About Mike McGibney Expertise I can answer questions about individual members of the band or their vast array of session musicians, or about ANY song, even the extremely rare/unpublished. I can help with musical aspects such as chords/instruments used or with style of playing or about the history behind the band and in particular, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, the bands writers/arrangers.
Experience I am a huge Steely Dan fan, and have my own website on them. I also have a Steely Dan tribute band, and saw the real Steely Dan play at Wembley in 2000. I play all their music on bass and piano, and specialise in hard to get songs, mostly on mp3 format.
Organizations I play keyboards and do the arranging and transcriptions for a Steely Dan tribute band, and am a regular member on forums on the band throughout the internet.
Question What do you feel is the Dan's strongest album?
I would have to say "Royal Scam". What did you think of "Two Against Nature"? I think it is a solid album, ranking up there with some of their older stuff, and more even than "Gaucho". What are your favorite songs by the Dan? Mine are "Midnite Cruiser", "Your Gold Teeth", "Pretzel Logic", "Any World", "Don't Take Me Alive", "Royal Scam", and "Aja". (Sorry such a lengthy message - I'm killing time at work.) Thank you Mr. Dan-Expert!
Answer Hey there, thanks for the question. I agree, "The Royal Scam" is a magnificent, funky album, which spawned some great songs like "Kid Charlemagne" "Don't Take Me Alive" and of course the title track!
It's this or 2vN that I would class as my favourite album. 2vN is so well recorded and sleek, and also includes probably my favourite ever Dan song "Gaslighting Abbie".
Other favourite songs of mine would be the as-yet unrecorded "Wetside Story", "Boston Rag", "Your Gold Teeth II" "Rose Darling", "West of Hollywood", "Any World" "Aja" and "Peg". Deacon Blues is also a great song - but there are so many!
To update you in case you weren't aware, the boys are back in the studio recording another album - at least 4 tunes are completely finished and 7 have been recorded so far, but are unfinished. A lot of the 2vN session players are being employed, especially Jon Herrington and Ted Baker. A late 2002 release was slated but I am dubious, I would say early 2003.
Anyway, hope I helped some, if you have any other questions about players, songs, song meanings etc then just mail me back!
