OT RIP Walter Becker

[rudedude]

Sad day for Steely Dan fans. One of my all
time favorite bands.

https://www.jambase.com/article/steely-dan-guitarist-walter-becker-1950-2017

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Mine too, unbelievable. Glad I got to see those guys in person a few times. Damn, this was a huge shocker. Maybe my favorite band, in all its configurations.

 

[rudedude]

Walter is Home at Last.

 

[rudedude]

A statement from his partner, Donald Fagen

http://variety.com/2017/music/news/donald-fagen-walter-becker-dead-steely-dan-1202546352/

 

[BobPSU92]

R.I.P. One of my favorite bands. I had read that he did not look well in recent performances.

 

[CF LION]

Damn. At 67, he didn't get to reel in enough years

 

[rudedude]

Just some of the studio genius of the Dan

 

[Relayer]

Sad to hear, and too young. I've always enjoyed their music.

 

[NovaPSULuvr]

Damn! Never got to see them together....

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Damn! Never got to see them together....

They lost their fastball in the last few years, mainly Don's voice isn't what it used to be but the band was always tight. I was lucky enough to hear Cornelius Bumpus play with them. I saw them three times and was never disappointed. Keith Carlock is a tremendous drummer. All the great bands are going by the wayside, sadly. But this is the way of things. Hell, for many years they never toured at all.

 

[NittPicker]

A band must have a lot of confidence if they name themselves after a dildo. I remember hearing Steely Dan on the radio when I was a young kid and loved them. Their sound was different, in a good way, from the other stuff.

 

[PSUBluebird]

What a (another) drag! Saw them 3 times and still not enough!

 

[artsandletters]

Great band. One of my favorites. Too bad.

 

[rudedude]

I get a little melancholy when all of my musical heroes, especially the past few years, start to pass on. Their music is a part of my very fabric in growing up. Just another reminder of our own mortality.

 

[NovaPSULuvr]

And we are thankful to have all of them providing us the soundtrack of our lives!

 

[psuro]

Damn. Sad to hear.

 

[BobPSU92]

They lost their fastball in the last few years, mainly Don's voice isn't what it used to be but the band was always tight. I was lucky enough to hear Cornelius Bumpus play with them. I saw them three times and was never disappointed. Keith Carlock is a tremendous drummer. All the great bands are going by the wayside, sadly. But this is the way of things. Hell, for many years they never toured at all.

I've seen them a few times over the years with Keith Carlock and also saw them twice with Cornelius Bumpus before he passed away. They were always tight.

 

[83wuzme]

Had the chance to see them back in '92 at the Starlake Ampitheater. They definitely still had their chops at that time. Sad to see him pass.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Damn! Never got to see them together....

ditto. Came close a few times, but never pulled the trigger. My mistake

 

[NovaPSULuvr]

ditto. Came close a few times, but never pulled the trigger. My mistake

WXPN (Julian Booker) is playing Steely Dan and solo Becker until 2:00 today! Sitting poolside in Key West (pre-gaming for a wedding tonight) and enjoying the tunes!

 

[rudedude]

Listening to Becker's 11 Tracks of Whack now. An under appreciated album for sure. Great studio players too in the form of former fusion band, Lost Tribe.

 

[rudedude]

I've seen them a few times over the years with Keith Carlock and also saw them twice with Cornelius Bumpus before he passed away. They were always tight.

Here ya go Bob. The Dan with Cornelius Bumpus

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Listening to Becker's 11 Tracks of Whack now. An under appreciated album for sure. Great studio players too in the form of former fusion band, Lost Tribe.

Book of Liars is a great Becker tune.

 

[TheGLOV]

Sad day for Steely Dan fans. One of my all
time favorite bands.

https://www.jambase.com/article/steely-dan-guitarist-walter-becker-1950-2017

RIP sir!

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Hey rude, what did you think of Sunken Condos? I thought it was good. Don't listen to it enough and may have to give it some play soon.

 

[rudedude]

Hey rude, what did you think of Sunken Condos? I thought it was good. Don't listen to it enough and may have to give it some play soon.

It was good, but I like almost anything by the Dan or respective members. I really dig the song, Weather in My Head, from it.

 

[katchthis]

Was he Steely or Dan?
Band name came from a sex toy in a movie.

 

[rudedude]

 

[BobPSU92]

That's good.

 

[BobPSU92]

Becker was not the best singer, but I dig this Steely Dan track:

 

[mn78psu83]

Beginning in 1972 when Becker was only 22 years old they put out in order:

Can't Buy a Thrill - 1972
Countdown to Ecstasy - 1973
Pretzel Logic - 1974
Katy Lied - 1975
Royal Scam- 1976
Aja - 1977

All high quality records.

 

[psuro]

That would have made a great album cover.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

This is an oldie they dragged out of the dumpster. My favorite version though...Walt sings on the later live versions.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Beginning in 1972 when Becker was only 22 years old they put out in order:

Can't Buy a Thrill - 1972
Countdown to Ecstasy - 1973
Pretzel Logic - 1974
Katy Lied - 1975
Royal Scam- 1976
Aja - 1977

All high quality records.

Very underrated was "Gaucho." Might be my favorite album. Some Dan fans hate it. Different strokes. I loved Aja too. We all get lucky for a few good years. Sad shit, I'm listening to the Dan all day today.

 

[BobPSU92]

Beginning in 1972 when Becker was only 22 years old they put out in order:

Can't Buy a Thrill - 1972
Countdown to Ecstasy - 1973
Pretzel Logic - 1974
Katy Lied - 1975
Royal Scam- 1976
Aja - 1977

All high quality records.

They're all good, but Aja is considered their masterpiece. Aja was released 40 years ago, but it still plays well. It's amazing to think that Becker and Fagen came up with such a brilliant album before the age of 30.

 

[mn78psu83]

Very underrated was "Gaucho." Might be my favorite album. Some Dan fans hate it. Different strokes. I loved Aja too. We all get lucky for a few good years. Sad shit, I'm listening to the Dan all day today.

Gaucho was the one that put the partnership over the edge. They really labored over it. The only reason I didn't include it is because it was released in 1980 and the first 6 were in consecutive years. Another outstanding record.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

They make me think of Penn State. My Old School and all that. Plus I used to listen to them all the time going to see my now-wife on weekends back in the day. Great memories, and everyone has their own. Just a sad deal. I would have dropped a hun to hear them again if they played within a few hours' drive.

 

[rudedude]

They make me think of Penn State. My Old School and all that. Plus I used to listen to them all the time going to see my now-wife on weekends back in the day. Great memories, and everyone has their own. Just a sad deal. I would have dropped a hun to hear them again if they played within a few hours' drive.

Fond memories of buying Aja at National Record Mart in State College and then going back to good old Nittany 28 and listening to a classic. I'll always remember, when we played Bama for the national title in 79, stores downtown had shirts made up with a twist on the lyric from Deacon Blues:"They call Alabama the Crimson Tide, call us National Champs". Unfortunately it was not to be.

 

[hagberg]

Sad day for Steely Dan fans. One of my all
time favorite bands.

https://www.jambase.com/article/steely-dan-guitarist-walter-becker-1950-2017

Ditto. There weren't many SD songs I didn't like. As others have lamented, I regret never seeing them live. I guess we all feel like the good things will never end...there will always be time...

 

[rudedude]

I had the pleasure of seeing Steely Dan many times since their comeback in 93'. Always a pristine set with a killer band. Even got to see them with Michael McDonald sitting in at Montage in 2009.