Two days after Becker's interview on CD101.9, Donald Fagen made an on-air appearance on WNEW-FM on the afternoon of October 26. WNEW was celebrating their 24th anniversary on the airwaves of New York at The Hard Rock Cafe. While the host of the broadcast party was the often-imitated radio personality Scott Muni, the interview was conducted by Pat St. Jolm, the l0 a.m.-2 p.m. DJ who manages to play at least 1 Dan song per day on his show.
Scott Muni: We're live at the Hard Rock, it's our 24th birthday party.
Pat St.John: Welcome, Donald.
Donald Fagen: Big party in the daytime.
SM: Yeah, there's a lot of folks in here and there's a couple hundred thousand out there saying "Man, I wish I could be at that party."
PSJ: Well, that's why we're broadcasting. There's also a lot of folks listening
to WNEW that have another reason to party because there's an album coming out
with Donald Fagen and the New York Rock and Soul Review. It's gonna be out on
Tuesday and it looks like this (holding up the CD for all to see.)
DF: (Enthusiastically) Yay!
SM: Tell 'em who's on it Donald.
DF: It's got me doing a few oldies on there -- Steely Dan oldies -- we've got
Phoebe Snow, Boz Scaggs, who else is on there?
PSJ: Michael.
DF: Michael McDonald, what a guy. He used to be in the Steely Dan group for
a while. He sings Jackie Wilson's "Lonely Teardrops." There's some
great old soul music on there reinterpreted by these contemporary masters.
PSJ: Boy, is that the truth. You start off with "Madison Time," you
hit all kinds of great tunes on there, it's a fantastic album.
DF: Oh, thanks a lot. It was done at the Beacon Theater live in March and we took the tracks from that concert. It has a real live sound and you can listen to it at home just like you're at a little concert hall.
PSJ: Is that coming out on video as well in the future?
DF: I don't believe so, no. Well, no one filmed it so it's impossible really.
PSJ: I wanna ask you about the show you put on the other night at the Lone
Star Roadhouse 'cause you were joined by another special guest.
DF: Yeah, my partner Walter. He's in town, we're working on a solo album of
mine, he's producing and so we did one of the Libby Titus shows at the Lone
Star the other night. Kind of a jam, we had Cyndi Lauper, Rick Danko, Phoebe
Snow...
PSJ: The Hooters...
DF: ...The Hooters, it was a smokin' show and, yeah, Walter came up and played
some guitar. It was fun.
PSJ: Tell us, 'cause I know there are people who read the Steely Dan magazine,
"Metal Leg," and everybody is so very interested because people have
been waiting for the two of you to get together for so long and the fact that
this is the first time you've really played in public in how many years?
DF: Oh, let's see, we actually played in a club a couple of years ago (the defunct
"Hades", no Steely Dan tunes were performed), which no one would know
about probably except the few people who were there, but essentially we haven't
done a show for many, many years.
PSJ: So if you were there, it was a rare happening.
DF: Yeah, it was rare. I think it was actually medium rare.
PSJ: The last couple times I've talked to you, I've said it's been so long since
your solo album came out that you're making us a little ticked off. But now
you've got this album coining out and that's gonna soothe us a little bit and
we won't be so mad at you. The thing is we're just so hungry for your music,
because you've been such a master throughout the years.
DF: I'm kinda hungry, too, actually. Is there any food around here? Gimme some,
what do you call 'em, those weird little potato chips that pass for french fries.
PSJ: We could get you a pig sandwich.
DF: Hey, now you're talking turkey.
PSJ: What's the deal on the solo album? I have to ask you because people are
gonna be mad at me.
DF: It's being recorded partially here in New York and also at Walter's recording
studio in Maui, Hawaii, and it should be out next year, the middle of the year
sometime, 1992.
PSJ: In the meantiine we've got this album on Giant Records. The album is supposed
to be out next Tuesday, correct?
DF: In the stores on Tuesday, that's what they tell me.
PSJ: Scott, do you have anything we could play from that album? A little "Pretzel
Logic?" (Plays "Pretzel Logic")
PSJ: That sounds great, Donald.
DF: This place is jumpin'.
PSJ: We thank you for coming by...
DF: And everyone here is so beautiful. How do you do that?
PSJ: It's better to look good than to feel good. You're at the keyboards on
that one. I wanted to ask you if you ever came up with a name for that thing
you play, like a keyboard which you carry around with you and kind of play with
your mouth as well?
DF: Yeah, the original name was a melodica, it's a kind of harmonica with piano
keys that you push instead of blowing the little holes. And melodica's kind
of an awkward kind of name, so if anyone has a suggestion, just write into the
station.
PSJ: Well, it's truly a treat to see you in concert. I saw you for the TV show
(In Concert '91) over at The Academy, but a lot of it did not get on the air,
it was edited down. So you do have some video of it, right?
DF: Yeah, we did a sort of mini Rock and Soul Revue to video that they we're
gonna use for some purpose, but it didn't come out that great, if you wanna
know the truth, but we're trying to edit it down so people get some idea what
the show is like.
PSJ: Let's talk about some of the shows that you've got planned, because the New York Rock and Soul Revue keeps an open format as far as people stopping by.
DF: That's true, but we have nothing really planned at the moment. We'd like to add some people, though, and we're supposed to be having a meeting next week.
PSJ: Next week you are playing at the Lone Star with Phoebe?
