Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year!

We hope that 2011 has been a good year for you readers and listeners out there.
We have experienced good things as that Steely Dan has been touring again, when they performed a couple of very special shows as a rarities show for instance. We also saw the release of Pauline Butcher's excellent Zappa book, and the release of the Carnegie Hall (Zappa & The Mothers live in N.Y.C. October 1971).

Then there was the Pink Floyd event in Stockholm in May where the music that came from the stage at the Golden Circle club came from a previously almost unknown Pink Floyd recording made in the same venue in 1967. The same week in May 2011 Roger Waters played a show in the same city, but on a different stage, Globen.

There was a new album released by Kate Bush (50 Words For Snow), a reunion of Return To Forever...and Dweezil Zappa has continued his Zappa Plays Zappa thing including collaborations with Chick Corea & Return To Forever plus also Zappa veterans Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan.

New album by Kate.
There has also been sad news: Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood, saxophone player of the Mothers of Invention died, and so did Gil Scott-Heron. Guitar player Gary Mooore passed away and also Larry "Wild Man" Fischer. Wild Man was singing songs for dimes in the streets in L.A. in the 60's when Frank Zappa met him and produced the infamous An Evening With Wild Man Fischer album on his Bizarre label.

It's sad when favourite artists die, and one never really knows when the stars of the future is born but we do hope they are.

Let's see what 2012 will bring us. 
Happy New Year!

//Sigurd Huckle
Radio Dupree

Monday, December 26, 2011

R.I.P. Jim "Motorhead" Sherwood


A couple of sources report that Jim (James) "Motorhead" Sherwood, member of the Mothers of Invention in the 1960's, has passed away.
Sherwood went to high school with Frank Zappa (who later became leader of the Mothers in the 60's). Jim Sherwood started out as roadie for the group but soon became a regular member playing saxophone and tambourine. He passed away on December 25th at the age of 69.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Sherwood

http://lineout.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2011/12/26/mothers-of-invention-saxophonistvocalist-jim-motorhead-sherwood-1942-2011


Thursday, December 22, 2011

A new Zappa Birthday Bundle!

Yesterday on Frank's birthday iTunes made yet another Zappa birthday bundle available...featuring the song Dead Girls of London with Van Morrison on lead vocals!...and more.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

"Lost" BBC David Bowie footage discovered

A rare David Bowie Top of the Pops performance has been found. BBC News reports that it's a performance of The Jean Genie that was saved from wiping by a cameraman. The recording was supposed to be broadcast again tonight at the Top of the Pops Christmas Special on BBC Two.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Václav Havel dies

Václav Havel, the playwright, poet and former dissident and president of Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic has died at the age of 75.

Havel was a Frank Zappa fan and in 1990 he appointed Zappa as "Special Ambassador to the West on Trade, Culture and Tourism". When visiting Prague in 1990 Zappa was surprised to see that his music was a symbol of independence and the fight for freedom.

BBC News: Havel dies
Radio Praha on Zappa's connection to Prague and Havel

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Pre-order your copy now!

Barfko-Swill is now taking pre-orders for the Captain Beefheart album Bat Chain Puller. The music was recorded in 1976 but remained unreleased as a result of the big law suit between the producer Frank Zappa and Warner Brothers.

The album consists of original versions of several songs that were later re-recorded for the Shiny Beast and Doc At The Radar Station albums, plus a couple of previously unreleased songs. This is what Wikipedia has on Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller) including some information about the original Bat Chain Puller.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Gil Scott-Heron biography coming early 2012


Jamie Byng, publisher of Canongate Books, was a friend of Gil Scott-Heron for more than 20 years. During 2010 they recorded this interview in London where the rapper-poet talked about his life and work, interspersed with intimate performances of his music.

Radio Dupree favourite Gil Scott-Heron's biography The Last Holiday will be published January 12, 2012.

More here including Gil reading an chapter from the book.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

L'Image Live In New York

The band consisting of Steve Gadd, Tony Levin, Mike Mainieri, David Spinozza and Warren Bernhardt is playing at The Iridium in New York for the next couple of days ending Sunday the 18. Here are two clips from the opening night on December 14.

You can check the Iriduim homepage for more info on the group and the live page were they just might stream the shows live. Not sure, but hopefully they will at least air one or two.

Pizzarelli makes Fagen Tiptoe On Raindrops With Thad

Excuse the headline, but it was just a way to squeeze Donald Fagen's Walk Between The Raindrops, Thad Jones' Tiptoe and jazz singer/guitarist John Pizzarelli into one sentence. Both songs are on John's next album Double Exposure to be released in Europe in March and the U.S. in May next year.

The idea behind the album is to mash and mix songs together, so the two above is joined as one. For more on what other songs have been picked and joined together read the article over at billboard.com.

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Just got the Carnegie Hall cd!

We at the Radio Dupree staff got a real surprise today. The Zappa Carnegie Hall 4 cd set in the mailbox, already!
It took Barfko-Swill/Music Today no more than 8 days to deliver...all the way from the US to Europe.
Our plan was to have the Carnegie Hall album as Album of the Month in January, but now we have already uploaded a couple of tracks on our playlists, and we plan to play it full blown already by Christmas all through January. Hotcha!

