steely dan:

Posted by: ken c on 18 July 2001

the very first tuner than i bought (around 1974) was an Audiotronic from Lasky's (at about GBP45.00, i think) in Tottenhan Ct Rd, London. When i got home and connected it up to the matching Audiotronic amp and when i switched on, the song "ricky dont lose that number" by steely dan was playing.

this afternoon, i heard this song again (this time on a nat02) and it evoked very pleasant memories of being foot loose and fancy free as a student in those days. actually, the memories were so strong that i went and bought --"pretzel logic", which has this track.

i dont have any other steely dan records, so would be interested to hear from real afficionados...

oh, i gave the audiotronic system to my brother --and he still has the tuner...

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by ken c

met, many thanks.

do bear in mind that Pretzel Logic is on a cusp - the transition from a straightish rock band to a more jazzy feel

so, in your view, which records represent the vintage dan then?

Back when I flogged brown boxes for Lasky's in the 70's this would have been just the thing to get someone to buy a P11D

bought quite a lot of hifi from lasky's, but dont recall ever getting a demo -- perhaps didnt ask for one.

good/bad old days?

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by ken c

I remember hearing Rikki Don't Lose That Number on Radio Luxembourg ( remember that ?) then while the station faded in and out.

yeah, remember that quite well. feels like yesterday!!

lucky you rubbing shoulders with high calibre musicians!!

if i am not mistaken, i think i have one or two larry carltons on vinyl in my collection.

yes, i have just checked, and i found at least one --- and its "alone/but never alone". god knows when i bought these albums -- havent played for a long time.

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by ken c

Ken - You have a CDS2 yes?

yes. why? i also have a fully naimed lp12, as you probably know.

i will try out the cd remasterings, many thanks for suggestion.

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by P

Did I sound antagonistic?

Were you at the barbie Ken?

Shit! - even that came out sounding like a double entendre!

Goodnight

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by ken c

quote:
Did I sound antagonistic?

no, you didn't. not to me anyway. i simply wanted to know why you were asking about cdsii specifically.

quote:
Were you at the barbie Ken?

no, unfortunately not. would have loved to meet all those fellow forumers... were you?

quote:
Shit! - even that came out sounding like a double entendre!

sounds OK to me...

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 25 July 2001 by P

KEN,

sorry I spoke.

P.- don't quote me on that please.

Posted on: 26 July 2001 by Former member

"so, in your view, which records represent the vintage dan then?"

Really difficult one. At the time, I was disappointed by an apparent lack of fire as each album came out. I loved the guitar solos on the first two.

However as I've aged <sniff> I've come to appreciate the different qualities, especially the lyrics and vocal lines (there are different ways to express fire, I guess).

If pinned down to a desert island selection, then the first two and Gaucho have most of my spine-tingling moments on.

Bear in mind though that the first CD I take to any demo is The Stooges "Fun House"....so filter my comments through that!

Lasky's - "good/bad old days?"

Bit of both - I was young(ish) and it was cool to be able to play with stuff, even if I didn't really know up from down. However, stock was very limited - although it was said that they had actually had an early Linn in stock, most of the gear was Japanese and ultimately dull, and we sold to a lot of tourists.

I worked in the big Oxford Street branch. Most Dems were done through a comparator in the main area (ugh), but we did actually have a dem room (packed with unused speakers) for posh clients.

Posted on: 26 July 2001 by ken c

quote:
P.- don't quote me on that please.

i won't.

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 26 July 2001 by ken c

many thanks for your dan suggestion.

i did most of my Lasky's business with the big Tott Ct Rd shop.

you just reminded me about the (then) ubiquitous pioneer PL12D. most of my friends who were into hifi at that time went for this -- people had "discovered" that belt drives sound better -- and then soon afterwards, i think direct drives were the rage again. i suppose just to be different, i went for a thorens td160 -- i didn't know about linn at that time. i gather linn is based on thorens anyway, right?

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 26 July 2001 by Former member

I went Garrard SP25(?), PL12D, Thorens 160, Systemdek before I succumbed to Linn. I sold the Thorens (good deck)to a mate who still runs the it....happy days.

Late one Saturday I received a phone call from a furious customer. One of my "salesmen" had flogged him an SP25 and fitted it with a Shure m95e, perhaps the most compliant cartridge we'd ever stocked and about £70 back in 1976 (I think), and was wondering why it kept bottoming out....

