Have a fun and frivolous Halloween, listeners...

Neb Stephenson getting ready and in the mood for a Halloween sort of a broadcast:

And here's a movie for ya! (Starts at 6:30)

Brand new documentary about Frank Zappa in Italy 1982

Here's a ten minute trailer for a brand new documentary about Frank Zappa's visit to his father's home town on Sicily in conjunction with his 1982 tour of Italy:

Lou Reed dead at 71

The legendary rock musician Lou Reed has died. He recently underwent a liver transplantation.
In the 60's Reed was one of the members of the group The Velvet Underground. After the break up of VU Reed started a solo carreer. Walk on the Wild Side, White Light/White Heat and Satellite of Love are some of his songs. Radio Dupree claims that Lou Reed's huge influence on popular music can not be overestimated.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lou-reed-velvet-underground-leader-and-rock-pioneer-dead-at-71-20131027

200 Motels on stage in L.A. and London

Frank Zappa's music suite 200 Motels seems to be havng a revival. It is not replayed "just" like the soundtrack but has more emphasis on the orchestral parts. On October 25 there was a performance by Esa-Pekka Salonen and The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The staged play that took place in The Walt Disney Concert Hall (in L.A.) got fair but not overwhelming reviews in Los Angeles Times.

On October 29 200 Motels will be performed in Royal Festival Hall in London, by "the full forces of the BBC Concert Orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia, London Voices and a large cast of rock musicians, singers and actors." Zappa's daughter Diva will play one of the groupies. Zappa bassplayer Scott Thunes will play the band member Jeff Simmons. Conductor: Jurjen Hempel.

On October 26 the film 200 Motels was shown as part of the 60's film series at the Southbank Centre in London.
Gail Zappa is also in UK now and gave this interview to BBC Radio 4.

On Point radio show October 25: Donald Fagen talking about Eminent Hipsters

Donald Fagen talking about his book "Eminent Hipsters" on On Point with Tom Ashbrook today Friday, October 25:

More here:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/10/25/steely-dan-donald-fagen

Catch the podcast here:
http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=5183210
(Looks like it'll be available for just 24 hours, so grab it while it is hot!)

* * *

And don't miss yesterday's Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane that had Donald as a guest. Click for more including podcast.

Donald Fagen guest on Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane Thursday

Thursday October 24 Donald Fagen will make an appearance on the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania station WHYY's show Radio Times hosted by Marty Moss- Coane. Since his book Eminent Hipsters has just been released our guess is that a lot of the conversation will be about the book.

Tune in live at 11 a.m. (Check what time that is in your part of the world using this Time Zone Converter) or catch the podcast version after the fact. We'll add a link as soon as it is published.

More info and links here: http://whyy.org/cms/radiotimes/2013/10/24/songwriter-donald-fagen/

UPDATE OCTOBER 25:

And here's another Donald Fagen radio appearance happening today (October 25):
On Point with Tom Ashbrook

Slate Book Review on Donald Fagen's Eminent Hipsters

No extra points for the headline of the review; "Reelin' in the Years", but the review in itself does shed some light on what the book is all about. More than a collection of texts and perhaps a glimpse of Donald Fagen if you're prepared to lay the puzzle. Here's at least one sizeable bit.

Eminent Hipsters will be out October 22, 2013.

Here's a link to the review complete with an illustration by Peter Bagge.

Prefab Sprout - The Best Jewel Thief In The World

Prefab Sprout's new album Crimson/Red has already gotten full points from the critics. So no surprises there...

We've heard the first "single" and find it a real corker. What do you think?

Album of the Month for October 2013: David Bowie - Pin Ups

Our Album of the Month (#209) for October 2013 is David Bowie's Pin Ups!

The album cover with Bowie posing with model Twiggy is one of his iconic ones from the 70's. (Yes, it's actually 40 years since it was released).

This is a collection of cover versions, Bowie favourites from the 1964–67 period. Songs by Kinks, The Who and Pink Floyd to name a few. A neat collection of songs but maybe recorded in a bit of a hurry. The previous album Aladdin Sane was released less than six months before Pin Ups.

One may think that it is a mystery why the best cover song from the period was not released until 1990, when two bonus tracks were added to the Rykodisc cd reissue. We are talking about Growin' Up by Bruce Springsteen, a superior version of a song from Springsteen's Greetings From Asbury Park album that had been released earlier that year. The explanation is that the recording of Growin' Up did not take place during the Pin Ups sessions, but later when Pin Ups was already released during the early sessions for the following album Diamond Dogs. Also, the song by the then rather unknown American artist Bruce Springsteen may not have fitted in with Bowie's idea to do songs from the 60's that were not known as well in the States as they were in England.

P.S.
Today is the day that the 2013 version of the song Sound And Vision is released. And later tis month we'll be able to hear a never-aired 1973 promo for Pin Ups on Spotify. So it's definitely Bowie month here in October.

Radio Dupree Top 6 - October 2013

1. George Duke - Uncle Remus
The Aura Will Prevail

2. Ensemble - Black Cow
Everything You Did

3. George Duke - Malibu
The Aura Will Prevail

4. Genesis - Watcher Of The Skies
Foxtrot

5. Prefab Sprout - King of Rock'n'Roll
From Langley Park to Memphis

6. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - I Don't Live Today
Are You Experienced

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Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

A bit of a delayed reaction to our Album of the Month in August; The Aura Will Prevail. But, hey, we're not picky! Anytime is George Duke time in our book.

Happy to see Prefab Sprout in the chart the very same month the group release a brand new song followed by an album.

Enjoy the music on Radio Dupree and - if you feel like helping us i what we should play - please press the up and down buttons as you listen.

Wishing we were in New York...

Photo: Danny Clinch/steelydan.com

Sitting here in the Radio Dupree station cottage surrounded by an escalating attack from a chilly and dark autumn where even twisted happy pop from Japan on repeat is having a hard time helping us keep our bright and sunny disposition, it is easy to wish we were - like 2011 - back in New York to enjoy Steely Dan at The Beacon Theatre.

The band is in the middle of the seven show run that will finish the Mood Swings 2013: 8 Miles To Pancake Day tour:

* Sep 30 Aja - Plus Selected Hits
* Oct 01 Greatest Hits Night
* Oct 03 Royal Scam Plus Selected Hits
* Oct 04 Gaucho - Plus Selected Hits
* Oct 05 Audience Request Night
* Oct 07 Aja - Plus Selected Hits
* Oct 08 Greatest Hits Night

A special shout-out to Reidar from Norway who will have to represent not only Norway but Sweden and perhaps all of Scandinavia as he is there once again for all seven shows.
We had the pleasure and privilege of meeting him last time together with a whole bunch of other friendly and fine fans of Steely Dan.

Walter Becker had to leave stage a few songs into the show Tuesday due to a fever. Here's hoping he's feeling better today

Documentary film on drummer Morgan Ågren out now

Clicking on this picture will not take you anywhere. Check the link below.

Swedish drummer Morgan Ågren is truly a phenomenon.
He has performed with artists as Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, Fredrik Thordendal (Meshuggah), Spoonman, Glenn Hughes, Tony Iommi, Terry Bozzio, Kaipa and Dweezil Zappa.

Morgan (born 1967) was voted the best fusion drummer in the world by the magazine Modern Drummer in 2010.

Now there is a two hour documentary available about mr Ågren: http://vimeo.com/ondemand/morgan