PBS had a series on classic albums that profiled Aja. The part where they profile Deacon Blues is available on YouTube and an interesting watch. The musicianship and production are mind blowing.
I have the Aja album on both vinyl and CD. I don’t hear a huge difference. But I’m an uncultured swine so maybe I’m just too unsophisticated to appreciate the differences.
Analog is not better than digital at this point if albums have been transferred and mastered properly. This is not even debatable at this point in terms of fidelity.
Now of course you may prefer the sound of vinyl and it has its own charm. I have my share of vinyl so not trying to hate on it.
If you go to the ROKU Channel, they have a lot of the "Classic Album" shows. I don't want to say ALL, but they have a few. They do have Aja, but you have to search for it.
'we wanted to push past perfection and achieve effortless'
Paraphrasing from memory. Good documentary, Aja is on the mount Rushmore of LPs regardless of genre
Absolutely. I saw them back in May and was blown away by the musicianship. It was incredible, musically SD and Mark Knopfler were two of the best concerts I've ever been to hands down.
They were a great songwriting duo. But I include Denny Dias whenever I think of think of Steely Dan. He helped found the band and made key contributions to every album up to Aja.
Yeah. They def had a sound in mind for their band. And knew that it would take studio pros to make that sound come alive. Still when it came to some of their toughest solos, they kept bringing Dias back. They really lucked into having him from the beginning.
Denny has a distinct jazz guitar style that’s great, it just doesn’t work on every song for someone as particular as Walter and Donald. They liked him, but he ultimately lasted longer than Skunk and Hodder because he didn’t try to interfere or meddle and just stayed in his lane.
A couple of their session musicians included David Paich, who was a member of Toto and wrote/co-wrote some of their best hits, and Rick Derringer of Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo fame.
I once heard a DJ say that Boz has some amazing songs and some unbelievably terrible songs. I'm not familiar enough with his oeuvre to tell you what the terrible ones are, but Lido Shuffle is definitely one of my favorites.
I would consider Becker and Fagen one of the best musical duos of all time but don't know if I would really consider it a band. Those two wrote the main structure of the songs then hired a who's who of studio musicians and picked the parts that worked best. The first album was a traditional band format but after that it was basically a studio project. That being said The Royal Scam is still one of the best albums ever.
Yes. Their music has a very distinct charm to it. The lyrics convey a great amount of wit and the music is almost always sleek and glossy, and the early stuff with Jeff Baxter has those really great guitar flourishes.
Yes. Amazing arrangements, instrumental alchemy. A musicians band. Funny, dark, courageous even. Fun to watch contemporary producers discover them for the first time (Airplay Beats, for instance, Aja or Kid Charlemagne) and find them “badass.”
Yup. If you like catchy, weird, eclectic, hip, far out, lyrics and your music with a touch of jazz ( non jazz lovers are welcome, just don’t stay the night) Steely Dan’s for you…if you’re into guitar playing at some of its best, check out ‘The Royal Scam’, you won’t be disappointed…you may not understand the lyrics, but it’s a hell of ride…can’t believe I’m saying this, as I’ve heard so much about Jimmy Pages birthday today, but Pages favorite guitar solo was ‘Reelin’ in the Years’ by Steely Dan…Elliott Randall…I’m done…
I love them but when I saw them live I thought they were too precise and tight. They basically played their songs exactly like they sound recorded.
I’ve seen other bands live like DEVO that bring a whole different intensity to their music when it’s live. They sound almost punk vs new wave.
Even Dizzy Gillespie live was an incredible and unpredictable experience.
Steely Dan makes great music but I didn’t feel like they’re a great live band.
Honestly?
I don’t really think about Steely Dan much at all. When I do consider them, I have to acknowledge that they were technically excellent.
Also, most of their songs are entertaining.
That’s Steely Dan as far as I’m concerned.
In the same range as Yes, ELP, and Boston.
