# Steely Dan: smokin musicians!



## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Had my IPOD on shuffle the other day and it happened to play Kid Charlemagne by Steely Dan. I had forgotten how incredible the musicianship was on those Steely Dan records - I guess they were all the top session guys of the day, but every single 'element' on that recording is fantastic. You can pick out any instrument on that recording - guitar, bass, drums, vocal, the song itself (that bassline!) - and its incredible to listen to. I'm struck by the fact that no-one seems to be making records with that level of 'musicianship' any more. 

I'm not trying to make the "musicians suck these days" argument, but that incredible level of musicianship, and the idea of 'composing' each individual instrument in every song, seems to have gone by the wayside.

Or maybe I'm not listening to the right music anymore?


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## Luke98 (Mar 4, 2007)

it's out there, it's just not played on the radio and is hard to find...

Steely Dan however, is just awesome.


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

Steely Dan and Donald Fagen are the only artists that never leave my mp3 player. Excellent tunes, charts and players.


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## Beatles (Feb 7, 2006)

I heard "My Old School" last night on the radio. Haven't listened to any Dan in a long time. Made me dust off a couple of vinyls and relisten. Saw them live a couple of times, but I still prefer listening at home. Excellent excellent band.


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Huge fan of Steely Dan. Having seen them a handful of times, I was still pondering a road trip to Detroit to see them later this year - but the difference between hearing them live and hearing an album is minimal at best.

Great tunes all round.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

Luke98 said:


> it's out there, it's just not played on the radio and is hard to find...
> 
> Steely Dan however, is just awesome.


it's why i don't listen to the radio if i can help it. the same classic rock over and over every single day will melt your brain. it's ruined pink floyd for me. 
speaking of overplayed, "reelin in the years" is one song that, although it was overplayed on the radio it somehow didn't get old for me.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Luke98 said:


> it's out there, it's just not played on the radio and is hard to find...
> 
> Steely Dan however, is just awesome.


Yup....to both . I am hooked to an Cd by Dr Lonnie Smith called Boogaloo to Beck that has effected my the same way that SD does 

Same thing... and done in three days 

http://www.amazon.com/Boogaloo-Beck-Dr-Lonnie-Smith/dp/B000099T4I


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Kid Charlemagne has one of my all time favorite guitar solos--I used the solo as an example when I taught of what can make a guitar solo great--especially with kids that just wanted to play fast &/or shred.

Overall I'm not a big Steely Dan fan, but even with the songs I don't like, the quality of the musicianship on their albums was always top notch. They featured a slew of fantastic guitarists-which was the main attraction for me--but the bass, keyboards, drums, horns or whatever were always well done, and great examples of musicianship.

Any serious student of any instrument would do well to spend some time listening to them.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

bagpipe said:


> Had my IPOD on shuffle the other day and it happened to play Kid Charlemagne by Steely Dan. I had forgotten how incredible the musicianship was on those Steely Dan records - I guess they were all the top session guys of the day, but every single 'element' on that recording is fantastic. You can pick out any instrument on that recording - guitar, bass, drums, vocal, the song itself (that bassline!) - and its incredible to listen to. I'm struck by the fact that no-one seems to be making records with that level of 'musicianship' any more.
> 
> I'm not trying to make the "musicians suck these days" argument, but that incredible level of musicianship, and the idea of 'composing' each individual instrument in every song, seems to have gone by the wayside.
> 
> Or maybe I'm not listening to the right music anymore?


Video killed the radio star.


Steely Dan and other bands comprised largely of studio players were possible then. Today the priority is so strongly slanted toward image and physical appearance that it almost doesn't seem to matter what the music sounds like in many cases.

Sample a phrase from a hit song, add your own dumb assed lyrics to it and as long as you can dance, you're golden.


Reeling in the Years is still one of my favourite tunes.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

Milkman said:


> Video killed the radio star.
> 
> 
> Steely Dan and other bands comprised largely of studio players were possible then. Today the priority is so strongly slanted toward image and physical appearance that it almost doesn't seem to matter what the music sounds like in many cases.
> ...


