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

and most of them also involve wistful, melancholic reflection by said creep

Hearing a couple thousand people collectively singing lines like "bodacious cowboys such as your friend will never be welcome here / high in the Custerdome" and (of course) "the Cuervo Gold, the fine Columbian / make tonight a wonderful thing" was fun, even moving. But I also resented the experience because I wanted Gaucho all to myself, and finally cursed my decision to go to the concert when it would have been better to stay home and listen to the twenty-four-bit remastered version on my Bose noise-canceling headphones.

http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2016/10/06/leave-alexa-alone/

i swear Gaucho plays like Buhloone Mindstate. Some mind blowing songs on an otherwise unfinished album

perhaps Pos and Becker's health issues during production cast a similar shadow...

Nate, you can have both the collective and individual experience

I have seen Steely Dan live twice, one show was transcendent and unbelievable etc and the other one was mostly forgettable (Mike McDonald opened and even guested on a few Dan numbers, that was neat) but I think it had a lot to do with the sound of the venue.

Which is to say, the show at the nice theater that mostly hosts musicals was absolutely the best sounding show I've ever attended, whereas the show at the shitty new amphitheater with "lawn seating" that played host to anyone and anything sounded kind of shitty, which is a drag when you've come out to see Steely Dan

Buhloone is my favourite De La Soul album. Unfinished or not.

looks like Don's got a side gig writing for Slate:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history/2016/10/ed_sullivan_a_short_vision_and_how_nuclear_fears_fueled_the_counterculture.html

Evidently, that film ultimately led to the brilliant "New Frontier" video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBruAooXPNU

I love his movie reviews for Premiere mag from the 80s -- what was his nom de plume again?

Libby Gelman-Waxner.

Wow amazing thread here. As a newbie to ILX just wanted to register my lifelong love and admiration for Steely Dan. I also love all kinds of Punk derived musics, in fact my #1 all time band is the previously mentioned FALL. And I feel no conflict of interest. Actually I find them kinda similar in a sorta post-Beat lyrical style way. Anyway, great thread.

Fagen one of the few other lyricists whose work repays lifelong scrutiny to the same extent as MES's!

Vyrna, were you ever on the Fegmaniax mailing list in its heyday?

meanwhile the man behind the thread title is using his Twitter to relentlessly street team for the new Gorillaz LP

does that job come with bennies?

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/7486-two-against-nature/

the fact they review virgin suicides by air and two against nature the same day seems weirdly appropriate

also funny that they decried one's slaved over studio art pop and praised another's

that review is a perfect bellwether of wrong

"20 years have passed since Gaucho and Steely Dan seem content to completely ignore them."

they should have stuck this blurb on the shrinkwrap

So, you pony-tailed Jeep-drivers and terrier-walkers, I'm crawling inside your minds like "Reeling in the Years" did so many decades ago. I know you've held silly suspicions, if just for a moment, that your ponytail was perhaps pulling back your hairline. I know that this review might hurt your feelings. Here, play with this shiny silver Nokia while I chat with somebody else.

https://squareonechicity.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/299-music-giftguide-portrait-brent.jpg?w=240

No, Jon not Jon I wasn't. However, i am well aware of that group. But I was in the Yahoo Syd Barrett group for years. And as is obvious from my screen name I am a major Soft Boys/Hitchcock fan. And, almost forgot, I'm also in a Scott Walker Yahoo group. I agree 100% with your statement re:lyrics of Messers Fagen and Smith.

Gee, pops. What's a Nokia?

interesting that that's the only SD review on p4k. They haven't exactly been along for the re-evaluation, except for when they included 2 of their songs on the best of 70s list.

xxpost ok so between SD, the Fall, Robyn/Softs and mister NS Engel, you and me vyrna can definitely share a radio

That review is my go to example of Pitchfork's wrongery.

Deal!😉

You might also want to check out the Steely Dan poll thread.

http://ilxor.com/ILX/ThreadSelectedControllerServlet?action=showall&boardid=41&threadid=99486

Looks like you'll need to copy and paste the whole link, the "?" causes problems.

Two Against Nature isn't exactly a classic (the best that can be said of it is that it's immaculately played and pleasant to listen to), but christ that review is horrifically lazy and smug.

https://i.imgur.com/tYzF2tP.jpg

lol P'book

RIP Walter Becker.

Fucking hell.

changed how I listen to music, and, eventually, after long study, the way I write it. no band more important to my development, a very personal connection. 67 feels young from here.

Damn, RIP

glad I got to see the band a few times over the years

awww fuck!

this is real rough. to echo joan, becker totally changed my listening, and he was half of what is basically an unrepeatable lyrical chemistry. both of his solo albums are so good

I love how the last few years of SD he stepped up as principle lead guitarist. Was super-talented, and super-funny.

fuck

anything actually confirmed?

yes, it's everywhere

damn this is a tough one

yeah just saw this http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/walter-becker-steely-dan-co-founder-dead-at-67-w500956

was hoping it was a hoax

damn this is bumming me out

too damn young

I'll second my admiration for his terse, prickly lead guitar.

Holy shit

RIP damn

no fucking way

WTF, was not expecting to wake up to this. What horrible news. RIP.

Fuck. I'd heard Walter had surgery recently and was in recovery... this blows.

Personal highlights for me: the hot-gain tele solo "Black Friday" or the closing solo of "Gaucho".

67 seems so young to me but that's the rock lifestyle I guess.

I've only recently started getting into them and they are great I don't think there is a single bad song from cant be a thrill to gaucho.