Dynamo Bliss - Circadian Rhythm video

It's on Radio Dupree's playlist since September, but here's the brand new video. Enjoy:



Homepage: dynamobliss.com

Sunday, December 04, 2011

"Steely Dan"? There's an app for that!

In the Marketplace for Windows phones we find this Steely Dan app priced at $0.99 and with the following description:

Follow this legendary band through the years with trivia, up-to-date-news, find out about any local events from Steely Dan, and stream their entire library to your phone!

It was released December 3 2011 and looks like a basic app that collects stuff from the Internet and packages it into a few easy to navigate pages.

But being bereft of any Windows phone we've not been in a position to buy, download and check it out.
Maybe somebody reading this can help? We're especially curious about how the streaming of their entire library is achieved.

If you do spend the necessary 99 cents please add a review in the comments.

Creole is listed as the publisher behind the app, and he/she is also behind apps covering Aerosmith, Doobie Brothers, Donald Fagen, Home Made Bread, Fox Now Milwaukee, Pokémon Mobile Trainer and more. A total of 59 apps.

In fact, a sensible Steely Dan fan might try out the Donald Fagen app, as it is listed as free.

Jon Herington and Walter Becker - Rig Rundown

In these two videos Premiere Guitar takes a look at Jon Herington's guitars and stuff and then on to Walter Becker's:
 

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Radio Dupree Top 15 - December 2011

1. Pink Floyd 
Us And Them (Richard Wright Demo)
The Dark Side Of The Moon (Immersion Box)

2. hr Big Band
FM
Do It Again - Plays Three Decades Of Steely Dan 

3. Weather Report 
Teen Town
Heavy Weather

4. The Who 
Baba O'Riley
The Kids Are Alright 

5. Robert Fripp 
North Star
Exposure 

6. Love 
The Red Telephone
Forever Changes 

7. The Beatles
Hold Me Tight
With The Beatles 

8. Donald Fagen
What I Do
Morph The Cat 

9. The Bee Gees
Sir Geoffrey Saved The World
1967 single b-side 

10. Elvis Costello
This Years Girl
This Years Model

11. Steely Dan - Aja (live) - Cousin Dupree-promo
12. Jean-Luc Ponty/Stephane Grappelli - Bowing-Bowing - Jean-Luc Ponty/Stephane Grappelli 
13. Be Bop Deluxe - Dance Of The Uncle Sam Humanoids - Modern Music 
14. Marianne Faithfull - She's Got A Problem - A Child's Adventure 
15. The Tubes - Cathy's Clone - Now
-------------------------------------------------------
Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

A scaled down demo of a Pink Floyd track and a pumped up big band verssion of a Steely Dan track. There you have the top two positions on the finals chart of the year.

Once again the chart pretty much reflects the mix that can be heard on Radio Dupree. Keep listening and voting!
-- N.S.

8-bit Steely Dan

For you weekend (or any other time you might read this) pleasure a couple of Steely Dan numbers getting the 8-bit early video game music makeover.


As presented on MrHopeTelevision's YouTube channel

More came to steelydan.com

Tour mementos added to steelydan.com
In a post Monday November 28 we wondered what the (more coming soon...) on steelydan.com could mean. What the "more" was.

Well, the answer is in and that is additional end-of-tour-page stuff like a montage of photos and a couple of video links.

This final(?) update of the homepage for 2011 was accompanied by issue #50 of the official Steely Dan newsletter - subscribe here! - that stated:
The Miles High Orchestra gave it their all, and crowds from Seattle to Sydney responded with the appreciation and enthusiasm for which Dan audiences are famous.
...
Thanks everybody!
Until Next Time ...

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Nerina Pallot - Put Your Hands Up

We're six months late to the party, but hey, at least we came!




This might also be as good a time as any to revisit her 2007 cover of Steely Dan's Peg.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Steely Dan final N.Y. night + What will happen in 2012?

Larry Carlton on the final night in New York.
The 2011 Steely Dan tour ended November 5 after 63 shows. Radio Dupree had the privilege of attending three of those.
We've already written about Rarities Night September 17 and Request Night September 22. Here are our memories from the final New York show, September 23.

We were a bit curious about how much from Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go would actually be performed on the night, since The Royal Scam was added to a night that initially promised just 21st Century Dan + Selected Hits.

The show started with a complete performance of The Royal Scam album. It had been played three nights earlier, but this time guitarist Larry Carlton joined on stage and stayed for the whole show. And there's no denying he added an extra spark to the proceedings, with Walter Becker and Jon Herington smiling and having fun as they proceeded through the songs.

When it was time to present the rarely played music from the two latest albums it started with the title track from Two Against Nature. A personal favourite!
Gaslighting Abbie, Janie Runaway and Cousin Dupree followed before switching albums to Everything Must Go with the title track and Godwhacker. And that was it as far as 21st Century Dan goes.
Then it was on to the band intros during Papa Don't Make No Mess, Dirty Work and the final clap-and-sing-along series of songs; Josie, Peg, Bodhisattva and Reelin' In The Years. The encore was Pretzel Logic.

Bye-bye!
Quite a night! And let's not forget the added pleasure of meeting fans before and after the show(s).


