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Complete transcript of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker in an AOL Chat, March 2, 2000 |
Disclaimer: Steelydan.Com wishes it to be known that the reliability of chat transcripts are marginal, at best: Many statement attributions are incorrect or absent, and the actual contributions of D&W often have been paraphrased by the typist. |
AOLiveMC9: Welcome Steely Dan!
Walter: Hello!
Donald: Hi there!
AOLiveMC9: Here is our first question.
Question: Just got the new CD and it's great just like all the others ones. Just wanted to say hi, and glad you're back together. By the way. What did you do on 12-31?
Donald:We tripped the light fanastic...in fact
Walter: I tripped on the light fantastic.
Question: Love the new CD, very glad you are back together. What bands or singers do you listen to?
Donald: Boyd Rayburn Orchestra
Walter:That Louis Armstrong is still one hell of a jazz singer.
Question: what do you think of pop "musicians" like boy bands and Britney clones?
Walter: My daughter loves them all
Donald:I've never heard Britney clones...but I hear she's very good.
Question: Did you boys record the new one with 24 bit 96mhtxz technology- in consideration of the coming DVD -CDs?
Walter: No, we didn't record it that way, but we did mix that way.
Question: I saw you during your Art Crimes tour in 96. On that tour you performed "Jack of Speed" which you said would be on the "new album." Why did you decide to have Donald sing the lead rather than Walter who sang it in concert?
Donald:I asked Walter if he wanted to sing it and he didn't want to do it.
Walter: I saw my chance to skizzle out of it and I took it. was I crazy!
Question: Any chance for an album full of covers? ie: Mary mary, I got news for you, drowning in the sea of love?
Donald: That's goog idea.... maybe so, when we are too elderly to write songs anymore.
Question: What has your exeprience been doing publicity, interviews, etc. for 2vN? You're everywhere-- Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today. Are you enjoying the attention?
Walter: Uniformly good..... however, we are having nervouws breakdowns..
Donald: We are already booked into a nice resthome...for the month of March...
Walter:whatever remains of March.
Question: Who inspired you to sing?
Donald: Well, I guess, I was inspired to sing cause we couldn't find a prefessional singer to sing with the band.
Walter: So it was a survival thing?
Donald:Yeah, it was survival of the unfittest...
Walter: By the way, we just finished taping the Dave Letterman show.
Question: what are your music video plans?
Donald:I sang a couple of words wrong, so I sang some fake words instead.
Walter:Dave didn't seem to notice. All of our employees said that we sounded real good.
Donald: By the way, there's a sign on the door here at the David Letterman office... The sign says....Dave you look like a million damn bucks... I guess that's to keep his spirits up.
Question: What is the hardest part about having a band?
Donald: Feeding the musicians....
Walter: you got to make sure you take your hand away.
Question: WHERE DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR THE SONG "COUSIN DUPREE" I LOVE THIS SONG IT HAS A GOOD BEAT KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. ROCK ON!!!!!
Donald: It's actually an expansion on the old joke Rural Amours...
Question: Who was your greatest musical influence?
Donald: Boyd Rayburn...
Walter: Boyd Rayburn
Question: Are you doing a music video to support this album and if you are what is the concept?
Walter: We are not....
Donald:They may excerpt a song the song from a PBS concert film we did and use it for a video.
Question: Walter, What was your first guitar?
Walter: My first guitar was a Martin OOO-18
Question: Any idea when this summer's tour dates will be announced?
Walter:Not exactly sure....
Question: I guess Steely Dan will never die. Got the new CD, love it as all your other albums. Heard you on my local radio station. What's the ginger cookies??
Walter: YOu mean the Swedish Ginger Cookies..
SteelyDanLive: their just a tasty sweet little cookie...
SteelyDanLive: crispy crunchy little cookie...
SteelyDanLive: we plan to have many boxes of them
SteelyDanLive: or tins if they come in tins
SteelyDanLive: We're not absolutely sure about that.
SteelyDanLive: In any case, it is our fond hope that when the time is right....
SteelyDanLive: we will have them delivered to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
SteelyDanLive: Compliments of us - was that what they were referring to?
SteelyDanLive: If not nevermind.
Question: Are you jazz fans...cause the sound you have is a lot like jazz.
Donald:Donald: And how!
Question: do you feel that your music is having an impact on todays music and which bands
Walter:Not that we know of....
Question: Is there any chance you'll ever re-record The Second Arrangement, or at least play it live on tour?
Walter: There is a chance however slight... but I wouldn't hold my breath
Question: How do you receive criticisms of your music--do you bristle, are you okay with it, or do you just think the listener is dumb?
Donald:Well, yeah, we like constructive criticism...
Walter: It's just that we haven't heard any yet.
Donald:Someone did actually make a suggestion .... a guy who interviewed us
Walter: Oh the German guy..
Donald: A German guy suggested that we end more of our songs rather then fade out.
SteelyDanLive: And we agreed with him.,...
SteelyDanLive: that we should end them all....
SteelyDanLive: And that the fade out can be construed as a cop-out.
Walter: So, in honor of his suggested, we will be performing all of our songs on stage this summer with endings.
Question: Who did the guitar solo on Peg?
Donald: That was Jay Graydon...
Question: where did come up with the name steely dan
Walter:It's on permanent loan from the Burrough collection....
Donald: Burroughs
Question: Which cover of any of your songs is your favorite?
Walter: I can't think of any particular favorite...can you Donald...
Donald: How bout that one Only a Fool Would say That?
Walter: There was this one a version of Only a fool Would Say that... by someone called Ivy..... Which will be part of a soundtrack of a movie called Me Myself and Irene...
Donald: that's our current fav.
Question: I have a lurking fear you really won't be doing another album. Should I get professional help?
Donald:You should get prefessional help either wa
Walter: Don't take chances with your wellbeing.
Question: you've been making music for a long time....do you look back a lot at stuff you've accomplished?
Walter: No, I don't think we do that very often...
Donald: It's too scary....way to scary.
AOLiveMC9: Here is our last question for tonight.
Question: Do you have any ambivalent feelings when you hear you whole body of work on Muzak?
Walter: Yes and no.
AOLiveMC9: LOL.. Thank you very much for your time. Any last words for our great audience?
Donald:Keep the faith baby...
Walter: See ya this summer!
AOLiveMC9: Thank you very much to Steely Dan and to the great audience. Good night and Aloha.