[southernnorthcarolina]

Before this thread gets booted over to the FReeper Purgatory known as Chat (where, let's face it, it rightfully belongs with all the hard news happening), I'll just note that I have every album (well, CDs, now) Steely Dan ever did; pre-Steely Dan Becker and Fagan stuff (1969-71) that sounds like it was recorded inside a shoebox; two solo albums by Donald Fagan; and one solo album by Walter Becker. Only the Becker solo album is an artistic failure in my humble opinion; let's just say he has "issues" and let it go at that -- definitely the lesser of the two principals.

Their Grammy for Two Againt Nature, I'll have to admit, was bogus. Think of it as a "lifetime achievement" award in recognition of their earlier work which may not have received enough critical notice. Even that album, though, had a couple of outstanding cuts; "What a Shame About Me" ranks with their best.

Of course, as with all art, you either like 'em or you don't; rather pointless to argue about artistic merit. For me, jazz-influenced rock with actual lyrics, actual melody, an absence of screaming, and flawless production works for me.

I have no doubt that they're politically nowhere near me, but if I limited myself to conservative rock, I'd have a skinny musical library, indeed. Anyway, if ideology is important to you, some of their lyrics could be interpreted as conservative-leaning, e.g. "Only a Fool Would Say That," from Can't Buy a Thrill.

I'm delighted to hear there's one more album on the way. I'm less delighted that they're touring; they're the consumate studio band if ever there was one, and in fact it's a major stretch to call them a "band" -- it's really Fagan and Becker and whoever else they decide to take on at any given point in time.

[dead]

I have no doubt that they're politically nowhere near me, but if I limited myself to conservative rock, I'd have a skinny musical library, indeed.

Yeah, Bruce Willis' "Return of Bruno" and a bunch of Ted Nugent. Good luck with that.

I have over 1400 CDs, and I just assume everyone of them features liberals, with very few exceptions.

But I don't care about Steely Dan's politics anymore than I care about George Bush's ability to play the guitar.

BTW, Steely Dan put together one of the best box sets in the industry. It was just every song they ever released (to that point), crammed onto four CDs. No crappy "alternate takes" and other assorted filler. Just all their songs.

It's a great set, though it makes me feel like an old fogie when I listen to it.

[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.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Yes, but do you have either the Expanded Gold album or the "Heavy Metal" soundtrack? The only two places to get a copy of Fagan's "True Companion". That, I think, is some of Fagan's best stuff ever.