"The Steely Dan Band" releasing "Donald Fagen's 'The Nightfly' Live"

Donald is one of my all time favorite artists and The Nightfly is absolutely in my top 10 records ever made but I’m quite underwhelmed by this release. I’ve never been a huge fan of him live. Even though the band plays extremely well, it’s just not up to the level of the records, especially Donald’s voice.

Nonetheless, I will be buying this on CD and hope this encourages him to release a new album. It’s been 9 years since Sunken Condos, which I really like, and he’s not getting any younger.

 

I'm not going to buy it. Fagen can produce some original material if he wants my money--hopefully a high res version. He's probably my favorite working artist, so I'm certainly his target audience. My sense is that he's needing to generate tons of cash and is already behind due to the pandemic and bad investments. I guess it's reasonable to assume this is a logical release decision, given that he is now the sole proprietor of Steely Dan and he may as well bring his solo work officially under the SD umbrella. But come on. This music hasn't been new in about 39 years. I don't like the precedent it sets to pump out a live version of it.

 

I've seen Mission of fBurna play their third reunion album in reverse order.

Yes also did Close to the Edge in reverse sequence, as it should have been done in the first place.

 

The Steely Dan concert I attended was such a disappointment, that I never bothered going out to see them live again. It was one of the most uninspired, boring, and ashamedly bad-sounding concerts I ever have been to. What made it unbearable was, that I was so excited and happy to finally see them live and expected something great. The band wasn't well together and the worst part was, that they didn't even care to hide, that they didn't care at all, but the charges were pretty high. I was (and still am) a massive fan for a long time, but they lost some credit that night..
Nevertheless, I'll check it out, when the record is out and decide then.

 

Great news!

 

Had Becker been on these recordings, then I would make a purchase.
Had seen them on every tour since 1993 (16 shows) & Fagen solo in 2006 but that’s it for me.
If Donald every tours again like his tour in 2006 and plays mainly solo material I might go, but for me Steely Dan the group ended when Walter passed away.

 

Will probably get it but would much prefer standard vinyl re releases of his next two solo albums, crazy money for them on Discogs etc

 

Its night time themed vinyl, ie black!

 

The knock against the touring version of Steely Dan is that they are prone to just phone it in some nights. I first heard this critique from a close friend who is even more into the band than I am. The first show he saw was a top 10 mountaintop experience. The next year, snooze fest.

I saw a show in 2014. First night of the tour. They were phenomenal. Even Becker, who I find barely tolerable, was tolerable. Jon Herington, Keith Carlock had me absolutely mesmerized the entire time. What Keith Carlock does with a hi hat is just pure magic.

 

I believe it's The Second Disc website that is reporting this as being recorded "during the last tour". What I'm guessing is that they probably can't release anything new or heretofore unreleased with Walter Becker in it, which if true is sad. I'm certain they have older recorded dates in the can (they'd have been NUTS not to record any of the Beacon runs in their entirety).

 

And what about that title track!

 

Do you think that there will be releases in the future with Walter Becker included, studio recordings,live recordings?I doubt if any live DVD's will come out but I could be wrong but probably a reissue of the 2000 DVD would be great to get converted to Blu Ray!

 

I think the Dan was out of gas after Gaucho. I enjoyed Fagen's The Nightfly CD, but I'll be skipping this live version of it. I never saw these guys live in concert, but every video I've watched on YouTube left me unimpressed. Fagen was out of gas after The Nightfly. Very disappointing really, because I really enjoyed their output until 1982.

 

It's nice that you're making a principled stand and all, but there was no musical difference without Becker. He was in poor shape prior and Herrington was doing all the important work.

 

In 2014, I think Walter took the solo on My Old School, otherwise it was Herington. Walter’s rap during Hey Nineteen was cringeworthy. It went on forever. I also remember Walter’s guitar collection being on display behind him. Whereas Herington played one guitar all night. I could easily have done without Walter.

 

That’s only the last few years, the shows I saw in the 90’s he did the majority. So yes i probably would be not be able to tell, so yes you are correct it is about principal now..

 

Nobody in this thread should be skipping 11 Tracks of Whack & Circus Money - Walter's two solo albums. If you wants some new Dan and you haven't heard these two, imo fantastic, albums then run, don't walk, to your nearest hi-fidelity music outlet and grab them both by the throat. They might not be your cup of tea but for this Dan fan they're two of my favourite Dan/Solo releases. The vocals are somewhat rough around the edges but they soon grew on me and seemed perfect for the world-weary and worn-out lyrics. The songs are full of unexpected melodies and modulations, the lyrics are full of wit and cynical wisdom, and you can even 'boogie' to some of the tracks.

I never miss an opportunity to promote these albums.

Nearly Dan...

 

So true. He kept using the f word over and over. It was like you were watching a little kid who just learned the word, saying it to demonstrate something to himself.

 

Sorry, I’ve heard them.

 

I am a big fan of SD Mach I and prefer Walter's solo output to Donald's, which I find rather antiseptic

 

When was that? Because the so-anticipated tour of was it 1994 left me pretty cold. Great players, but some kind of vim was definitely missing. Now about 4-5 years ago at Nokia Theatre in LA, and just pre-COVID in Syracuse, GREAT! Tight, lively, having fun.

 

Possibly the worst live album ever. Well, maybe not but certainly no excitement to be discerned anywhere. Why did they bother to tour at all?

 

I suspect some bills to pay, as anybody...