Mixdown (n) - contemporary recording jargon for the last stage of the multitrack recording process, during which the multiple instrumental and vocal elements of the recording are blended together into the final stereo version which will be heard by consumers.
...which is why the mail is going unanswered (but NOT unread) for yet another month. Keep those cards and letters coming - we're dancing as fast as we can. |
From: "Charles L. Hisel" <chisel-SNIP@SNIP-southwind.net>
Subject: its just too good!!!
Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 18:43:24 -0500
To donald fagen and walter becker.
i have to say i didnt know who you guys were until maybe three months ago when my mother got engaged to this man and he had your aja album. i pivked it up andlistened to it and now i cant get enough i bought your alive in america album and a decade of steely dan and i have to say i hope you guys continue to make more music as time goes on.
all in all what i really want to say is thankyou for the music!
Steven McNeely.
From: JIMX4000-SNIP@SNIP-aol.com
Date: Sat, 29 May 1999 12:30:03 EDT
Subject: wow
WOW SUCH A GREAT BAND...
From: "Javier Sanchez-Buch" <javier_s-SNIP@SNIP-worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Word not to use in songs
Date: Sat, 29 May 1999 20:59:08 -0400
"Smegma" would be another good one to avoid.
Yours,
-Javier
Date: Sun, 30 May 1999 11:09:11 +0000
From: patrick powell <patrick.powell-SNIP@SNIP-virgin.net>
Subject: Prince
Apart from you guys, I also rate Prince. In fact in many ways he has
more talent in his little finger than others could dream of. What do you
say. And when does the new album come out? And finally I can't help
feeling - despite this, my, e-mail, that there is something still
suspiciously and horribly geeky about this whole web page fan stuff.
Sorry. PP
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1999 13:27:35 +0100
From: Howard Wright <Howard.Wright-SNIP@SNIP-ed.ac.uk>
Subject: Aja
Stefan was asking about the last two chords in Aja for the line "run to
you"
I think we have C#maj7-5 and Cmaj7-5 here, no?
On the piano, left to right: C# C F G and then C B E F#
And very nice too. Almost as nice as that
Big-Delicous-Bm11-Lets-Hit-Those-Drums-Now chord in the solo and end
sections. It's that C# - D minor second buried in the chord that does it
for me!
Howard
Date: 02 Jun 99 12:17:26 -0400
From: Chris Osmond <ChrisO-SNIP@SNIP-fieldschool.com>
Subject: please am asking help
Hello Steely Dan
Am wanting please explanation of "phez" in song "the phez." Indonesia not
having very lot of many Steely Dan records and are not understanding
english very good still. Explain please and thank you for excellent music is
playing all day in sister's hair salon, thank you
From: "Schweiss, Ruediger" <SCHWEISS-SNIP@SNIP-ipfdd.de>
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1999 12:48:52 MET
Subject: hi
Dear Dan Fans all over the world
Since about ten years now I am an avid fan of
steely dan ( oh , it`s rhyming )
I am 27 and from Germany. It is very diffcult
to hear to that kind of music on the radio as
there are very few radio station with such
distinguished music. Most of my friends are listening
to that ugly music style as techno and dancefloor
and other kinds of noise pollution.
Ten years ago i got the Gaucho Album and since then
I am collecting all pieces of music of Steely Dan.
I fell in love at once with this perfect fusion of
Jazz, Rock and funk together with intelligent and
sophisticated lyrics.
It would be the greatest experience for me to
see you live on stage in Europe.
Can you give me any information where to order
posters or books of S.D., DF or WB ?
sincerely yours
Ruediger
Date: Sun, 06 Jun 1999 19:38:06 +1000
From: Tom Pitsis <lentom-SNIP@SNIP-healey.com.au>
Subject: A quick and easy lyric?
In the fistula of my bolus or bolinus,
I witnessed a shule epiphany
the pinnacle of my squirrel
a poor and common tapestry.
Desuetude 'shrooms like a gonad to cervix
(The man of calculus, a yank)
tug the tugboat
fairy the fairydust
menses the menopause
(Is Mensa on Vesey Street?)
- "Huston, we have unction."
From: BThom26698-SNIP@SNIP-aol.com
Date: Tue, 8 Jun 1999 14:30:23 EDT
Subject: razor boy
My husband and I are avid fans and have realized lately how profetic the
lyrics of razor boy are for the year 1999. Could you enlighten us as to who
the razor boy is that will take our fancy things away? We get goosebumps
when we listen to that song. It's just to scary... Thanks!! Steve and Brenda
Thompson
From: moylt-SNIP@SNIP-pipeline.com
Subject: ....it will come back to you.
