Steely Dan • Black Friday

Taking a little time for the holiday, so here is Steely Dan with "Black Friday". The song is off the 1975 album, 'Katy Lied'.

Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special

Clockwise, from Top right: Midnight Special, T. Rex, Doobie Brothers, Redbone, Golden Earring, and Steely Dan.

Way back in the olden days, there was a show on every Friday night called Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special. It was fantastic, as it not only featured live music, it often put the spotlight on rock bands, many of which were being overshadowed by the pop music of the day.

T. Rex was a British Glam Rock band, one of the premiere of it's kind in the 70s. Marc Bolan was the frontman, and his wild antics, great voice and strong musicianship made him on of the top rock singers of the time. In 1973, the band had a runaway hit with Get It On, which went to #1 in the UK and Ireland, and #10 on the US Hot 100 chart. In 1977, just two weeks shy of his 30th birthday, Bolan was killed in a car accident just a mile from his home, ending the reign of the band. But they did appear on the Midnight Special in 1973, performing Get It On.



American band Steely Dan ruled the charts in the 70s and 80s, the unique blend of rock and jazz playing well on radio. In 1973 they appeared on Midnight Special performing their second single, Reelin' In The Years, which hit #11 on the US Hot 100 Chart. I covered their success with the album Aja here.



The Doobie Brothers formed in 1970, playing an inseresting blend of rock and soul on the California scene. From 1970 to 1987, the band lineup change with some regularity, with anywhere between four to eight members. They were five strong when they played the Midnight Special in 1973, where they performed their #11 hit, Listen To The Music, from their platinum-selling album Toulouse Street.



Golden Earring were a Dutch rock band formed in 1961, a group of teenagers wanting to play Pop Rock music. Like many others on the rock scene, by 1968 they had moved to a more psychedelic rock sound, and they started having some international success. In 1973, the band had great success with the song Radar Love, which made it to the top of the charts across the globe. In 1974, they had their chance to play the Midnight Special.



Redbone was an American rock band who celebrated their native American ancestry often in their music. They came together in Los Angeles in 1969, combining rock, R&B, Cajun and Native American influences in their music, making for a truly unique sound. In 1974, they performed their gold-selling single Come And Get Your Love, which went to #5 on the US Hot 100 singles chart.



The show debuted on TV in 1973, and continued on for eight years until it went off the air in 1981. It gave a platform to some of the top rack acts of the day, every Friday night following Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show. The announcer for the show was Wolfman Jack, a world-famous radio disc jockey with a gravelly voice who became known for his programs with rock and pop in the 70s and 80s.

Worth Another Listen - Aja

It was September of 1977 and I was starting my senior year of high school. [Yes, I have passed my 30th reunion a couple of years ago, and I did not go.] It was a big time for me, as I started to prepare for the next stage of life. That was when I first started hearing the music from Steely Dan's Aja, and incredible album which, in some ways, became a soundtrack to the year. I was already a Steely Dan fan - from Reelin' In The Years to Kid Charlemagne. But with the new album, Donald Fagan and Walter Becker upped the ante of their music, offering a steeper blend of their rock with a smooth jazz sweetener. Take, for example, the title cut, which might not have been a single, but showcased the new sound and feel. Steely Dan really had a remarkable arc to their time together, which was only really 1972 to 1981, although they did reunite in 1993. Aja placed #3 on the US Billboard Top 200 Album chart, making it the highest ranking Steely Dan effort. During their career, Steely Dan put out nine studio albums, the lowest chart position was for 1973's Countdown to Ecstasy, which was #38 on the US album chart.



The first single was Peg, was an interesting combination of sounds, with the dance beat creating almost an Earth, Wind & Fire meets Weather Report feel. Peg just missed the Top 10, plateauing at #11 on the US Billboard chart.



Deacon Blues, the next release, stayed in the Top 20, placing #19. One of my favorites from the album, it started off with the smooth jazz intro, but then allowed the percussion to take over, maintaining a more pop feel, although the vocals favored a jazz structure.



The final released single from the album, Josie, took on a more traditional rock groove, although the melodic line of the vocals still had a jazz tinge. It scored #26th on the US chart, continuing the success of the album.



So, during my senior year, Steely Dan was playing the entire time. And I already listened to WMMR and WYSP, both album oriented rock stations out of Philadelphia, who already had a love for the band. So I nominate Aja as the soundtrack for the Class of '78.