Walter Becker

[Drmojo]

R.I.P.
end of an epoch for me
like a Beatle dying
now he is truly reeling in the years
the under rated half of the Dan
Katy tried
Are you with me Dr. Wu?

[eddief]

luv those guys!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b9hV0oU_-c

[pjm]

Allan Holdsworth earlier this year, and now Walter, it's been a bad year for my musical heroes.

[Bentley]

Truly sad, amazing musical talent. Too many of my 70's musical influences are passing. Unfortunate part of growing older, good reason to keep riding and stay fit.

[jmoore]

I know a lot.of people love Steely Dan, but I've never understood the appeal.

Sorry this guy died though

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[cmg]

so sad, donald fagen played in SA last night.

[OtayBW]

I know a lot.of people love Steely Dan, but I've never understood the appeal.

Sorry this guy died though

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Perhaps it was his 'musicality', whether the style is your cup of tea or not.

[tiretrax]

I know a lot.of people love Steely Dan, but I've never understood the appeal.

Sorry this guy died though

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Is it because your eardrums broke at the Black Sabbath concert?

RIP. Loved to listen to Steely Dan and Joe Jackson back in the 80's/90's when I got my first cd player.

[72gmc]

If you can find it, there was a BBC series on the making of classic albums that included a show on Aja. lots of Donald and Walter and session musicians.

You can find parts of it on youtube--that's where I watched the whole thing once.

[zmudshark]

Allan Holdsworth earlier this year, and now Walter, it's been a bad year for my musical heroes.
Most of my music heroes died in the last century.

I like Steely Dan, and usually have a few of their songs in the endless shuffle.

I figure if a reformed heroin user lasts that long, I still have a chance.

[shovelhd]

I never saw them live, but I have all of their CD's. To me, their music is cruising music. Perfect for long trips on the open road. RIP.

[jmoore]

Is it because your eardrums broke at the Black Sabbath concert?

RIP. Loved to listen to Steely Dan and Joe Jackson back in the 80's/90's when I got my first cd player.Can you repeat that? I couldn't hear you. [emoji83]

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[Drmojo]

why all this talk of CDs?
the best Dan experiece for me was their first 5 LPs
Can't buy a thrill
Countdown to Ecstasy
Pretzel Logic
Katy Lied
but I am FAN atical
I also liked the Fagan Becker solo records
Especially Becker's 11 Tracks of Wack
Die hard since '75

[pjm]

why all this talk of CDs?
the best Dan experiece for me was their first 5 LPs
Can't buy a thrill
Countdown to Ecstasy
Pretzel Logic
Katy Lied
but I am FAN atical
I also liked the Fagan Becker solo records
Especially Becker's 11 Tracks of Wack
Die hard since '75

I actually wore out a Countdown to Ecstasy 8-track driving back and forth to school. ( My old school :D )

[pinkshogun]

Fagen's "The Nightfly" is the tops

[cmg]

I never saw them live, but I have all of their CD's. To me, their music is cruising music. Perfect for long trips on the open road. RIP.

for me it's staying up all night working in the design studio. my college years.

Learn to work the saxophone
I play just what I feel
Drink Scotch whiskey all night long
And die behind the wheel
They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose

:):):)

[rlanger]

Sad day indeed.

I wore out all of their LPs before replacing them with CDs in the '80s.

Although not my favourite Dan album, Aja was always the first I played on new stereo or headphone gear to test it out.

I studied music during my undergraduate years and played in a Steely Dan cover band. Learning Larry Carlton's solo on Kid Charlemagne is still a highlight (he was one of the first on record to tap the guitar fretboard with his right hand in this solo, a la Van Halen, albeit only one note).

[eddief]

This is the day of the expanding man
That shape is my shade
There where I used to stand
It seems like only yesterday
I gazed through the glass
At ramblers, wild gamblers
That's all in the past

You call me a fool
You say it's a crazy scheme
This one's for real
I already bought the dream
So useless to ask me why
Throw a kiss and say goodbye
I'll make it this time
I'm ready to cross that fine line

Learn to work the saxophone
I play just what I feel
Drink Scotch whiskey all night long
And die behind the wheel
They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide
Call me Deacon Blues

My back to the wall
A victim of laughing chance
This is for me
The essence of true romance
Sharing the things we know and love
With those of my kind
Libations
Sensations
That stagger the mind

I crawl like a viper
Through these suburban streets
Make love to these women
Languid and bittersweet
I rise when the sun goes down
Cover every game in town
A world of my own
I'll make it my home sweet home

Learn to work the saxophone
I play just what I feel
Drink Scotch whiskey all night long
And die behind the wheel
They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide
Call me Deacon Blues

This is the night of the expanding man
I take one last drag
As I approach the stand
I cried when I wrote this song
Sue me if I play too long
This brother is free
I'll be what I want to be

I learned to work the saxophone
I play just what I feel
Drink Scotch whiskey all night long
And die behind the wheel
They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide
Call me Deacon Blues

[Fiertetimestwo]

I have been a Steely Dan tragic for many, many years.

Walter Becker was, hell, is one of my favourite musicians- a much underrated bass player and guitarist, as well as being a hell funny wise-ass.

As a bass player and guitarist he was always interesting in that, whilst he could play fast, he almost never did (in a classic guitar hero type way)- choosing really unusual and intelligent voicings and lead lines.

I am going home to put on Aja and try to play along (on the piano) with Deacon Blues. I may actually shed a tear when I get to the F 13#11 underneath the sax solo at the end.

[soulspinner]

Glad I saw them. They were great. Always liked em. Heck, the bands name was derived from the nickname of a dildo................:eek:

[marciero]

Sad day indeed.

I wore out all of their LPs before replacing them with CDs in the '80s.

Although not my favourite Dan album, Aja was always the first I played on new stereo or headphone gear to test it out.

I studied music during my undergraduate years and played in a Steely Dan cover band. Learning Larry Carlton's solo on Kid Charlemagne is still a highlight (he was one of the first on record to tap the guitar fretboard with his right hand in this solo, a la Van Halen, albeit only one note).

Ah-the rise of the session guitarists. Session players in general but guitarists in particular. So many iconic solos. Now everyone had to have an ES 335. In one of the documentaries Fagan was commenting on how, in the 90's and later years touring, they had to encourage the guitar players to improvise the solos and be creative. These were younger guys who grew up learning these solos note-for-note. They are part of the song. How can you not play Kid Charlemagne note-for-note?

[NHAero]

+1 on that! SD has kept me awake on many long dark drives home!

I never saw them live, but I have all of their CD's. To me, their music is cruising music. Perfect for long trips on the open road. RIP.

[wpod]

Very sad indeed. Truly a player's player who is already revered and greatly missed.

[eddief]

playing their hearts out. Just listen to the piano arrangements and the bass in the background.

[jmoore]

I heard he was second cousins with Boris Becker.

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[2metalhips]

Turn that jungle music down!

[rlanger]

They are part of the song. How can you not play Kid Charlemagne note-for-note?

Yes, I absolutely played that solo note for note as I felt it would be such a let down for the listener if I had not. Impossible for me at my level at that time to improve upon it.

With other tunes, I took many more liberties.

I've seen Carlton a couple of times live and he often improved upon his recorded solos.