10 Times Steely Dan Completely Ran Out Of F**ks To Give

6. When They Released Aja At The Height Of The Punk Movement

In 1977, punk and new wave were the hottest things on the music scene. Never Mind the Bollocks came out late that year, as did the debut Talking Heads record. Totally unmoved by the current trends, Becker and Fagen created something that was, in its own way, even more defiant: the album that would consummate all their flirtations with jazz and funk, Aja. If future generations remember Steely Dan, Aja will be the first album they€™ll talk about. Featuring just seven tracks, many of which pass the 7-minute mark, the album is smooth as honey, sophisticated, complex, haunting and beautiful. The title track verges on prog rock and features a saxophone solo by one of their highest-caliber guests, Wayne Shorter. Deacon Blues remains one of their most epic loser anthems. Steely Dan definitely gave a f*ck when it came to the production of Aja. It€™s probably their most perfect execution of a concept ever. But what they didn€™t care about was punk and new wave. Despite being seriously out of touch with the dominant mohawk and leather jacket crowd, Aja reached #3 on the US charts, #5 in the UK, and has been certified 2x multi-platinum.