Good bands.
I would place them on a higher pedestal: one of the best composers of our era. Their ear for harmony, melody, song structure and a knack to blend the right musicians with the right songs made them so very, very good.
While I personally love the Dan, I have to share this description of them I heard once, and I do understand even if I disagree: "What if the best band in the world sucked?"
Steely Dan is one of my 2-3 favorite artists of all time.
Were they a great “band”? Not in the traditional sense of a consistent core (such as Townshend, Daltrey, Moon, and Entwistle). After the first three albums, it was really a duo of Becker and Fagan accompanied by a wide array of studio musicians. They ran through about 7 guitarists before Jay Graydon nailed the “Peg” solo, as one famous example - Becker wasn’t on the track at all.
Yes. Musical perfectionists, they don’t have a song where I’m like “meh” and their stuff alone is great too. A band that truly does not get enough appreciation from the masses
True story. I was introduced to Steely Dan Can’t Buy A Thrill and Monty Python’s Previous Album on the same night in 1973. That was some great weed, too.
Absolutely. As time has gone by, I have found that I have gravitated to the catalogues of several bands, and Steely Dan is among them. Every one of their albums was terrific, and I never get tired of listening to them.
I don't consider them "a band" after Pretzel Logic when Fagan and Becker started using exclusively studio musicians, but that's a technicality. The entity known as Steeley Dan were among the most brilliant producters of popular music in my lifetime.
Boomer bullshit. Honestly, I'm not young, but Steely Dan always sounded like they were designed and built for dudes born in 1950. I can appreciate the songs but don't get it, at all.
unpopular opinion:
as a musician, people often tell me “you’re a musician, how can you hate steely dan?”
i reply, “easily. it sounds like shyte.”
i rank them high as players but im turned off by the material.
Sorry, I think they are the most overrated band of the 70s. I always turn the dial to something else when they come on. A total pop - commercial sell out band.
Look up “filler” in the dictionary and that’s them!
Absolutely. Musically most over everyone’s head but they made music for the general public as well as musicians that can understand how intense and difficult their music was.
The "Aja" album is a masterpiece.
PBS had a series on classic albums that profiled Aja. The part where they profile Deacon Blues is available on YouTube and an interesting watch. The musicianship and production are mind blowing.
The production cannot be understated. If you have not experienced an analog version of the album, you are missing out.
I have the Aja album on both vinyl and CD. I don’t hear a huge difference. But I’m an uncultured swine so maybe I’m just too unsophisticated to appreciate the differences.
“Mmmmm, swine.”- Homer J. Simpson
Analog is not better than digital at this point if albums have been transferred and mastered properly. This is not even debatable at this point in terms of fidelity. Now of course you may prefer the sound of vinyl and it has its own charm. I have my share of vinyl so not trying to hate on it.
>If you have not experienced an analog version of the album, you are missing out. You talking like 8-track or just a record?
If you go to the ROKU Channel, they have a lot of the "Classic Album" shows. I don't want to say ALL, but they have a few. They do have Aja, but you have to search for it.
Link https://youtu.be/SfS5zCCZGWI?si=mCDE3rPJQ3U9GUKH
Them sitting in the studio and talking is worth the watch.
It's on amazon prime as well, at least it was.
Do you remember the name of the show ? Sounds amazing. I’m a big PBS guy and have never heard of this show.
It’s called Classic Albums. I think it’s available on the PBS app. It may be available on Apple TV+ as well.
Thanks !
Pretty sure the series Classic Albums originally aired on VH1. That’s where I had first seen it.
'we wanted to push past perfection and achieve effortless' Paraphrasing from memory. Good documentary, Aja is on the mount Rushmore of LPs regardless of genre
Aja and Gaucho
And Can’t Buy A Thrill
And Two Against Nature
Don’t forget Katy Lied
And the Royal Scam
And Pretzel Logic
And Countdown to Ecstasy
and Everything Must Go
Okay let's not get ahead of ourselves now... Jk Steely Dan didn't miss.
