The one and only time my wife and I saw Steely Dan in the '70s we were fortunate that they were the headlining act at the U. of Toledo's Memorial Fieldhouse (2 night's earlier they had to open for The Beach Boys in Columbus). They got the sound crew's best effort that Sunday night April 21, 1974, and every fan was there just to see and hear them. Their 3rd album "Pretzel Logic" was dominating the FM radio airwaves and when they played the title track everyone in the arena was on their feet. Musically, they seemed ten years ahead of their time, and no other band with just three albums to their credit had as many world-class original songs as Becker & Fagen.
It’s so cool to hear from people who actually got to see them during their 74 tour because by all accounts they really sounded great. Two drummers, the addition of Michael McDonald, etc. I bet they really kicked ass
@@steelyd2 My wife and I were 23 year-old concert veterans when we drove 90 miles one-way to see Steely Dan in April 1974, and we drove home thinking they were the best live band on the planet. When they stopped touring for the next 19 years, I always felt they owed their fans a concert album from that "Pretzel Logic" tour. The oddity about that concert is that the one performer we had seen before was Jeff Porcaro, drumming for Sonny & Cher at a March 19, 1972 show in Fort Wayne, Indiana (when he was still just 17 years old). In the online Toto Encyclopedia, Jeff says he took way less money than he was making with S & C just for the opportunity to play with his favorite band at the time. I keep hoping to hear from another fan who saw Jeff with both S & C and SD, but so far no luck.
@@andyinoregon wow I didn’t expect you to respond since that comment was 5 years old. That’s such a great memory you have. I’ve seen Steely Dan live 19 times! First time in 96 I was only ten years old and had to be the youngest person in the audience. I think my favorite show I saw from them was in 2006 (maybe 2008? I’ll have to check my ticket stubs) at the Tower Theatre (I live in Philly) and they opened with the whole royal scam album (my favorite album) and then played another 10-12 songs it was awesome. By 74 it seemed like Fagen had gotten more comfortable as a front man and had some pressure taken off of him with the addition of Mike McDonald. Did you get the impression he was enjoying himself? The stories from back then (and the pictures that accompany them) show Fagen out front at the piano gesturing wildly and sort of conducting the band. Luckily there are some pretty high quality audio recordings of the 74 tour (they may have even recorded the show you were at that would be wild to hear that again I’m sure) and some of the tunes are super high energy just absolutely killer! Boston Rag, King of the World, and the song they used to close with that never made it on a record, This all too Mobile Home really sound great on those bootleg recordings
@@steelyd2 Fagen was very generous in sharing the vocal duties on their '74 tour. 19 year-old percussionist Royce Jones got to sing lead on "Dirty Work," "Brooklyn" and "Any Major Dude (Will Tell You"). McDonald sang lead on "Showbiz Kids" and the bridge to "Pretzel Logic," and guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter got into the act with the lead vocal on "My Old School." My lasting memory of that night was Fagen leaving his piano during the long, bluesy outro to "Pretzel Logic" and standing center-stage, conducting the band like a symphony maestro. In hindsight, since he and Becker hated touring, I wish they would have played live on "The Tonight Show" to promote their new albums. Doc Severinsen's band could play anything, and already included Pete Christlieb, who played tenor sax on both "Deacon Blues" and "FM."
@@andyinoregon so cool. Have you seen the newly released videos from the midnight special? It finally gives us a glimpse into what the band was like in 73 they did show biz kids, my old school and reelin
All music that's written usually is a kinda spontaneous by nature, I think each band has the best material within a decade or so, it's the original songs that are best, some write good songs later, but I think it's a natural thing that the original few albums are usually the great songs that come out.
I think one obvious thing they don’t mention is the tongue in cheek quality of many of their songs. The one that comes to mind for me is “Bodhisattva.” First of all you’ve got the playful, tongue in cheek lyrics. And then you’ve got Skunk Baxter’s histrionic, rock guitar solo, which is a complete 180 degrees from Denny Dias’s melodic, jazzy solo. And even the ending “profound” chord is funny. It strikes me as a parody of the Beatles’ piano chord at the end of “A Day in the Life.” I think they’re poking fun at how some rock bands and their fans back then took themselves so seriously.
Randy California who went on to form the band Spirit, right? The story I’ve always heard is that it was Jimi Hendrix who suggested that he call himself that.
what demos are ? I am very happy with megashine city, from the recordings of "can't buy a thrill" I think that only missing "sacajawea", "take my money" and "hell bound train"
Yeah I don't have those either. Been looking for those last three forever. There is a "Demo reels" video (just audio_ of Megashine city, Runnin Child, Any world (demo) and "come back baby" with improved sound.
and also "proud to be your slave" hopefully a demo will appear someday, I think steely dan owes to his fans. a good box set of rarities, outtakes and demos would compensate everyone and they would do justice to themselves. What else will have water becker and donald fagen that we do not know yet?
Hard rock is for shallow people with no understanding of how hard life can be. When life really hits you, you realize the louder you are the weaker you are.
Surely there's nothing less edgy and cool than "hard rock"? That's not a criticism, I admire the ingenuousness. If Steely Dan were just edgy and cool they'd be empty.
Any and all Steely Dan interviews are welcome catnip for this ‘Dan-fan!
The one and only time my wife and I saw Steely Dan in the '70s we were fortunate that they were the headlining act at the U. of Toledo's Memorial Fieldhouse (2 night's earlier they had to open for The Beach Boys in Columbus). They got the sound crew's best effort that Sunday night April 21, 1974, and every fan was there just to see and hear them. Their 3rd album "Pretzel Logic" was dominating the FM radio airwaves and when they played the title track everyone in the arena was on their feet. Musically, they seemed ten years ahead of their time, and no other band with just three albums to their credit had as many world-class original songs as Becker & Fagen.
