Steely Dan Confirms First Tour In Three Years (With a new album due summer 2003)

billboard ^ | 4/8/2003 | Jonathan Cohen

[TLBSHOW]

Steely Dan Confirms First Tour In Three Years

Steely Dan has unveiled details for its first tour since the summer of 2000, kicking off July 23 in Costa Mesa, Calif., and wrapping Aug. 31 in Syracuse, N.Y. The veteran jazz/rock outfit will be touring in support of its upcoming Reprise album, "Everything Must Go," which has been bumped to June 10 from its original May 6 release date. As the band explained in its online newsletter, "the reason, we understand, has to do with something called 'a schedule' for some entity called 'the record company.'"

"Everything Must Go" finds group leaders Donald Fagen and Walter Becker backed by drummer Keith Carlock, keyboardists Ted Baker and Bill Charlap, and guitarists Jon Herrington and Hugh McCracken. Beyond his usual bass and guitar duties, Becker takes the mic on one as-yet-unnamed tune, marking his first lead vocal in Steely Dan's history.

The album is the follow-up to 2000's "Two Against Nature," which was the group's first album since 1980's "Gaucho" and went on to win the Grammy for album of the year.

Here are Steely Dan's tour dates:

July 23: Costa Mesa, Calif. (Orange County Fair) July 24: Paso Robles, Calif. (Mid-State Fair) July 26: Kelseyville, Calif. (Konocti Harbor) July 27: Tahoe, Nev. (Harvey's Outdoors) Aug. 1: Portland, Ore. (Coliseum) Aug. 2: George, Wash. (Gorge Amphitheatre) Aug. 4: Denver (Fiddler's Green) Aug. 7: St. Paul, Minn. (X-Cel Energy Center) Aug. 8: Chicago (United Center) Aug. 9: Columbus, Ohio (Schottenstein Center) Aug. 11: Clarkston, Mich. (Pine Knob) Aug. 12: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (Blossom Music Center) Aug. 14: Toronto (Molson Ampitheatre) Aug. 16: Mansfield, Mass. (Tweeter Center) Aug. 17: Holmdel, N.J. (PNC Bank Arts Center) Aug. 19: Manchester, N.H. (Verizon Wireless Arena) Aug. 20: Hershey, Pa. (Hershey Park) Aug. 22: Wantagh, N.Y. (Jones Beach) Aug. 23: Camden, N.J. (Tweeter Center) Aug. 25: Uncasville, Conn. (Mohegan Sun) Aug. 27: Bristow, Va. (Nissan Pavilion) Aug. 29: Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (Saratoga PAC) Aug. 30: Atlantic City, N.J. (Etess Arena at the Taj Mahal) Aug. 31: Syracuse, N.Y. (New York State Fair)

[shaggy eel]

Honestly, I think they are the worst band I have ever heard.

,,, there's a big difference between hearing and listening.

[shaggy eel]

Two Against Nature is their weakest album since their first release.

,,, have you heard Everything must go? - released in the US June 10 2003. Two against nature leaves it for dead.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I love them both - but I think Everything Must Go is the more palatable album for people who don't really "get" jazz. That's why a lot of people like it so much better, I'm guessing.

Was speculating with a friend today whether the theme of this latest one is a message to fans: "cause we're goin' out of business...everything must go"

Donald Fagen is pretty much completely gray.

[shaggy eel]

I move to dissolve the corporation in a pool of margaritas

,,, LOL - "frankly I could use a little face time in the service elevator"...

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Yes, and I also heard that you help old ladies who are being picked on by liberal freaks. There's gotta be a merit badge for that!

[Chad Fairbanks]

Others did far more than I :0)

[Chad Fairbanks]

Nothing they've ever done before, or since, IMHO, will ever outdo 'Aja'... 'Royal Scam' comes close. Th new one is still great music - I've yet to hear a bad Steely Dan tune, though...

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I share your opinion of "Aja". It is absolutely ageless perfection. Have you seen that classic albums DVD on it? ; )

[Chad Fairbanks]

Yes. It's amazing how young they look, in comparison to now.

[Chad Fairbanks]

[shaggy eel]

Have you seen that classic albums DVD on it? ; )

,,, I've got Aja on CD, vinyl and the video they made a couple of years back of the making of it. It's hard to beat.

The latest, with the title track (Everything must go) and that song "The last mall" lays out a pretty grim path, doesn't it?

I listen to "Pixeleen" and "Green Book" over and over some nights to wind down from my long weekdays and I wonder what goes thru Fagan's head when I take into account those lyrics and the extent of accuracy involved in most of their production. I'm a bit disappointed with Everything must go, but the CD will stay with the others I have. I'm only missing Can't buy a thrill and The Royal Scam.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Fagen is only something like 55, I think. He can still sing it, though...a lot of people lower keys for live performance, but not him.

[shaggy eel]

I've yet to hear a bad Steely Dan tune, though...

,,, Slang of ages on their new album gets close to it.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Yup. I'm still of the opinion that this will be their last outing... I don't think they really enjoy touring all that much anyway, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them retire... I could be wrong though

[Chad Fairbanks]

THat's the walter becker 'singing' I was referring to LOL...

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

SLANG OF AGES.

Dear God,

Please make Walter Becker stop "singing".

Thank you,

Your Humble Servant,
DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

LOL - and they had him sing "Haitian Divorce" at the Gorge. They should have had one of the background singers do it, the way they did "Dirty Work" in 2000...that was pretty cool, hearing Carolyn Leonhart do it.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Carolyn Leonhart - I enjoyed watching her spend half the show continuously fightong to keep the top of her dress up ;0)

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Yeah, I'll bet you did. ; ) (She's just SLIGHTLY gorgeous...LOL)

[Chad Fairbanks]

Slightly? ;0)