5 Things to Know About Steely Dan's Gaucho Sessions

The sessions ran over a year and blew the budget. Becker and Fagen’s perfectionism drove the album far past its original schedule and advance.

The band hired and fired multiple musicians. Dozens of session players were brought in, with parts often re-recorded until Becker and Fagen were satisfied.

The recording process was notoriously meticulous. Tracks were mixed and remixed countless times, with small details obsessively adjusted.

The budget ballooned to over $1 million. This was an enormous sum for a 1980 album, and it strained the label’s patience.

The perfectionism paid off in the final sound. Despite the chaos, Gaucho is widely praised for its polished, pristine production.