* * *
So what now? Well, there's hope among fans that the band will be back on the road in 2012. And that might happen. But more likely is Donald Fagen doing a few solo gigs to promote his new album. An album that should arrive before summer (or sooner still if we had anything to say in the matter!)

But these are all specualtions. What's sure is that the successful joining of Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs as The Dukes Of September in 2010 will get a new chance early 2012. Could be Donald will use that tour to premiere his new album?

And what will Walter do? Donald has mentioned that he's been working on his own project, whatever that might be. A new record? Hopefully! Will it see the light of day in 2012? Hopefully!

Another thing that's sure is that 2012 will mark the 40 anniversary of Steely Dan. Expect another Greatest Hits album if nothing else. Maybe even a remastered and expanded box á la Citizen Steely Dan from 1993. It's getting on a bit... Hey19 (!) years old.
Some fans are hoping that now that the holy grail of "lost" Steely Dan songs; Second Arrangement, has been played live for the very first time, Donald and Walter will surprise us all by releasing some sort of live recordning from the 2011 tour. In one form or another.

So here are the above mentioned ranked from "will happen" to "no way José":

YES - Donald Fagen releasing new solo album
YES - The Dukes Of September will tour
YES - Some sort of commemorative Greatest Hits/Box Set will be released to celebrate 40 years of Steely Dan

MAYBE - Donald Fagen will do a solo tour
MAYBE - Steely Dan will be back on the road before the year is over
MAYBE - Something new from Walter Becker will arrive

NAW - A Blue-ray/DVD extravaganza or CD from the 2011 tour will be released
NAW - A new Steely Dan album is recorded and/or released
NAW - Steely Dan calls it a day and breaks up.

Let me leave you with this minor mystery. Over on steelydan.com a couple of end of tour pictures of the band appeared after the final show. They were accompanied by the line "Three seasons, two hemispheres, and sixty-three gigs later..."

A couple of weeks pass by and up pops the addition (more coming soon...)

But what?



--- Jim Fisk

UPDATE December 4, 2011: Yes, the answer to what (more coming soon...) meant is covered in this post.

bowieNet denies rumours about stage musical

Yesterday media as The Observer and The Guardian reported that David Bowie accepts to have his music in a futuristic musical.
But Bowie's official homepage presents a different version:
"Neither the David Bowie Organization, nor its co-publishers EMI Music and Chrysalis, has issued a license for this performance at the O2. There are no negotiations pending for a long running musical featuring the music of Mr. Bowie."

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Track list for the new Zappa Carnegie Hall album

The content of the new Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention 4 cd set is now known, since G & S Music in the UK announces they have the set available on November 28.

Disc 1 (begins with the Persuasions' show (25 minutes) and then proceeds with the beginning of The Mothers' first show. All music recorded at Carnegie Hall, N.Y.C. October 11, 1971.)
Hello (to FOH)/Ready?!
Call Any Vegetable
Anyway The Wind Blows
Magdalena
Dog Breath

Disc 2
Peaches En Regalia
Tears Began To Fall
Shove It Right In
King Kong (30 minutes!)
200 Motels Finale
Who Are The Brain Police

Disc 3 (Show #2 starts here)
Auspicious Occasion
Divan (19.45 long)
Pound For A Brown
Sleeping In A Jar
Wonderful Wino
Sharleena
Cruising For Burgers

Disc 4
Billy The Mountain - Part 1 (28.33)
Billy The Mountain - The Carnegie Solos (13.31)
Billy The Mountain - Part 2 (5.37)
The $600 Mud Shark Prelude
The Mud Shark Prelude

***

"On no, not another release by the Vaudeville band" was my first reaction when the news were out earlier this fall. BUT after hearing what the Feeding the Monkies at Ma Maison synclavier cd (the most recent FZ release) sounded like, I quickly changed my mind: "Release a Zappa rock album of any sort and I'll buy it right away!"
And I get even more convinced after seeing the track list. This could be a tasty little sucker!
We got two entire shows (although it is said to be in mono) including the complete (?) Divan suite, a super lengthy King Kong, a 13 minutes long solo section in the middle of Billy The Mountain. We also get spiffed up arrangements of two oldies that have not been released until now: Anyway The Wind Blows and Who Are The Brain Police....and the support act show by The Persuasions. Hurray!

S.H.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Unreleased Doors' song on L.A. Woman reissue

For the 40th anniversary of the Doors' L.A. Woman album, Rhino will release a 2 cd set including alternate takes of some songs plus a previously unreleased song entitled She Smells So Nice.
Read the original Rolling Stone article here, where you also can hear a preview audio snippet of She Smells So Nice!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Hear Kate Bush new one

Kate Bush has a brand new album released November 21 or 29 depending on were you live. But you can already hear all seven songs from 50 Words For Snow as part on NPR:s First Listen.

Click here!

It's also streaming on Australia's ABC Radio's Breakfast show's homepage here.

katebushnews.com is a fine place to stay on top of what's happening as far as Kate Bush goes.There is of course also katebush.com.

 Guests on the recording include Elton John and ... Stephen Fry!

Kate Bush fans should note that she'll appear on Jamie Cullum's BBC Radio 2 show December 6 at 7 p.m. local time:

Jamie Cullum conducts a rare interview with Kate Bush, as the British singer-songwriter, musician and record producer talks about the jazz she loves.

