Easy listening music at it’s best!
Steely Dan is an American Rock Band lead by core members Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.
The group first started in New York State in 1972.
The group is known for it’s unique blend of Jazz, Rock, Funk, R&B, and Pop.
The two constants in the group have been Fagen and Becker. Over the years, the duo has used a revolving door of backing musicians and singers. One of their early back-up singers was Michael McDonald in his pre-Doobie Brothers years.
Donald Fagen provided lead vocals, along with keyboards, Piano, and other instruments, while Walter Becker handled guitar and bass. Both men were the primary songwriters of the group’s material.
The pair was known for their obsessive perfectionism in the recording studio, as evidenced on the album “Gaucho” which utilized 42 Studio Musicians, 11 Sound Engineers, and took over a year to record….with the whole album only containing 7 songs.
Steely Dan enjoyed their greatest success during the mid to late 1970′s.
They were unique in that from 1975-1993, the group did not perform in concert and was only a studio-based band.
Steely Dan has released 9 Studio Albums thus far in their career.
Their hits have included:
Do it again
Reelin in the Years
Rikki Don’t lose that Number
Peg
Deacon Blues
FM (No Static at All)
Josie
Hey Nineteen
Time out of Mind
Kid Charlemagne
and many others…
(My favorite song: Deacon Blues)
“Rikki Don’t lose that number” was their top hit in the US, hitting #4 on the Billboard Charts in 1974.
The group has won Six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Fagen and Becker are still recording and touring as Steely Dan, nearly 40 years after first forming the group.
I admit, during the peak years of Steely Dan, I was not a fan. I don’t really know why, I guess they were just too mellow and laid back for my musical tastes when I was younger. Now, as I have mellowed and gotten laid back in middle age, I really love Steely Dan’s music. When I’m stressed out, I find that listening to this group does wonders to calm and relax me. Great group!
Aja and Gaucho to of the finest albums in rock music. Wonderful jazz oriented rock, much like Chicago on in quieter type.
I don’t know, this is one of those bands that I have a ton of respect and should love.. but find myself never listening to their music and can’t seem get through more than one or two of songs in a row. Read “never listen to the whole album”. Strange.. Should love them but just don’t exactly. Can’t explain it.
By: Sank on November 5, 2011
at 11:54 am
I have a Steelers Pillow Pet. It has the Steelers mascot head on it. I named it Dan….Steeler Dan. His theme songs are a range of Steely Dan songs. Mwhahahahaha.
By: Guiltless Miss on November 5, 2011
at 1:53 pm
Guiltless Miss – Mwhaahahahahaha indeed
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on November 5, 2011
at 2:07 pm
Wow – a group I liked from the start that you didn’t! Strange….
By: John Erickson on November 5, 2011
at 3:45 pm
They were a sellout when they played here recently. Awesome group.
By: Southern Sea Muse on November 5, 2011
at 3:59 pm
No-Hio – Not surprising…seeing as how I am so YOUNG and you are so UN-YOUNG…..
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on November 5, 2011
at 5:18 pm
Southern Sea Muse – I would love to see them in concert.
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on November 5, 2011
at 5:19 pm
Liked them too. Kinda John Denverish and pleasant to the ear.
By: Carl D'Agostino on November 5, 2011
at 8:17 pm