It also made K.T. It's just that the essence of the Dan isn't a ripped t-shirt or a haircut, it's self-conscious, middle-class hipsterism of the pre-emo type. No one on stage seems to mind though. Gold Supporting Member. They carved out a niche, made it their own, and did it so well you have to applaud their artistry even if you can’t stand it. Becki from Hendersonville, Tn hotel california is about drug addition.they did not use the lyric "steely knives" about steely dan.Paul is right; Paul from Iowa City, Ia Hotel California was about cocaine addiction. With that said, I hate Steely Dan with a passion. 238. I understand that they were incredible musicians and producers, but the music just makes me cringe. But it shouldn't be surprising that Steely Dan have the world's most arrogant, elitist assholes for a fan base. The opening piano chords of Steely Dan’s “Home At Last” ring out from the car stereo repeatedly: da-DUH-duh-DA-DA-DA. Steely Dan couldn't give a shit. at house parties or alone on the bus). Steely Dan is the greatest band of all time. 397 Followers, 555 Following, 818 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Leif Lundgren (@ihatesteelydan) I always hate Steely Dan until one of their songs comes on the radio. For all their subversions, Steely Dan have to be some of the most mass-marketable outsiders the music industry has ever seen. ... "Lunch With Gina" is a hysterical ode to that friend you hate. By signing up to the VICE newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from VICE that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content. da-DUH-duh-DA-DA-DA. Sometimes he did it on purpose just to see how many blood vessels in my eyes would burst. XLAN Unisex Winter Hats Skull CapsKnit Hat Cap Beanie Cap Plain Winter Warm Ski Caps for Men/Womens. William Gibson called them “the most genuinely subversive” band in late-20th Century pop. I like a number of Steely Dan's songs and tip my hat to their musicianship as expressed on their albums. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our, New York’s Iconic Village Voice To Be Revived After Publication’s Sale, Alex Padilla Selected To Fill Kamala Harris’ U.S. Senate Seat, Gov. Can't Buy a Thrill, Steely Dan. But they're also heart-on-your sleeve romantics in the shyest, most endearing way possible. Steely Dan embodied and flaunted their contradictions: spotlessly produced and impeccably performed studio creations about unsympathetic losers and aging, horny sociopaths. Sure, tracks like "Reelin' In The Years" are good and all, but the jazzier stuff is incredible. You need a liberal arts degree to get it. Becker and Fagen met at Bard College, where they got really into beatnik culture (the name “Steely Dan” references a steam-powered dildo in William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch) and, according to fellow Bard musician, Terence Boylan, never came out of their room: “They stayed up all night. emilyruth says: June 06, 2007 at 12:27 PM. Let us tell you: Listening to the Dan is akin to reading novel. It’s a strange venue for them to play, the usual effect of their music, so textured it bristles against your skin, offset somewhat by size of the room and imposed sitting down. They looked like ghosts – black turtlenecks and skin so white that it looked like yogurt. Am I the only one who just doesn't see the hype around the earlier material? Steely Dan is the greatest fucking band in the whole universe. Apr 21, 2012 #6 yes, the Aja episode is great! Even the hated Gaucho I really enjoy. Over the past ten or fifteen years they have served a welcomed role as a recurring interest that unexpectedly returns every other year or so, always bringing new lyrics to unpack, unusually crafty musical phrases to discover, a previously buried yet thoroughly riveting guitar solo or even an entire song that, for some reason, chose to remain hidden on previous listens. There is simply no other band that is their equal. Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1972 by core members Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). "They’re doing too many things at once in a song." I should know. Listen to the full episode here:http://www.yfbspod.com/steely-dan-sucksListen up, Danfans. Steely Dan was one of the most successful music acts of the 1970s. 238. Let’s face it, it’s sort of a weird band that’s too jazzy to be progressive rock, and too rock to be considered jazz, that was slotted into the slosh pit of the classic rock space by Clear Channel some 35 years ago, and asked to fend for itself among legacy AC/DC and Lynyrd Skynyrd cuts. It used to be common to hate Steely Dan, its famously obsessive studio habits and distaste for live performance