Kate also tells the story behind Misty, a track on her new album 50 Words For Snow. The two musicians discuss the complex time signatures within Misty and compare them to Take Five by Dave Brubeck, before chatting about their different approaches to composition, and their mutual love of Billie Holliday and Steely Dan.




Wednesday, November 09, 2011

To Chuck Rainey from Donald and Walter

"Get better soon, Chuck! We're thinking of you --- D+W" on steelydan.com.
It's for bassist Chuck Rainey who's recuperating from a stroke he suffered last week.

He's played on a number of records since the late 1960's including a few of Steely Dan's Katy Lied, The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho.

http://www.chuckrainey.com/




Saturday, November 05, 2011

Site tip: The Kitten Covers


A brand new blog. First post October 31 and the 15 covers published so far is enough for us to point you in the direction of The Kitten Covers!

Special Sgt Pepper issue is the world's rarest

The famous sleeve where the Fab Four is replaced with music executives has been named the world's rarest album cover...£70,000!

Read the full story by BBC News here.

Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Radio Dupree Top 18 - November 2011

1. Frank Zappa - Elvis Has Just Left The Building
Broadway The Hard Way

2. Steely Dan
- Aja (live)
Cousin Dupree-promo

3. Becker/Fagen
- Caves Of Altamira
Sun Mountain

4. Tony Allen & The Champs
- Nite Owl
This Is How It All Began Vol 2 (various artists)

5. Donald Fagen
- Blue Lou
Trilogy : 10 Extras

6. Dynamo Bliss
- Circadian Rhythm
Circadian Rhythm

7. David Bowie
- The Jean Genie
The Best Of David Bowie 1969-1974

8. Walter Becker
- God's Eye View
Circus Money

9. Steely Dan
- Aja
Aja

10. Frank Zappa & The Mothers
- Son Of Orange County
Roxy & Elsewhere

11. Frank Zappa
- Zoot Allures - Zoot Allures
12. Steely Dan - Any World - Katy Lied
13. Steely Dan - I Got The News - Aja
14. Donald Fagen - Countermoon - Kamakiriad
15. Joe Walsh - Over And Over - But Seriously, Folks
16. Marianne Faithfull - She's Got A Problem - A Child's Adventure
17. David Bowie - Survive - BBC Radio Theatre
18. The Who - Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere - Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy
-------------------------------------------------------
Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

Frank Zappa catch the top spot this month. But he also gets a couple more into the chart (10 & 11). Plus the #4 song Nite Owl by Tony Allen from 1955 was a song that Zappa covered.

Our Album of the Month; Steely Dan's Aja did well. I Got The News at 13 and Aja at 9. With another version of the song Aja at number two we think it's the first time the same song has charted the same month with different versions.

Also a tip of the hat to Swedish band Dynamo Bliss at 6 with the long but popular song, and the only woman to chart this month; Marianne Faithful, at 16

--N.S.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Syd Arthur: Ode To The Summer



Liam Magill - Guitars, Lead Vocal
Joel Magill - Bass, Percussion
Raven Bush - Mandolin, Percussion
Fred Rother - Drums

http://sydarthur.bandcamp.com/

Syd Arthur article in The Guardian.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Donald Fagen to play November show

While Steely Dan is in the middle of the Australia/New Zealand finale of the 2011 tour, comes the news that Donald Fagen will join a number of artists November 18 for a concert in Kingston, New York.

The concert will raise money for the victims of tropical storm Irene that hit the area in late August.

According to this article Donald will sharet the stage with The Levon Helm Band, former 10,000 Maniacs lead singer Natalie Merchant, singer-songwriter Graham Parker and John Medeski and Chris Wood of the improvisational trio Medeski, Martin & Wood.

Click the article link for more info on tickets.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

New Zappa album: Live at Carnegie Hall 1971

Here is the brand new Zappa release: Frank & The Mothers live at Carnegie Hall, New York City, October 11, 1971.
4 cd:s including monster versions of King Kong and Billy The Mountain.
Opening act for Zappa & The Mothers: The a cappella group The Persuasions.
Barfko-Swill taking pre orders now. Hotcha!

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Radio Dupree Top 19 - October 2011

1. The Beatles - Across The Universe
1967-70

2. Steely Dan - Any Major Dude Will Tell You
Pretzel Logic

3. Queen - Tie Your Mother Down
A Day At The Races

4. Paul And Linda McCartney - Eat At Home
Ram

5. Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother (edit)
Atom Heart Mother

6. King Crimson
- One More Red Nightmare
Red

7. Frank Zappa - Suicide Chump
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1

8. Walter Becker - Circus Money
Circus Money

9. Peter Gabriel
- Kiss Of Life
Peter Gabriel (4)

10. Steely Dan - Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More
Katy Lied

11. Brian Protheroe - Fly Now - Pinball
12. Robert Fripp - North Star - Exposure
13. Pink Floyd - Cirrus Minor - More (soundtrack)
14. Jean-Luc Ponty - Cosmic Messenger - Cosmic Messenger
15. Steely Dan - Any World - Katy Lied
16. Ian Dury and The Blockheads - Common As Muck - Maxi single b-side
17. Yes - Wonderous Stories - Going For The One
18. Peter Gabriel - Love To Be Loved - Us
19. Dweezil Zappa with Zappa Plays Zappa - The Deathless Horsie - 2010 Birthday Bundle
-------------------------------------------------------
Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

The Beatles managed another chart-topping feat. This time with a song from the groups collection 1967-1970. We'll leave it to you to figure out what years that compilation covers.
Familiar faces in the top 10 this time around. Quite rare, however, on Radio Dupree's chart is Paul McCartney, who's at 4 with Linda and a song from the Ram album.

