A Casual Conversation: Donald Fagen, Fred Kaplan and Chad Kassem
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- Опубліковано 21 вер 2022
- Acoustic Sounds/Analogue Productions CEO Chad Kassem sits down with Fred Kaplan, reviewer for the Tracking Angle and a columnist for Slate, and Steely Dan's Donald Fagen for a casual discussion about master tapes, Contemporary Records, Jelly Roll Morton, Rudy Van Gelder, the upcoming UHQR & SACD series & more.
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I'm 263 years old and I've been listening to Steely Dan for the past 98 years with a short hiatus when I was 235
I’m 23 years old and was reccomended Steely Dan through Spotify a year ago. I was reccomended The Fez on a playlist and instantly fell in love with that tune and then later the rest of there discography. Music streaming services play a huge part in the legacy of Steely Dan continuing for younger generations.
Since listening to them on Spotify, I have now got all there albums on CD, all original 80s pressing CDs, as well as a few of the remasters from 99. I don’t collect viynl but I am always looking out for Steely Dan viynl in the wild and will buy it when time is right. Currently playing Night Fly at work so everyone gets to hear Steely Dan on a regular basis when I’m at work.
@@ScuffedHomie it's nice that you at least buy physical! Vinyl is a lot of work to care for , not many other than myself who don't mind the trade off! So CD is a pretty good easier solution for some!
@@analoguecity3454 There will be a CD resergance one day. Many people my age and younger collect viynl so I’m the odd one out with CD’s. But yeah I know what you mean about Spotify lacking in texture. My CD rips sound 100% better plus everything on steaming is remastered so I’m always buying original pressing CD’s
check Parcels.. State Cows ...Thundercat.. Snarky Puppy... Kamaal Williams... Mensur Brown... Alfa Mist... Chromeo...Roosevelt feat Nile Rodgers ...new good artists needs our help.
I'm delighted to hear a young person getting into these wonderful songs. Steely Dan were phenomenal, completely unique and some of the greatest musicians ever played on their albums.
As a 31 year old millennial who has become an audiophile over the last 6 years, Steely Dan's music is a breath of fresh air compared to the repetitiveness of music today. The recording quality is above and beyond what most are doing today. I always knew the classic songs like Reelin' In The Years, Do It Again, etc, but I never knew how diverse and amazing their catalog truly is. People like to pick and choose their favorite albums, but I find that every SD album brings something unique to the table.
check out "Kind Spirit", "The Bear" and others from "The Lost Gaucho Tapes" - all on UA-cam.
I've read somewhere that Bose uses Steely Dans music when they're testing their speakers
yes, there are so many hidden gems in Steely Dan's catalog.
I agree. Each one is unique. Not a weak song anywhere (no matter what Fagen & Becker might have said ~ perfectionists to a fault!). I do prefer the pre Two Against Nature albums a great deal more, and love The Nightfly as well. I don't truly understand why everything after that doesn't click with me. The Nightfly was a big step towards a more strictly jazz kind of sound, but I love every song on it. Then it all gets a bit too squeaky clean for me.
You should listen to Fagen's solo stuff too especially The Nightfly it's basically SD except even weirder
Donald Fagan has made my time on this planet so much happier … I am 79 and used play music back in the day … Steely Dan was our Mecca.😊
As always , Mr. Walter Becker is in my thoughts . RIP .
...and Roger Nichols, as long as we're discussing sound quality.
Nice to see Donald talking about his records. 👍
I’m 70. Was playing music professionally in SF Bay in the seventies. I was playing Aja album on my giant stereo mornings after gigs while watching my 2 year old daughter - while girlfriend was at work. Great mem. Blew my mind and stirred my soul. Will never forget.
Your daugther had an excellent musical start in life.
Right on! Keep on rockin' brother!
Wow! I detect the el supremo! Thank you Donald Fagan for letting acoustic sounds do your catalogue. I know it will be great.
From the room at the top of the stairs ...
