[Artist] is the Steely Dan of [Genre]

Since it's clear that ILM is obsessed with Steely Dan and comparing them to various other artists/inanimate objects, I thought we could have a thread where everyone can make a case for why an artist of their choosing is the Steely Dan of their genre. It doesn't even have to be a musical genre, or even an artist; just give your best argument as to why [X] is the Steely Dan of [Y], preferably with supporting material.

Leon Britton is the Steely Dan of Swansea

Cuisinart is the Steely Dan of small kitchen appliances (legendary in the 70s, still making stuff today although not at the quality or reputation of their earlier output, sleek with smooth operation)

Who is the Canadian Steely Dan? The NYC Steely Dan? These questions never used to keep me up at night.

Outkast are the Steely Dan of southern rap

destroyer are the steely dan of canadian indie rock

vampire weekend and/or the fiery furnaces are the steely dan of 21st-century nyc indie

Ned is the Steely Dan of ILX

from the other thread. u.k. steely dan:

Supertramp probably remind me of Steely Dan more than Traffic does. i don't think i ever would have thought of SD listening to Traffic. Supertramp: wordy story songs, progressive, horns, "clever", huge pop/rock hits, ubiquitous on radio for decades, idiosyncratic lead vocals, nerdy, top-notch musicality and production.

― scott seward, Thursday, February 9, 2017 6:11 PM (one minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Leon Britton is all about accepting his technical limitations and unfussily doing the simple things, which really makes him the anti-Steely Dan.

Who is the Canadian Steely Dan?
Don't think there is one.
Lighthouse came to mind, but they're more like the Canadian Chicago.

Rush are the Steely Dan of Canadian power trios though.

Speaking of Canada, "Looking Out For No.1" is the Steely Dan of Bachman Turner Overdrive songs. Check out that intro...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4_0Pt3HAR8

Stereolab is the Steely Dan of bossanova

Thomas Jefferson Kaye is the Steely Dan of country rock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHsZ2W5ms7E

William S Burroughs is the Steely Dan of naming dildos.

okay, i cheated there...

Joni Mitchell is the Steely Dan of Canada.

Miles' 2nd quintet is the Steely Dan of jazz.
(or should that be Weather Report?)

Joni Mitchell is the Steely Dan of Canada.

actually, now that i think about it, Domenic Troiano was kinda the Canadian Steely Dan. or he tried to be anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hv9QnMPC8U&t=1080s

https://www.discogs.com/The-Domenic-Troiano-Band-Burnin-At-The-Stake/master/299942

Tricky kinda nails it.

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

his first solo album too. which came out in 1972. very steely dan. and all the domenic troiano band albums.

check out his vocals on this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NvA0_F6-zg

so there you go. Canada totally had a Steely Dan. who nobody listens to. except me occasionally. i've listened to all his albums. and the albums he played on with other groups. he was in the James Gang for a bit.

he was a guitar guy who shredder dudes knew back then (like tommy bolin or whoever) but his albums are not shred albums.

the Smashing Pumpkins are the Steely Dan of classic rock

Paperlate is the Steely Dan of Genesis songs

Hawaiian is the Steely Dan of pizzas

Charles Wuorinen is the Steely Dan of dodecaphinic serialism.

Bob Welch is the Steely Dan of Fleetwood Mac

Steely Dan is the Steely Dan of Steely Dan

prove it

The Dan of steelworkers, if you will:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39_rklR9SCM

junior boys are definitely the steely dan of electro

destroyer the steely dan of modern indie?

Is Kaputt Destroyer's Aja? (Except I like Aja and don't care about the rest of SD's records, and I don't like Kaputt but like the rest of Destroyer's output.)

Chevy Chase is the Steely Dan of good music (according to him, anyway)

Daft Punk are the Steely Dan of French House.

If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem is the Steely Dan of Faulkner's novels

(Also thx to skot for the Domenic Troiano tip)

Gaucho is the Steely Dan of lousy albums by Steely Dan.

Girl, you must be a Steel Dan because you are an American jazz rock band whose music also blends elements of funk, R&B, and pop.

I Want It All Now! is the Steely Dan of NBC News documentaries.

