rock band, particularly on the When The Pawn album.  But she can get very nasty with the lyrics, lol, while Dan is more about killing you softly.  But otherwise, yes, the combination of music loosely connected to jazz that sounds very typically American such that you might go meh if you don't pay attention but is actually informed by very thoughtful songwriting and bold choices.
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Caught today on Hulu a 2010 Ryan Gosling murder/mystery that had two SD tunes gracing its soundtrack, with Don't Take Me Alive heard under the closing credits.
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Originally posted by Saperlipopette! Saperlipopette! wrote:

^It does, doesn't it? I'm quite a fan really. As for their lyrics, they are adequate but nowhere near the level of SD. Far from bad though. I suppose Steely Dan belongs to an exclusive group of "rockers" not indebted to the romantic era (post Dirty Work). There you'll find tongue in cheek, sophisticated, intellectual and cynical pranksters such as Sparks, 10CC and probably Zappa... well and The Residents and other experimental acts. But I feel Steely Dan are still in a league of their own

The Zappa comparison makes a lot of sense, as Donald Fagen once said that Zappa was one of the biggest comedic influences on Steely Dan's writing: https://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/profiles/16453/#sthash.NzmzmG1v.dpuf
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Yesterday I played Gaucho which I purchased recently. It was pretty good. I wouldn't say it's one of their best but I enjoyed it for the most part.

Also, anyone who likes the later SD albums should definitely check out Donald Fagen's Nightfly album. It's good relaxing music (as is Gaucho). 


Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - May 05 2022 at 19:29
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Adventurous SD and Zappa heads (are there any other kind?) are dutifully urged to check this out:
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Love how my last post killed this thread dead. LOL Gary's the man.

Here's more of his Steely-adjacent basement-prog/fusion:
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I got to see them in Tuscaloosa in 2011 in a tornado relief concert. They had conscripted a young drummer from Meridian, MS that was amazing. The concert was heavy on the jazz, and they played all of Aja. I thought they would totally bring the house down when they played Deacon Blues, but they immediately fool we with My Old School, which made the crowd completely crazy. Great time, especially after having watched the town torn in two a few months earlier.
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Originally posted by Grumpyprogfan Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Anyone going to see Steely Dan on tour this year? I saw them in 1996, awesome show.

Is it acceptable to tour without Becker? He is essential, like Peart was to Rush. No?

You can say that about a lot of bands, some of which no longer even have any of the original members. I say let em tour, what the hell. Still, it would be best to see SD with Becker. 
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Originally posted by Jeffro Jeffro wrote:

Originally posted by Grumpyprogfan Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Anyone going to see Steely Dan on tour this year? I saw them in 1996, awesome show.

Is it acceptable to tour without Becker? He is essential, like Peart was to Rush. No?


You can say that about a lot of bands, some of which no longer even have any of the original members. I say let em tour, what the hell. Still, it would be best to see SD with Becker. 
Yeah, what the hell. First show tonight. Keep us posted if you see a show.
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Originally posted by HolyMoly HolyMoly wrote:

Originally posted by Guldbamsen Guldbamsen wrote:

The Royal Scam just so happens to be my fave SD album
mine too

I’ll also say that album has my favorite rock lyrics ever!
Every song is like a gold mine of great lines.

Royals Scam is great. That and Aja is peak Steely Dan for me
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Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

Also, anyone who likes the later SD albums should definitely check out Donald Fagen's Nightfly album. It's good relaxing music (as is Gaucho). 
So is Walter Becker's solo album "11 Tracks of Whack". Walter sings, and it's good.
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Ex Pistol Steve Jones is another Dan fan: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/steve-jones-sex-pistols-rather-listen-to-steely-dan/
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Originally posted by Grumpyprogfan Grumpyprogfan wrote:

Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

Also, anyone who likes the later SD albums should definitely check out Donald Fagen's Nightfly album. It's good relaxing music (as is Gaucho). 
So is Walter Becker's solo album "11 Tracks of Whack". Walter sings, and it's good.


I prefer The Nightfly to Gaucho - it delivers what Gaucho promised but didn't quite achieve. Kamakariad is also worth a listen.

I haven't got 11 Tracks of Whack, but I will definitely get it next time I see it.
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One of my favorites. Saw them 4 times in 3 states.

"Don't Take Me Alive" is my favorite song... But I'd check out The Lost Gaucho Tapes, which has

-Kind Spirit (one of my favs)
-The Bear

Singin' with attitude.... One of my last bands played mostly Steely Dan (22 out of 30 songs live)
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Tonight will be my first Steely Dan show since Walter passed - I'd initially blackballed Fagan for not just giving up the Steely name and carrying on under his own na,e, but I've softened over the years......the music deserves to carry on and who else better to bring those songs to life in concert?  

There are no duffer Dan albums or tracks - it's all gold.  I don't put them on much anymore - I played all the albums, even the post-reunion ones, way too many times.  I'm not putting them on leading up to the show 'cause I want them to be as fresh to the ear as possible.  
I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....
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