Countdown to Exegesis

In this special episode, Oli and Andrew pay tribute to the myth, the legend, the cape: David Crosby. Tracks discussed: The Byrds – Triad / CSNY – Almost Cut My Hair / David Crosby – Laughing / David Crosby in Hook / David Crosby – Yvette in English / Joni Mitchell – Yvette in English / David Crosby – Your Own Ride / David Crosby – Rodriguez for a Night. Spotify playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2HTSayRNkduFvBx9JIpApe?si=dc891a043ec943fc "God bless your massive soul."

It's the season finale, and the guys are performing circus tricks for Exegesis celebrity Brian Rosten. Meanwhile, Andrew's own simian soul is rudely extricated. "I had sex with you and now I think that you're a monkey." Further listening… The Beatles – I Want to Hold Your Hand Steely Dan – Monkey in Your Soul (Walter Becker vocal version) Freedy Johnston – Monkey in Your Soul Further Brianing… Brian Rosten's Twitter Pete vs The City of Chicago (Brian's book) The Maul (Brian's mag)

It's Christmas every day* at Exegesis HQ. As the fire roars and the chestnuts crackle, Andrew and Oli discuss golden pigs, shitting logs and Charlie Freak. * It's not Christmas every day. It's not even Christmas today. The song has sleigh bells, basically. "You've got to let the love in down the chimney of your heart." Further listening… The Mark Masters Ensemble – Charlie Freak Fauré Quartet – Charlie Freak Tuesday Island – Charlie Freak

Hello schism my old friend. "Just shoot a harpoon in my face." Further listening… Them Fargo Brothers – With a Gun Nina Cristante – Romance Paint Your Wagon trailer The Beatles – Rocky Raccoon The Beatles – I'm a Loser The Beatles – Run For Your Life The Beatles – I'll Cry Instead Joni Mitchell – Raised on Robbery

The boys make a heartfelt apology and open up about Andrew's charity work. Also, pretzels.  "Everything that has got better is being slowly reversed by these pony fuckers and I just want them all to die all at once." Further listening… Joy Wright – Pretzel Logic (and the cover of her album) The Catman Doodz – Pretzel Logic The Incomparable Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band – Pretzel Logic The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back The Jackson 5 – ABC 'Hallelujah Chorus' from Handel's Messiah Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – Wooden Ships Fagen's thoughts on Whiplash Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-Changin'

It's the shortest song in the Dan catalogue, but will it be given short shrift by our exegetes? "Fagen is fucking with us." Further listening… Chicago – If You Leave Me Now Philip Frobos – Through With Buzz Afroman – Because I Got High The Beatles – Happiness is a Warm Gun The Beatles – Sexy Sadie The Beatles – I Am the Walrus The Beatles – Glass Onion The Beatles – Eleanor Rigby Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (excerpts)

The lads mix up their Jims and avoid talking about Parker's Band. [Slightly shonky sound in this one. Apologies.] "I was just imagining Denny Dias as part of a human centipede." Further listening… Becker & Fagen – Parker's Band (demo) Radiohead – Life in a Glasshouse Radiohead – The National Anthem John Coltrane – Blue Train Radiohead – You and Whose Army?

Andrew and Oli indulge in some forced fun before enjoying a cosy conversation about an old jazz standard. "A reanimated Harryhausen jazz skeleton." Further listening... Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra – East St. Louis Toodle-Oo (1927 version) The Temperance Seven – East St. Louis Toodle-Oo Humphrey Littleton – East St. Louis Toodle-Oo Mercer Ellington and the Duke Ellington Orchestra – East St. Louis Toodle-Oo Emerson Lake and Palmer – Fanfare for the Common Man Duke Ellington and his Orchestra – East St. Louis Toodle-Oo (1957 version)

The "third exegete", Ben "Pen" Jones returns to discuss the sorta-Dylan-pastiche Barrytown. This episode also includes the world's best Bob impression and more Dan-inspired fiction by Brian Rosten. Warning: politics. "A very teacherly pigeon." Further listening… Ben Folds Five - Barrytown The Beatles - Tell Me What You See Bob Dylan - Positively 4th Street Bob Dylan - Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again Randy Newman - Short People ----------- Tom Peel's Bandcamp Ben "Pen" Jones's website

The boys sink into the giant jazz-pop feather that is Any Major Dude Will Tell You. Will they overcome their single greatest challenge yet – agreement? "Gary Katz is Mork." Tayyab Amin's piece about discovering Steely Dan Wilco - Any Major Dude Will Tell You Schlong - Any Major Dude Will Tell You The Acoustic Guitar Troubadors - Any Major Dude Will Tell You Die Sterne - Any Major Dude Will Tell You Nancy Wilson - Any Major Dude Will Tell You Randy Newman - Louisiana 1927 (the song Andrew said had a similar melody to AMDWTY) Carole King - I feel the Earth Move Nickelodeon's Alex Mack dissolving into mercury Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone Bill Grundy talking to the Sex Pistols

