'Northeast Corridor - Steely Dan Live!' -- Vinyl Album Review

On the heels of yesterday's book review of Eminent Hipsters by Donald Fagen, today comes a Steely Dan album review. Northeast Corridor - Steely Dan Live! was released in in July of 2021 (Universal Music). I have the 180 gram vinyl version of the release.

Right up front, it must be noted that Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker died in 2017 and is thus not on the album. In fact, the album is dedicated to his memory. The songs were taken from a few different shows from venues around Philadelphia, New York and Connecticut during 2019. Fagen is the only original member of Steely Dan these days.

Like all Steely Dan releases, this live album is sublime and has just about perfect audio. There is no stage banter but crowd applause remains. Without the banter, it is hard to get a sense of where the shows took place, but that's ok - you can always read the liner notes. The female backup singers are superb and really add a lot of emotion and excitement to the release. Of course, all the instrumentals are excellent.

The most surprising song on the album to me is "Things I Miss The Most" which is from the 2003 release Everything Must Go. It ended up being the last studio album to feature Fagen and Becker together. Just about every other song is expected from a Steely Dan live set, including "Peg," "Aja," and "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." I think my favorite performance track on this one is "Kid Charlemagne." 

I am not sure why the vinyl wasn't released as a gatefold. There are two discs, each in their own picture sleeves. I did notice quite a bit of dust on the records the first time I pulled them from the sleeves - I assume these were little "paper bits" from the factory after the sleeves were cut and the records inserted. Still, both records played beautifully after a quick wipe-down. I got the two-disc set off Amazon for like $26, which is crazy cheap for records these days. If you are a fan of the Dan, go ahead and get this release, especially on vinyl if you still have a turntable!

'Eminent Hipsters' By Donald Fagen -- Book Review

Eminent Hipsters is a 2013 book by Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen. It was published by Penguin and thus a major-market release.

The book is short at just 176 pages and it is mostly hilarious too. Fagen is a curmudgeon and I think he was that way at birth. Eminent Hipsters gives a look at Fagen's early childhood, his obsession with jazz music as a kid (he would stay up all night and listen to the radio, pissing off his parents), his awkward way with girls, his time at Bard College where he met his Steely Dan partner Walter Becker and his road journal from a tour with Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs, known as the Dukes of September. (Walter Becker died in 2017). 

The tour journal is eye-opening, scary, silly and sad. It really shows the toll a tour takes on a person, in both their mind and physical body. The rigors of the road have been well documented in books, movies and songs themselves. Fagen's journal is very honest about the hatred of touring, buses, hotels and boring crowds. He notes how the acoustics of most venues suck and how the crowds are all full of "grey hairs" like himself. He makes commentary on "TV babies" which is anyone he believes to come after the graduating class of 1968. That's because Fagen says television became a ubiquitous babysitter of sorts for American kids, allowing crap entertainment to eat the minds of entire generations (he isn't wrong).  Fagen loathes people who attend concerts and then watch through their cell phones (AMEN!) and also folks who don't know any songs other than a radio hit.

Basically, if you are a Steely Dan fan, nerd and surly like me, you will love this book. If you are an eternal optimist and have only ever heard "Reelin' In The Years" this one probably isn't for you.

Sundey Fundey And A Video Premiere

Happy Sunday! Or "Sundey" for my fellow Cincinnati Bengals fans. Tonight the Bengals face the Raves in the AFC Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. The primetime game should be good fun - I just hope I can stay warm because it is supposed to be around 27 degrees for game time - yikes!

A couple of days ago on Friday the 13th, Ice Nine Kills debuted a new, elaborate video. The band teased the thing a lot into the lead-up of the release... and then the clip was blocked from online platforms. The reason? Too violent, too bloody. So the band had to make a censored version and that is what you can see on YouTube below:

Now if you are a horror fan, you probably just want to see the real, uncensored version. You can see it, but you have to watch the revised clip all the way through to figure out how to do it. People who like horror films and that genre will notice a lot of cameos from others in that industry. Enjoy! (I feel like Alice Cooper would be proud).

Vince Neil Cancels RockIsland Fest Appearance

Vince Neil has COVID-19 and that means he will not perform at the upcoming RockIsland Festival that starts Tuesday in Key West, Florida. To compensate for the hole in the lineup, promoters have added Slaughter and Lynch Mob.

This is a reminder that COVID is still a thing, the United States is still under a pandemic health emergency and staying home when sick and washing your hands A LOT is always good practice (and good manners!)

I just checked and there are still tickets available but 5-day passes are not cheap! You are lucky if you get to attend this fest in paradise!

Happy Friday The 13th! Alice Cooper Announces Tour!

It's Friday the 13th! What better way to celebrate than for Alice Cooper to announce a tour? The master of macabre will do a short run called the "Too Close For Comfort" tour on select dates in April and May. Over the summer, Alice Cooper will join Def Leppard and Motley Crue on some of "The World Tour" dates in Europe and South America.

Happy Friday the 13th Sick Things! Just Announced: The Too Close For Comfort Tour! Pre-sale tickets + VIP Packages available next Tuesday, January 17 (use code SICKTHINGS), tickets go on sale next Friday, January 20 at 10a local time.

🎟 https://t.co/wxj0Tyl1fq pic.twitter.com/q8TddBWx5n

— Alice Cooper (@alicecooper) January 13, 2023

Farewell Jeff Beck

Guitar legend and innovator Jeff Beck has died. He was 78. The cause was bacterial meningitis and he apparently passed not long after contracting the illness. Some of the biggest stars in rock music immediately commented on his death. Watch the video with Roger Waters below.

On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday. His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss. pic.twitter.com/4dvt5aGzlv

— Jeff Beck (@jeffbeckmusic) January 11, 2023

I can’t express how saddened I am to hear of @JeffBeckMusic’s passing. What a terrible loss for his family, friends & his many fans. It was such an honor to have known Jeff & an incredible honor to have had him play on my most recent album, #PatientNumber9.
Long live #JeffBeck pic.twitter.com/hG6O9tzfij

— Ozzy Osbourne (@OzzyOsbourne) January 11, 2023

I am devastated to hear the news of the death of my friend and hero Jeff Beck, whose music has thrilled and inspired me and countless others for so many years.
Polly‘s and my thoughts go out to his lovely wife Sandra.
He will be forever in our hearts. pic.twitter.com/369rHU7BCX

— David Gilmour (@davidgilmour) January 11, 2023

Absolutely one of my favorite guitarist of all time! The "Truth" album changed my life. As a singer and guitarist, I wanted to be Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart rolled into one— we all did. What a loss. We will all miss Jeff. My love and condolences to his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/0AgQsCHN76

— Sammy Hagar (@sammyhagar) January 11, 2023

The great Jeff Beck has taken his genius and gone home. My guitar idol since age 15. For the uninitiated, check out his amazing work on (where do I begin) Roger Waters ‘Amused to Death’. His gift was impossible to copy and won’t be repeated. Thankful for huge legacy. God speed JB pic.twitter.com/oXiw04jfKu

— Rick Springfield (@rickspringfield) January 11, 2023

It Is 2023 And Steelheart Has A New Music Video

Steelheart, which is really a Miljenko Matijevic solo project these days, just released a video for the song "Good 2B Alive." The track is on the album SteelHeart30 - to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary. That album is available as a limited edition vinyl, too. With only 500 copies, I'm tempted but man - it's a hundred bucks. I've got so many albums on my Discogs want list already... and there is only so much money to go around!