DF: That's a rumor.
PSJ: You heard it here. It may or may not be true.
DF: In fact, I have a new roomer at my house who's driving me crazy.
PSJ: Is that right?
DF: Just this guy who showed up who wanted a room, so I gave him a room. Now
he's my roomer.
PSJ: It's very interesting to see you as you perform these shows because you've
kind of turned into a bandleader of sorts. You're kind of at the helm behind
the piano, in control of all these people...
DF: Yeah, like Doc Severinson.
PSJ: It's cool, maybe you could take over when Johnny Carson steps down, do
you think?
DF: Well, my model is really Steve Allen. It's the way he plays the piano and
talks from the piano, 'cause the piano is kind of a crutch, which I need to
actually carry on a conversation with the audience.
PSJ: You've stepped out of that with the melodica...
DF: Yeah, but that's a teeny weeny little piano, though.
PSJ: Another thing that's on this album is a track from your other solo record.
DF: Right, it's from "The Nightfly" and the band plays it in a very
similar way to the original record, except maybe a little faster and with a
little bit more energy that you get from a live band.
PSJ: Since the album is not out yet, would anybody like to hear that, "Green
Flower Street?" Hey, it's on the air, WNEW-FM. (Plays "Green Flower
Street")
PSJ: New York Rock and Soul Revue, it's the brand new album by Donald Fagen
who's put together this album and for the past year has been doing these great
shows, you just kind of show up on the spur of the moment.
DF: Yeah, we just pop up somewhere. Somehow there's always a full set of amps
there, I don't know who brings them there, but we start playing.
PSJ: Do you get a copy -- I won't ask you if you subscribe -- but do they send
you a copy of "Metal Leg?"
DF: I occasionally see one. "Metal Leg" is a Steely Dan fan magazine
put out by some very strange people. I don't know if they are strange, but they
do put out this magazine, let me put it that way.
PSJ: Do you think it's strange that there's this incredible fan magazine that
comes out all year long about a group that has really not existed for so many
years?
DF: The amazing thing is that they kept it going for seven or eight years with
no news whatsoever available to put in the magazine, at least now there IS a
little news, so that's the most amazing thing about it.
PSJ: Well, you know it is pretty amazing because they manage to snap pictures
and find stories and actually this is probably gonna be transcribed and printed
in the next issue, the fact that you're here.
DF: That's true, because I notice that everywhere I play, these people show
up. What can I say? I don't know whether to be flattered or run for my life.
PSJ: I think you should be flattered because it is done with love and...
DF: I'm just kidding. I'm on very good terms with them and they're great guys and the magazine's also very funny also.
PSJ: It's just one of those things, even the title itself is kind of a play
on words, but we won't really get into that...
DF: Yeah.
PSJ: All over the world -- I don't knw how much travelling you do...
DF: I just go around the world constantly without stopping, perpetually...
PSJ: ...are you surprised when people do come up to you, recognize you and tell
you how much they love your music?
DF: Yeah, well, I guess it's usually in record stores as I'm signing the credit
card slip.
PSJ: And then they just put it away. Have you ever gotten away with anything
without them putting it through?
DF: (laughing) No, no, they always put it through.
PSJ: Always pays his bill, Donald Fagen. It's great for you to come by the Hard
Rock Cafe.
DF: It's great to be here.
PSJ: ...to help us celebrate our 24th anniversary.
DF: It's great -- all the young people.
PSJ: How much of your solo record is completed?
DF: I've got six tracks, I need two more really to fill it out which are already
written and they will be recorded very shortly.
PSJ: What inspires you to write songs? Because through the years if you go back
and listen to your material -- the solo material as well as the Steely Dan stuff
-- you get into some pretty interesting and heavy subjects at times and find
incredible ways -- at least to my mind -- to express yourself.
DF: I guess especially during the '80s, for instance, I wasn't that inspired
to write any songs. I think I had to wait for a while to see what happened really
and how things were evolving and 'course by the end of the '80s, I got some
ideas so I'm putting them into this record.
PSJ: Now that we're in the '90s, you're inspired again.
DF: Yeah, it's the challenge of the '90s. We're here to meet the challenge of
the '90s.
PSJ: That's great, pound your fist on the table and tackle this sucker.
DF: Now we're talkin'.
PSJ: We were talking about what to play from this album and you picked out an
oldie. We were gonna play one of yours and you said no, why don't we play somebody
else's. What do you wanna play here?
DF: Yeah, we have some great people in the show so we should give them the chance
to be heard. We have an old Memphis soul tune called "Knock On Wood."
Everybody remembers it, it's still a big bar band favorite and here's a version
by Mike McDonald and Phoebe Snow. (Plays "Knock On Wood")
PSJ: That's excellent.
DF: Thank you. There's a lot of great stuff on there so it'll be out next Tuesday
in your record stores.
PSJ: We wanna thank you, Donald Fagen, always a friend and a great part of the
radio station throughout all the years.
DF: Thanks.
PSJ: And it is always a pleasure. I do Work Force Blocks every day -- and you
know, your music is one of the repeat offenders. I've always got requests for
Donald Fagen and Steely Dan music and I'm always thrilled to play your music.
DF: Okay, well it's great to see you Pat and happy anniversary.
PSJ: Thank you very much. Let's hear it for Donald Fagen, ladies and gentlemen.
Metal Leg contents | The Steely Dan Internet Resource