Music with distinctive sound with accessible melodic hooks…
Most rock & roll bands are a tightly-wound unit that developed their music through years of playing in garages and clubs around their hometown. Steely Dan never subscribed to that aesthetic. As the vehicle for the songwriting of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan defied all rock & roll conventions. Becker and Fagen never truly enjoyed rock — with their ironic humor and cryptic lyrics, their eclectic body of work shows some debt to Bob Dylan –preferring jazz, traditional pop, blues and R&B. Steely Dan created a sophisticated, distinctive sound with accessible melodic hooks, complex harmonies and time signatures, and a devotion to the recording studio. With producer Gary Katz, Becker & Fagen gradually changed Steely Dan from a performing band to a studio project, hiring professional musicians to record their compositions. Though the band didn’t perform live after 1973, Steely Dan’s popularity continued to grow throughout the decade, as their albums became critical favorites and their singles became staples of AOR and pop radio stations.
Even after the group disbanded in the early ’80s, their records retained a cult following, as proven by the massive success of their unlikely return to the stage in the early ’80s. Walter Becker (bass) and Donald Fagen (vocals, keyboards) were the core members of Steely Dan throughout its variety of incarnations. The two met at Bard College in New York in 1967 and began playing in bands together shortly afterward. The duo played in a number of groups — including the Bad Rock Group, which featured future comedic actor Chevy Chase on drums — which ranged from jazz to progressive rock. Eventually, Becker and Fagen began composing songs together, hoping to become professional songwriters in the tradition of the Brill Building. In 1970, the pair joined Jay & the Americans’ backing band, performing under pseudonyms; Becker chose Gustav Mahler, while Fagen used Tristan Fabriani.
They stayed with Jay & the Americans until halfway through 1971, when they recorded the soundtrack for the low-budget film You Gotta Walk It Like You Talk It, which was produced by the Americans’ Kenny Vance. Following the recording of the soundtrack, Becker and Fagen attempted to start a band with Denny Dias, but the venture was unsuccessful. The pair then moved to New York City with hopes of becoming professional songwriters. Though Barbara Streisand recorded “I Mean to Shine,” the duo was unsuccessful. During their stint in New York, they did meet producer Gary Katz, who hired them as staff songwriters for ABC/Dunhill in Los Angeles, where he had just become a staff producer. Katz suggested that Becker and Fagen form a band as a way to record their songs, and Steely Dan — who took their name from a dildo in William Burroughs’ Naked Lunch — was formed shortly afterward.
Recruiting guitarists Denny Dias and Skunk Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder, and keyboardist/vocalist David Palmer, Becker and Fagen officially formed Steely Dan in 1972, releasing their debut Can’t Buy A Thrill shortly afterward. Palmer and Fagen shared lead vocals on the album, but the record’s two hit singles — the Top 10 “Do It Again” and “Reeling in the Years” — were sung by Fagen. Can’t Buy A Thrill was a critical and commercial success, but its supporting tour was a disaster, hampered by an under-rehearsed band and unappreciative audiences. Palmer left the band following the tour. Countdown to Ecstasy, released in 1973, was a critical hit, but it failed to generate a hit single, even though the band supported it with a tour.
Steely Dan replaced Hodder with Jeff Porcaro and added keyboardist/backup vocalist Michael McDonald prior to recording their third album, Pretzel Logic. Released in the spring of 1974, Pretzel Logic returned Steely Dan to the Top 10 on the strength of the single “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.” After completing the supporting tour for Pretzel Logic, Becker and Fagen decided to retire from live performances, and make Steely Dan a studio-based band. For their next album, 1975’s Katy Lied, the duo hired a variety of studio musicians — including Dias, Pocaro, guitarist Elliot Randall, saxophonists Phil Woods, bassist Wilton Felder, percussionist Victor Feldman, keyboardist Michael Omartian and guitarist Larry Carlton — as supporting musicians. Katy Lied was another hit, as was 1976’s The Royal Scam, which continued in the vein of its predecessor.
On 1977’s Aja, Steely Dan’s sound became more polished and jazzy, as they hired jazz-fusion artists like Wayne Shorter, Lee Ritenour and the Crusaders as support. Aja became their biggest hit, reaching the Top Five within three weeks of release and becoming one of the first albums to be certified platinum. Aja also gained the respect of many jazz musicians, as evidenced by Woody Herman recording an album of Becker/Fagen songs in 1978.