Another English singer almost makes the top 10. The underrated Brian Protheroe with his hit from the 1970's Pinball.

--N.S.

Sunday, October 02, 2011

Aja cover model Sayoko Yamaguchi


With Steely Dan's Aja our Album of the Month for October 2011 we're wheeling out this little bonus post based on our August 2007 post about the woman who's on the cover of Aja.


Her name was Sayoko Yamaguchi and she had a career as a model. The same year she appeared on the cover of Aja Newsweek magazine listed her as one of the six top models in the world.

What you may not have seen is the 1978 Japan-only Steely Dan Greatest Hits cover featuring Sayoko Yamaguchi:

Saturday, October 01, 2011

No Dukes of September DVD/TV


When Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs toured together as The Dukes of September in 2010 a PBS Television special was mentioned.
We think it is that same TV special that's called a DVD in this article by the same author/website.

In the article Boz Scaggs is quoted saying:

No, it was supposed to happen last June, but circumstances prohibited it.

And we get a feeling that even though a new Dukes of September tour has been said to happen in 2012, that TV/DVD thing is not.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Chelsea Crowell - I'm Gonna Freeze

Maybe it's our advancing age, but we're suckers for musical heritage (and cheap 1950's, 1960's etc movies).
Here's the brand new one from the daughter of the daughter (Rosanne Cash) of Johnny Cash; Chelsea Crowell. She's just over from the USA for an European tour:

Friday, September 23, 2011

Steely Dan Request Night: Sold out but no sell out



This was the evening for the masses, the casual fans. Hits as voted online that Donald Fagen assured us they would follow "more or less". Did I see a smirk on his face?

I am sure Godwhacker was not among the songs most voted for, but it was there. As were a few others that made it clear that the band plays what it wants to play. That said this was a setlist leaning towards the more well-known for the casual listener.

And as soon as something "odd" came up - like a long keyboard intro - there was always the possibility to run out and fill up your drink, go to the restroom or munch away by the popcorn machine.

I was also pleased to be seated next to a gentleman who obviously had decided to take his nubile young daughter to a Steely Dan concert. When Donald Fagen and Walter Becker came onstage he informed her "That's Steely Dan".
I am not sure if it was the "Hey 19 vibe" but somehow a picture of the band made itself manifest on my idle camera's memory card. It is included here for prosterity and possible historical value.

Steely Dan 2011
Dad and daughter(?) did enjoy the show. As did the crowd.
The band was as tight and "on" as ever.

A most satisfactory evening in this 2011 Steely Dan Beacon run. Let's see what the final night brings!

SETLIST:
Your Gold Teeth, Aja, Black Friday, Hey 19, Time Out Of Mind, Show Biz Kids, Bodhisattva, FM, Godwhacker, Home At Last, Papa Don't.../intros, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Dirty Work, Do It Again, Josie, Peg, My Odl School, Reelin' In The Years, Encore: Kid Charlemagne.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Steely Dan Rarities night September 17, 2011


Radio Dupree attended the in Steely Dan terms historical third of seven nights at The Beacon Theatre, New York as part of the 2011 tour.
Don't expect a review as the person in question is more of an "enjoyer" than reviewer of concerts. He is also a long time fan of Steely Dan, and as such any review could be seen as biased. Anyhow, here's a short report from the trenches:

Fantastic! Fantasticker! Fantastickest!
The Beacon Theatre is a relly beautiful place to attend a show. I've heard criticism of the acoustics of the place, but where I sat the sound was good.
Billed the Rarities evening this was the show where Steely Dan would play "The unreleased, the mythic, the reborn, the rarely-if-ever-heard; On this numinous Night of Nights, all will be revealed (along with additional selected favorites and hits)".

Among the Steely Dan fans there had been a few critical voices who have called the setlists for the past couple of tours static and repetative.
These critics said that Rarities night would be nothng but moe of the same. With the already played Gaucho outtake The Bear being the only exception. But they were proven wrong.

As a casual fan or someone just familiar with the hits an evening of b-sides and seldom played album tracks would've been a disappointment. And that's why a few of the hits were includedand I am sure it did please the guy near me that after Bodhisattva screamed: "Yeah!" "Fuck the rarities. Thats someting else!" "Fuckin' a!" "Dont play another rarity!"
That was 1 hour and 20 minutes into the 2.5 hour show, and he probably felt let down when Donald announced the next song. The mythical Holy Grail for many a Steely Dan fan; The Second Arrangement.

It's the song that was recorded during the Gaucho album sessions and mistakenly erased. A bad sounding tape copy surfaced and did the rounds among bootleg collectors and I surely hadn't expected to hear it live more than 30 years after it was recorded. And erased.