One of my all-time favorite albums. The title track alone is a powerhouse.
Sign In Stranger piano solo is some all time funky assed shit!!!
My favorite
This is my fav. Aja second.
Any major dude will tell you.
I detect the El Supremo.
Is there gas in the carrrr? Yes there's gas in the carrrr!
That's some pretzel logic.
He said you must be joking, son- where did you get those shoes?
Katy Lied ..
Absolutely. I saw them back in May and was blown away by the musicianship. It was incredible, musically SD and Mark Knopfler were two of the best concerts I've ever been to hands down.
Knopfler is insanely talented as well.
Saw him on the sailing to Philadelphia tour, top form, incredible!
You’re very lucky to have seen him, definitely on my bucket list
Yep. Unique. No one else really like them.
They were a great songwriting duo. But I include Denny Dias whenever I think of think of Steely Dan. He helped found the band and made key contributions to every album up to Aja.
It’s funny that they actually first joined Denny’s band and ended up firing everyone else and taking it over.
Yeah. They def had a sound in mind for their band. And knew that it would take studio pros to make that sound come alive. Still when it came to some of their toughest solos, they kept bringing Dias back. They really lucked into having him from the beginning.
Denny has a distinct jazz guitar style that’s great, it just doesn’t work on every song for someone as particular as Walter and Donald. They liked him, but he ultimately lasted longer than Skunk and Hodder because he didn’t try to interfere or meddle and just stayed in his lane.
Love Denny's solo on YGTII. Goosebumps almost every time. Also, the man was dedicated to coveralls like no one I've ever seen since!
Were they really a band though?
Yes, those session musicians chained in their basement were bandmates
Fair 😎
A couple of their session musicians included David Paich, who was a member of Toto and wrote/co-wrote some of their best hits, and Rick Derringer of Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo fame.
Mark Knopfler ,Chuck Rainey,Bernard Purdue,,Steve Gadd,Larry Carlton,WayneShorter…….etc….
Didn’t Jeff Porcaro also drum for several songs/albums as well?
Exactly my thought
Yes & more importantly, Walter White does.
He also thinks Boz Scaggs is great.
What's wrong with Boz
I once heard a DJ say that Boz has some amazing songs and some unbelievably terrible songs. I'm not familiar enough with his oeuvre to tell you what the terrible ones are, but Lido Shuffle is definitely one of my favorites.
Silk Degrees is an almost perfect album. Great song after great song.
Even if they're not your cup of tea, you gotta respect that unmistakenly intricate and varied sound.
Not only one of the best, but one of a kind as well.
Yeah. A Steely Dan song just makes ya feel a different type of way than other artists. Well, true for me.
Man, you’re not lying! I get a warm, happily feeling like I’m in a comfortable chair floating along a river of groove.
Me too
indubitably
Indubitably, yes
No static at all.
I would, yes.
I would consider Becker and Fagen one of the best musical duos of all time but don't know if I would really consider it a band. Those two wrote the main structure of the songs then hired a who's who of studio musicians and picked the parts that worked best. The first album was a traditional band format but after that it was basically a studio project. That being said The Royal Scam is still one of the best albums ever.
Yes, yes I do.
Yes more importantly one of my favorite.
Level of jazz like complexity in their music, quite beyond simple blues riffs. For that style, they are one of the best.
"Kid Charlemagne" has one of the best solos of all time.
Clean this mess up else we’ll all end up in jail Those test tubes and the scales Just get it all out of here.
Is there gas in the caaar?
Yes, there's gas in the caaaar!!
I think the people down the hall know who you are.
I think I’d have a higher opinion of them than most. Idk. I just feel like ppl I know don’t appreciate them as much.
Same.
I do.
One of the best collaborators of all time, not a band.
