Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

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skyboltone
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Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by skyboltone »

It's been a truly fine few days here. It all started, of course, last Saturday night with the Great Performances show with Fagen, Becker, and McDonald playing those old tunes. I dug out my old "A Decade of Steely Dan" album and it's taken a shit from the heat in my truck. Oh well, it's now on my telephone. Can you imagine? You're old when your CDs take the dive and you've got to put your music in a cloud or something.

It seems we've got quite a few Dan fans on board and that's good. Martin Manning is one for sure and he gave us some home work;
Martin Manning wrote:Uncanny. I didn't see the Great Performances broadcast, but I was reeling in the years this morning. Here's a good read for Dan fans: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1174152,00.html
So I read it. It takes some commitment but when you only go around just this one time, take the high road man. Read this shit. It's important. Meet Rikki for instance.

Then he and I got into a "fit the lyrics to the topic" contest that ended up being a private affair.....

I've been more or less obsessively listening to Pink Floyd for the last two years and have let myself go musically. That's never good although I don't promise I won't listen to Echoes from the Gdansk show at least another 1000 times. It's that good. Anyway, it's been a Steely Dan week for me, and I stumbled on this documentary. Once again it takes an hour out of your time. That's less time than we all took for the Bonnie radio gig you know? Lord knows that was worth it. So kick back with your favorite beverage and take a look at this documentary. I think you'll be glad you did. The drummer will change your entire life I guarantee it. I don't know how often they used him but I've heard no better. Ever. This is from the album Aja. Pronounced like the continent;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8GwEX7nn6o

Dan the Dan fan
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Teleguy61
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by Teleguy61 »

Not a big Dan fan here, but good songs performed well by truly excellent musicians are always good.
These guys qualify.
Reelin in the years is still an amazing guitar performance.
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LeftyStrat
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by LeftyStrat »

Teleguy61 wrote: Reelin in the years is still an amazing guitar performance.
Jimmy Page's favorite guitar solo. Played through an Ampeg SVT. :shock:
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
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martin manning
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by martin manning »

The aja classic album documentary was excellent, thanks for the link. I have appreciated what Becker and Fagan have been doing for a long time. What captured my attention back in the day was the openness of the sound (it's like you can hear the silence between the notes), and of course the incredibly tight rhythms and jazzy feel. That's not to sell the lyrics short either, as they are great... really finely crafted stuff all around.
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Structo
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by Structo »

Agreed.

They were always one of my favorite groups.
Tom

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skyboltone
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by skyboltone »

The comments from McDonald about being more or less intimidated and "over matched" by the requirements these guys laid on him vocally were really eye opening. And then, to actually hear what he's talking about when they play his parts in the mix pretty much knocked me back. He's singing harmonies with the rest of the vocal ensemble but also singing harmonies with himself requiring intervals so small that they were kicking his ass. He's a patient man. I think I would have walked out.
The Last of the World's Great Human Beings
Seek immediate medical attention if you suddenly go either deaf or blind.
If you put the Federal Government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years time there would be a shortage of sand.
Teleguy61
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by Teleguy61 »

LeftyStrat wrote:
Teleguy61 wrote: Reelin in the years is still an amazing guitar performance.
Jimmy Page's favorite guitar solo. Played through an Ampeg SVT. :shock:
Elliott Randall was on fire that day.
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M Fowler
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by M Fowler »

I didn't realize how obsessed these guys were, wow takes all the fun out of playing for me. :lol:
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skyboltone
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by skyboltone »

M Fowler wrote:I didn't realize how obsessed these guys were, wow takes all the fun out of playing for me. :lol:
I know what you mean Mark. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm so dog gone perfect in every way I might drift into that sort of thinking. As it is I just wake up each morning thinking; "Oh, goody, another day in which to excel. Yeah, that's it.

Dan
The Last of the World's Great Human Beings
Seek immediate medical attention if you suddenly go either deaf or blind.
If you put the Federal Government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years time there would be a shortage of sand.
C Moore
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by C Moore »

M Fowler wrote:I didn't realize how obsessed these guys were, wow takes all the fun out of playing for me. :lol:
Apparently you are not the first to say so.
I am not arbitrarily slamming/slighting anybody.....but they could be some weird dudes to work for...and I guess "it" got worse as time went by.
Jeff Baxter seems to have been genuinely shocked when the axe fell.....he "thought they were a band".
But Man...those First Five records were incredible. There is no better studio recordings than what went to tape ...from Thrill through Royal Scam. :)
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martin manning
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by martin manning »

Making "Gaucho" for two years pretty much burned everyone involved out, as the production was more OCD than ever. Then the reviews on its release were tepid. That began the long hiatus before "Two Against Nature," which took a few Grammys. I like both of those albums as much as the early stuff.

Here's another fix for Dan junkies: http://steelydan.com/mojo.html
ampdoc1
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And he plays guitar well too

Post by ampdoc1 »

Just watched the Aja video and was trolling for some info on Skunk Baxter when i came across this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GRkCyvIz70

Interesting man.
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Structo
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by Structo »

Great link Martin, thanks! :D
Tom

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skyboltone
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Re: Steely Dan, it's time for a talk.

Post by skyboltone »

martin manning wrote:Making "Gaucho" for two years pretty much burned everyone involved out, as the production was more OCD than ever. Then the reviews on its release were tepid. That began the long hiatus before "Two Against Nature," which took a few Grammys. I like both of those albums as much as the early stuff.

Here's another fix for Dan junkies: http://steelydan.com/mojo.html

Yeah, that was fun. You really have to love those guys. I do anyway. They were just very smart young idiots trying to do something different. That they managed to pull if off without forever damaging everybody around them like Roger Waters did after The Wall for instance, is to their credit. They definitely have a sense of humor too. I attended an avant guard arts and farts college also and the reading list that they mentioned was precisely what I was reading as well. It didn't have the same outcome in my case though. :lol:
The Last of the World's Great Human Beings
Seek immediate medical attention if you suddenly go either deaf or blind.
If you put the Federal Government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years time there would be a shortage of sand.
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skyboltone
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Re: And he plays guitar well too

Post by skyboltone »

ampdoc1 wrote:Just watched the Aja video and was trolling for some info on Skunk Baxter when i came across this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GRkCyvIz70

Interesting man.
Good grief! I had NO idea. This is remarkable stuff man. I'm only about 20 minutes and I got to finish it later but it's stunning. Musical improvisation and missile defense systems......who would have thunk.
The Last of the World's Great Human Beings
Seek immediate medical attention if you suddenly go either deaf or blind.
If you put the Federal Government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in five years time there would be a shortage of sand.
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