If that was a song a few fans had speculated might be on the setlist for Rarities night, I think no one could´ve guessed that an oldie from the pre-Steely Dan era might make itto the setlist this evening. Catherine Russell took care of the lead vocals for American Lovers that Fagen/Becker wrote and one Thomas Jefferson Kaye recorded in 1974.

Even more than the addition of songs never or rarely played did Donald's talk inbetween convey a feeling that this was for the fans. He had a great time ending with him more or less dancing his way from the stage during the final number.

If Donald was enjoying himself Walter seemed to have a rougher night. He had some trouble with his guitars with cords being changed mid-tune and during the Jack Of Speed ´96 with Walter on vocals things threatened to fall apart as part of the band from time to time was in different places of the song. As Donald commented after the final note they had "missed some changes".

When the show was over and the lights went up I could only look around at the golden walls of The Beacon. Surprised and stunned at what I'd seen and heard. Didi it r-e-a-l-l-y happen? Overjoyed that I had made that show the one to fulfill the promise made to myself a few years ago: To see Steely Dan live in the USA.

And there's more to come! While I didn't see the Aja night or this evening's The Royal Scam, I do have tickets for the two final shows. By Popular Demand night Thursday 22 and 21th Century Dan on Friday 23.

Happy times!

In addition I also got to hang out with some fans at the Amsterdam Alehouse pre-show, and The Bitter End post-show. Thanks to all for making this a truly special evening.
Plus Radio Dupree is - thanks to Reidar who's in town for all seven Beacon shows - now officially part of The Norweigian Shuffle Diplomacy Tour 2011. And we've got the tee to prove it:
Front

Back

Thursday, September 15, 2011

The Zappa marzipan factory in East Prussia

Found this auction on Tradera.com when looking for Frank Zappa records: A postcard that was sent from Königsberg in East Prussia (today Kaliningrad, Russia) in 1902. Check out the sign on the building: Marzipan-Fabrik M. Zappa. Also notice the greeting in the upper left corner, which translates "Dear aunt Emma!"
There's a big dilemma, huh?

http://www.tradera.com/GAMMAL-SPARVAGN-FRAMFOR-MARZIPANFABRIK-M-ZAPPA-I-KONIGSBERG--auktion_270304_139712526

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

State Cows - Hard Goodbye

State Cows from Umeå, Sweden has a new song out.

"Do you miss 1983? This is the rock ballad for you."
"Recommended if you like Mr. Mister, The Tubes, Toto."



http://www.statecows.com/

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Steely Dan Seattle 1974 show a bootleg no more(?)

Wolfgang's Vault has been streaming and selling live recordings for a few years now, and today they announced the first Steely Dan show added to the vault; the July 1, 1974 show played at The Paramount Theatre in Seattle.

This has circulated as a bootleg, but as far as Radio Dupree can figure it out this appearance at the Wolfgang's Vault site makes it official and legal. You can buy a download of the concert in mp3-format for $9.99 or lossless FLAC for $12.98. (*)

According to Tomas Broberg's excellent Steely Dan site the bootleg version circulated is a nine track affair with two of the tracks - Do It Again and My Old School - cut.
The Wolfgang's Vault download version is the full show, 13 songs, complete with stage banter between tracks:


1. Introduction 0:20
2. Bodhisattva 5:08
3. Stage Banter 0:34
4. The Boston Rag 6:36
5. Stage Banter 0:47
6. Do It Again 8:08
7. Stage Banter 0:30
8. Brooklyn (Owes The Charm… 3:53
9. Song Introduction 0:43
10. King Of The World 4:53
11. Rikki Don't Lose That Nu… 4:45
12. Pretzel Logic 6:07
13. Band Introductions 1:03
14. My Old School 3:47
15. Tuning 0:46
16. Dirty Work 3:52
17. Your Gold Teeth (instrum… 1:22
18. Reelin' In The Years 5:43
19. Song Introduction 0:39
20. Show Biz Kids 6:07
21. Stage Banter 1:12
22. This All Too Mobile Home 8:37

You can hear the whole show by clicking this link.

(*) - UPDATE AS FAR AS LEGAL OR NOT GOES:

Doing a search on Wolfgang's Vault (Wikipedia entry here) we learn that it was established in 2003 featuring recordings from concert promoter Billy Graham.

Back in 2007 the site was sued by record artists and signing some sort of settlement with some of them in 2008.

When it comes to old concert recordings it's not always easy to determine who owns the rights to the actual recordings. Or who's entitled to make a buck selling them. (So we've added a question mark to the subject line.)

What we can be pretty sure of based on previous comments in interviews and elsewhere is that Donald Fagen, Walter Becker & company would rather see this one removed from Wolfgang's Vault.
It's just a feeling we have.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 14:

Over on the dandom.com Steely Dan Fan's BlueBook the signature "make no mistake" posted the following regarding the Seattle show from the collection of sound engineer Stuart “Dinky” Dawson:

Absolute Word: : Dinky Dawson does not own the SD material he shills, has no legal claim to it whatsoever, and has been explicitly denied permission more than once to sell or profit from it.

All the more disgusting, his theft is performed "in the open", along with his jovial assurances and complicated, authentic-sounding stories about how this is all ok. They are simply inventions (and his oral histories about his employers are no more trustworthy than he). 

