Steely Dan

Depth_Charge · #1 06-12-2007, 10:59 AM

Hey seeing that post in OT reminded me about a sign I keep driving past.

Steely Dan are playing here at the Sandalford winery in Caversham. For those who don't know, which is all of you, thats in the Swan Valley.

The winery in question is maybe 4km away. I've thought about bringing the family down.

What kind of music do they play and what kind of show do they put on?

I'd look up Google but it's 1:00am and I am heading off to bed,

Cheers,

D_C.

canopener · #2 06-12-2007, 01:22 PM

Lounge music with lyrics. There's a syndicated radio show in the States that plays weekly on classic rock stations that ALWAYS has a Special on Steely Dan. I think it's called "the Classics" or something overly presumptuous.

Tony G · #3 06-12-2007, 01:23 PM

Steely Dan plays some great music and they are very talented musicians. They range from a kind of jazzy funky pop/rock style.

Deacon_Blues · #4 06-12-2007, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgabriele

Steely Dan plays some great music and they are very talented musicians. They range from a kind of jazzy funky pop/rock style.

Yep. It's also one of those bands you appreciate more the more you listen to them. They make some highly sophisticated music with super-tight but often simple grooves, jazzy harmonies and intelligent yet funny and/or sometimes even silly lyrics. Steely Dan has a truly unique sound. No other band make music that sound the same.

They'll come here too in July. I haven't got a ticket yet, but this was a good reminder for me to order one. I don't expect them to pull off a huge show, but I expect to hear some really really great music by some really really great musicians!

markjazzbassist · #5 06-12-2007, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

Yep. It's also one of those bands you appreciate more the more you listen to them. They make some highly sophisticated music with super-tight but often simple grooves, jazzy harmonies and intelligent yet funny and/or sometimes even silly lyrics. Steely Dan has a truly unique sound. No other band make music that sound the same.

They'll come here too in July. I haven't got a ticket yet, but this was a good reminder for me to order one. I don't expect them to pull off a huge show, but I expect to hear some really really great music by some really really great musicians!

+1

Great band. Definately worth your while to go. VERY tight show. I've seen them 2 times and each time they were smoking good. Very classy jazzy/funky pop tunes. Great lyrics.

And, they only hire the BEST musicians to tour with them. Freddy "Ready" Washington's on Bass, Great player.

dave64o · #6 06-12-2007, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canopener

Lounge music with lyrics. There's a syndicated radio show in the States that plays weekly on classic rock stations that ALWAYS has a Special on Steely Dan. I think it's called "the Classics" or something overly presumptuous.

Lounge music? I'd have to say Steely Dan is far more than lounge music. Donald Fagan and Walter Becker write some great material and have always hired outstanding musicians to fill in their band.

Not to mention that Chuck Rainey's work with them on bass is some of the best you'll ever hear.

cdef · #7 06-12-2007, 04:14 PM

SD:s material is chordally/harmonically some of the hippest and most intricate you're going to find in a rock context (speaking loosely), and demands an extremely high standard of musicianship. Rhytmically, they have their own intensely cool and funky groove that never lets up, even though the arrangements can be very tricky. Their lyrics are literate and multi-leveled, full of striking phrases, sneaky allusions and overall black humor.

As for the show, it's really all about the music. When I saw them on the 2vN tour they did have some pretty abstract backdrop video projections themed to go with each tune. Becker has a droll line in compering, and the girls on backup vocals are wonderful to watch. But the whole thing is mainly a feast for the ears.

Absolutely go see them now you have the chance. It's an experience to witness a band that big and that tight tearing it up on material of such quality. Lounge music it ain't.

peekster · #8 06-12-2007, 04:56 PM

Wow!--hard to imagine someone old enough to have a family who doesn't know the Steely Dan "sound". Guess I'm getting old...

One of my conversational checks for a hip musician--someone I would take seriously--is whether he or she "gets" SD. Were I in a casual conversation with some self-identified "player" who said, for example, "oh, Steely Dan?--they're just a lounge act", I would not be asking that person for a biz card or phone number for future musical collaboration. Life's just too short.

cowsgomoo · #9 06-12-2007, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Depth_Charge

Hey seeing that post in OT reminded me about a sign I keep driving past.

Steely Dan are playing here at the Sandalford winery in Caversham. For those who don't know, which is all of you, thats in the Swan Valley.

The winery in question is maybe 4km away. I've thought about bringing the family down.

What kind of music do they play and what kind of show do they put on?

I'd look up Google but it's 1:00am and I am heading off to bed,

Cheers,

D_C.

go... being introduced to the music of Steely Dan was one of my musical life's greatest occurrences... I don't know how anyone could live without em

Mr_Dave · #10 06-13-2007, 05:02 AM

i got tickets to the melbourne show - fantastic they are touring australia - with a killer band too!!!

Philbiker · #11 06-13-2007, 06:18 AM

I'm a huge longtime SD fan and I for one think the description "Lounge Music With Lyrics" is entirely appropriate.

Depth_Charge · #12 06-13-2007, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

go... being introduced to the music of Steely Dan was one of my musical life's greatest occurrences... I don't know how anyone could live without em

Thanks guys!!! I'll make it a point to go if I'm not busy then.