Following the release of Aja, ABC was bought out by MCA records, resulting in a contractual dispute with the label that delayed the release of their followup album until 1980. During the interim, the group had a hit with the theme song for the film FM in 1978. Steely Dan finally released Gaucho, the followup to Aja in late 1980, and it became another Top 10 hit for the group. During the summer of 1981, Becker and Fagen announced that they were parting ways. The following year, Fagen released his solo debut, The Nightfly, which became a critical and commercial hit.
Fagen didn’t record another album until 1993, when he reunited with Becker, who produced Kamakiriad. The album was promoted by the first Steely Dan tour in nearly 20 years, and while the record failed to sell, the concerts were very popular. In 1994, Becker released his solo debut, 11 Tracks of Whack, which was produced by Fagen. The following year, Steely Dan mounted another reunion tour.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Discography
The Lost Gaucho
Wicker Man 2022
Tracks: Kind Spirit, Were You Blind That Day, The Bear, The Second Arrangement, Talkin' About My Home, Time Out Of Mind, Kulee Baba, Gaucho, Babylon Sisters, Glamour Profession, My Rival, I Can't Write Home About You, The Second Arrangement (Version 2) & Gaucho (Version 2).
Musicians to the Lost Gaucho album: Walter Becker, Donald Fagen and others.
Northeast Corridor
Universal Music 2021
Tracks: Black Cow, Kid Charlemagne, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Hey Nineteen, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Glamour Profession, Things I Miss The Most, Aja, Peg, Bodhisattva, Reelin' In The Years & A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry.
Musicians on the Northeast Corridor album: Donald Fagen, Keith Carlock, Freddie Washington, Jon Herrington, Connor Kennedy, Jim Beard, Michael Leonhart, Jim Pugh, Walt Weiskopf, Ari Ambrose, Roger Rosenberg, Carolyn Leonhart, Catherine Russell, La Tanya Hall & Jamie Leonhart.
The Very Best Of Steely Dan
Universal Music 2009
Tracks: CD1: Do It Again, Dirty Work, Reelin´In The Years, Only A Fool Would Say That, Change Of The Guard, Bodhisattva, The Boston Rag, Show Biz Kids, My Old School, Rikki Don´t Loose That Number, Night By Night, Pretzel Logic, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Doctor Wu, Any World (That I´m Welcome To) & Chain Lightning. CD2: Kid Charlemange, Don´t Take Me Alive, Haitian Divorce, The Fez, Here In The Western World, Black Cow, Aja, Deacon Blues, Peg, Josie, FM, Babylon Sisters, Hey Nineteen, Time Out Of Mind & Third World Man.
Musicians on the The Very Best Of album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
Collected
Universal Music 2009
Tracks: CD1: Do It Again, Dirty Work, Only A Fool Would Say That, Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me), Midnight Cruiser, My Old School, Pretzel Logic, Rikki Don´t Loose That Number, Rose Darling, Bad Sneakers, Everyone´s Gone To The Movies, The Fez, Deacon Blues, Hey Nineteen & Babylon Sisters. CD2: Reelin´In The Years, Turn That Heartbeat Over Again, Night By Night, With A Gun, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Black Friday, Doctor Wu, Danny Don´t Live In That New York City No More, Any World (That I´m Welcome To), Chain Lightning, Green Earrings, Kid Charlemange, Here At The Western World, Peg, Josie, Time Out Of Mind & Third World Man. CD3: Bodhisattva, Show Biz Kids, Pearl Of The Quarter, Parker´s Band, Barrytown, Throw Back The Little Ones, Don´t Take Me Alive, Haitian Divorce, Sign In Stranger, Black Cow, Aja, Home At Last, FM, Gaucho & Everyone´s Gone To The Movies (Demo).
Musicians on the Collected album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
In Concert
IMC Music 2008
Tracks: Green Earrings, Cousin Dupree, Bad Sneakers, Janie Runaway, Josie, FM, Gaslighting Abbie, Black Friday, Babylon Sisters, Kid Charlemange, Jack Of Speed, Pet, What A Shame About Me & Pretzel Logic.
