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)

[dennisw]

Becker looks typically wasted in that photo. As he was in those days.

[Republicanus_Tyrannus]

I knew you'd be on this thread.

[Revolting cat!]

I'll check out the Gourds on your recommendation. Now, since you like Junior Brown, have you heard Deke Dickerson? (I haven't heard him lately, and he's been quite prolific, but his early albums were dynamite!)

[Tokhtamish]

I really loved "Here at the Western World" which is only in the collection.

"In the night you hide from the madman you're longing to be"
"But it all comes out on the inside, eventually"

I agree that "Two Against Nature" was a disappointment although I loved "What a Shame about Me". It wasn't their very best work. The song about the loser lusting vainly after his sexy teenage cousin was hilarious.

Those fantastic lyrics.

[discostu]

Your inventory is missing one http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002L0E/qid=1049852625/sr=2-2/ref=sr_2_2/002-4761772-9186405

Some really cool stuff on it, Donald's liner notes are fantastic.

While I agree that 11 Tracks of Whack is weak it's got a couple of good songs (Junkie Girl is my fave, I find Hat Too Flat very catchie and Cringemaker is a classic Steely Dan style song).

I like that they're touring agani, the first round for SD was marred by them not enjoying the road the second time around they seemed to really like it. Great show in Phoenix on the Decade tour.

[dead]

No you stumped me on Deke Dickerson. I'll check him out.

If you get some Gourds, get their Shinebox CD. They do an absolutely insane grungy-hillbilly version of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice" with some intense mandolin work, as well as an odd but interesting version of Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust."

[discostu]

I'm so predictable.

[dead]

I didn't realize that "Here at the Western World" was only on the collection. It's a great tune.

I only owned Aja and Pretzel Logic before I bought the boxed set.

[Revolting cat!]

dekedickerson.com. Unfortunately, I don't see any downloads on his website. Maybe Amazon has samples.

[since1868]

They were favorate band for a while, there music ages very well. One night Donald Fagen was on Letterman I guess mid 90's all he did was bash Reagan, Bush. The next morning I went to the CD store and sold all there CD'S.Never listened to them since!

[ArneFufkin]

They're a little too NYU music major pretentious, but I like anything that features Skunk Baxter on guitar.

[southernnorthcarolina]

Your inventory is missing one

Nope, I have it. Michael McDonald's cover of Jackie Wilson's "Lonely Teardrops" alone is worth the price of admission.

One of my favorites (can't find it on Amazon) is a Becker/Fagan album, pre-Steely Dan, probably about 1969-70, though undated. Probably wasn't intended as an album, just a collection of outtakes, experiments, and leftovers, I assume. One cut, "Parker's Band," shows up later under Steely Dan, though in different form. "Oh, Wow, It's You Again" and "Braintap Shuffle" are very recognizable as Steely Dan-sounding cuts, but the most interesting one is "The Mock Turtle Song," lyrics by Lewis Carroll, 1862. A shame the recording and production quality of that album isn't in the same ballpark as their later work.

[discostu]

There's some great stuff on Rock and Soul (and it's fitting to listen to again since it was done when GW1 was wrapping up "the war is almost over"), "Lonely Teardrops" is high on the hilight list.

Your mystery album sounds kind of like Android Warehouse http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000I05G/qid=1049901929/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-3245670-2215165?v=glance&s=music&n=507846 all the tracks you mentioned are on there. AW is kind of an experimental noodle around with the song collection, mostly done on a cheap Casio sometimes with a guitar. I like it because even stripped to bare essentials the songs are cleaner and more complex than most bands get for the final product.

[southernnorthcarolina]

Your mystery album sounds kind of like Android Warehouse...

Yep, obviously what I have is an abbreviated version of Android Warehouse; it has just ten cuts, all of which are among the 28 listed on AW. Thanks for the tip; sounds like it might be a worthy addition to my collection.

[GSWarrior]

Good musicianship never sounds dated.

[Mr. K]

WAY formidable!

[GSWarrior]

Cool. Another alt.country fan....

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

anyone know what a 'Steely Dan' is?

Ah yes, the "Dan of Steel".

[lugsoul]

Goin' to see the Gourds this Saturday. What a great groove this band gives.

[miloklancy]

Alright! I know I've got my calendar marked. These gentlemen make some of the best music ever and I don't doubt that this new album will be as good if not better than the last. Also it will be interesting to hear Walt finally sing on a Steely Dan track.