Looking back it seems quite fun, dealing with the endearing and not so endearing habits of the tourist hi-fi trade (e.g. Spanish people would come in and ask to buy a Music Centre. You'd ask all the right questions about specs etc. and they would reply: "I don't care what it does. I have £xxx". They'd then produce an empty hold-all and say: "it must be a well-known brand and it must fit in here without the box". When asked, they'd tell me that if it were in the box, Spanish customs would charge them duty. If it were in the hold-all (even though the hold-all was obviously Music Centre shaped, they'd turn a blind eye....

Consequently, if we say anyone who looked vaguely Spanish came into the shop carrying a hold-all there'd be a stampede of salesme

Posted on: 26 July 2001 by ken c

i went garrard ap96 with some ortofin cartridge, then thorens td160 (i agree, great deck, pity about the electronics i had at the time -- technics or something). then (i think i had forgotten this) technics direct drive (i think SL17D or something), then LP12/Ittok/Asak. is it true that lp12 was actually based on the TD160BC??

Consequently, if we say anyone who looked vaguely Spanish came into the shop carrying a hold-all there'd be a stampede of salesme

this must explain why i was ignored most of the time in lasky's at that time

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 27 July 2001 by Rico

No. The TD160BDC is way to late. The LP12 is based on the Thorens TD150.

Rico - let them eat Kans.

Posted on: 28 July 2001 by Former member

So you were the not very spanish looking one who wasn't at the BBQ then?

Back to Steely Dan
"Haitian Divorce" (that's on 'The Royal Scam' isn't it Rico?) is quite fun. Get the remaster: MCA 811 708-2

BTW What was the 'Gaucho' track that Naim played at the BBQ demo and do the backing vocals always sound that ssssibilant?
Did anyone think the demo music choice not strange?

Posted on: 28 July 2001 by ken c

So you were the not very spanish looking one who wasn't at the BBQ then?

yes, judging by all the comments, looks like i missed a good "do". well, next time.

"Haitian Divorce" (that's on 'The Royal Scam' isn't it Rico?) is quite fun. Get the remaster: MCA 811 708-2

many thanks. i havent been record shopping of late, but next time, i think scam is a definite.

i honestly didnt think this thread was going to be this long... thanks again guys...

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 28 July 2001 by ken c

thanks for the correction rico.

is the td160bc still made by the way?? i well remember the odd looking non-sshaped arm that came with it. wonder how it would sound suitably modified to take geddon/aro/prefix??

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 28 July 2001 by Allan Probin

Based on the comments posted here I decided to order-up a load of Steely Dan stuff from Amazon. First of it arrived this morning. Pretzel Logic. Amongst the almost constant rotation of CDs through the day, this album has been up three times so far.

Definitely a sucess. More arriving next week.

Allan

Posted on: 28 July 2001 by ken c

phew, you have beaten me to it! right now i only have "pretzel logic", which prompted me to post in the first place --- but as soon as i get a chance i will buy a few more.

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 06 August 2001 by Chris Metcalfe

"Original US vinyl is the way to go for best sound"

Not sure I agree with this. I have an original US Royal Scam and in my humble O the new CD remaster makes it sound scratchy & toppy. If ever there was a band made for CD - it wasn't Dire Straits.

Saw the Dan in 1996 at Wembley Arena and they took a while to warm up - but the performance of Deacon Blues was truly magical & very emotional.

I also have the 12" EP with Sail the Waterway and Dallas on it - well worth having. As are the 1973 demos (now on numerous CDs - I have the Sun Mountain LP) recorded between Countdown and Pretzel, I believe.

I also(!) have an early pressing of the Citizen Dan box which omits the percussion intro to 'Rikki' - is this rare?

Posted on: 08 August 2001 by Former member

quote:
Not sure I agree with this. I have an original US Royal Scam and in my humble O the new CD remaster makes it sound scratchy & toppy. I also(!) have an early pressing of the Citizen Dan box which omits the percussion intro to 'Rikki' - is this rare?

I agree - I've listened to the 'best' vinyl pressings of 'Katy Lied' and 'Aja', and in my opinion the latest CD remaster wipes the floor with both of them. As for 'Rikki', my remastered 'Pretzel Logic' omits the intro too. I believe that later copies had it restored.

John

Posted on: 08 August 2001 by Team Reeves

My take on the whole Steely Dan appreciation thang is that I think people tend to prefer the vintage that first attracted their attention. My first introduction was via "Rikki..." heard during the warmup to a Hawkwind gig at the Mile End Sundown (remember them?). Have to agree with Jean-Christophe that "Can't Buy a Thrill" really is a killer !

Team

Sounds good to me.

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by P

Now then

I was packing away my LPs tonight prior to an impending house move and came across this ole blast from the past...

Happy memories indeed

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by ken c

I was packing away my LPs tonight prior to an impending house move and came across this ole blast from the past...

nice one P

enjoy

ken