Musicians on the In Concert album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
The Very Best Of Steely Dan
Geffen Records 2007
Tracks: Do It Again, Reelin´The Years, Only A Fool Would Say What, My Old School, Rikki Don´t Loose That Number, Any World (That I´m Welcome To) Deacon Blues, Josie, Time Out Of Mind & Third World Man.
Musicians on the Very Best Of Steely Dan album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
The Definitive Collection
Geffen Records 2006
Tracks: Do It Again, Dirty Work, Reelin´The Years, Bodhisattva, My Old School, Rikki Don´t Loose My Number, Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Kid Charlamange, Deacon Blues, Peg, FM, Hey Nineteen, Babylon Sisters, Cousin Dupree & Thing I Miss The Most.
Musicians on the Definitive Collection album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
Everything Must Go
Reprise Records 2003
Tracks: The Last Mall, Things I Miss The Most, Blues Beach, Godwhacker, Slang Of Ages, Green Book, Pixeleen, Lunch With Gina & Everything Must Go. Bonus: Steely Dan Confessions DVD.
Musicians on the Everything Must Go album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Keith Carlock, Jon Herington, Hugh McCracken, Ted Baker, Tony Kadleck, Jim Pugh, Roger Rosenberg, Cindy Mizelle, Catherine Russell, Gordon Gottlieb, Michael Leonhart, Walt Weiskopf, Carolyn Leonhart, Bill Charlap, Tawatha Agee, Michael Harvey, Ada Dyer, Ken Hitchcock, Chris Potter & Brenda White-King.
Steely Dan
Falcon Neue Medien 2000
Tracks: Do It Again, Reeling In The Years, Rikki Don´t Lose That Number, Peg, Deacon Blues, FM (No Static At All), Babylon Sisters, Black Friday, Hey Nineteen, My Old School, Bodhisattva & East St. Louis.
Musicians on the Steely Dan album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
Showbiz Kids - The Steely Dan Story 1972-1980
MCA Records 2000
Tracks: Disc 1: Do It Again, Dirty Work, Reelin' In The Years, Only A Fool Would Say That, Change Of The Guard, Bodhisattva, The Boston Rag, Show Biz Kids, My Old School, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Night By Night, Pretzel Logic, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Doctor Wu, Any World That I'm Welcome To, Chain Lightning. Disc 2: Kid Charlemagne, Don't Take Me Alive, Haitian Dance, The Fez, Here At The Western World, Black Cow, Aja, Deacon Blues, Peg, Josie, FM, Babylon Sisters, Hey Nineteen, Time Out Of Mind & Third World Man.
Musicians on the Showbiz Kids - The Steely Dan Story 1972-1980 album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
2 Against Nature
Giant Records 2000
Tracks: Gaslighting Abbie, What A Shame About Me, Two Against Nature, Janie Runaway, Almost Gothic, Jack Of Speed, Cousin Dupree, Negative Girl & West Of Hollywood.
Musicians on the 2 Against Nature album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
Alive In America
WEA Records 1995
Tracks: Babylon Sisters (St. Petersburg, FL 8.19.94), Green Earrings (Irvine, CA 9.10.93), Bodhisattva (Detroit, MI 8.2.94), Reelin' In The Years (Chicago, IL 8.26.94), Josie (Phoenix, AZ 9.18.94), Book of Liars (Phoenix, AZ 9.6.93), Peg (Detroit, MI 8.27.94), Third World Man (Charlotte, NC 9.19.93), Kid Charlemagne (Detroit, MI 8.27.94), Sign In Stranger (Detroit, MI 8.27.94) & Aja (Irvine, CA 9.17.94).
Musicians on the Alive In America album: On '94 tunes: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Tom Barney, Warren Bernhardt, Dennis Chambers, Georg Wadenius, Bill Ware III, Cornelius Bumpus, Chris Potter, Bob Sheppard, Diane Garisto, Catherine Russell, Brenda White-King. On '93 tunes: Same, except substitute Peter Erskine for Dennis Chambers, Drew Zingg for Georg Wadenius.
Citizen Steely Dan (box set)
MCA Records 1993
Tracks: All tracks on the seven official Steely Dan albums plus: Here At The Western World, Bodhisattva (live) & Everyone's Gone To The Movies (demo).