It’s so cool to hear from people who actually got to see them during their 74 tour because by all accounts they really sounded great. Two drummers, the addition of Michael McDonald, etc. I bet they really kicked ass
@@steelyd2 My wife and I were 23 year-old concert veterans when we drove 90 miles one-way to see Steely Dan in April 1974, and we drove home thinking they were the best live band on the planet. When they stopped touring for the next 19 years, I always felt they owed their fans a concert album from that "Pretzel Logic" tour. The oddity about that concert is that the one performer we had seen before was Jeff Porcaro, drumming for Sonny & Cher at a March 19, 1972 show in Fort Wayne, Indiana (when he was still just 17 years old). In the online Toto Encyclopedia, Jeff says he took way less money than he was making with S & C just for the opportunity to play with his favorite band at the time. I keep hoping to hear from another fan who saw Jeff with both S & C and SD, but so far no luck.
@@andyinoregon wow I didn’t expect you to respond since that comment was 5 years old. That’s such a great memory you have. I’ve seen Steely Dan live 19 times! First time in 96 I was only ten years old and had to be the youngest person in the audience. I think my favorite show I saw from them was in 2006 (maybe 2008? I’ll have to check my ticket stubs) at the Tower Theatre (I live in Philly) and they opened with the whole royal scam album (my favorite album) and then played another 10-12 songs it was awesome. By 74 it seemed like Fagen had gotten more comfortable as a front man and had some pressure taken off of him with the addition of Mike McDonald. Did you get the impression he was enjoying himself? The stories from back then (and the pictures that accompany them) show Fagen out front at the piano gesturing wildly and sort of conducting the band. Luckily there are some pretty high quality audio recordings of the 74 tour (they may have even recorded the show you were at that would be wild to hear that again I’m sure) and some of the tunes are super high energy just absolutely killer! Boston Rag, King of the World, and the song they used to close with that never made it on a record, This all too Mobile Home really sound great on those bootleg recordings
@@steelyd2 Fagen was very generous in sharing the vocal duties on their '74 tour. 19 year-old percussionist Royce Jones got to sing lead on "Dirty Work," "Brooklyn" and "Any Major Dude (Will Tell You"). McDonald sang lead on "Showbiz Kids" and the bridge to "Pretzel Logic," and guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter got into the act with the lead vocal on "My Old School." My lasting memory of that night was Fagen leaving his piano during the long, bluesy outro to "Pretzel Logic" and standing center-stage, conducting the band like a symphony maestro. In hindsight, since he and Becker hated touring, I wish they would have played live on "The Tonight Show" to promote their new albums. Doc Severinsen's band could play anything, and already included Pete Christlieb, who played tenor sax on both "Deacon Blues" and "FM."
@@andyinoregon so cool. Have you seen the newly released videos from the midnight special? It finally gives us a glimpse into what the band was like in 73 they did show biz kids, my old school and reelin
I always love to hear Donald and Walter in interviews.
All music that's written usually is a kinda spontaneous by nature, I think each band has the best material within a decade or so, it's the original songs that are best, some write good songs later, but I think it's a natural thing that the original few albums are usually the great songs that come out.
The old adage is that every band has 10 years to write their first album, and 6 months to write their second.
Thanks for this...
I think one obvious thing they don’t mention is the tongue in cheek quality of many of their songs.
The one that comes to mind for me is “Bodhisattva.”
First of all you’ve got the playful, tongue in cheek lyrics.
And then you’ve got Skunk Baxter’s histrionic, rock guitar solo, which is a complete 180 degrees from Denny Dias’s melodic, jazzy solo.
And even the ending “profound” chord is funny.
It strikes me as a parody of the Beatles’ piano chord at the end of “A Day in the Life.”
I think they’re poking fun at how some rock bands and their fans back then took themselves so seriously.
Very perceptive analysis. Walt and Don were New Yorkers who often took the opportunity to cleverly mock hippie-dippy Californians.
@@andyinoregon They were the kings of smart, sardonic rock lyrics.
Randy California who went on to form the band Spirit, right?
The story I’ve always heard is that it was Jimi Hendrix who suggested that he call himself that.
Jimi Hendrix nicknamed guitarist Randy Wolfe "California" to distinguish him from fellow band member Randy Palmer.
fine interview !! hey my friend, are you still interested in "megashine city" ?
Hey there! I already got a copy of it via youtube. Apparently someone uploaded some demos that were found on another site. Thank you though!
what demos are ? I am very happy with megashine city, from the recordings of "can't buy a thrill" I think that only missing "sacajawea", "take my money" and "hell bound train"
Yeah I don't have those either. Been looking for those last three forever. There is a "Demo reels" video (just audio_ of Megashine city, Runnin Child, Any world (demo) and "come back baby" with improved sound.
and also "proud to be your slave" hopefully a demo will appear someday, I think steely dan owes to his fans. a good box set of rarities, outtakes and demos would compensate everyone and they would do justice to themselves. What else will have water becker and donald fagen that we do not know yet?
1989?
its hilarious he describes steely dan as "edgy" and "cool"..... i dont think most people would agree. especially hard rock fans.
It's hilarious that you presume to think how "most" people think.
@@scurvybro8850 its presumptuous to think his comment is hilarious....just kiddin
@@scurvybro8850 it's hilarious that a innocuous comment like that would make you feel the need to criticize someone
Hard rock is for shallow people with no understanding of how hard life can be. When life really hits you, you realize the louder you are the weaker you are.
Surely there's nothing less edgy and cool than "hard rock"? That's not a criticism, I admire the ingenuousness. If Steely Dan were just edgy and cool they'd be empty.