In the spirit of cultural exchange, our Danizens are joined by retro gaming YouTuber RoseTintedSpectrum to discuss the "gentrified funk" of Night By Night. This episode also includes some erotic Steely Dan fanfic and possibly the first ever Dan-themed text adventure. "I need some funk by five o'clock, Andrew Souter." Further listening… Yasuko Agawa - Night By Night Ana Popović - Night by Night Tous les Oiseaux d'Europe - Night by Night (Spotify link) Benny Hill - Ernie (the Fastest Milkman in the West Bob Dylan - Tangled Up in Blue (Live 1984) A RoseTintedSpectrum video about Dizzy, who is a computer egg ---- RoseTintedSpectrum's YouTube channel: @RoseTintedSpectrum RoseTintedSpectrum's Twitter: @SpectrumTinted

Our exegetes are back, and they're ready to tackle the big questions. Namely, "did Rikki lose that number?", "who is Rikki anyway?" and "to what lows would Oli stoop for Podcast recognition?" "7408912." Further listening… Jeff "Skunk" Baxter – My Old School Kenji Omura – Rikki Don't Lose That Number Botticelli and his Orchestra – Rikki Don't Lose That Number Tom Robinson – Rikki Don't Lose That Number Hank Marvin – Rikki Don't Lose That Number Far Corporation – Rikki Don't Lose That Number Chuck Loeb – Rikki Don't Lose That Number The Best – Rikki Don't Lose That Number Horace Silver – Song For My Father Orchestra Baobab, for the sake of comparison Neil Young – Roll Another Number For the Road

'Tis the night before Christmas, and our exegetes are gathering round the Bo Tree to swap gifts and make merry. (Or as merry as one can be when discussing a song about nuclear apocalypse.) This is our first episode recorded IN PERSON (hooray!) and is even more NSFW than usual, as you might expect when you put two Brits in a kitchen with copious booze. Give this one a miss if you tend to wince at the Anglo-Saxon "C" word. "Donald, remove the last vestiges of emotion from your voice." Further listening… Joe Jackson - King of the World Hench - King of the World Etch - King of the World Pegleg - Dance of the King of the World of Maya Panic in Year Zero trailer Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink The Beach Boys - God Only Knows Crosby, Stills & Nash - Wooden Ships

Voulez voulez voulez-vous un autre épisode de Countdown to Exegesis? Drift along, dear listener, to the plaintive strains of Pearl of the Quarter, and learn about Andrew's strange encounter in a Chinese takeaway. Ooh la la. "Fuck off Don; let's get Michael McDonald." Further listening… Nearly Dan's website Mark Winkler's story about auditioning for Steely Dan The Band - In a Station Spoiler-free show and tell link

Ben "Pen" Jones once again joins our Danizens to talk horns and sex maths. DUM-DUM-DUM-DIDDLE-DUM-BAH-DAH-DUM. "Skunk was next to arrive, wearing some kind of viking helmet." Further listening… Ben "Pen" Jones on Instagram Steely Dan performs "My Old School" on TV Moonpie - My Old School Boogie by Boogie (album cover) Steely Dan - What a Shame About Me

The boys are joined by The Waitresses and Tin Huey guitarist Chris Butler for a lesson in American geo-cultural relations. Apologies for the audio quality on this one. Technical issues meant we had to resort to a safety copy. "A sort of dirty sprinter." Further listening… Chris Butler's Bandcamp Mark Masters Ensemble - Show Biz Kids Hannah Boel - Showbizz People Rickie Lee Jones - Show Biz Kids Super Furry Animals - The Man Don't Give a Fuck The Band - King Harvest (“…don't judge me by my shoes”)

An episode of strange and macabre things, including a visit to a spooky horror circus and more unsettling correspondence from the Rasiermesserjunge. Some discussion of Steely Dan's "Your Gold Teeth" is also attempted. "Hats off, Fagen" Further listening… Your Gold Teeth, the band Gil Scott-Heron - Lady Day And John Coltrane Cathy Berberian - Stripsody

Andrew and Oli sweep the playroom and swallow up all they find. In this episode, we learn the identity of Lonnie, why he was the kingpin, and why Andrew doesn't care. Also revealed: Andrew's dad's opinion of Countdown to Exegesis. "Like an angry haiku." Further listening… Hit-Boy feat. John Legend - WyW Joni Mitchell - Edith and the Kingpin Joni Mitchell - In France They Kiss on Main Street Ted Chippington, for the sake of comparison Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - Ohio Neil Young - Revolution Blues The Band - King Harvest Tom Waits - Hoist That Rag Elvis Costello - American Gangster Time Donald's interview with Ennio Morricone

