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Steely Dan 1972 to 1980 #1 Trivia Quiz

Inspired by my love of the words and music of Steely Dan this quiz was researched from two excellent books by Brian Sweet - 'Steely Dan - Reelin' in The Years' (Omnibus Press 1994) and 'The Complete Guide to the Music of Steely Dan' (Omnibus Press 1998)

A multiple-choice quiz by tirpitz44. Estimated time: 7 mins.

Author
tirpitz44

Time
7 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
222,757

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
8 / 20

Plays
543

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. While attending Bard College in upstate New York, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen began writing songs and formed several bands together on campus. Which of the following was not one of them? Hint

The Don Fagen Jazz Trio

The Red Balloon

The Leather Canary

The Bad Rock Group

NEXT>

Question 2 of 20

2. "Bass player and keyboard player required - must have Jazz Chops" Who placed this Ad in The Village Voice - which indirectly led to the conception of Steely Dan?

Hint

Gary Katz

Kenny Vance

Denny Dias

Jeff Baxter

NEXT>

Question 3 of 20

3. In 1971 - independent record producer Gary Kannon [Katz] invited Becker and Fagen out to Los Angeles to work as staff song writers with ABC Records. When - after six months there - they in turn invited three of their New York pals to join them in order to start a band and record their songs - Steely Dan was born. Which of these was not among them?

Hint

Jim Hodder

Denny Dias

David Palmer

Jeff Baxter

NEXT>

Question 4 of 20

4. Who sang the lead vocal on 'Midnite Cruiser'? Hint

Donald Fagen

David Palmer

Jim Hodder

Jeff Baxter

NEXT>

Question 5 of 20

5. The sleevenotes on 'Can't Buy a Thrill' were written by Tristan Fabriani - a pseudonym for whom? Hint

Walter Becker

Kenny Vance

Donald Fagen

Gary Katz

NEXT>

Question 6 of 20

6. Who played the famous guitar solo on 'Reelin' in the Years'? Hint

Elliot Randall

Denny Dias

Walter Becker

Jeff Baxter

NEXT>

Question 7 of 20

7. David Palmer sang the lead vocal on which two tracks on 'Can't Buy a Thrill'?

Hint

'Dirty Work' / 'Brooklyn'

'Brooklyn' / 'Kings'

'Midnite Cruiser' / 'Fire in the Hole'

'Change of the Guard' / 'Dirty Work'

NEXT>

Question 8 of 20

8. Between 1972 and 1980 Steely Dan had 10 US Top 40 singles, but only one in the UK - which?

Hint

'Do It Again'

'Rikki Don't Lose That Number'

'Reelin' in the Years'

'Haitian Divorce'

NEXT>

Question 9 of 20

9. The first seven Steely Dan studio albums all went Top 30 in the US - except for which one? Hint

'Pretzel Logic'

'Countdown to Ecstasy'

'Katy Lied'

'The Royal Scam'

NEXT>

Question 10 of 20

10. The title of which one of Steely Dan's albums was taken from a Bob Dylan lyric? Hint

'The Royal Scam'

'Countdown to Ecstasy'

'Can't Buy a Thrill'

'Katy Lied'

NEXT>

Question 11 of 20

11. Which Steely Dan song was edited in order to remove a word that might have given offence? Hint

'Show Biz Kids'

'Everyone's Gone to the Movies'

'Do It Again'

'Babylon Sisters'

NEXT>

Question 12 of 20

12. The intro to 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' was played on what instrument exactly? Hint

Flopandra

Marimba

Vibraphone

Xylophone

NEXT>

Question 13 of 20

13. On the 'Pretzel Logic' album (1974) which drummer was featured on every track bar one? Hint

Jim Gordon

Jeff Porcaro

Jim Hodder

Rick Marotta

NEXT>

Question 14 of 20

14. What was the only 'cover version' ever recorded by Steely Dan?

Hint

'Charlie Freak'

'Barrytown'

'East St Louis Toodle-oo'

'Parker's Band'

NEXT>

Question 15 of 20

15. On the 'Katy Lied' album (1975) which drummer was featured on every track bar one? Hint

Jim Gordon

Bernard Purdie

Rick Marotta

Jeff Porcaro

NEXT>

Question 16 of 20

16. "Five names that I can hardly stand to hear
Including yours and mine and one more chimp who isn't here"
These - the opening lyrics of 'Bad Sneakers' on the 'Katy Lied' album - refer to whom exactly?
Hint

