Big Steely head here. I used to live in a funky house we called "the castle" (it actually had a throne in it and stain glass windows). I lived there with a guy named Kevin Gilbert. He liked the place so I rented it with him. But, the guest house in the back was rented by Ed Greene who played drums on Aja! A couple times I'd go back there and ask him Steely questions but now that I think about... not nearly enough!
He made a cool drum library called Greene Machine. I think he played on "I Got the News" which is a cool beat. Of course Gadd's drums on the song "Aja" just rule! When he goes to the ride bell at the end is one of the best moments in music ever. I always pictured Donald and Walter looking at each other in disbelief when he did that (apparently in one take).
Steely Dan.....
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- Sonic Reality Head Chef
- 8566 posts since 11 Mar, 2002 from Florida
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 1184 posts since 27 Apr, 2004 from Houston, Texas
any drum sample libraries with drums similiar to that on aja? i really like that warm, drier drum sound.Squids wrote:Big Steely head here. I used to live in a funky house we called "the castle" (it actually had a throne in it and stain glass windows). I lived there with a guy named Kevin Gilbert. He liked the place so I rented it with him. But, the guest house in the back was rented by Ed Greene who played drums on Aja! A couple times I'd go back there and ask him Steely questions but now that I think about... not nearly enough!
He made a cool drum library called Greene Machine. I think he played on "I Got the News" which is a cool beat. Of course Gadd's drums on the song "Aja" just rule! When he goes to the ride bell at the end is one of the best moments in music ever. I always pictured Donald and Walter looking at each other in disbelief when he did that (apparently in one take).
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- something special
- 8630 posts since 16 Mar, 2002 from Birmingham, Alabama
aja, wow that brings back memories!
I always loved 'reelin' in the years' - thought it was a great cruising in the car tune..and the college-in jokes, wtf, I was college age back then!
Read an interview with the producer of Aja, Michael O'Martian, related the tale of needing a piano for the title cut and they sent him to buy one. He got (I forget which - ) a 7 or 9 foot Bosendorfer. Very nice, but expensive piano.
I always loved 'reelin' in the years' - thought it was a great cruising in the car tune..and the college-in jokes, wtf, I was college age back then!
Read an interview with the producer of Aja, Michael O'Martian, related the tale of needing a piano for the title cut and they sent him to buy one. He got (I forget which - ) a 7 or 9 foot Bosendorfer. Very nice, but expensive piano.
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Electric Phase Electric Phase https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=46215
- KVRist
- 345 posts since 29 Oct, 2004 from Close to the Edge...
Steely Dan. 
Fantastic music and performances. Aja 
is One of my all time favorite albums. Wayne Shorter and Steve Gadd 
They don't make popular music like that anymore.
"This brother is free. I'll be what I want to be."
Fantastic music and performances. Aja is One of my all time favorite albums. Wayne Shorter and Steve Gadd They don't make popular music like that anymore."This brother is free. I'll be what I want to be."
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- KVRist
- 289 posts since 8 Jul, 2004 from UK
Another Dan fan here. Saw them live twice and have all their albums. So many great tracks, from the lesser known ones like "Brooklyn (owes the charmer)" to the well-known classics like "Kid Charlemagne". Much prefer their seventies stuff to their recent offerings though.
There was a TV series here in the UK a few years ago called "Classic Albums". Each 1 hour episode interviewed the people behind a particular album and there's one all about the making of Aja with lots of input from Don and Walt playing back the old multi-track tapes and showing how the tracks were built up - worth getting hold of if you're interested in the background stuff, I think its still available on DVD.
Much prefer their seventies stuff to their recent offerings though.There was a TV series here in the UK a few years ago called "Classic Albums". Each 1 hour episode interviewed the people behind a particular album and there's one all about the making of Aja with lots of input from Don and Walt playing back the old multi-track tapes and showing how the tracks were built up - worth getting hold of if you're interested in the background stuff, I think its still available on DVD.
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- KVRian
- 1283 posts since 13 Nov, 2004
SD is fantastic.
Almost everything they did was truly delightful. It's all the "little" things that are there.......or are not (space/silence can be a good thing
) that puts them on a whole new level.
aja has to be one of the greatest engineering records ever released as well.
Almost everything they did was truly delightful. It's all the "little" things that are there.......or are not (space/silence can be a good thing
) that puts them on a whole new level.aja has to be one of the greatest engineering records ever released as well.
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experimental.crow experimental.crow https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6258
- KVRAF
- 6895 posts since 9 Mar, 2003 from the bridge of sighs
donald fagan can tell a story ...
or two ...
dan lyrics are without equal ...
'you must be jokin' son'...
'where did you get those shoes' ?...
or two ...
dan lyrics are without equal ...
'you must be jokin' son'...
'where did you get those shoes' ?...
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- KVRAF
- 4222 posts since 23 Feb, 2004 from Tucson Arizona USA
Okay, so who can tell me who "Kid Charlemagne" is about?
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experimental.crow experimental.crow https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6258
- KVRAF
- 6895 posts since 9 Mar, 2003 from the bridge of sighs
owsley stanley , eh ?...james0tucson wrote:Okay, so who can tell me who "Kid Charlemagne" is about?
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- KVRAF
- 9220 posts since 23 Jul, 2002 from Pequot Lakes, MN
Truthnormal wrote:donald fagan can tell a story ...
or two ...
dan lyrics are without equal ...
'you must be jokin' son'...
'where did you get those shoes' ?...
'you are obsolete-
look at all the white men on the street...'
ew
A spectral heretic...
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- KVRAF
- 13446 posts since 14 Nov, 2000 from Hannover / Germany
Yeah, watched that DVD twice, really nice.Psyclapse wrote: and there's one all about the making of Aja with lots of input from Don and Walt playing back the old multi-track tapes and showing how the tracks were built up - worth getting hold of if you're interested in the background stuff, I think its still available on DVD.
There are 3 kinds of people:
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
Those who can do maths and those who can't.
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- Sonic Reality Head Chef
- 8566 posts since 11 Mar, 2002 from Florida
I love that show! Best show ever. I have the Dark Side one. Aja too? Got to get it. Thanks.
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- KVRian
- 958 posts since 14 Apr, 2004 from Maryland, USA
Love the Dan. Great playing, arrangements, production, tunes, lyrics, attitude. Particularly some great guitar work over the years from top guys.
There's an excellent interview with Walter Becker in the book "Songwriters on Songwriting". He says virtually all of their songs he and Fagan took to the studio with lyrics and chord charts, and the rest was worked out with the band.
I can listen to their stuff for hours and hours.
DaveL
There's an excellent interview with Walter Becker in the book "Songwriters on Songwriting". He says virtually all of their songs he and Fagan took to the studio with lyrics and chord charts, and the rest was worked out with the band.
I can listen to their stuff for hours and hours.
DaveL
You can twist perceptions, reality won't budge.
-- Rush Show Don't Tell
-- Rush Show Don't Tell
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- KVRAF
- 6496 posts since 26 Nov, 2004 from Frederick, MD
Not really a fan of their music, though there were times back in college when I got into it. However, I do admire them greatly for their achievements: most notably their outstanding production value and the fact that they managed to become popular without relying on live performance. The were essentially a studio band. Sure, they did do concerts some, but those were fairly rare. These aren't guys who lived on the road like 99% of the other musicians of their day. Certainly can't fault their musicianship one bit.
But damn! Their produciton!
But damn! Their produciton!