Musicians on the Citizen Steely Dan album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
A Decade Of Steely Dan
Columbia Records 1985
Tracks: FM, Black Friday, Babylon Sisters, Deacon Blues, Bodhisattva, Hey Nineteen, Do It Again, Peg, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Reeling In The Years, East St. Louis Toodle-oo, Kid Charlemagne, My Old School & Bad Sneakers.
Musicians on the A Decade Of Steely Dan album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Jeff Porcaro, Cosmo Creek, Pete Christlieb, Victor Feldman, Tim Schmit, Johnny Mandel, David Paich, Michael Omartian, Michael McDonald, Bernard Purdie, Chuck Rainey, Don Grolnick, Steve Kahn, Crusher Bennett, Randy Brecker, Tom Scott, George Marge, Walter Kane, Leslie Miller, Patti Austin, Toni Wine, Lani Groves, Diva Gray, Gordon Grody, Rob Mounsey, Larry Carlton, Lee Ritenour, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, Venetta Fields, Jim Horn, Bill Perkins, Wayne Shorter, Plas Johnson, Jackie Kelso, Chuck Findley, Slyde Hyde, Jim Hodder, Denny Dias, Jeff Baxter, Rick Marotta, Steve Gadd, Frank Floyd, Zack Sanders, Paul Griffin, Jay Graydon, Gary Coleman, Dean Parks, Elliot Randall, David Palmer, Jim Gordon, Myrna Matthews, Patricia Hall, Lanny Morgan, Ernie Watts, John Rotella, Jimmie Haskell & Hugh McCracken.
Gold Expanded Edition
MCA Records 1985
Tracks: Hey Nineteen, Green Earrings, Deacon Blues, Chain Lightning, FM, Black Cow, King of the World, Babylon Sisters, Here at the Western World, Century's End (by Donald Fagen), True Companion (by Donald Fagen) & Bodhisattva (live).
Musicians on the Gold Expanded Edition album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Rick Marotta, Hugh McCracken, Victor Feldman, Steve Gadd, Frank Floyd, Zack Sanders, Bernard Purdie, Don Grolnick, Chuck Rainey, Paul Griffin, Elliot Randall, Larry Carlton, Tim Schmitt, Pete Christlieb, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, Venetta Fields, Michael Omartian, Wilton Felder, Rick Derringer, Jeff Porcaro, Paul Humphrey, Joe Sample, Tom Scott, Rebecca Louis, Denny Dias, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Jim Hodder, Steve Kahn, Crusher Bennett, Randy Brecker, George Marge, Walter Kane, Leslie Miller, Patti Austin, Toni Wine, Lani Groves, Diva Gray, Gordon Grody, Jim Gordon, Florence Warner, Casey Syszik, Leroy Clouden, Jim Haslip, Harold Vick, Michael Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, Gary Bargeron, Lew Soloff, Georg Wadenius, Angela Patrick, Steve Jordon, Will Lee, Jerome Aniton, Michael McDonald & Royce Jones.
Gold
MCA Records 1983
Tracks: Babylon Sisters, Black Cow, Chain Lightning, Deacon Blues, FM (No Static At All), Green Earrings, Hey Nineteen & King of the World.
Musicians on the Gold album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Jeff Porcaro, Michael McDonald and others.
Gaucho
MCA Records 1980
Tracks: Babylon Sisters, Hey Nineteen, Glamour Profession, Gaucho, Time Out Of Mind, My Rival & Third World Man.
Musicians on the Gaucho album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Bernard Purdie, Chuck Rainey, Don Grolnick, Steve Kahn, Crusher Bennett, Randy Brecker, Tom Scott, George Marge, Walter Kane, Leslie Miller, Patti Austin, Toni Wine, Lani Groves, Diva Gray, Gordon Grody, Rick Marotta, Victor Feldman, Steve Gadd, Frank Floyd, Zack Sanders, Anthony Jackson, Rob Mounsey, Ralph McDonald, Michael Brecker, Jeff Porcaro, Mark Knopfler, Hugh McCracken, Dave Tofani, David Sanborn, Ronnie Cuber, Patrick Rebillot, Hiram Bullock, Nicholas Marrero, Wayne Andre, Joe Sample & Larry Carlton.