The Behind the music on the making of Aja is amazing, yes amazing musicians and somewhat difficult to work with. They had a vision that must have been adhered to, but that's why it still sounds so smooth right?


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## simescan (May 15, 2007)

In Steely Dan's "Peg", Jon Herington plays a short guitar solo that makes you want to say, "that's what I want to do when I grow up"... :bow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkENeuzVtUM


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

One of the truly great "live" bands still out there. Catch them if you can.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I caught them at Bluesfest last year, and I have to say that as HUGE a fan as I am of them (I think I have all but one of their albums), it was a really disappointing show; just going through the motions.

Major credit for the impact that SD albums had and continue to have goes to engineer Roger Nichols. I won't take anything away from the always stellar musicians, and arrangements, but it was this guy who made all the albums of theirs he touched seem other-wordly in the presence and immediacy of the tone.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

mhammer said:


> I caught them at Bluesfest last year, and I have to say that as HUGE a fan as I am of them (I think I have all but one of their albums), it was a really disappointing show; just going through the motions.
> 
> Major credit for the impact that SD albums had and continue to have goes to engineer Roger Nichols. I won't take anything away from the always stellar musicians, and arrangements, but it was this guy who made all the albums of theirs he touched seem other-wordly in the presence and immediacy of the tone.


Bummer man, I seen them last at Rama on this current tour and Fagen was having trouble with his voice, which he apologized for. But other than that it was a great show. I find that they never really get into any kind of audience interaction. So the shows are basically all music and no show.


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

Not really a Steely Dan guy, but Larry Carlton a.k.a. Mr. 335 is one hell of a guitar player.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...excellent musicians, no question, but like a lot bands of that era (10cc, genesis, toto etc) they bore me to tears. i respect what they do, however, and those who appreciate 'em.

:smile:


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

david henman said:


> ...excellent musicians, no question, but like a lot bands of that era (10cc, genesis, toto etc) they bore me to tears. i respect what they do, however, and those who appreciate 'em.
> 
> :smile:


i like steely dan, but man, i couldn't agree more about the other three you mentioned. in fact, listening to genesis makes me want to freak out run away


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Genesis was OK before Collens was singing. Steely Dan are very rigorous about their musicianship. There albums take years to make. Some great tunes come from it.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Funny to see this thread...I was in a store 2 days ago and saw the CD 'A Decade Of Steely Dan' and I just had to buy it. I love a lot of their albums, but its cool to have a cross-sectional collection of them to play in the car. I love it!
-Mikey


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

My favourite.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGRCelgIHbk


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

simescan said:


> Ihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkENeuzVtUM


I think that was an Ibanez AM200/205 he was using. The 339 of it's day.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

Love the DAN !!!!!
Always have. Bought Can't Buy A Thrill back when it was new and have waited with high anticipation till each subsequent album came out. As much as the guitar solos are cool (and I'd digest and copy every solo as soon as I would get each new album) the rhythm charts are just as challenging. All those voicings, and their own special use of moo major chords. A real lesson in how a band interacts. Also..... I love the drumming !!!! The drummers they get to play on the albums (and on tour) eclipse even the star guitar players. The grooves are perfect. The parts can be totally innovative. You are always tapping your foot or nodding away to a Dan tune.

For those in the TO area.....there is a Dan cover band that plays the Orbit Room the last Thursday of every month. It's a large band with some of Toronto's top players taking part. They do note by note perfect recreations of the Dan catalogue.


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## sysexguy (Mar 5, 2006)

Nice, in Montreal, we have a great Steely Dan band too; Babylon Sister, for the Ottawa guys, they're playing Tremblant end of August.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AjYif_n2GU

Andy


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I "discovered" Steely Dan when the sound track to the movie "FM" hit the radio in about 77 or 78.
I've been a big fan every since. Discribe them in one word? Tight.


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