Steely Dan & Muzak

[MASCARO at humnet.ucla.edu]

Heikki muses on Muzak and the Dan:

>One of my most bewildering experiences in Austin has been to notice how
>frequently Steely Dan is used as muzak in the leading local drugstores 
>(H.E.B. and Randall's). Randall's even seems to give each album a week
>in chronological order. (I always try to choose Randall's during their
>"Countdown to Ecstasy" week -- "Countdown"'s my favorite.)

>Is this an Austin thing only?


Unfortunately, it's not just an Austin thing.  I've heard the Dan on Muzak lotsa times 
here in LA.  In Ralph's or maybe that Barnes & Noble.  Usually, though, it's the poppier 
tunes like "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" or the one about the bookkeeper's son with 
the dynamite.  Haven't heard any of the Countdown trax--or any hot Dan tunes 
generally--man, can you imagine "My Old School" Muzaked?--them ennuied strings 
doing the horn lines, or the guitar licks on "Bodhisatva"-- aaaagh!!!  john m