Steely Dan: "Steely Dan's name has been popping up as a hip musical crush. Remember, this glossy bop-pop was the indifferent aristocracy to punk rock's stone-throwing in the late 70's. People fought

My friend Justin is always telling me to listen to Aja.

This seems like a really happ'nin thread.

Susan, you've touched on something I don't have the space or time to expand on. If by "male camp" you mean a slightly exaggerated machismo that's at the same feasting upon itself, then I definitely feel this sensibility in SD's work.

Like Dylan. Another artist that some people who listen to a lot of music can have a hard time liking. I didn't fall in love with Dylan until later in life. Same with Steely Dan. I always liked their songs on the radio, but I didn't start freaking out about them till my mid-20's.

-- Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (soto.alfre...), Today.

susan douglas = steely dan

You say that like it's a bad thing, Tim.

x-post!

I actually like America OK. I was just wondering if coolio SD fans liked 'em or if they just weren't jazz fusion enough? (I AM JOKING AROUND!)

Do Dan or rather solo Fagen lovers generally like Joe Jackson? (cringe..tho i can get into it at times)

As far as catchy goes, one listen to Fagan's "New Frontier" yesterday got lodged in my head with greater insistence than 4 listens to the entirety of Katy Lied. Ian, "Everyone's Gone To The Movies" is not bad per se, it's just not something I'd care if I ever heard again. Today I have continued my forced immersion in Katy Lied in an attempt to overcome my aesthetic revulsion and maybe see what everybody else is seeing, but it's still hard going. If there is no progress by the end of this week I'll probably move on to Countdown to Ecstasy.

re: America, paraphrased Tom Waits quote: "'Old man, look at my life, I'm a lot like you were', see that's a great lyric. Now, 'I rode through a desert on a horse with no name' - what the hell does that mean?"

Yeah, Tom's comparing Neil Young and America lyrics, and I see where he's coming from.

What the hell do the lyrics to "Rain Dogs" and "Lowside Of The Road" and like 50% at least of the rest of the Waits ouevre mean??? Surely he was kidding around.

xpost

"When I hear "It's Tricky" or "King Of Rock" I want to drink Clorox to get the taste of Adidas tracksuits & rope gold chains out of my mouth!"

"When I hear "Mr. Tambourine Man" or "Turn Turn Turn" I want to jump in front of a train so I never again have to think of shag haircuts, "Laugh-In", and Nehru jackets!"

"When I hear "Bizarre Love Triangle" or "True Faith" I want to slit my wrists to escape the thoughts of neon wristbands, shoulder pads, and acid-wash denim!"

I mean, really.

-- The Good Dr. Bill (fadeout9...), April 12th, 2006 10:06 AM.

never wronger!

-- Tantrum The Cat (tantrumtheca...), April 12th, 2006 1:16 PM.

Well, it's my honest reaction. It's why I'm listening to this record over and over to try to overcome my negative associations and actually hear what's there.

Would you say that music can have positive associations but not negative ones?

Would you say that music can have positive associations but not negative ones?

All kinds of associations will colour your perception of music, but I think it's a copout to dismiss a band based on the particular era of fashion that band existed in. That's all I was trying to say.

My favorite part of the alt.music thread is this speculative quote about Elvis Costello's purported Steely Dan love:

Of course, now Elvis is a pop gourmand and I'm sure would praise the Dan to the skies, but then I guess he had to be an angry young asshole. (And thank God he was, or we never would have had "Lipstick Vogue," among other delights).