I was 18 when Two against nature came out. A music teacher I had at the time put Gaslighting Abbie on in class and I couldn't believe my ears. Discovering Steely Dan was life changing so it's no surprise the younger kids are tuning in. Also please please please come back to Australia!!!
Thank god Don is still here. I have devoured all of his tunes and then some
I recall a university concert in SAN ANTONIO, 1973 I was introduced to STEELY DAN TUNES ,to date I have never ceased to be a fan , placing Steel Dan at the top of my favorites of all time .
I love Donald Fagans work. I still listen to steely dan weekly on my commute home from work. Even my 16 year old loves steely dan. It's timeless.
Bernie Grundman saved many recordings. Amazing talent he possesses. He has set the bar high.
born in '68 . . the whole catalog is in my DNA, now . . thank you so much for this !
Im 22 and grew up exposed to the Dan through my father. As a song writer myself, the bar was set at an early age for sophisticated chord changes, melodic and harmonic content, and song structure in general. Donald is a great inspiration
This was so great. So good. It’s the pride of the neighborhood
I got into Steely Dan by the one and only Rick Beato. Larry Carlton's guitar solo on Kid Charlemaigne was a firm favourite of Mr Beato. I hope Rick sets up an interview with Donald Fagen one day. ❤ from 🇬🇧
Now, that would be a feather in Mr. Beato's cap!
I wish they would do Kamakiriad, Morph The Cat & Sunken Condos. Hopefully we can get another album from Fagen too
I’m reading his new biography that came out this year and the author said Donald hinted to new material 👀 and if he’s following his same pattern from Kamakiriad, he started doing interviews out of nowhere before it’s announcement, likely to get his name floating around before it’s release. Crossing my fingers!
@@saxgirl02 maybe it's promotion for these upcoming UHQRs
I read that he recorded quite a bit during the pandemic. sunken condos was excellent, let's have more of that.
@@romulus_ Can you hear the balls rumble ...
@@benjamindoverr3455 we're still bowlin' every saturday night
I have to agree with Fagen. Everything Must Go is definitely my favorite. I am susprised more folks don’t rate it among the best.
You have terrible taste. It's nowhere near their best.
Thank you so much Donald Fagen and the late lamented Walter Becker for your prodigious output of
outrageous music
I’m in the UK. Been listening to Steely Dan since 1976 Haitian Divorce was the single. Purchased The Royal Scam knowing nothing else about them that was it. Track 1 Kid Charlemagne blew me away. Thought it couldn’t get better, could it? Then track 3 Don’t Take Me Alive, Never stopped playing it. Divine.
They were a truly unique band, no one sounded like them. Always great quality recordings with a strong roster of studio musicians to enhance the excellent tunes Donald penned. Never gets old.
!
I say the same about 70s Chicago
Thank you Chad, I really appreciate you taking the time to pass this interview to us Steely Dan/Donald Fagen Fans. Watched every minute. My order is in!!!
I think more people love Steely Dan today than at any other time, they were well-known and admired in the 70's/80's but since their re-birth in 1993 with that triumphant tour the people of the world have been more widely exposed to their song list, true musicians, good people and enormously creative, unique music.
This is really cool! It’s not usual to see a reissue label interviewing the actual artist they are releasing especially Donald Fagan.
The smiles on Chad's face throughout the conversation is what it is all about! He is living his dream! Congratulations, Chad and the Acoustic Sounds Family!!
Accoustic Sounds vinyl lp reissue quality is as good as it gets. Whatever original tapes Chad is using, combined with the expertise of mastering engineers like Bernie Grundman, the result is sometimes his reissues are better than the original. The actual pressings are definitely better. The mastering and cutting not to mention even the jacket quality using Stoughton, is as good or better than the original pressings.
He and Todd R are good friends. Can’t even imagine being in that room. What a mind.thank you Chad.
Donald is still very sharp, and his memory is outstanding. Looking forward to listening to his next musical release.
