Slightly off topic but The Nightfly by Donald Fagen is a great album too
I really like this .. could be a SD album, Fagen uses all the same top session men ... BUT there is just a little something missing .. could it be the influence of Walter Becker ?
Agree but it works both ways... Just listen to Becker's '11tracks of wack' for illustration of the point.
Must admit, didn't go over mad over their early stuff (although liked it), but Aja for me was just a monumental album - a seminal album that is still the first I put on today.
Slightly off topic but The Nightfly by Donald Fagen is a great album too
I really like this .. could be a SD album, Fagen uses all the same top session men ... BUT there is just a little something missing .. could it be the influence of Walter Becker ?
Agree but it works both ways... Just listen to Becker's '11tracks of wack' for illustration of the point.
didn't know of this ... I just MUST check it out .. Amazon will provide I am sure ((:>)
Must admit, didn't go over mad over their early stuff (although liked it), but Aja for me was just a monumental album - a seminal album that is still the first I put on today.
agree .. the early albums can be a bit 'poppy' and varying in quality .. when the boys got the big bucks together and started to employ all the top California session men and arrangers, and took time to reflect and compose, THAT is when a talent for making pop music declined and musical/jazz genius took over .. Jesus, how I miss the 70s and 80s
"I struck a match against the door of Anthony's Bar and Grill".
"Local boys will spend a quarter, just to shine the silver bowl".
"He has a scar across his face he wears a hearing aid".
"Clean this mess up else we'll all end up in jail."
this line taken from Kid Charlemagne .. based on a true story about a SF drug merchant .. contains my favourite geetar solo at the end by the superb Larry Carlton .. the one in the middle is pretty good as well
Larry Carlton = Third World Man
... but try this. It's real, from the Aja recording sessions. The story goes that they had another track, a masterpiece, that got accidentally overwritten by an engineer, so a despairing Donald F pulled out this track, revamped the lyrics, fiddled with the arrangement in true SD fashion and filled the void with TWM instead. Larry Carlton wasn't even on the Gaucho sessions. His solo is somehow a lot sharper here.
"I struck a match against the door of Anthony's Bar and Grill".
"Local boys will spend a quarter, just to shine the silver bowl".
"He has a scar across his face he wears a hearing aid".
"Clean this mess up else we'll all end up in jail."
this line taken from Kid Charlemagne .. based on a true story about a SF drug merchant .. contains my favourite geetar solo at the end by the superb Larry Carlton .. the one in the middle is pretty good as well
I was completely oblivious to Steely Dan until the summer of 1981. My big brother lent me his new loaded Walkman that was able to play both sides of a cassette (!!!). That afternoon I fell asleep with it playing 'The Dude' by Quincy Jones... It turned sides, and began decorating my dream with the hypnotic opening of 'Black cow'. That was it...
I was completely oblivious to Steely Dan until the summer of 1981. My big brother lent me his new loaded Walkman that was able to play both sides of a cassette (!!!). That afternoon I fell asleep with it playing 'The Dude' by Quincy Jones... It turned sides, and began decorating my dream with the hypnotic opening of 'Black cow'. That was it...
Black Cow is brilliant. Did you know that the Scottish band Deacon Blue named themselves after the Aja track Deacon Blues.
"I struck a match against the door of Anthony's Bar and Grill".
"Local boys will spend a quarter, just to shine the silver bowl".
"He has a scar across his face he wears a hearing aid".
"Clean this mess up else we'll all end up in jail."
this line taken from Kid Charlemagne .. based on a true story about a SF drug merchant .. contains my favourite geetar solo at the end by the superb Larry Carlton .. the one in the middle is pretty good as well
I was completely oblivious to Steely Dan until the summer of 1981. My big brother lent me his new loaded Walkman that was able to play both sides of a cassette (!!!). That afternoon I fell asleep with it playing 'The Dude' by Quincy Jones... It turned sides, and began decorating my dream with the hypnotic opening of 'Black cow'. That was it...
I was in The Black Sheep pub in Geneva last night.!
I just cant get 'Oleanders growing outside her door' out of my head now !
I still can't start any vehicle before screaming "is there gas in the car???"...
I think the people down the hall know who you are !!
(this is based on a real incident when 'Kid Charlemagne' and his crew made a run from the law .. BUT of course, their getaway vehicle ran out of petrol and they were all nicked)
yet more.... the making of the classic 'Aja' .. Becker/Fagen were absolute perfectionists and had the patience and money to get exactly the sound and feel that they envisaged when writing and imagining their songs
Comments
Just listen to Becker's '11tracks of wack' for illustration of the point.
... but try this. It's real, from the Aja recording sessions. The story goes that they had another track, a masterpiece, that got accidentally overwritten by an engineer, so a despairing Donald F pulled out this track, revamped the lyrics, fiddled with the arrangement in true SD fashion and filled the void with TWM instead. Larry Carlton wasn't even on the Gaucho sessions. His solo is somehow a lot sharper here.
Sheer genius at work.
That afternoon I fell asleep with it playing 'The Dude' by Quincy Jones...
It turned sides, and began decorating my dream with the hypnotic opening of
'Black cow'.
That was it...
Did you know that the Scottish band Deacon Blue named themselves after the Aja track Deacon Blues.
reminds me of an ancient, classic Steely Dan collection .... 'Countdown to Ecstasy' .. and it'll be close to that WHEN we go up ((:>)
I typed this earlier on the 'Countdown to Promotion' thread .. coincidence
I can't stand it .. doing what she did before
Livin like a gypsy queen in a fairy tale ((:>)
It's a VERY catchy song .. must be about 45 years old
(this is based on a real incident when 'Kid Charlemagne' and his crew made a run from the law .. BUT of course, their getaway vehicle ran out of petrol and they were all nicked)
Babylon Sisters.
My personal favorite - was lucky enough to see them playing it live at Sandalford winery Perth 2007.