That winery rakes it in and puts on a few free concerts throughout the year. I'll check the details out.

vinny · #13 06-13-2007, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canopener

Lounge music with lyrics. There's a syndicated radio show in the States that plays weekly on classic rock stations that ALWAYS has a Special on Steely Dan. I think it's called "the Classics" or something overly presumptuous.

SHEESH

I guess everyone's got their take on things.

Zooberwerx · #14 06-13-2007, 10:54 AM

Just saw Steely Dan last Friday at the Ntelos Pavillion / Portsmouth, VA. Kickin' show! Freddy Washington uses what appears to be a stock P bass and a Ken Smith 5. His rig is an SWR head with an SWR 4 X 10 cab.

BTW, hello to all Aussie TBers! My brother used to live in Exmouth / NW Cape. Been there myself. WA beer is best (Emu Export, Swan Brewery)!

Riis

cowsgomoo · #15 06-13-2007, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Depth_Charge

Thanks guys!!! I'll make it a point to go if I'm not busy then.

That winery rakes it in and puts on a few free concerts throughout the year. I'll check the details out.

cool! and if you pick up a cd in the meantime to get a flavour of the Dan, their most highly acclaimed (and rightly so) album is 'Aja'...

Aja's definitely the recommended 1st port of call for anyone not familiar with em, although there isn't a duff album in their whole back catalogue

on another note, I'd imagine Donald Fagen & Walter Becker themselves would probably enjoy hearing their music described as 'lounge music with lyrics', given their 'wry, dry & ironic' kinda attitude that comes across in interviews and (more importantly)their music...

they seem like 2 guys with a sense of the perverse... personally I love the fact that they would force all those insufferably tedious 70's LA session musos to go over the same song hundreds of times, day after day to get it just right... the idea of inflicting that kind of mental torture on some of those 'cats' amuses me...

cept Chuck Rainey of course... Chuck rules

dave64o · #16 06-13-2007, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

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on another note, I'd imagine Donald Fagen & Walter Becker themselves would probably enjoy hearing their music described as 'lounge music with lyrics', given their 'wry, dry & ironic' kinda attitude that comes across in interviews and (more importantly)their music...
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I didn't think about that when I first responded but that's a pretty interesting observation. I still wouldn't classify them that way, though.

The "lounge act" image makes me think of the bit Bill Murray used to do (so very well!

) on Saturday Night Live years ago. Steely Dan definitely does NOT have that same kind of cheesy, smarmy, "Heyyyyyyy, Wilkes Barre (*)!!! How about we get this ol' Howard Johnson's lounge rockin' with this classic from Air Supply!" kind of vibe.

(*) No offense to the forumites from the Wilkes Barre, PA, area. I only picked that town because both my parents' families are from there and from visiting family there over the years that's the mental iamge I had in my head when I was typing this post.

Lorenzini · #17 06-13-2007, 11:57 AM

Then I'm perfectly content with listening to and covering lounge music.

Doing a gig soon with a few Dan tunes, and can't wait.

cowsgomoo · #18 06-13-2007, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave64o

The "lounge act" image makes me think of the bit Bill Murray used to do (so very well!

) on Saturday Night Live years ago. Steely Dan definitely does NOT have that same kind of cheesy, smarmy, "Heyyyyyyy, Wilkes Barre (*)!!! How about we get this ol' Howard Johnson's lounge rockin' with this classic from Air Supply!" kind of vibe.

I suppose the connection is that Steely Dan actually are all the things that those cheesy lounge acts imagine themselves to be: sophisticated, tasteful, understated, intelligent, smooth, talented, effortlessly & subtly groovesome

as they get older, Steely Dan also seem to mining the 'aging & slightly seedy hipster' lyrical seam more than ever ('Slang Of Ages', 'Janie Runaway', 'Cousin Dupree')... so there's definitely a loungey 'heeeeey how you doin?' kind of flavour to their oeuvre...

but yeah you're right, it's not cheesy... Royale (Scam) Without Cheese

Gard · #19 06-13-2007, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canopener

Lounge music with lyrics. There's a syndicated radio show in the States that plays weekly on classic rock stations that ALWAYS has a Special on Steely Dan. I think it's called "the Classics" or something overly presumptuous.

Bwaaahhhhhh-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!

...no, seriously...

...yeah, I was right the first time:

BWAAAAHHHH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best joke I've heard in months.

Quote:

Originally Posted by peekster

One of my conversational checks for a hip musician--someone I would take seriously--is whether he or she "gets" SD. Were I in a casual conversation with some self-identified "player" who said, for example, "oh, Steely Dan?--they're just a lounge act", I would not be asking that person for a biz card or phone number for future musical collaboration. Life's just too short.

Jerry???? (If that's "you", we used to chat on the AOL BOL chatroom back in the 90's from time to time...but I doubt you'd recall me...)

Yeah, man...if a player EVER said that to me, our conversation would end very soon afterward, and I would make it a point to erase all memory of his/her existance. I wouldn't ask for a card unless I needed an emergency neck shim...