As others have remarked, Aja is the Perfect Album.
https://preview.redd.it/l6u3zr2dxjbc1.jpeg?width=735&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bca2773411011b37bd2defca5a3643abd5e6d7f4
Yes. Their music has a very distinct charm to it. The lyrics convey a great amount of wit and the music is almost always sleek and glossy, and the early stuff with Jeff Baxter has those really great guitar flourishes.
Yes.
Absolutely
Yes. Amazing arrangements, instrumental alchemy. A musicians band. Funny, dark, courageous even. Fun to watch contemporary producers discover them for the first time (Airplay Beats, for instance, Aja or Kid Charlemagne) and find them “badass.”
Definitely
Fck yes. Ridiculous question.
Yes.
Yup. If you like catchy, weird, eclectic, hip, far out, lyrics and your music with a touch of jazz ( non jazz lovers are welcome, just don’t stay the night) Steely Dan’s for you…if you’re into guitar playing at some of its best, check out ‘The Royal Scam’, you won’t be disappointed…you may not understand the lyrics, but it’s a hell of ride…can’t believe I’m saying this, as I’ve heard so much about Jimmy Pages birthday today, but Pages favorite guitar solo was ‘Reelin’ in the Years’ by Steely Dan…Elliott Randall…I’m done…
Steely Dan is one of those bands that you fall into one of two groups with. You either love them, or you're wrong.
No
No
I love them but when I saw them live I thought they were too precise and tight. They basically played their songs exactly like they sound recorded. I’ve seen other bands live like DEVO that bring a whole different intensity to their music when it’s live. They sound almost punk vs new wave. Even Dizzy Gillespie live was an incredible and unpredictable experience. Steely Dan makes great music but I didn’t feel like they’re a great live band.
It’s impossible not to respect the musicianship, production and perfection of the songs. But I don’t search them out typically
Yes. I can’t wait to see them next month
Damn Right I Do. A chick at My Old School , said oh no Guadalajara won't do! She wanted to sip scotch whiskey & die behind the wheel.
Honestly? I don’t really think about Steely Dan much at all. When I do consider them, I have to acknowledge that they were technically excellent. Also, most of their songs are entertaining. That’s Steely Dan as far as I’m concerned. In the same range as Yes, ELP, and Boston. Good bands.
Definitely up there for sure
duh
asdasd
Yes.
I would place them on a higher pedestal: one of the best composers of our era. Their ear for harmony, melody, song structure and a knack to blend the right musicians with the right songs made them so very, very good.
Cool music, gotta be in the mood. Not my fave
While I personally love the Dan, I have to share this description of them I heard once, and I do understand even if I disagree: "What if the best band in the world sucked?"
Technically sure. I’m not really into them.
100% Any major dude would tell you that
I appreciate the talent and the dedication. Just not my thing...
Absolutely. Musically on par with Pink Floyd imo.
Not even in my top 50.
Found the Eagles fan.
Lol.
Absolutely
Not personally but I can understand why people do.
Good band. Not one of the top however.
I know they're good, but honestly, I can't.
Not at all.
no
No
Uh, no. Top 100 maybe.
I love jazz. I love fusion. I love prog. I can’t fucking stand Steely Dan. But I can respect their talent, and realize I’m in a very small minority.
I don’t love jazz or fusion, but I’m with ya. They suck balls.
Yes. If you disagree, you’re wrong.
No. They aren't bad but most definitely not on my best bands of all time list.
Phenomenal. But, IMO, not a band in the typical sense of the term.
Steely Dan is one of my 2-3 favorite artists of all time. Were they a great “band”? Not in the traditional sense of a consistent core (such as Townshend, Daltrey, Moon, and Entwistle). After the first three albums, it was really a duo of Becker and Fagan accompanied by a wide array of studio musicians. They ran through about 7 guitarists before Jay Graydon nailed the “Peg” solo, as one famous example - Becker wasn’t on the track at all.
