Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan was still considered a true “group” at the time this, their third album, was released; in addition to core members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, guitarists Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Denny Dias and drummer Jim Hodder (as well as multi-instrumentalist Victor Feldman) had appeared on both previous Steely Dan releases along with a host of session aces; all five appeared on the inside cover of the album, though Hodder was replaced on drums by Jim Gordon and Jeff Porcaro for the recordings (Hodder did, however, contribute backing vocals to "Parker's Band"). The tour supporting this album would be the last time any version of Steely Dan appeared live until decades later, as Becker and Fagen's disillusionment with live performance during the tour would lead both to an end of such performances and a disbanding of the Steely Dan lineup. Much of this disillusionment was due to audiences' lack of reception of more complex material. This would lead Becker and Fagen to move to being a studio duo with varied backing on following albums, still under the name Steely Dan. One of the tracks, "Parker's Band," was a tribute to legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. Initial versions of the Remastered CD issue contained an abridged version of "Rikki Don't Lose That Number". This has been corrected on subsequent pressings. The album was originally released in 2 channel Stereo and also in a special 4-channel Quadrophonic mix. There are some significant musical differences between the two mixes. This was the last of three Steely Dan albums to be issued in both 2 and 4 channel formats. The album cover features a photograph, of a New York pretzel seller, taken by the well-known photographer of music and Hollywood celebrities, Raeanne Rubenstein. The location is the west side of Fifth Avenue and 79th Street, just above the 79th Street Transverse (the road through Central Park), at the park entrance called "Miners' Gate".