Is this… jazz? Bouyed by the sound of vibes and acoustic bass, our exegetes attempt to catch the Razor Boy and make him explain himself. Meanwhile, Andrew receives a suspicious package… "We've dissected the frog and the frog is dead." Further listening… Billy Goodrum - Razor Boy The Left Banke - Pretty Ballerina

It's the start of a new series, and Oli is excited. Andrew, however, is not. In this episode, our fact-finding inebriates discover the answers to the following: "is Countdown to Ecstacy Steely Dan's punk album?", "how is Bodhisattva like kedgeree?", and "what does it take to bring Andrew out of a bad mood?". "There's a single almond on my staircase." Further listening… Brian Setzer Orchestra - Bodhisattva Toto - Bodhisattva The Late Era episode about Honkin' On Bobo Denny's story about the synth

A bumper episode to froth all over Turn That Heartbeat Over Again, and try to navigate its labyrinthine lyrics. Plus, we wrap up on album one, review our slams and scams, and - most importantly - answer the burning question: "has Can't Buy a Thrill turned Andrew into a Steely Dan fan?" "Extremely measured fun." Further listening… Brooklyn Charmers - Turn That Heartbeat Over Again Prefab Sprout - Cue Fanfare

The Danboiz are joined by caricaturist and Pretzel Logic aficionado Ben "Pen" Jones to discuss Change of the Guard. They're ready to sandwich, but is there any meat in this filler? Also discussed: David Palmer, salmon farmer. "Donald Fagen is my fursona." Further listening… Passport - Change of the Guard Stanley Dee - Change of the Guard

It's Brooklyn time. The boys sit down for some serious analysis, interrupted only by a scene from Andrew's never-to-be-completed C.S.N.Y. biopic. Also featured: the first appearance of The Steely Dan Dictionary; the most pathetic songfacts of the series; Bob Dylan. "Get me the number of David Palmer." Further listening... Donald Fagen & Walter Becker - Brooklyn (demo) Fleetwood Mac - Sara Bob Dylan - Queen Jane Approximately Bob Dylan - Love Minus Zero

A.K.A. 'that episode about Jeff "Skunk" Baxter'. "A Jools singularity." Further listening… O - Made Man Skero - Fußboi Five Finger Death Punch - Fire In the Hole Van Halen - Fire In the Hole Jools Holland interviewing John Lurie

Side two kicks off with bona fide hit single and dad rock radio staple Reelin' In the Years. Join our hosts in excitable mood as they get to grips with its slippery charms. Also: Oli struggles to identify the solo; Andrew recoils at his enjoyment of The Dan so far; both ruin any chance of a lucrative sponshorship deal. "The finish is dry and refreshing." Further listening… Spirit Adrift, High On Fire and Mutoid Man - Reelin' In the Years Apologetix - Rollin' In the Yeast Donny and Marie Osmond - Reelin' In the Years Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone Bob Dylan - Ballad of a Thin Man

Side one comes to a close with one of The Dan's breeziest numbers. In celebratory style, our hosts relax into their sun loungers and attempt their most thorough exegesis yet. (Or is it the alcohol talking?) This one comes with a sincere MATURE WARNING, thanks to Andrew's explanation of his unspeakable canine coitus song. Further Listening… Ivy - Only a Fool Would Say That

Strolling a little too far into the backstreets of side one, our hosts discover Midnite Cruiser in tight jeans and 'big, brown shoes'. Neither are particularly pleased about it. Also covered: Dan memes, Madonna's favourite ale, soft rock séances. "This is Vantabeige."

This week, our hosts investigate 'Kings', Can't Buy a Thrill's self-described "vacuous historical romance." Lots of honest-to-goodness analysis here, with a short detour into crisis management role play featuring two of Wolverhampton's favourite sons. "My endive salad is on fire." Further listening… The Steely Damned - Kings

Oli and Andrew turn their critical, bloodshot eyes to track two on Can't Buy a Thrill, the single-that-should-have-been 'Dirty Work' We also hear about the origins of 'Yacht Rock', learn of a few embarassing gig stories, and witness Andrew's chess-based apotheosis. "Ooh, I sound like a Victorian nurse." Further listening… Ian Matthews - Dirty Work Pointer Sisters - Dirty Work

Andrew and Oli dive right in with album one, track one - the Latin-flavoured, sitar-seasoned barnstormer 'Do It Again'. Lots of meta-Danchat to kick us off, including an extended monologue on the album itself and a reduction of Becker and Fagen to schoolyard caricatures. Also our most inebriated episode, by some measure. "I think you're gonna be on board the choo-choo Dan Train." Further listening... Club House - Do It Again Medley With Billie Jean