WG is known to be rather fond of Steely Dan's music, and without trying too hard I can think of a couple of SD references in his books.

The ones that come to my mind are Barrytown (Count Zero), and the appearance of Klaus and the Rooster (in Virtual Light, if memory serves).

Has WG slipped any other homages to SD into his work?

I was wondering if "Barrytown" was a reference.

(Who doesn't like Steely Dan?)

I never could get into Steely Dan.

Gearge Carlin doesn't like Steely Dan...

I, on the other hand, have no idea who he is!

There was a gang called the Deacon Blues, no? I believe it was mentioned in CZ.

quote:

Originally posted by theEtruscan:
(Who doesn't like Steely Dan?)

That would be me.

"Gearge Carlin doesn't like Steely Dan..."

George WHO?

Good excuse for a lyrics post:

DON'T TAKE ME ALIVE

Agents of the law
Luckless pedestrian
I know you're out there
With rage in your eyes and your megaphones
Saying all is forgiven
Mad Dog surrender
How can I answer
A man of my mind can do anything
CHORUS:
I'm a bookkeeper's son
I don't want to shoot no one
Well I crossed my old man back in Oregon
Don't take me alive
Got a case of dynamite
I could hold out here all night
Yes I crossed my old man back in Oregon
Don't take me alive

Can you hear the evil crowd
The lies and the laughter
I hear my inside
The mechanized hum of another world
Where no sun is shining
No red light flashing
Here in this darkness
I know what I've done
I know all at once who I am

CHORUS

quote:

Originally posted by Marshdrifter:

That would be me.[/QUOTE]

Why?

Have you spent time listening to them? They are hilariously droll. You just gotta spend time paying attention. Not every song is awesome, but most are worthy. And musically, they can be subtle (snide and droll), which can be missed if you don't really pay attention, imho. They've lifted my spirits, confirmed I am not alone, and made me laugh me ass off, over the decades.

They are priceless contributors to life and laughter!
Umm, just sayin'.

In a free associative way, when I think of Kid Africa, I think of Kid Charlemagne.

Now, if WG mentions Muswellbrook in his next novel, I will build a fucking church.

Kid Charlemagne lives in Queensland?

~~~ And musically, they can be subtle (snide and droll), which can be missed if you don't really pay attention, imho. ~~~

I listen for the musicianship.

No other band blends and fills like SD. Their engineering is absolutely top notch. Lots of mixing and mastering engineers adjust their equipment setups with Fagan's Nightfly.

Friggen magic.

As a guitarist, listening to some of Larry Carlton's and Rick Derringer's work with SD is an education all in itself. Beautiful work.

Ahhhhhhh....I am NOT alone.

Indeed not, ma'am.

I remember having to *sit down* the first time I put Aja on my parents' record player. Phenomenal sound on that record. I also love that (I think it's on Katy Lied?) they've got this fucking *essay* that goes through their production methods, from their mixing desk to the lathe that cut the vinyl master. It's hilarious in its minutiae (and an audiophile's dream).

The way I figure it, Steely Dan is both annoying and brilliant.

Annoying in that their slickness can be oppressive in its influence. We have an entire generation of smooth jazz we can blame on SD, and I think SD is the band you listen to so you don't ever have to listen to the lesser junk again: they did it all first and best. This is how I feel about Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation and My Bloody Valentine's Loveless: much of 90s rock'n'roll comes from these records, and is present in holographic form.

Brilliant for all the usual reasons: the music is uniformly excellently played, the lyrics sneak up on you in cynical waves. They take their perfection to a strange nadir, using their mastery of recording, instrumentation, the art of picking session musicians, etc., to take you to the low places. They take the 70s easy-listening aesthetic and turn it into punk, pushing the form as far as it can go.

This is the stuff you put on at a party to please everyone while having a snide little giggle with your friends who know better.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Justy,

And you've gotta love the elegant flippancy of:

Chinese music always sets me free,

Angular banjos sound good to me...

For whatever reason, I equate Steely Dan with Gerry Rafferty. This causes me to run out of earshot.

The Gentleman Loser (the bar where Case hangs out in Neuromancer) is a line from the chorus of "Midnight Cruiser" off Can't Buy a Thrill.

And, for anyone who's interested, this is a useful site.

My dad has a bunch of SD records. I'll have to give them a try.

I grabbed a few Steely Dan songs off Limewire.

It sounds like something you'd find on complilations not available in shops. Certainly not the music for me.