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

Wait. Didn't DF did a short tour with The Nightflyers before performing this will the Steely Dan Band?

 

I just have listened to the whole thing, and it indeed sounds beautiful. It sounds as good as the studio version. So glad they released this as a CD. The collector in me is very satisfied with having this in a physical format even though the packaging isn't anything special.

 

Thank! I really appreciate all the links, too.

 

Yes. Didn't perform the whole album, though.

Search for setlists: tour:(Donald Fagen and The Nightflyers) | setlist.fm

 

I'd disagree on that point. It does sounds better than Alive In America, IMO.

 

According to this article, Fagen's net worth is approximately $60 million. I think his finances will be OK when he retires.

Artists just starting out, on the other hand, will have a much harder time.

 

I would guess he’s been paying the band on a retainer basis during the pandemic. Personal net worth aside, I’m sure he could use some extra cash from these releases to pay the band.

 

I saw 2 shows on the Fagen+Nightflyers tour and loved hearing a different take on those familiar songs. The band was a group of younger guys who I understand Fagen had met and played with in the Woodstock area where he lives. I don't know if they were an already formed band or whether Fagen put them together, but it was very interesting to hear their more uptempo, rocking take on the SD catalog. Conner Kennedy the lead guitarist was added to the 2019 SD tour, so he appears on these 2 live recordings btw.

They played 4 of the 8 Nightfly tunes at the 2 shows I saw, and played them splendidly. I wished they had done the whole album, and I was hoping for a few tunes from Sunken Condos, but they were great shows nonetheless.

 

My favorite part:

And out of these failed attempts at writing AM fluff came Can’t Buy a Thrill?

Uh, well, yeah, some of those songs, and some songs from out of our Freaky Book, which was our main stuff.

What’s the Freaky Book?

That’s the first compilation of stuff Walter and I started writing. We wanted to get a band together to play this material that wasn’t the staff writing we were doing at ABC. It was the stuff we were writing that had more adventurous harmony in it. Pieces of things from that time got recycled for later material too. “West of Hollywood” [from Two Against Nature], the core of that was something we wrote in college.

The Freaky Book needs to be published! [My words]

 

Sorry BackScratcher, but if you think this is an "article" of any credibility, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.

I'm sure that Donald is better off than a lot of musicians just starting out, but after all of his impressive contributions in the field of music, I think he's earned that. Yes, he did have the advantage of starting a musical career when the music market was growing rapidly.

As Steve Van Zandt has noted, don't confuse fame and wealth. They are often quite different. And these days, a lot of "legacy artists" who counted on continued royalties for their creative work have found that it has instead been diverted to streaming services, ISPs, etc. or lost to new technologies that enable others to access their work without payment. Many artists don't see financial gain from releasing new music, and don't bother. Happy that Donald at least gave these 2 albums a shot. I think he'd be well served to offer up a deluxe box set of live performances from the past 20 years covering SD's limited but amazing catalog - that's the most profitable release for legacy artists these days.

 

Multiple articles peg Fagen's net worth north of $50 million. The exact amount isn't particularly important, but clearly he is worth tens of millions of dollars. (If you think otherwise. I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.) And I never said anything to imply he didn't earn his money. On the contrary, between LPs, CDs, concerts, etc., I 've probably spent close to a thousand dollars myself on SD's and Fagen's music. I just don't abide by an earlier statement in this thread implying that these releases were somehow related to some kind of financial need on his part.

 

Thanks for the reminder. I've owned Sunken Condos for 9 years and I've listened to it a grand total of... twice

 

Listening to the vinyl version of Nightfly Live and it's sounding phenomenal. Very happy with this release

 

Got the cd yesterday, sounds very nice indeed. Should have the vinyl in a few days.

 

Northeast Corridor really is an incredible-sounding document, in fact it sounds so good it's hard to believe that most of what I'm hearing was done live. In fact, if you told me hefty chunks of this were done in a studio, I wouldn't doubt it.

 

Picking mine up Friday, no click/ pops or surface noise I hope?

 

That's exactly why I am full-on digital. I never have to ask such questions...

 

But you may have to ask if it's too compressed. When done right vinyl beats everything hands down.

 

Yeah, I'm waiting to see what people think of the vinyl releases. I'd also say that Keith Carlock is playing his butt off but the band is full of all-stars! Shanna Steele on the vocals is a favorite, own a few records by her! Funny thing, someone mentioned that the audience weren't as loud as what he experienced. I listened to the records threw some headphones and it almost sounds like the audience has been recorded, very low, in the noisefloor of of each tune! I'd like to hear if someone else hears this, or is just the effect of "the fine Columbian, makes the night a wonderful thing!"

 

I'll pass on your bridge offer, thanks, but also don't believe that Donald is "clearly" worth "tens of millions of dollars." And regardless of how much he's worth, I can well understand his unwillingness to go to the trouble of releasing new CDs on which he'd be sure to lose money and/or proper compensation for the value of his creativity, skill, time, etc. That's why I believe the surrounding imagery, booklets, etc. are so bare bones, in the hope of putting these CDs into the profitability column.

 

Not on mine nope. Sounds fantastic, clean and super flat.

 

Got mine today. Superb sound. But it would have to be, wouldn’t it? After all, it’s The Nightfly!

 

You did that on purpose, didn’t you?

​

 

as i recall, it’s mastered dreadfully, so i can understand why. my total plays is north of 2, but nowhere near anything else in the oeuvre.

 

Any major dude would have told you the same thing.