Greatest Hits
MCA Records 1978
Tracks: Do It Again, Reeling In The Years, My Old School, Bodhisattva, Show Biz Kids, East St. Louis Toodle-oo, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Pretzel Logic, Any Major Dude, Here At The Western World, Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Doctor Wu, Haitian Divorce, Kid Charlemagne, The Fez, Peg & Josie.
Musicians on the Greatest Hits album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker and others.
Aja
MCA Records 1977
Tracks: Black Cow, Aja, Deacon Blues, Peg, Home At Last, I Got the News & Josie.
Musicians on the Aja album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Paul Humphrey, Chuck Rainey, Victor Feldman, Joe Sample, Larry Carlton, Tom Scott, Clydie King, Venetta Fields, Sherlie Matthews, Rebecca Louis, Steve Gadd, Denny Dias, Michael Omartian, Wayne Shorter, Tim Schmit, Bernard Purdie, Lee Ritenour, Pete Christlieb, Rick Marotta, Paul Griffin, Don Grolnick, Steve Kahn, Jay Graydon, Gary Coleman, Michael McDonald, Ed Greene, Dean Parks & Jim Keltner.
The Royal Scam
MCA Records 1976
Tracks: Kid Charlemagne, The Caves of Altamira, Don't Take Me Alive, Sign In Stranger, The Fez, Green Earrings, Haitian Divorce, Everything You Did & The Royal Scam.
Musicians on the The Royal Scam album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Victor Feldman, Paul Griffin, Don Grolnick, Larry Carlton, Denny Dias, Dean Parks, Elliot Randall, Chuck Rainey, Rick Marotta, Bernard Purdie, Gary Coleman, Chuck Findley, Bob Findley, Slyde Hyde, Jim Horn, Plas Johnson, John Klemmer, Venetta Fields, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, Michael McDonald & Tim Schmit.
Katy Lied
MCA Records 1975
Tracks: Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Rose Darling, Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More, Doctor Wu, Everyone's Gone To The Movies, Your Gold Teeth II, Chain Lightning, Any World (That I'm Welcome To) & Throw Back the Little Ones.
Musicians on the Katy Lied album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Denny Dias, Rick Derringer, Dean Parks, Elliot Randall, Hugh McCracken, Larry Carlton, Michael Omartian, David Paich, Chuck Rainey, Wilton Felder, Hal Blaine, Victor Feldman, Michael McDonald, Sherlie Matthews, Carolyn Willis, Myrna Matthews, Phil Woods & Jeff Porcaro.
Pretzel Logic
MCA Records 1974
Tracks: Rikki Don't Lose that Number, Night by Night, Any Major Dude (Will Tell You), Barrytown, East St. Louis Toodle-oo, Parker's Band, Through With Buzz, Pretzel Logic, With a Gun, Charlie Freak & Monkey In Your Soul.
Musicians on the Pretzel Logic album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Denny Dias, Jim Hodder, Jeff Baxter, Michael Omartian, Jim Gordon, Jeff Porcaro, David Paich, Chuck Rainey, Ben Benay, Dean Parks, Tim Schmitt, Victor Feldman, Plas Johnson, Ollie Mitchell, Jerome Richardson, Lew McCreary, Ernie Watts, Wilson Felder & Bruce Dee.
Countdown To Ecstasy
MCA Records 1973
Tracks: Bodhisattva, Razor Boy, The Boston Rag, Your Gold Teeth, Show Biz Kids, My Old School, Pearl of the Quarter & King of the World.
Musicians on the Countdown To Ecstasy album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Denny Dias, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Jim Hodder, Sherlie Matthews, Myrna Matthews, Patricia Hall, David Palmer, Royce Jones, James Rolleston, Michael Fenelly, Lanny Morgan, Bill Perkins, Ernie Watts, John Rotella, Victor Feldman, Ray Brown, Rick Derringer & Ben Benay.
Can´t Buy A Thrill
MCA Records 1972
Tracks: Do It Again, Dirty Work, Kings, Midnite Cruiser, Only a Fool Would Say That, Reelin' In The Years, Fire In The Hole, Brooklyn, Chnage of the Guard & Turn That Heartbeat Over Again.
Musicians on the Can´t Buy A Thrill album: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Denny Dias, Donald Fagen, Jim Hodder, David Palmer, Elliot Randall, Victor Feldman, Jerome Richardson, Snooky Young, Clydie King, Shirley Matthews & Venetta Fields.