Originally published on Aug. 8, 2013
By Kevin Friedman
Portland Oregonian
Is Steely Dan the greatest band of all time? Is Steely Dan even a band? If so, what kind of band are they — rock, pop, jazz? Is their sound incredibly polished or annoyingly slick? The answer to all of these questions depends on whom you ask.
But any chance to witness musical masterminds Donald Fagen and Walter Becker live with a band of top-notch players “rehearsed to death” is an opportunity not to miss. They play Edgefield on Tuesday.
Founded by Fagen and Becker, decades ago, the Dan amassed hits in the ’70s and ’80s with “Do It Again” and “Reelin’ in the Years,” from their first album, and subsequent radio staples such as “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” “Peg” and “Hey Nineteen.”
The music is a seamless fusion of rock, jazz and pop, with Fagen’s hyper-literate lyrics delivered with deadpan, lounge-y cool. A song like “My Old School,” with its intricate horn lines, complete lyrical narrative and searing final guitar solo stands as a high-water mark for popular music, combining complex arrangements, top-notch musicianship and impeccable songwriting, while “Hey Nineteen” and “Peg” represent extreme examples of early-’80s smooth rock.
Becker and Fagen are control freaks and perfectionists, notorious for endless recording sessions in which each performer’s part was repeated ad nauseam to meet the specifications of the creators. Their success afforded them their pick of the best studio musicians in the world for their albums, peaking perhaps with Aja, featuring the likes of jazz legend Wayne Shorter on saxophone, Michael McDonald on vocals, Steve Gadd on drums and a stable of fret-board flamethrowers. Their methods and recording costs became the stuff of industry legend. Musicians were summoned and, as often, summarily dismissed. It was not unusual for players to endure more than 40 takes on a specific song. The guitar solo on “Peg” was attempted by seven players before Jay Graydon’s version was deemed satisfactory after a six-hour session of his own.
Despite recording the bulk of their catalog between 1972 and 1981, Steely Dan only performed live from 1972 to 1974. They largely disbanded in the ’80s. When they reunited in the ’90s, they took to the road with a different attitude, gradually becoming an active touring band over the last 20 years.
“We were just beginning to headline shows in the ’70s,” Becker recalls. “We were usually in a band with like eight people in it or something and earning $3,500 a night, tops. It was a completely different type of experience.”
“Most of the time, during the ’70s, we were opening for some band like the James Gang,” Fagen adds. “The venues, and the menus and the hotels and everything has gotten better. I’m glad we turned into a big-time touring band later in life; it’s almost like we planned it that way.”
Despite their newfound affection for the road, it seems the pair’s favorite part of the show is when the band takes over.
“I do like the opening part where we don’t have to do anything until the band plays,” Fagen says.
“That’s great, and the end is also very good,” adds Becker. “It never sounds better than when you’re hearing them recede in the distance as you head for your chariot, to ride back to your luxurious hotel.”
No comments yet.