So now that we know Donald likes to chat..maybe he will chat with Rick Beato and actually talk about music. Rick's Bernard Purdie interview was excellent.
That NEEDS to happen
Rick might be a little intimidated with Donald Fagan. Donald is sophisticated and Rick would be more like when Paul Schaeffer interviewed him and was trying to one up Donald Fagan and you could tell Donald Fagan thought he was a fool
@@kma5699 I don't think that's true about Schaeffer, he's very talented and well liked in the music biz
@@kma5699 It's kind of like if Donald had a conversation with Miles Davis. Davis would not have taken Donald seriously
@@kma5699 Paul S. was extremely nervous for that interview, and botched it.
That Laura Nyro album is incredibly influential: Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968). Walter's favourite track was Womens Blues. The album includes future SD players Chuck Rainey and Hugh McCracken, and a host of jazz luminaries such as Zoot Sims and Joe Farrell.
There’s something quintessentially, modern about Steely Dan’s sound. I recently fell in love. Amidst my love for Hendrix, The Beatles, the stones and most of the monstrous persuasive music of my time, I kinda lost what it took to appreciate what Steely Dan brought to the table. Thrilled to discover them at age.70. Fascinated to hear that young people can relate as well. I believe the music is timeless, and filled with complex perfection as an art form.❤
what a legendary interview 😍.. Mr. Fagen is an incredible musician and one of the most interesting personalities ever.. wish I could chat with him! and of course we all love Chad
❤
Been listening to SD from the beginning (I'm in my mid 70's), and no matter how many times you listen to one of their cuts, you'll will, at some point, hear something new...which has actually been there all along. Truly amazing!
Loved watching this. I'm praying that we get another album of original material from Fagen, the dude is a genius of songwriting and funky blues grooves.
Donald Fagan's solo album "The Nightfly" is a great album, too. Countdown to Ecstacy was always my favorite SD album. I built a recording studio in the 80's and used their albums to see if my monitors were set up correctly. Stellar, unmatched recording quality in their body of work.
Really wonderful to see Donald Fagen! I just listened to The Nightfly & Countdown to Ecstasy on SACD this morning in anticipation of Chad’s new releases from Steely Dan.
Steely Dan created brilliant masterpieces
this was great, it's wonderful to see Donald looking and sounding so good
Donald is the best there ever was at appearing to give a shat in interview, when he can’t wait ‘til it’s over. Steely Dan, the greatest band ever, long live the genius and music of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.
Great stuff! Thank you Mr. Fagen for all the great music
Can't wait to hear my Steely Dan favorite " The Royal Scam" . PLAY LOUD
My fav too has more punch and bite than Aja!
I could not choose a favorite, they are all masterpieces
Fagen is right, my dad liked 60’s rock and my grandpa liked Motown. As a recording musician, their work was sophisticated but still had a familiar backbeat; jazzy but not bebop.
Looking forward to a new Fagen album. Sunken Condos is just about a masterpiece.
EDIT: He's talking about "Eli's Coming" by Laura Nyro from Eli and the Thirteenth Confession. Some polyphonic harmonies at the end.
Its funny how laid back Donald is regarding the masters…like he really couldn’t care much less as opposed to all the pain and suffering that went into creating those albums in the first place.
I still listen to the cd. THE NIGHTFLY , I bought back in 1982 . I love that album .
Me too a masterpiece,. Close to Aja!!
Look at Chad's big ass happy smile...he landed a big one!
He will do them justice
I’m 32 and bonded over steely Dan with my late father. I continue finding new wants to heard their music each time. So sublime.
Donald used to have a reputation of being a bit of a misanthrope, but he's mellowed - a lot. Perhaps this had something to do with him being a workaholic, which he says in the interview is no longer the case. Who would have guessed he was buddies with John McEnroe? Fascinating interview. Love this man. The SD catalog and his solo albums will live on forever. With all the talk of technical perfection, there was no mention of the Katy Lied DBX issues. I found this a little surprising.