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

Pohl & Kornbluth were the Steely Dan of science fiction

Go To Heaven is the Steely Dan of Grateful Dead albums

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvi8P-pMHuA

Is there a new jersey of Steely Dan records?

Van Dyke Parks is the Steely Dan of Warner Brothers

the Steely Dan of the '80s: Genesis, Don Was, Prefab Sprout, Pixies, Huey Lewis And The News, Don Henley, Hall & Oates
the Steely Dan of the '90s: Dave Matthews Band, Eric Clapton, Tori Amos, Pavement, Royal Trux
the Steely Dan of the '00s: The Shins, Field Music, Steely Dan
the Steely Dan of our generation: Destroyer, Grizzly Bear, Wilco, Vampire Weekend, dave q
the Steely Dan of indie: The Sea and Cake, Beauty Pill, Dirty Projectors, Broken Social Scene, Spoon, Of Montreal
the Steely Dan of hip-hop: Main Source, Kanye, Outkast, People Under The Stairs
The Steely Dan of new wave: Pet Shop Boys
the Steely Dan of pop-funk: Scritti Politti
the Steely Dan of punk: PiL
the Steely Dan of cartoon punk: Blink 182
the Steely Dan of chillout: Zero 7
the Steely Dan of electronica: Yello, Thievery Corporation, Burnt Friedman, Kelley Polar
the Steely Dan of trip-hop: Morcheeba
the Steely Dan of jazz: Spyro Gyra
the Steely Dan of Southern rock: Atlanta Rhythm Section
the Steely Dan of hard rock: Thin Lizzy, The Cult, Blue Oyster Cult
the Steely Dan of metal: Mastodon, Meshuggah, Gojira, Iced Earth, Devin Townsend
the Steely Dan of black metal: Fenriz, Mactätus, Fleurety
the Steely Dan of alternative pop: XTC
the Steely Dan of symphonic rock: Trans-Siberian Orchestra
the Steely Dan of Canada: Arcade Fire
The Steely Dan Of math-based satirical songwriters: Tom Lehrer

the Steely Dan of football: Belgium
the Steely Dan of poetry: Robert Browning
the Steely Dan of network sitcoms: Frasier
the Steely Dan of filmmakers: Coen Brothers
the Steely Dan of SNL: Chevy Chase
the Steely Dan of herbs: cilantro
the Steely Dan of cheese: taleggio
the Steely Dan of runts candies: banana runts

Joni Mitchell '76-'80 would work.
― THAC0 Pastorius (Tom Violence)

skunk baxter plays on the hissing of summer lawns (1975), so surely move it up a year?

I had my Joni LPs filed out of chronological order, Hissing fits totally.

Court and Spark fits too, Larry Carlton plays on a few tracks--Car on a Hill is basically a proto-Dan song

can't forget the steely dan of mustaches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilj-3T7O7f8

michael franks like chopped & screwed steely dan.

kawahi Leonard is the steely dan of NBA players

the boot is the steely dan of mcnuggets

nipples are the steely dan of the male body

waterpik is the steely dan of personal care

Steve Bannon is the Steely Dan of Nazi.

I disagree with that one. He's like the Ted Nugent of Nazi.

I started a Joni Mitchell vs Steely Dan thread two years ago!: Literate Jazz-Pop TS: Steely Dan vs. Joni Mitchell 1974-1980

Smashing Pumpkins as the Steely Dan of Grunge would fit better to me. Kinda makes sense too considering how much of a studio overdub freak Corgan was with the other members of the band being replaceable on the LP.

I'd figure Nine Inch Nails would be the Steely Dan of Industrial for similar reasons and use of studio ringers brought in for certain tracks etc.

the Steely Dan of hard rock: ... The Cult

? ? ?

all female artists in this thread are wrong because one of the defining characteristics of this group is overwhelming, suffocating dudeness

Tucanes de Tijuana are the steely band of norteño

Smashing Pumpkins as the Steely Dan of Grunge would fit better to me. Kinda makes sense too considering how much of a studio overdub freak Corgan was with the other members of the band being replaceable on the LP.

― earlnash, Thursday, February 9, 2017 11:21 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

also spending 12 hour days on 30 seconds of music, making Jimmy play Cherub Rock until his hands bled, etc.

i think the clean guitar intro to Today took 16 hours to record