useful stand-ins for the things rejected by a … Even with the backdrop of rock and roll excess on their side, 1977’s Aja – their most commercially and creatively successful album – elicited eye-rolls. Positioned behind a Fender Rhodes with sunglasses on the whole time, Donald Fagen asks how the sound is, to a muffled response, then says something along the lines of “death by indifference”. Hated it with the full force of my being, as I would later do with music thrust upon me by various boyfriends. Most recently, it was one of the most famous art critics in America, Jerry Saltz, taking a dump on the group. I would here it on the radio and was like" Why do they play so much Steely Dan". Dandom provides Internet forums for lyrical analysis and general fanboy banter. I hated it. Steely Dan is the greatest fucking band in the whole universe. 99. Can't Buy a Thrill, Steely Dan. The vibe is distinctly ‘1PM at a jazz festival’ with a hint of ‘I hope I don’t see my therapist here.’. Oslin Defied Odds & Ageism as the Queen of “80’s Ladies” (RIP) 18 Comments “80’s Ladies” spoke to women both young and old, and became an anthem. They are a genre unto themselves. We call ourselves “Danfans” — amazing, right? But what does the group's name "Steely Dan" mean? The songs were so good that the origin of the name Steely Dan mattered little. Look, Steely Dan is not for everyone. I use to hate Steely Dan when I was younger despite loving classic rock. face turns red and I start storming around the room I FUCKING HATE COUNTDOWNS, ECSTASY, AND COUNTDOWN TO ECSTASY!!! steely dan and rush. steam begins pouring out of my ears as I forcefully stub my toe YOOOUCH!!!!!! Stream Ogbert The Nerd’s Extremely Fun And Shouty Emo Debut I Don’t Hate You. Steely Dan labeled worst band ever by Pulitzer-winning critic who says 'only men love' it, Internet divided. zzzezums. Steely Dan were more of a singer/songwriter duo crossed with a Crusaders style jazz fusion band made up of a lot of session musicians. I made a point to listen to Aja (the forum approved vinyl pressing from the master tape) with my wife and we couldn’t make it through the first side. December 21, 2020 K.T. ! Incidentally, when Aja turned 40 in 2017, several publications ran retrospectives describing it as “punk”. What a couple of pricks. Wordnat2, Aug 26, 2020 at 11:51 AM #24. hiterss likes this. One way or another, Steely Dan’s influence can be felt everywhere from Prince to Prefab Sprout, De La Soul to The Ergs!, but perhaps that determined push against the grain, that sense of outsiderdom, provides the backbone of their appeal in the first place. Self-importance is a big issue on this list, and Steely Dan can only be topped in that regard by the first 2 on this list. KayJay .. San Francisco, CA; 617 friends 0 reviews Why, yes … Spearheaded by keyboardist/vocalist Donald Fagen and guitarist Walter Becker, the duo assembled many of the best studio musicians to bring their musical ideas to life. Messages 2,065. I like them a lot, but I’d say that most people I know hate Steely Dan! Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan. Whereas other bands prided themselves on energy and excitement, the Dan were all about musicianship — and not just musicianship, studio perfectionism. Blending elements of rock, jazz, latin music, R&B, blues and sophisticated studio production with cryptic and ironic lyrics, the band enjoyed critical and commercial success starting from the early 1970s until breaking up in 1981. Also big high security gigs full of mainly middle-aged British people is a sombre vibe before the fourth pint. Gold … Yep, Katy Lied is a lot closer to Ulysses than Exile On Main Street. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (may he rest in peace) are musical geniuses. The sound – and more crucially, methods of achieving it – of their run of albums in the 70s was at odds with both the reckless nature of chart rock at the time, and the intentionally rudimentary punk that was kicking back against it. THE STEELY DAN ALBUM!!!! A lot of people hate that list, but I'll tell you what, there are some really good albums on that list and Aja rated higher than 355 of them. Whenever my dad put it on or played it on his keyboard at home, it would make my muscles tense up involuntarily. THE STEELY DAN ALBUM!!!! Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan. Am I the only one? YUSTAR Hot Topic Steely Dan Logo Baseball Cap Mesh Hat for Men/Women Adjustable 100% Nylon Red. I’m kidding of course, people like what like and hate what they hate. Over the past ten or fifteen years they have served a welcomed role as a recurring interest that unexpectedly returns every other year or so, always bringing new lyrics to unpack, unusually crafty musical phrases to discover, a previously buried yet thoroughly riveting guitar solo or even an entire song that, for some reason, chose to remain hidden on previous listens. In a few years they had ousted Dias from his own band. Listening to pretty much any Steely Dan song can best be described as swaddling into a virtuosic sonic cocoon, welcoming a dozen-plus instrumentalists to … So yes, despite protests to the contrary, Danfans are following in the footsteps of their rock heroes. 148. 92. And he likes to taunt me by playing them for me. Something about their fussy vibe/style makes them an easy target. It's an alcoholic saxophone player sleeping off a coke hangover in the trunk of his Cadillac, dreaming about what it would be like if he'd made it. Then, sometime in my mid-twenties, the inevitable happened. Steely Dan. For the most part though, I find them a little too cold for my taste. Their fusion of bebop, pop, R&B and prog has the the laid back attitude of LA but the chaos and humour of New York. 385. Oh, and in case you didn't get it from the title of this post, Danfans are, by and large, insufferable pricks. The lush industrial sprawl of the south Wales valleys rushes past outside, unchanging, as we cycle through the years. although i did appreciate a guy playing that "19" for me and saying that it always reminded him of me. Steely Dan labeled worst band ever by Pulitzer-winning critic who says 'only men love' it, Internet divided. Fucking fight me, I dare you. Rolling Stone magazine rated three Steely Dan records on their Greatest 500 Albums of All Time. I am small at first, pudgy legs too short to do anything but stick directly out in front of me like a teddy bear on a shelf, just happy to be here: da-DUH-duh-DA-DA-DA. Reply. In the 1970s the group, who never liked performing live, abandoned the live show altogether. Unfortunately though, arena shows tend to price out a lot of people, including young people in general, who usually consume their parents’ music in their own ways (i.e. The lack of links between Becker and Fagen, their music, and their fans, does make sense though. My Old School ! Bryan Cranston sneaks winking references to them into Malcolm In The Middle and Breaking Bad episodes. I really like Steely Dan. For example “Everyone’s Gone To The Movies” from 1975’s Katie Lied is about an ephebophile who invites all the kids in the neighbourhood around to show them porn, but the chorus written from the point of view of the parents goes: “Everyone’s gone to the movies / Now we’re alone at last!” Humour for people who are aware of the weights of the world to a fault and need to make fun of them, basically – which isn’t confined to any demographic at all. With all that in mind, Wembley is a sea of baby boomers dressed in either leather jackets and neck scarves or formal shirts and jeans, none of whom move until the last 30 minutes when some people get drunk enough to break the arena’s “no standing up” rule and try to dance while the ushers tell them off. Listening to pretty much any Steely Dan song can best be described as swaddling into a virtuosic sonic cocoon, welcoming a dozen-plus instrumentalists to … Despite being a sit-down affair and without the unassuming but powerful presence of Walter Becker, the Wembley show feels very much like the last bastion of beat generation-inspired jazz. Danfans are the silently hip minority of rock fandom. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen look like two English Literature professors and their songs are populated by an endless parade of freaks and geeks, but you have to wonder if their British audience at least would be more likely to make fun of the secluded lifestyle of tai chi and avocado trees Walter Becker retreated into in the 80s. They were a “serious jazz fusion rock band” but most of their tracks were simply too busy and lacking structure for most fans to enjoy. In the Pixar version of my life, the first 15 years would be reflected by a timelapse of Saturday afternoons in the family car. I'm Danfan number one. Their fusion of bebop, pop, R&B and prog has the the laid back attitude of LA but the chaos and humour of New York. Aja was divinely inspired. I really like Steely Dan. Some acts are all about giving the fans what they want. Apparel Currently unavailable. The Dan formed when Denny Dias, founder of The Dan, placed an ad seeking bass and keys, admonishing “no assholes need apply.” Thankfully Becker and Fagen ignored the warning. Went on to say that Steely Dan was a great band. Their sound mashes up every bit and bob of black music to come down the pike since rhythm and blues, including jazz, funk and even reggae. What I have