Chad & Donald, thank you. I have been listening to Steely Dan since the late 70s and there is nothing comparable as to the phenomenal rock & roll and jazz mix to the phenomenal musicianship to the excellent recordings. This is the first time I have ever preordered multiple reissues - I am signed up for all of them. It was priceless to hear Donald talk about his roll in mixing and to hear my mantra of hearing everything “We wanted you to be able to hear everything all the time.”
Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller yeah. It’s the music and not necessarily the sonics. Love it 🎹
Haha I knew it! Great stuff, Chad! Donald Fagen for the win! 😎👍
Wonderful interview. I wish we would have this kind of technology in the 60's/70's when I was a kid. Can you imagine this kind of discussion with Hendrix?I appreciate your efforts.
Mr. Pete--------->
aging hippie
I met Dave Brubeck in 1987. I was kid and I interviewed him for my school radio station. I asked him if h'ed heard of Donald Fagen. He hadn't. I quoted him the lyric from "New Frontier" and he loved it. "Nightfly" was my introduction to jazz, even if it was only jazz influenced. There was enough there to get my attention. It literally changed my life. :)
I’m on the tail end of what’s considered millennial (1995) and in my case I first heard SD on a road trip to Arizona for thanksgiving with a greatest hits CD my mom had bought at Best Buy.
True @31:20 about young people appreciating Steely Dan. Right now a UA-camr, a young Metal kid, has featured Steely Dan songs fascinated by it. Nice to see.
Fabulous. Thank you for doing, and posting, this.
Awesome! Thanks for this Chad
Thank you Chad! Enjoyed it!
Really enjoyed this. Thanks!
Lincoln Mayroga was great. His playing on Phil Ochs Pleasure for the Harbor is sublime. Amazing player and arranger 🎹🎹🎹
Awesome! Thank you for this!!
This is a total treat. Loved the conversation.
Mind Blown. Thanks Chad
Really enjoyed this chat
Fagan is a freaking genius. Consummate composer, iconic interpreter of what was contemporary life at the height of the Dan, most recognizable voice in modern pop-fusion-jazz history. So many tunes, I'll never get them out of my head. Yikes. Gotta turn off my 'gushing over' button...
I really dislike how people throw ‘genius’ around on youtube. I guess you use the term very broadly. To me, Leonardo da Vinci, Shakespeare and Amadeus Mozart was a genius. Donald Fagen is an excellent musician and writer and I admire his effort in every way. But genius. No.
@@Mr.Monta77 Point taken old chap! In the interest of time, many of us have fallen into using it as a colloquialism to say many many things in one succinct word. Would that it weren't...Cheers
BUT... once asked for a "chocolate banana shake" at a fast food drive-thru... everything is tempered by that.
I agree. An excellent musician, but not a genius
@@Mr.Monta77 Hey, I kind of disagree. there are a lot of geniuses like 1 in every 10,000 or so. People like Mozart , Einstein or DaVinci are beyond mere genius. They are like 1 in 100 years of people.
Great show Donald & Chad!
Well done Chad and team... incredible interview. Many thanks.
Thanks Chad!! 🙏
I'm 19 and the reason why I got into Steely Dan (and Donalds solos by extension) was a combination between my dads influence (he listened to Aja a lot) and the accessibility of Spotify. After a while I started listening to records and have most of Steely Dans discography. Unfortunately I missed some of the newer albums, what i'd give to listen to Kamakiriad and Two against Nature on vinyl! But once i got into Steely Dan, todays music is definitely harder to get into.
Looking forward to the next album, keep in good health Donald!
Oh this is a 💎 so happy to hear. Excited! MONK!
Just here to look at Donald💕
Thanks to everyone involved for this entertaining and informative chat!
Awesome to hear that Donald has some new tunes he wants to put out. I remember hearing Steely Dan on the radio as a young person and knowing instantly it would be one of my favorites.
Boy, am I enjoying this! Donald Fagen , wow!
