RE Steely Dan Aĵa
Posted by: BigH47 on 29 April 2009
have been watching the Classic Albums series on Sky.
On the Steely Dan one I was surprised at the way they almost "constructed" the album instead of recording it. Having a different band on each track. I get they wanted the best they could get , but it just sounded like a load of extra work and not a little anal.
Is this an unusual approach?
Is this their normal approach?
Must have been a bitch to tour with.
On the Steely Dan one I was surprised at the way they almost "constructed" the album instead of recording it. Having a different band on each track. I get they wanted the best they could get , but it just sounded like a load of extra work and not a little anal.
Is this an unusual approach?
Is this their normal approach?
Must have been a bitch to tour with.
Steely dan shed musicians during the early part of the seventies until they arrived at the creative original core of Becker and Fagen. This happened principally for two reasons, the first that the duo grew tired of the inconvenience of live performances and stopped in 73. The second is that, as their songwriting prowess grew steadily in complexity and the use of jazz structures, they found it increacing difficult to play the parts themselves to thier own satisfaction or to find suitable musicians to do it full justice.
By the time of Aja the pair had enough money and support from ABC that they were allowed to indulge themselves in pursuing their collective vision with the best possible musicians available. And we really are talking some of the best here!
This has broadly remained their approach ever since but aja and gaucho remain the the two most 'pure' examples of their studio perfectionism. The word 'perfectionism' seems to be used sometimes in a disparaging way. In this instance I think that they did truly achieve the creation of an album which represents a pinacle of songwriting and performance magic which still absolutely holds me enthralled thirty two years later. For this reason it remains one of my absolute favourite albums of all time. Always fresh, always awsome.
With regard to the bitch of a tour - simple really, they never bothered.
I have a deep and IMO justified suspision of anybody who does not like steely dan or dogs.
By the time of Aja the pair had enough money and support from ABC that they were allowed to indulge themselves in pursuing their collective vision with the best possible musicians available. And we really are talking some of the best here!
This has broadly remained their approach ever since but aja and gaucho remain the the two most 'pure' examples of their studio perfectionism. The word 'perfectionism' seems to be used sometimes in a disparaging way. In this instance I think that they did truly achieve the creation of an album which represents a pinacle of songwriting and performance magic which still absolutely holds me enthralled thirty two years later. For this reason it remains one of my absolute favourite albums of all time. Always fresh, always awsome.
With regard to the bitch of a tour - simple really, they never bothered.
I have a deep and IMO justified suspision of anybody who does not like steely dan or dogs.
quote:
I have a deep and IMO justified suspision of anybody who does not like steely dan or dogs.
Isn't this a general consensus among civilized people.
Chevy played in a Bard colledge band with Fagen called the leather canery. Can't quite see him getting near the sticks on aja somehow... 
"Skunk Baxter now has been working recently as a defense consultant and chairs a Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense". Wikipedia
Hard to believe but true.
I think I am on to something here with regard to Dogs and the Dan.
"Skunk Baxter now has been working recently as a defense consultant and chairs a Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense". Wikipedia
Hard to believe but true.
I think I am on to something here with regard to Dogs and the Dan.