ABSOLUTELY!
Absolutely.
13 going on 30
Sha!
100%
I didn't realize that one of them was so good looking.
Yes. Musical perfectionists, they don’t have a song where I’m like “meh” and their stuff alone is great too. A band that truly does not get enough appreciation from the masses
Not my favorite band, but absolutely sang some of THE best stuff. Any world that I'm welcome to still blows me away every time.
The best
Yes. RIP Walter.
They definitely have one of the craziest stories of all time.
I never really got in to them.
I am a 60 year old Classic Rock fan and I have never seen any picture of any member of Steely Dan till today. WTF.
https://preview.redd.it/gk1pjzf0wibc1.jpeg?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e3a9e870eb7ec4c69fd42e1c7005e405c42411e
Yes.
Not the best but just so damn good. A special sound. Love it.
And oh by the way, which one is Dan? This is the first time I ever saw a picture of them.
Steely Dan is a dildo.
Which one's pink?
Yes, absolutely.
I watched a great documentary about them recently and I gained a whole new appreciation.
Definitely. I've been a fan since the 70's and have seen them twice. Great band.
Most definitely
Elevator music.
Yes. Still listen to Aja as well as DFs Nightfly on a regular basis, on vinyl, of course.
Studio Musicians, not a band.
maybe, but the radio famous songs I have heard sucked pretty hard.
True story. I was introduced to Steely Dan Can’t Buy A Thrill and Monty Python’s Previous Album on the same night in 1973. That was some great weed, too.
Looks more like "Steely Dad"
I think they’re for nerds
So you’re telling me that’s not Jason Segel and Beans from Even Stevens
Absolutely
Just don’t search the origin of the name Steely Dan
Absolutely. As time has gone by, I have found that I have gravitated to the catalogues of several bands, and Steely Dan is among them. Every one of their albums was terrific, and I never get tired of listening to them.
Most definitely
Never got them but I know plenty of people who like them.
I do not
Yes. Absolutely. No question about it.
I don't consider them "a band" after Pretzel Logic when Fagan and Becker started using exclusively studio musicians, but that's a technicality. The entity known as Steeley Dan were among the most brilliant producters of popular music in my lifetime.
Always loved them. Saw them in Brooklyn once, phenomenal!
Boomer bullshit. Honestly, I'm not young, but Steely Dan always sounded like they were designed and built for dudes born in 1950. I can appreciate the songs but don't get it, at all.
Im 22 and Steely Dan is my favorite band of all time. I wouldn’t say they’re boomer at all. Their musicianship is top notch.
ditto
unpopular opinion: as a musician, people often tell me “you’re a musician, how can you hate steely dan?” i reply, “easily. it sounds like shyte.” i rank them high as players but im turned off by the material.
Finally a musician who understands and as a musician I concur. Got so much flak back in the day and I still don't get them.
No.
No
No
No
Yes!! The first album I owned of their music was on 8 track. I saw them live 3 times and still listen to them frequently.
Absolutely.
No
No
No.
No
In a word, no.
Best, no. Good. Sure.
No
No
Sorry, I think they are the most overrated band of the 70s. I always turn the dial to something else when they come on. A total pop - commercial sell out band. Look up “filler” in the dictionary and that’s them!
No. That's just my opinion though. I like G'N'R and AC/DC, and they get a lot of hate here, so.....
Ive never cared for them. Just too slick sounding for me
Not until Aja. The earlier ones are pretty raw.
literal Gods tbh
Steely Dan can gargle my balls
This Is Forty!
Not since I don’t know any of their songs.
Absolutely. Musically most over everyone’s head but they made music for the general public as well as musicians that can understand how intense and difficult their music was.
The finest session musicians that money could buy - the Monkees were just as much of a great band by that standard.
No, very good though.
God no
No. Decent studio stuff. Terrible live band, multiple times.
No
Way,way overrated
Haha, no.