Monday, September 12, 2011

New Kate Bush album November 21

We're slightly creeped out by the picture accompanying the press release, but look forward to hearing what sounds like a very etheral album:

"50 Words For Snow” will feature seven brand new tracks set against a background of falling snow. The total running time is 65 minutes and the track listing is:
SNOWFLAKE
LAKE TAHOE
MISTY
WILDMAN
SNOWED IN AT WHEELER STREET
50 WORDS FOR SNOW
AMONG ANGELS 
 
The album will be the second release from Kate's own label Fish People and comprises all new material that was recorded during the same period that Kate worked on her album “Director’s Cut”.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Radio Dupree's interview with Pauline Butcher

In 1967 the young English girl Pauline Butcher got the job as Frank Zappa's secretary. She spent a lot of time with the Zappas and got an unique insight in the life of the Zappas. She also got to meet many music celebrities. Now she has written a book about those days and it will be in the bookstores any day. Pauline Butcher (married name Bird) was kind enough to give Radio Dupree a short interview:

                                            ***
Radio Dupree: How did you get the job as Frank's secretary?
Pauline Butcher: I got the job as Frank’s secretary because I was working in London for a secretarial agency that supplied secretaries to businessmen staying at hotels. In those days, there was no internet and no e-mails, so when on business trips, businessmen were forced to write their reports and send them back to head office by land-mail. To do this they hired us. We went along to the hotel, took the stuff down in shorthand and typed it up on portable typewriters.
On this particular day, The Royal Garden Hotel phoned at 6pm saying a Mr Zappa required a secretary for two hours. As I tended to work odd hours (for reasons explained in the book) I went along expecting a sugar merchant, short and bald. When he opened the door, I said, I’m sorry I’ve come to the wrong room.
He needed the lyrics typed out from Absolutely Free, which I did. There are five chapters related to three subsequent meetings – another in London and two in New York. On my second visit to his flat in New York, he told me he was going to work on a book for Stein and Day and asked me to go to California to help him work on it.

Radio Dupree: How did you come up with the idea to write the book?
Pauline Butcher: I have always wanted to be a writer. After my son went to university, I realised it was ‘now or never’. I began writing plays for BBC Radio 4 as they broadcast a play every afternoon. I came very close and had encouragement from BBC producers. One of them said, your best bet to break in is to write something that no one else can write, and I thought, the only story that no one else can write is my experiences working and living with Frank Zappa in Hollywood. It started as a fictional idea, but then got transferred to fact, on the producer’s advice.
While I was working on this in dramatic form, Germaine Greer, who’d met Frank once, got the idea to do her own programme and since she was famous she got commissioned. I had to finish the work before it would be looked at. The BBC would not do two programs in one year on the same topic. I was so mad I wrote off to every publisher and asked them if they’d be interested. Twelve wrote back and said yes. I hadn’t written anything then. That was 2006. It took nine months to type up all my diary entries and letters I sent to people and those I received. This was the data on which I drew.

Radio Dupree: You have said that the book will be based upon your original diary entries and letters. Diaries and letters can be quite private. Have you had any reservations about publishing certain details?
Pauline Butcher: I have reservations only about Ruth Underwood. I tried to contact her while I was writing the book but without success. Now Art Tripp has located her for me and it’s too late, the book is written and I am a little concerned that what I’ve written about her might hurt her feelings because she is I believe the kindest and most genuine of people.
With everyone else the same applies except that I believe I am balanced, showing the good points and the not-so-good which occcur in us all. I await the verdict of readers on this.

Radio Dupree: Do you think your book will give us a new view of Frank Zappa?
Pauline Butcher: I believe the book reveals the weaker side of Frank in some respects and I was concerned about this. It reveals stuff about him not seen before only as it relates to me. This is very much a personal account.
                                           ***
You may want to check out Pauline on Facebook where she delivers teasers from her diaries.

Friday, September 09, 2011

Steely Dan New Zealand: Christchurch cancelled, Wellington added

Press release:

The Frontier Touring Company wishes to advise that the scheduled Steely Dan and Steve Winwood concert on Wednesday 2nd November at CBS Arena in Christchurch has been cancelled. 

All tickets held for this event will be refunded fully from your original point of purchase (Ticketek). Tickets for the Christchurch concert are non transferable for the new event in Wellington.

Steely Dan and Steve Winwood will now play a new concert on Wednesday 2nd November at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington. Tickets for the Wellington concert will go on sale through Ticketek at 9am on Thursday 15th September.

Thursday, September 08, 2011

The cryptic stuff

:)

 
Thanks to Gina (and Toby!)

