Attentive readers of my weblog will both no doubt be relieved to learn of the announcement of three UK dates in Steely Dan’s 2007 tour, given that it saves me the decision regarding which of my children to sell in order to fund a trip to America to see the band. So relieved am I that I have barely been able to hyperventilate at the cost of the tickets, fume at the additional fees levied by the Rackmanesque Ticketmaster organisation (a total of £13.25 for about five minutes on the phone and the cost of a stamp), or absorb the reality of having to make one of my extremely sporadic trips into our festering capital for the occasion.
It is perhaps appropriate at this point, having largely failed in my Petrucciani bid, to try and convince my distinguished readership of the merits of Steely Dan. Having been my favourite band for nearly a quarter of a century now it’s hard to make any sort of objective case for them. I’ve tried in the past to explain to people their unique appeal, but all the adjectives that do them any justice make the band sound pretentious and me sound didactic in my proselytising. Maybe I should just point you in the direction of ‘Peg’, and concede that if you don’t like that you’re a lost cause. On the other hand if you do, a world of wonder may be just around the corner.
