RIP to Steely Dan co-founder Walter Becker
I've always been deeply involved in music. I started playing piano when I was 5 and played cello and sax as well in elementary school. I got turned on to rap and hip hop culture when I was around 11 and started buying records and DJing cookouts around the neighborhood. My musical roots have always kept me close to classic rock and when I discovered Steely Dan in my mid-teens they were up there with Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, and the other groups that I was really rocking with at the time.
When I heard that Walter Becker passed it made me do that impulsive audiophile act of scrambling to hear some music from the deceased. I had actually purchased Steely Dan's first album about 6 months ago and was the first time I ever owned it on vinyl. The grooves are reminiscent of a simpler time for me so I find an amount of peace in their music. I hope Walter Becker is now experiencing a similar type of peace. Thanks for the music...
Are you familiar with their music? If so, what's your favorite song? I think mine is "Do It Again" but they have so many classics!
Article to Rolling Stone piece on his career:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/walter-becker-steely-dan-co-founder-dead-at-67-w500956
I've always been partial to "Do It Again" as well and often paired it with War's "Cisco Kid" in dj sets. Was geeked to find a record of covers that had funkier renditions of both, back to back, in sequence.
Aja is still my favorite but my copy got warped sometime back and never got replaced. I'm a big Michael McDonald fan in general and he's all over that album.
"Only a fool would say that", "Haitian Divorce", "With a gun" Just a few of my favs..... RIP Walter Becker. 'Rarely has such a brilliant flower concealed such sharp thorns. ' Thank you for the open eyes and bare soul.