Steve Albini has made it clear how he feels about Steely Dan. Posting on Twitter, the super producer announced that he "will always be the kind of punk that shits on Steely Dan... Christ the amount of human effort wasted to sound like an SNL band warm up." He then proceeded to go back and forth, arguing with potential pro-Dan arguments.
Here are Albini's reasons for hating on "the Dan"... (Go trim your beard, lol.)
"They spent three weeks on the guitar solo..." Three weeks of watching guitar players give it their all while doing bumps and hitting the talkback, "More *Egyptian* but keep it in the pocket..."
Look at yourselves. Calling them "the Dan." Go trim your beard.
Two types of perfectionist: One will prepare, revise and rehearse carefully, with intent, honing an idea to a keen edge, ready to cut the cloth of execution. The other makes other people responsible by saying, "do it again," until by chance they are satisfied, then take credit.
There's some video where they talk about every song on an album, and each one begins with the not-bald one saying, "this song is based on my deep love of the blues, just a very bluesy blues. Deep blues." Then lays his jazz dork hands on the fucking electric piano...
Music made for the sole purpose of letting the wedding band stretch out a little.
All you "I used to hate them" people, pleading their case like it's a natural infirmity. "I need readers now, take pills for my prostate. Get winded on the stairs. And oh, I like that cocaine shit music now. Not just Boz Skaggs either."
I kinda like Boz Skaggs tho
No mention of how Steely Dan dropped Aimee Mann from their tour, which is also a valid reason, IMO.
Thanks to radicalbummer in the Stereogum Discord for the tip!
Christ the amount of human effort wasted to sound like an SNL band warm up.
— regular steve albini (@electricalWSOP) February 6, 2023
"Their engineer invented a machine to play the bass drum..." Did he now. And yet it sounds like this.
— regular steve albini (@electricalWSOP) February 6, 2023
Two types of perfectionist: One will prepare, revise and rehearse carefully, with intent, honing an idea to a keen edge, ready to cut the cloth of execution. The other makes other people responsible by saying, "do it again," until by chance they are satisfied, then take credit.
— regular steve albini (@electricalWSOP) February 6, 2023
Music made for the sole purpose of letting the wedding band stretch out a little.
— regular steve albini (@electricalWSOP) February 6, 2023
I kinda like Boz Skaggs tho
— regular steve albini (@electricalWSOP) February 6, 2023
UPDATE: Artists take sides...
For the record — I FUCKING LOVE STEELY DAN.
— St. Vincent (@st_vincent) February 8, 2023

Sir please pass on from me to your kind missus the highest appropriate compliment. She is a good woman.
— regular steve albini (@electricalWSOP) February 7, 2023
And now I'll leave you be.
Steve Albini and Steely Dan equally relevant to anyone under 40.
— SPIDER-MAN'S LANDLORD (@selfdfens) February 7, 2023
Here's hoping the Albini/Steely Dan beef stays peaceful. Too many boomers have lost their lives already. Mostly to heart disease, but still.
— SPIDER-MAN'S LANDLORD (@selfdfens) February 7, 2023
Solidarity with the band that wrote the most hit songs with sports references pic.twitter.com/FnK3pKuRhp
— Small Black (@SmallBlk) February 6, 2023