Demian

Old Bard College friends

The original Steely Dan line up

Jay and The Americans

NEXT>

Question 17 of 20

17. Which Steely Dan track features a reference to another successful 1970s west coast band? Hint

'Hey Nineteen'

'Show Biz Kids'

'Everything You Did'

'Deacon Blues'

NEXT>

Question 18 of 20

18. Who played the dazzling guitar solo on 'Your Gold Teeth' on the 'Countdown to Ecstasy' album and the stupendously dazzling guitar solo on 'Your Gold Teeth II' on the 'Katy Lied' album? Hint

Denny Dias

Jeff Baxter

Elliot Randall

Larry Carlton

NEXT>

Question 19 of 20

19. Which completed Steely Dan album came close to being scrapped because of a technical problem? Hint

'Countdown to Ecstasy'

'Gaucho'

'Aja'

'Katy Lied'

NEXT>

Question 20 of 20

20. Apart from Becker and Fagen - who was the only musician to feature on all seven Steely Dan albums from 'Can't Buy a Thrill' in 1972 to 'Gaucho' in 1980? Hint

Victor Feldman

Denny Dias

Jerome Richardson

Larry Carlton

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. While attending Bard College in upstate New York, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen began writing songs and formed several bands together on campus. Which of the following was not one of them?

Answer: The Red Balloon

The Red Balloon was the name of the college coffee house. The Bad Rock Group featured future comedy star Chevy Chase on drums.

2. "Bass player and keyboard player required - must have Jazz Chops" Who placed this Ad in The Village Voice - which indirectly led to the conception of Steely Dan?

Answer: Denny Dias

Denis [Denny] Dias of Hicksville, Long Island - had a band called Demian with drummer Mark Leon and vocalist Keith Thomas - which needed a replacement bass player - and to broaden its repertoire.
With Dias quickly recognising the song-writing talent of the newcomers Demian soon became Becker and Fagen's band and in no time at all Thomas and Leon were out - being replaced by Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter and Jim Hodder.

Answer: David Palmer

As Fagen was initially uncomfortable as lead vocalist - Palmer - former vocalist with The Quinaimes - Middle Class and Jake and the Family Jewels - was added later - much against the wishes of Gary Katz. The producer - who had introduced them to guitarist Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter - formerly of The Fugs - The Holy Modal Rounders and a band called Ultimate Spinach - and drummer/vocalist Jim Hodder - formerly in a band called The Bead Game - was an ardent admirer of Fagen's vocal style and felt it was a retrograde step - and continued to push for Palmer's removal until he was finally let go in 1973.

4. Who sang the lead vocal on 'Midnite Cruiser'?

Answer: Jim Hodder

Drummer / Singer Jim Hodder - formerly of The Bead Game - who had also sung lead vocal on 'Dallas' - the first Steely Dan single - in June 1972.
Jim Hodder drowned in a swimming pool accident in 1990.

5. The sleevenotes on 'Can't Buy a Thrill' were written by Tristan Fabriani - a pseudonym for whom?

Answer: Donald Fagen

This was Donald Fagen's pseudonym from the Jay and The Americans days - when Walter Becker had used Gustav Mahler as his!

They wrote the sleevenotes together.

6. Who played the famous guitar solo on 'Reelin' in the Years'?

Answer: Elliot Randall

Elliot Randall - 'Jeff Baxter having been unable to nail it' It is reputedly Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page's all-time favourite guitar solo!

7. David Palmer sang the lead vocal on which two tracks on 'Can't Buy a Thrill'?

Answer: 'Dirty Work' / 'Brooklyn'

'Dirty Work' and 'Brooklyn'(Owes the Charmer Under Me).

He was relegated to singing backing vocals on 'Countdown to Ecstasy' prior to being let go in 1973.

8. Between 1972 and 1980 Steely Dan had 10 US Top 40 singles, but only one in the UK - which?

Answer: 'Haitian Divorce'

Curiously it was 'Haitian Divorce' - which was not released as a single at all in the United States!