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 11:44:19 -0400
To You Who It Concerns, I was sitting around the breakroom table in my building located in the center of Times Square several weeks ago.We had just finished a very satisfying meal delivered from a recently discovered Chinese place in the area mov ed up in the rotation due to their thick flavorful sauces and fresh tasting hot peppers.You can actually deal with the sweet and articulate woman who takes the phone orders so dishes can be altered to taste.The Orange Beef kills.I was strumming ascendi ng Diminished chords on my Martin Backpacker which a couple of the guys said was sounding particularly good lately since going down a guage on the strings.I think they're just getting used to it.Victor, an announcer asked if I knew the words to "Peg" w hich I of course didn't so we downloaded them and the guys spent a half hour ridiculing me for how long it took me to nail the chords.I explained that this was a Steely Dan song.As I began to play through and sing the challenging tune I was really carri ed away in to a very deep and satisfying state of productive concentration which was welcome after a stupifying long day of work.I am also a performing songwriter in the solo acoustic genre playing among the Folkies at the popular acoustic venues In New York. After singing the song to the guys ( it was very well recieved) I decided to perform it live.The following Monday I went to one of the better attended songwriter open mics, an "uptown" venue known for showcasing the up and coming new talents.This spot has an excellent PA and board with monitors that give the performer the feeling that he is playing in his own bedroom.The stage area is a pit, far enough from the noises at the bar area to provide a feeling of great intimacy with the audience.The se open mics are attended by some serious wannabes, many with sophisticatedly produced Cds who go there to try out a song in progress or just to play in front of an audience, there to really listen to the music.All the music played there are originals. It is considered very lacking to do a cover at a place like this.When I was called to do my song I asked the woman who ran the night if she minded my doing a cover as there might be a concern about the royalty issue.We both looked around, there were no suits in the audience.She said it was fine and I thanked her.I went in to the tune and there was an immediate smile of recognition from the astute participants .Heads started bopping , feet began tapping as a feeling of great joy and nostalgic apprecia tion filled the room." Peg, it will come back to you..." When I finished, I enjoyed the greatest response I have ever recieved from anything I have ever played, including my best songs at my own gigs.I have never felt so rewarded being congratulated f rom my peers on the excellence of my playing and the quality of my voice.Many in the room echoed the statement that they had never heard a Steely Dan song covered by an acoustic artist.I am grateful to "the guys" for facillitating this moment and for al l of the wonderful and special music which has affected all of us so profoundly. "Broadway" Steve Baker
From: "Mark Foscoe" <fuzzy-SNIP@SNIP-freenet.co.uk>
Subject: BRITISH MOVIES
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 19:26:29 +0100
C'mon Walter, don't the phrases "fiercely bad" and "movies from the British Isles" go together like ... err ... love & marriage or horse & carriage or Becker & Fagen or over & simplified..?
Regards,
MarkF Bishop's Stortford, UK
From: "Tony Avezzano" <tony.avezzano-SNIP@SNIP-telia.com>
Subject: Guys, dont loose that number......
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1999 21:33:18 +0200
I bought your Tour-CD a while ago, what can i say....... you havent lost the touch despite the time. It was strange to hear Walt singing on "the book of liars" but it sounded OK. Bye........
From: JimmyPZoso-SNIP@SNIP-aol.com
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 15:40:14 EDT
Subject: Steely Dan
Is it unusual that I started listening to Steely Dan when I was in 6th grade?
Now I'm in 8th grade and I own every album, and can play a few songs on
guitar. Please release your new album soon for your pal Brandon...
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 23:44:01 -0500
Subject: Esperanto, the universal language
From: "Mark Rogers" <markrogers-SNIP@SNIP-stlnet.com>
It's me again, the guy from St. Louis with the Dan cover band that can't get
laid. We've tried reggae Dan, rap Dan and angry alternative Dan, where we
simply ignore all chord changes and just scream the lyrics out like we're
pissed. Actually, since we're a trio in our late forties trying to cover
all the shit you've got going in this material, we are. Pissed. No one
appreciates how tricky it is to cover "Deacon Blues" without horns. Anyway,
our latest stab at getting this Dan thing going is translating the lyrics to
Esperanto. Our guitarist, a Berklee grad of some inteligence, speaks the
arcane language fluently and is steeped in it's internet existance. (He,
too, remains unlaid.) We feel that by singing such convulated tales as
"Gaucho" and "Time Out of Mind" in a language that only exists in midwest
cities and European markets (our guitarist says the French and Russian
Esperantoists are the most embittered), we will finally carve out an
audience desperate for product. Similar to existing Dan fans today. I'll
keep you posted as to how this goes, and only hope that "..crawl like a
viper, through these suburban streets" translates as well as we hope it
will. And since we all know what egg heads you're supposed to be, you might
want to check out our thrice mentioned guitarists' translation of the book
of Zen into Esperanto at www.bigfoot.com/~theheaters. If your shit turns
out anything like that, we're gonna be in the hot tub in no time...
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 01:09:03 -0700 (PDT)
From: Kristin Bowman <didiangus-SNIP@SNIP-yahoo.com>
Subject: perfect music
Quite simply,your music is the most perfect I have ever heard.
Thank you so very much for your sublime music, and good luck on the new
album.
Love,
Kristin
From: ffprecinct-SNIP@SNIP-mindspring.com
Subject: Nice try, Phil...
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 21:44:04 -0400
...but you missed a chance to have the greatest name for a kid ever.
"Bumpus Burnett" is something you could name your kid with confidence!