Aimee Mann was set to open for Steely Dan during a run of tour dates this summer, but it appears that’s no longer the case. In the below comic posted on Instagram, she revealed that she recently found out that she’s no longer set to perform with the band.
I was supposed to open for Steely Dan this summer. I just found out that they took me off the bill. No one is entirely sure why, but it seems they thought their audience wouldn’t like a female singer-songwriter? As it happens, Steely Dan is the one band that I 100% love, with no reservations, so it really sucks. But you know what? People are allowed to not like you, for whatever reason.
The comic ends with one sentence presented in a thought bubble: “Good luck to all bands.”
In a statement shared with Pitchfork, Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen said:
Well, first of all, the idea that I would make any decision based on the gender of a performer is ridiculous. That’s something that would never even occur to me.
There was a communication problem on our end. I was misinformed as to how firm the commitment was to any particular opening act. And, although I have the greatest respect for Aimee as a writer and performer, I thought it might not be the best matchup in terms of musical style.
But I can’t pass the buck. I’ll take the blame for the screwup. I apologize for any distress this has caused Aimee and her fans.
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