Saturday, September 03, 2011

A new Frank Zappa synclavier album out now

Barfko-Swill is now taking pre-orders for Feeding The Monkies At Ma Maison, executed by Frank Zappa on the synclavier.
It was originally intended as a vinyl release, now with two extra tracks for cd release.

http://barfkoswill.shop.musictoday.com/Dept.aspx?cp=971_50805

Track list:
1. Feeding The Monkies At Ma Maison
2. Buffalo Voice
3. Secular Humanism

4. Worms From Hell
5. Samba Funk

Radio Dupree Top 20 - September 2011

Driving to the top
1. Donald Fagen - Teahouse On The Tracks
Kamakiriad

2. Steely Dan - Rikki Don't Lose That Number
Pretzel Logic

3. Donald Fagen - H Gang
Morph The Cat

4. Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins - A Scarcity Of Miracles
A Scarcity Of Miracles

5. Captain Beefheart and The Magic Band - Candle Mambo
Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)

6. Vicki Young - Riot in Cell Block #9
The Leiber & Stoller Story, Vol. 1 -- Hard Times: The Los Angeles Years 1951-56

7. Joni Mitchell - Chinese Cafe/Unchained Melody
Wild Things Run Fast

8. Pink Floyd - Cirrus Minor
More (soundtrack)

9. Gentle Giant - Thank You
Giant For A Day

10. Donald Fagen - Ruby Baby
The Nightfly

11. The Beatles - If I Needed Someone - Rubber Soul
12. Peter Gabriel - Steam - Us
13. Donald Fagen - Rhymes - The Nightfly Trilogy : 10 Extras
14. Steely Dan - Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More - Katy Lied
15. Peter Gabriel - Here Comes The Flood - Peter Gabriel (1)
16. Donald Fagen - On The Dunes - Kamakiriad
17. The Beatles - Across The Universe - 1967-70
18. Muddy Waters - Little Girl - Hard Again
19. Paul Simon - Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes - Graceland
20. Frank Zappa & The Mothers - Penguin In Bondage - Roxy & Elsewhere

21. Donald Fagen - Green Flower Street - The Nightfly
22. Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin - Rich For A Day - The Singles
23. King Crimson - Lament - Starless And Bible Black
24. Steely Dan - Charlie Freak - Pretzel Logic
25. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Meeting Of The Spirits - The Inner Mounting Flame
26. Brand X - Voidarama - Do They Hurt?
27. Steely Dan - Negative Girl - Two Against Nature
28. Frank Zappa - It Must Be A Camel - Hot Rats (LP)
29. Genesis - White Mountain - Trespass
30. Steely Dan - Monkey in Your Soul - Pretzel Logic
31. Donald Fagen - Morph The Cat - Morph The Cat
32. King Crimson - Matte Kudasai - Discipline
33. Walter Becker - Hat Too Flat - 11 Tracks Of Whack
34. Syd Barrett - Dominoes (2010 Mix) - An Introduction To Syd Barrett
35. Peter Gabriel - Heroes - Scratch My Back
36. Yes - A Venture - The Yes Album
37. Walter Becker - This Moody Bastard - 11 Tracks Of Whack
38. Paul Simon - I Know What I Know - Graceland
39. Frank Zappa - Jumbo Go Away - Frank Zappa Birthday Bundle 21 Dec. 2010
40. Brand X - Noddy Goes To Sweden - Do They Hurt?
41. The Beatles - And I Love Her - 1962-66
42. Larry Carlton - Point It Up - Mr. 335 Live In Japan
43. Mike Stern - Upside Downside - Upside Downside
44. Walter Becker - Girlfriend - 11 Tracks Of Whack
45. Return To Forever - Vulcan Worlds - Where Have I Known You Before
46. Syd Barrett - Octopus (2010 Mix) - An Introduction To Syd Barrett
47. If - Reaching Out On All Sides - If
48. Pink Floyd - Lost For Words - The Division Bell
49. David Bowie - Starman - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
50. Miles Davis - Come Get It (edit) - Star People


-------------------------------------------------------
Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

It's Donald Fagen Month on the Radio Dupree chart! Steely Dan co-founder can be found at number one, three and ten in the Top 10, with an additional two in the Top 20. Looking at position 21-50 and we find two more Fagen tracks.
And we're happy to expand the usual Top 20 to a Top 50 this time around, celebrating more thumbs up/down and more listening in general compared to the past couple of months.

Our Album of the Month; Graceland by Paul Simon managed to get one track in the Top 20. Surprise entry at 6 from the 1950's and Vicki Young.
Oh, and Collins in Jakszyk, Fripp and Collins is Mel and not Phil.

--N.S.

Steely Dan on ice... (canned applause)

*good grief!*
(Thanks to Don't Shoot/BlueBook for the link.)

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Additional guests for Steely Dan's New York run

Three weeks ago saw the news that Larry Carlton joins Steely Dan on September 23 for the seventh and final night of Steely Dan at The Beacon Theatre in New York.

Today a ... plethora of additional guests (a majority of them saxophone players), were announced for various dates and the opening act Sam Yahel Trio.

Sep. 14 Mark Turner joins the Sam Yahel Trio

Sep. 16, 17 Joe Lovano joins the Sam Yahel Trio

Sep. 19, 20 Chris Potter and Bill Stewart join the Sam Yahel Trio

Sep. 22, 23 Miguel Zenon joins the Sam Yahel Trio

Chris Potter is of course no stranger to Steely Dan shows. He played on the 2000 tour as well as the album Two Against Nature.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Barfko-Swill sells Zappa promo collection

Wanna cool 3 LP set...for $400?
***
Barfko-Swill, the company that provides the fans with Zappa goods is selling out a bunch of promo vinyl albums:
"Lurking in the shadowy, spidery part of the Vault we found remainders from the days of yore when VINYL was king and sometimes queen!!!"
Check out the big bucks prices here.