Steely Dan was for me in the '70s what The Beatles had been for me in the '60s. Their two appearances on NBC's "The Midnight Special" in 1973 also convinced my wife and me to drive 90 miles north to the U. of Toledo on Sunday April 21, 1974, where we saw one of the best live bands on the planet that year. We left the arena with no idea that Steely Dan wouldn't tour again until August of 1993. By then, both drummers we had heard that night (Jim Hodder and Jeff Porcaro) had passed on way too soon.
Wow, this is how I found out about these reissues. Sweet.
I`m very excited about these reissues. They are going to be the most important albums in my " New Collection" Great interview
Fascinating chat thanks guys
Wow! This is just...stellar. I've been aware of Steely Dan and Mr. Fagen since the start. You've brought him out like nobody else. He comes across as enthused as a 22 year old. Subscriber - instantly!! Thank you.
No other band has ever come close ….the first album I bought was “Countdown to Ecstasy “ . Rick Derringers guitar work Show biz kids set the stage for me ….been a fan for ever and ever …..Gods speed Walter.
Steely Dan was so a perfectionist, which I agree, going through 10 or more drummers on a section to get the sound to perfection.
I would imagine younger folk like the music for the same reason anyone who appreciates good music, it's good music. Thank you so much for enhancing my life
with great lyrics and music.
Been listening to Steely Dan since I was 15; I made a new friend who asked me what kind of music I liked. I told him I was into Danny Wilson (who are from my hometown and now friends also), and he said _"If you like them, you'll like Steely Dan"_ , and when I told him I liked De La Soul and my favourite track was Eye Know he said _"That's Steely Dan!"_
He bought a tape copy of Gaucho from a record exchange to let me hear, and by the time it hit Glamour Profession I was a confirmed fan.
That was almost 35 years ago, and in that time a lot of different styles of music have arrived in my life, and then moved out again for a while as is the cyclical nature of art like music and films, you go through phases and periods.
The one true consistent in that time has been Steely Dan. I've never stopped listening to them and the solo records, and never enjoy them any less. I'll be a Dan fan till I die.
So great!
So good. It’s the pride of the neighborhood
The Nightfly has been my favourite album since 1984. It reflected my life as a design student from overseas studying in USA. Donald Fagen is pure gold.
Great interview Chad and an excellent way to launch the new UHQR Steely Dan reissues obviously. Donald seems pleased with what he has seen and heard.
Lincoln Mayorga was the pianist, bandleader & arranger on that amazing Ketty Lester album on ERA Records, 'Love Letters'.
One of my favorite titles to this day (It's 60 years old, and mono).
That was f’n awesome!
Donald Fagan, so many amazing songs and albums. The live show at Jones Beach late August 2003, Two Against Nature tour. Almost 20 years ago it seems like it wasn't that long ago.
This is so cool!
I am screaming and kicking the air like a little girl right now.
Wow!!
Great video
Awesome information
Thank you
This was gold. I hope Donald is finding peace, as hard as that is for true artists.
Great conversation about many interesting things! :)
Been listening to SD since 1976. Huge fan. I wish there was enough resolution to see what's on Don's bookshelf. The Naked Lunch must be there somewhere.
Great conversation.
I love how Fred Kaplan seems very high (sorry), yet keeps the conversation chugging and throws out great questions. Excited for the UHQRs!
That said, Donald Fagen exhibits his usual dismissive/arrogant self.
Love the vibe here. Still regret not taking Mom's copy of 'Cheap Thrill', but now I can get the reissue.
Great to hear from D.F. I've always wondered what inspired the Dan's use of the steel guitar on so many tracks. Wonder if the question comes up in these conversations.
The opportunity to buy some of these albums taken from the masters is so good. Even if I can’t afford all of them (haha) I’m definitely not going to miss out!
I hear a lot of background "nuances' in my dreams on these compositions. Big Steely Dan fan!! Back to " the early years", born in Camden, NJ. J
Wow this is AWESOME