9. The first seven Steely Dan studio albums all went Top 30 in the US - except for which one?

Answer: 'Countdown to Ecstasy'

'Countdown to Ecstasy' in 1973

(The most successful was 'Aja' - which hit #3 in 1977)

10. The title of which one of Steely Dan's albums was taken from a Bob Dylan lyric?

Answer: 'Can't Buy a Thrill'

The title was taken from the lyrics of Dylan's 'It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry' from his 1965 album 'Highway 61 Revisited'

11. Which Steely Dan song was edited in order to remove a word that might have given offence?

Answer: 'Show Biz Kids'

When 'Show Biz Kids' was being shortened prior to it's release as a single - Steely Dan availed of the opportunity to remove a line containing an expletive. Becker remarked, "We're sadder but wiser in relation to that. It's always comforting to know that you've got something potentially obscene on AM radio!" When reviewing the single - legendary BBC Radio One deejay John Peel said he enjoyed 'the healthy cynicism' of Steely Dan and 'lamented' the edited omission of the 'F word' which, he speculated " ... might have caused the more impressionable among you into raging uncontrolled copulation in the high street"

12. The intro to 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' was played on what instrument exactly?

Answer: Flopandra

The intro to 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' - which reached #4 on the Billboard chart and was nominated for a Grammy award - was played on a Flopandra - a type of Marimba

13. On the 'Pretzel Logic' album (1974) which drummer was featured on every track bar one?

Answer: Jim Gordon

Jim Gordon - exclusively - with Porcaro featured on 'Night by Night'
Jim Hodder didn't play at all!

In 1984, Jim Gordon was sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of his mother.

14. What was the only 'cover version' ever recorded by Steely Dan?

Answer: 'East St Louis Toodle-oo'

Steely Dan's first and only 'cover' was 'East St Louis Toodle-oo' - written by Duke Ellington and Bubber Miley - featured on the 'Pretzel Logic' album.

The pedal steel solo was Walter Becker's first appearance playing guitar on a Steely Dan recording.

15. On the 'Katy Lied' album (1975) which drummer was featured on every track bar one?

Answer: Jeff Porcaro

Jeff Porcaro - exclusively - with Hal Blaine featured on 'Any World That You're Welcome To'

Jeff Porcaro died of a heart attack in August 1992 having reputedly suffered an allergic reaction to a garden pesticide

16. "Five names that I can hardly stand to hear Including yours and mine and one more chimp who isn't here" These - the opening lyrics of 'Bad Sneakers' on the 'Katy Lied' album - refer to whom exactly?

Answer: The original Steely Dan line up

The original 6-man Steely Dan line up of Denny Dias - Jeff Baxter - Jim Hodder - Becker and Fagen themselves ... and David Palmer!

17. Which Steely Dan track features a reference to another successful 1970s west coast band?

Answer: 'Everything You Did'

'Everything You Did' - on 'The Royal Scam' album features the line - "Turn up The Eagles the neighbours are listening"

18. Who played the dazzling guitar solo on 'Your Gold Teeth' on the 'Countdown to Ecstasy' album and the stupendously dazzling guitar solo on 'Your Gold Teeth II' on the 'Katy Lied' album?

Answer: Denny Dias

The great Denny Dias.

On a bootleg of studio out-takes from the 'Katy Lied' sessions Donald Fagen can be heard reacting to hearing this solo for the first time with "Holy (Expletive)! - That's great!"

19. Which completed Steely Dan album came close to being scrapped because of a technical problem?

Answer: 'Katy Lied'

In 1975 - the DBX sound reduction system employed for mixing the finished 'Katy Lied' album at the ABC studios seriously damaged the sound quality of the master tapes.
Despite the DBX company creating an entire new machine in an attempt to reverse the process - they were never able to retrieve the original sound.

Gary Katz was 'devastated' - and Becker and Fagen - having come very close to scrapping the entire album found it difficult to listen to the finished product.

20. Apart from Becker and Fagen - who was the only musician to feature on all seven Steely Dan albums from 'Can't Buy a Thrill' in 1972 to 'Gaucho' in 1980?

Answer: Victor Feldman

The multi-talented British-born former child prodigy Victor Feldman (1934 -1987)

He played Piano, Vibes, Marimba and multifarious percussion instruments.

Source: Author tirpitz44

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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