Major Dudes: A Steely Dan Companion

by Barney Hoskyns (Editor)

Overview

At its core a creative marriage between Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, Steely Dan recorded several of the cleverest and best-produced albums of the 1970s, making them one of the most successful rock acts of the past 50 years. Major Dudes collects some of the smartest and wittiest interviews Becker and Fagen have ever given, along with intelligent reviews of—and commentary on— their extraordinary songs. Compiled by leading music critic Barney Hoskyns, Major Dudes features contributions from the likes of Sylvie Simmons, Fred Schruers, and the late Robert Palmer; plus rare interviews and reviews of Steely Dan’s early albums from Disc, Melody Maker, and Rolling Stone. With an introduction by Hoskyns and an obituary for Walter Becker by David Cavanagh, Major Dudes will be the centerpiece on every fan’s shelf.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419738944
Publisher:	Abrams Press
Publication date:	09/17/2019
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	622,568
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Barney Hoskyns is the cofounder and editorial director of Rock’s Backpages, and author of numerous books including Across the Great Divide, Waiting for the Sun, Hotel California, and Lowside of the Road. A former MOJO correspondent, Hoskyns writes for Uncut and has contributed to Vogue, Rolling Stone, and GQ. He lives in London.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements xi

A Squonk's Tears - Steely Dan at forty-five Barney Hoskyns xiii

1 Thrill Seekers 1

1 Rock and roll via Third Stream Chris Van Ness, Los Angeles Free Press, October 1972 3

2 Review of Can't Buy A Thrill Andrew Tyler, Disc, January 1973 10

3 Get Your Thrills Here Penny Valentine Sounds, March 1973 12

4 Counting Down to Headline Status Steven Rosen, Los Angeles Free Press, August 1973 15

5 Review of Countdown to Ecstasy Mick Gold, Let It Rock, December 1973 21

6 Walking Slow, Drinking Alone, And Moving Swiftly Through The Night … Wayne Robins, New Musical Express, February 1974 23

2 Dark Companions 31

1 Review of Pretzel Logic Ian MacDonald, New Musical Express, March 1974 33

2 Band Breakdown Chris Welch, Melody Maker, June 1974 36

3 Review of Katy Lied Jonh Ingham, Let It Rock, June 1975 47

4 Yes, it's Steely Dan Versus the Fifth Ice Age Richard Cromelin, New Musical Express, April 1975 49

5 Review of The Royal Scam Bud Scoppa, Circus, August 1976 63

6 Art for Art's Sake Michael Watts, Melody Maker, June 1976 66

3 Glamour Professionals 101

1 Review of Aja Richard C. Walls, Creem, January 1978 103

2 Retrospective review of Aja Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2011 106

3 Steely Dan Dare to give Sylvie Simmons a more-open-than-usual interview Sylvie Simmons, Sounds, October 1977 108

4 Retrospective review of Gaucho Ian MacDonald, Uncut, March 2002 122

5 Disaster and Triumph in the Custerdome Robert Palmer, Rolling Stone, February 1981 127

4 New Frontiersmen 143

1 Review of Donald Fagen's The Nightfly Charles Shaar Murray, New Musical Express, October 1982 145

2 Donald Fagen Revisits an Era of Innocence Fred Schruers, Musician, January 1983 148

3 Walter Becker: Breaking the Silence Mark Leviton, BAM, December 1985 155

4 Donald Fagen; Reeling In The Years Rob Steen, the Independent, November 1991 160

5 Review of Fagen's Kamakiriad Geoffrey Himes, the Washington Post, March 1993 165

6 Donald Fagen: The Man Who Came in From the Cool Barney Hoskyns, Arena, Spring 1993 167

7 The Dream Ticket Nick Coleman, Time Out, September 1993 174

8 Review of Becker's 11 Tracks Of Whack Geoffrey Himes, the Washington Post, December 1994 179

5 Heavy Rollers 183

1 Stand-Up Rock'n'Roll: The Return of Steely Dan Andy Gill, MOJO, October 1995 185

2 Review of Show at Wembley Arena, London Chris Ingham, MOJO, November 1996 214

3 Review of Two Against Nature Ian MacDonald, Uncut, March 2000 217

4 Hey Nineteen: It's About Time Wayne Robins, Los Angeles Times, February 2000 221

5 Steely Dan and Jazz Chris Ingham, Jazzwise, December 2000 227

6 Review of Everything Must Go Richard Williams, the Guardian, June 2003 234

7 A Droll Double Act Gavin Martin, the Independent, June 2003 235

6 Grey Eminences 243

1 Review of Fagen's Morph The Cat Geoffrey Himes, the Washington Post, March 2006 245

2 At Long Last, Fagen Puts The 'Cat' Out Ira Robbins, Newsday, March 2006 247

3 Becker's Circus Money Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times, June 2008 250

4 Review of Fagen's Sunken Condos Adam Sweeting, the Arts Desk, October 2012 253

5 Donald Fagen Bruce Pollock, Songfacts, November 2012 255

6 Review of Fagen's Eminent Hipsters Ian Penman, City Journal, January 2014 260

7 Icon: Donald Fagen Dylan Jones, GQ, February 2014 278

8 Walter Becker, 1950-2017 David Cavanagh, Uncut, November 2017 289

Contributors 295

Index 305

Editorial Reviews

A collection of some of the wittiest interviews Fagen and Becker have ever sat down for juxtaposed with a collection of the sharpest commentary from music journalism’s top dogs.

Melissa Caruso - Elmore Magazine

Steely Dan saw the rottenness of the era ahead of time and staked a claim to a land that we would all eventually occupy. . . For a Dan fan, it’s fascinating to read about what the critics were hearing, which was a combination of baffled satisfaction, baffled ambivalence, and baffled displeasure. One thing that is consistent . . . is how different the Dan sounded from everything and everyone else. . . . Hoskyns has judiciously gathered a lot of perceptive thinking, especially admirable because of how unmusical most rock critics are and how complex the Dan’s music is.

George Grella - The Brooklyn Rail

What enthralled me, and still does, is how the Dan’s happily seditious lyrics are wed to the complexity of the music. Most of the writers here understand that. . . . Becker and Fagen were notoriously tough interview subjects, and didn’t grant audiences often, so Hoskyns has managed to corral the best of the best. The pair’s biting humor comes across in the finest moments. . . . If I was teaching a class in writing about popular music, this would be one of the required textbooks.

Dwight Silverman - The Houston Chronicle

Mr. Fagen and Mr. Becker bring out the best in writers . . . Even for those resistant to Steely Dan’s subversive charms, Major Dudes will likely inspire streaming . . . What better recommendation could there be for a book about music?”

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Smart and slinky . . . Hoskyns arranges Major Dudes to bring attention to some of the more talented writers who have tangled with the notoriously prickly duo, as well as to act as a companion to the band's music. It succeeds on both fronts . . . In his finest move, he creates a loving and sympathetic picture of the two men who were at the center of it. 8/10”

PopMatters

Compelling and revealing . . . The interviews uncover a great deal about the influences that shaped Fagen and Becker’s art . . . Major Dudes gives us plenty to read and think about.”

Washington Post