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Description
Hosted by Alex Preiss (creator of the popular @baddantakes account), Gaucho Amigos explores how a couple of misanthropic beatniks became the two most unlikely rock stars of the ‘70s. Through 1-on-1 interviews with notable Dan fans from across the pop culture spectrum, Gaucho Amigos ponders the nature of the band’s greatness, exploring the band’s growing cultural cache and trawling the outer reaches of Steely Dan’s sleazy cinematic universe.
21 Episodes
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Max Zuckerman's debut solo album The Corner Office, with its perfectly arranged jazz-pop epics about creeps and sleazebags, is very reminiscent of a certain band...Max joins the podcast to talk about his own work and creative process, his love of Steely Dan, and other musical influences including Brazilian groups like Azymuth and Japanese City Pop.
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Classic rock journalist Allison Rapp (Ultimate Classic Rock) joins the podcast to discuss some of her favorite songs from the Dan-verse, including "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City" and Tori Amos' cover of "Do It Again," and shares what it was like to see Steely Dan on their current tour with the Eagles. Also, Alex shares a brief follow-up on the "lost" Gaucho song "Heartbreak Souvenir."
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Guitarist Steve Khan, who played on 5 of the 7 songs on Gaucho including the solo on "Glamour Profession," joins the podcast to talk all about his experiences collaborating with Steely Dan. Steve also shares his memories of recording on some of the "lost Gaucho" tracks, including "I Can't Write Home About You" and "Heartbreak Souvenir."
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Wand frontman, guitarist, and singer-songwriter Cory Hanson joins the podcast to discuss how Steely Dan influences his creative process. He also shares his thoughts on classic rock, the eerie perfection of Aja, and some other musical influences ranging from Steve Howe to Sinatra.
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Writer Jazmine Hughes joins the podcast to share her "Steely Dan testimony," explaining how she discovered their work through hip-hop samples, and later developed a newfound appreciation of their witty, off-kilter lyrics. Also, I talk to Helen Newby about her superb cello cover of "Peg."
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Drummer Rick Marotta, the session specialist who played on classic Steely Dan songs like "Peg," "Hey Nineteen," "Time Out of Mind," and others, joins the podcast to share his experiences recording with Donald and Walter in the late 70's.
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Graphic designer/artist Anna Martinez (better known as "Jive Miguel" on Twitter) joins the podcast to talk about how connecting with other Steely Dan fans was like "finding her people." Anna also shares her thoughts on some of the catalogue's puzzling artwork choices, and explains why she's taken on learning the melodica as an homage to Donald.
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Writer and film composer Paul Grimstad (The Sweet East) joins the podcast to discuss the particulars of Steely Dan's studio recording process and their mastery of arranging for rock music. Paul also shares how a piece on Gaucho he wrote for The Paris Review led to a correspondence and eventual interview with Donald himself.
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New Zealand-based computer musician Luke Rowell joins the podcast to discuss how a surging interest in Steely Dan has influenced his vaporwave music project Eyeliner, whether it be from Donald's piano tutorials or a shared love of "fake fake jazz".
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Vibraphonist Bill Ware (currently Home at Last) joins the podcast to talk about his experiences as a band member of Steely Dan from 1993-95. Bill shares some "behind the scenes" tour stories, and explains how Donald's creative process and compositional techniques became an important influence his own work.
A member of The FM Podcasts Network.
Singer-songwriter F.J. McMahon joins the podcast to tell the story behind his 1969 folk-rock masterpiece Spirit of the Golden Juice, and shares how his experiences in Vietnam and living in San Francisco during the 60's informed the songs on the only album he's ever released. Also, F.J. discusses his love of Steely Dan and explains why they were his favorite band throughout the 1970's.
Writer Jack Hamilton (author of Just Around Midnight: Rock and Roll and the Racial Imagination) joins the podcast to discuss Steely Dan's relationship to R&B and Motown, and how Donald and Walter's reclusiveness and decision to forgo touring helped create a cult following that endures today.
Kenny Vance (singer and founding member of Jay and the Americans) joins the podcast to tell the story of how he discovered two young songwriters named Fagen and Becker at the Brill Building in the late 1960's, and shares what it was like to tour, record, and collaborate with Donald and Walter in the "pre-Steely Dan" era.
Actor and comedian Rob Delaney (author of A Heart That Works) joins the podcast to talk about his newfound Steely Dan obsession, giving particular praise to their "rock band" era, and contrasting Donald's legacy with that of adjacent NYC-area rock legends Bruce Springsteen and Lou Reed.
Samuel Purdey co-leader/songwriter and Steely Dan aficionado Barney Hurley joins the podcast to tell the origin story behind his incredible collection of Dan-related archival photographs and memorabilia. He also recalls his reaction to Two Against Nature's Grammy victory, and shares some of his impressions of life in New York City as a British Dan fan.
Guitarist and friend Tim Good joins the podcast to discuss the various styles of Steely Dan's many guitarists, from founding members Denny Dias and Skunk Baxter to session specialists Elliott Randall and Larry Carlton. Tim also explains why a one-off Steely Dan collaborator is his single favorite guitarist of all-time..
Fievel is Glauque songwriter and co-leader Zach Phillips joins the podcast in-person to discuss his creative process and recording ethos, contrasting his own approach to making music to Becker and Fagen's. We also talk about Walter's solo album 11 Tracks of Whack and share some thoughts on the new "Second Arrangement." Produced with additional commentary by Winston Cook-Wilson.
The man behind the "I.G.Y. Azalea" twitter account (@haitiandvorce) joins the podcast to share his thoughts on the online "Danaissance" phenomenon and his role in the Steely Dan twitter community, and talks about why the pandemic era renewed his love of the band and its rich, "meme-able" lore.
Singer-Songwriter James Jackson Toth (fka Wooden Wand) joins the podcast for a fun rambling Dan chat that touches on everything from "Albinigate" to touring life to the Minutemen cover of "Dr. Wu."
After hearing her excellent cover of "Time Out of Mind," it came of no surprise that London-based musician Lou Hayter has a deep knowledge and affection for Steely Dan. She talks to Alex about what it was like to cover them, and shares her love of some other Steely Dan-adjacent artists including David Crosby, Rosie Vela, and China Crisis.
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This is a great podcast. As a pretty major Dan fan I have derived much enjoyment from listening to Alex and his guests discussing the finer points of the music as well as other topics. What I particularly love are the wide and unique frames of reference that become apparent as each episode kicks in. Highly recommended for listening pleasure.