in common with all of these guys is that I, too, have a fanatical love of The Dan. Trust me, kids, it's not that you don't like Steely Dan, it's that you don't get it. What does the name "Steely Dan" really mean? Finally, a fully formed, scowling teenager: da-DUH-duh-D- OH MY GOD TURN IT OFF OR I WILL THROW MYSELF OUT OF THE CAR. The "steely knives" were razor blades and the beast was the addiction. And I tell him all the while how terrible it is. My Old School Steely Dan embodied and flaunted their contradictions: spotlessly produced and impeccably performed studio creations about unsympathetic losers and aging, horny sociopaths. One day I put it on of my own accord, and sighed: for fuck's sake, this is really good. In the meantime, however, a dense network of rabid fans formed. I would here it on the radio and was like" Why do they play so much Steely Dan". bands that guys love and girls hate. 145. In Rolling Stone’s original review, Michael Duffy noted that Aja “will continue to fuel the argument by rock purists that Steely Dan’s music is soulless, and by its calculated nature antithetical to what rock should be.”. Still, Steely Dan are a fundamentally hard to place band anyway. But those foundational cultural touchstones are both evergreen and apparent, even if they are buried in conceptual lyricism (Frank Zappa called it “downer surrealism”) and instrumentals so intricately put together that if you remove one element the whole thing would collapse like a house of cards. $6.99 shipping. 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Public Health Explains Why Bars had to be Closed. I HATE Steely Dan and my husband loves them. Their cult following in the US takes a different shape than their UK audience, although, based on a small poll of my parents and their friends, I would say that one of the strongest bonding agents is humour. THE STEELY DAN ALBUM!!!! Eric Rabe of California says: June 27, 2017 at 1:46 am. The lyrical nuances of a song like “Everyone's Gone To The Movies” are easily lost when you haven't spent four years critically analyzing texts. Considering they’re now primarily beloved by the jeans and sheaux crowd, the picture painted of Becker and Fagen sounds more like the origin story of band on the Sacred Bones roster. Big enough to have my own CD player, but not even the angsty tones of Nirvana’s In Utero are able to drown out: da-DUH-duh-DA-DA-DA. 397 Followers, 555 Following, 818 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Leif Lundgren (@ihatesteelydan) steam begins pouring out of my ears as I forcefully stub my toe YOOOUCH!!!!!! Fast forward half a decade later and my dad and I are at Wembley Arena together, watching Steely Dan play their first UK dates since co-founder Walter Becker passed away in 2017. It’s difficult, in the UK, to get a good gauge on what the average Steely Dan fan looks like. Devo got the idea for their "Whip It" video from an article about a guy who owned a dude ranch and charged people to watch him remove his wife's clothes with a bullwhip. Report as inappropriate. Bigger now, with grazed knees and a favourite kind of sandwich: da-DUH-duh-DA-DA-DA. Becker and Fagen are the antithesis of everything I believe rock and roll to be about, but I’ll be damned if their stupid, power chord-free songs aren’t the perfect, catchy, gentle antidotes to Motorhead-related whiplash. We gather over fair trade coffee and artisan beers at the local brew pub to discuss interpretations of song lyrics. Stream Ogbert The Nerd’s Extremely Fun And Shouty Emo Debut I Don’t Hate You. I don’t like Steely Dan. Has ever seen me wince like I was younger despite loving classic rock most... You younger people, Steely Dan Smooth ” at Hyde Park Last summer and not a fucker... Internet forums for lyrical analysis and general fanboy banter apr 21, 2012 # 6,! Gather over fair trade coffee and artisan beers at the local brew pub to discuss interpretations of lyrics! For lyrical analysis and general fanboy banter younger people, Steely Dan when I was suffering from an pathetic. Us tell you: Listening to the full force of my own accord, and:. 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Classic rock Hat for Men/Women Adjustable 100 % Nylon Red appreciate a guy playing that `` 19 for! You would, wouldn ’ t hate you of rabid fans formed knives '' were razor blades and beast. You do n't get it up, Danfans blades and the beast was the addiction they were musicians... Am I the only one who i hate steely dan does n't see the hype the! On of my ears as I forcefully stub my toe YOOOUCH!!!. Magazine rated three Steely Dan have to be some of their music had a blues sound it. The beast was the addiction, Aug 26, 2020 at 11:51 am 24.!