Steely Dan - still awed by them well over 45 years later

Voxman

For me Steely Dan were one of the most musically talented bands from the 70's with some great songs and some truly amazing guitarists with really original solo's/licks.  I'd give my left nut to be able to play like Jeff Skunk Baxter, Denny Dias, Walter Becker, etc - I know they were mainly a studio band from around 1974 with other guitarists stepping in eg Larry Carlton and Elliott Randall (who played the solo for Rellin' in the years) but the musical talent and merging of rock, blues, jazz etc was just extraordinary.  

I just came across a wonderful series of videos by Tom Quayle, example here - if you're a Steely Dan fan check him out:



And this guy's not too shabby either re getting the 'feel' - nice medley! 

Blueingreen

Huge fan, definitely in my top 10 rock/pop artists and probably top 5.

A large amount of my all-time favourite guitar solos are on Dan songs and I've put in a lot of practice hours on them.The amazing thing is how little interest I have in the same players in other settings.  Somehow they got greatness out of guys who were never able to do it in other contexts.  (OK I know some people will rep for Mr 335 and other stuff, and I know these guys were still great players, but I haven't found anything else I want to listen to on repeat from a Dan guitarist).

west

who is the gaucho amigo ,

why is he standing

in your spangled leather poncho,

with the studs that match your eyes .....

rip walter ... bodacious cowboys both .... X

guitars4you

One of my all time favourite bands - lucky to have seen them about 10 years ago now

The FM track is one of my all time favourite songs

Great grooves - Agree to  a large extent with your comments @Blueingreen about how/why the likes of Larry sound so much better in a band like SD , as against their own solo work

midlifecrisis

huge fan, can play most of their stuff but not very well.

Humbucked

Few at the time, or since possessed the compositional flair and imagination of Donald Fagen. He and Walter Becker were truly on the same wave length and had a boldness to use the studio as a palette for their vision. The musicians were there to provide the colours and textural nuance in their songs. They were unafraid to be themselves, thank goodness.

uncledick

Still a great live act too.  

midlifecrisis

Voxman said:

For me Steely Dan were one of the most musically talented bands from the 70's with some great songs and some truly amazing guitarists with really original solo's/licks.  I'd give my left nut to be able to play like Jeff Skunk Baxter, Denny Dias, Walter Becker, etc - I know they were mainly a studio band from around 1974 with other guitarists stepping in eg Larry Carlton and Elliott Randall (who played the solo for Rellin' in the years) but the musical talent and merging of rock, blues, jazz etc was just extraordinary.  

I just came across a wonderful series of videos by Tom Quayle, example here - if you're a Steely Dan fan check him out:



And this guy's not too shabby either re getting the 'feel' - nice medley! 

not too shabby...understatement of the year

west

They mean a lot to me on a deeply personal level , i guess you could say they are my no 1 in that kind of band context, never compromising in a popular song format way , clever colloquialisms and in jokes keeping their audiance guessing lyrically  , great voicings and harmonically interesting progressions, i walked the walk in a 2 hour show in an 11 piece tribute to them  , but ultimatly that was dissatisfying and was tarnishing the music for me ... id have to include donalds solo works too ...

cant agree on individual session musicians performances against their solo career output ,  as its an irellevant comparrison ....

Voxman

midlifecrisis said:

not too shabby...understatement of the year

Last time I referred to someone who I thought of as being a lovely player I got lambasted by some folk criticising and saying they were nothing special,...so I thought I'd be a bit more 'restrained' here & let folk come to their own conclusions! 

Jez6345789

The reason you don't get the same players on repeat play out of the SD format is the quality of the songs and how they cemented the performances of those players to the song. 

People marvel at the playing on those albums which was always stellar but often forget the sheer magic of the song, structure, harmony, melody and lyrical content, were simply at a different level to the straight-ahead rock bands of the era. 

I did hear a great quote once, if you find a girl who really appreciates SD then marry her as the only people who listen to Steely Dan are musicians and nerdy blokes, few women get Steely Dan. LOL

Whitecat

Love the Dan. Too clever by half for sure in both music and lyrics... the current live act might be the most virtuosic collection of musicians this side of classical music - and obviously historically they have not exactly surrounded themselves with slouches. 

Voxman

Jez6345789 said:

The reason you don't get the same players on repeat play out of the SD format is the quality of the songs and how they cemented the performances of those players to the song. 

People marvel at the playing on those albums which was always stellar but often forget the sheer magic of the song, structure, harmony, melody and lyrical content, were simply at a different level to the straight-ahead rock bands of the era. 

Huge +1!...have a wis! 

richardhomer

They certainly impeccable taste in guitar players....

west

Learn to work the saxophone
I play just what I feel
Drink Scotch whisky all night long
And die behind the wheel
They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose ......

west

gordiji

Epic, etched into me. Donald Fagan's nitefly is also a masterpiece.

axisus

Fabulous band. I love Bhodissattva (spelling?). I really wanted to learn it and got the first half of the solo down (not that well) many years ago. I should try again

misterpete

My favourite band of all time, I remember when “Can’t buy a thrill” was released, I just played it over and over and “Turn that heartbeat over again” is still one of my favourite songs. Since then it’s just been a wonderful journey with them. I never tire of their stuff it’s just, for me, so perfect. I have friends who hate them for that perfectness, but those rhythms, those harmonies that musicality, just superb.
Funnily enough, seen them a few times in the UK and once in New York and every time the sound was shit! There is a fine “tribute” band called “Nearly Dan” who play up and down the country, well worth seeing, they absolutely nail the sound and feature a great guitar player who handles all the solos with great ability.If you are a Dan fan they are worth seeing.

Jez6345789

Almost too hard to pinpoint favourites for me as I sort of flip-flop around the years and from time to time get hooked into something. I was like that with Brooklyn knows the charmer under me,  I just think its probably the finest body of work of any band as it draws you back time after time.

Keefy

When I first heard Steely Dan in the 70s I didn’t care for the ‘sweet-and-sour’ harmonies. I came back to them in the 80s having listened to a bit of jazz, and immediately ‘got’ them. I have had all the albums for some years now and absolutely love the music. I am currently working hard on the guitar parts in preparation for rehearsals for a start-up SD tribute band, and this has only made me appreciate them more.