The Death List

[Ski at 1SKY6]

Actor Jay Thomas has died at 69

[Maggot]

I liked him. I didn't know that was his name until I looked it up though.

[Maggot]

Walter Becker has died 67 yrs old from Steely Dan.



He said after 3 hrs of recording Pretzel logic. "Did I just do that?"

Walter Becker, the guitarist and songwriter who made suavely subversive pop hits out of slippery jazz harmonies and verbal enigmas in Steely Dan, his partnership with Donald Fagen, died on Sunday. He was 67.

His death was announced on his official website, which gave no other details. He lived in Maui, Hawaii.

Mr. Becker was unable to perform with Steely Dan this summer at Classic West and Classic East in Los Angeles and New York City, two stadium-size festivals of 1970s bands. Last month, Mr. Fagen told Billboard, “Walter’s recovering from a procedure and hopefully he’ll be fine very soon.”

As Steely Dan, Mr. Becker and Mr. Fagen changed the vocabulary of pop in the 1970s with songs like “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years,” “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” and “Peg.” Mr. Becker and Mr. Fagen were close collaborators on every element of a song: words, music, arrangement. “We think very much the same musically. I can start songs and Walter can finish them,” Mr. Fagen said in a 1977 interview.

Steely Dan’s musical surfaces were sleek and understated, smooth enough to almost be mistaken for easy-listening pop, and polished through countless takes that earned Mr. Becker and Mr. Fagen a daunting reputation as studio perfectionists.

NY times link

[Midwest Spy]

5 Favorite Steely Dan tunes, in no particular order:

Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Josie, Kid Charlemagne, Hey 19 & My Old School.

I also have another 5 that are very close to the top 5.

[BigMark]

Best concert I have ever been to.

[Midwest Spy]

Best concert I have ever been to.

Some concert videos I've seen of Steely Dan don't appear that great, but the music sure sounds good, and I suppose that's all that matters.

6-10: Do it Again, Black Friday, Deacon Blues, Dirty Work & Peg.

[HairOfTheDog]

RIP Walter. :(

There's not a single Steely Dan song that I don't like or love. 'Hey 19' is probably my favorite -- perfect sexy jazzy tune all the way around -- always makes me feel like drinking tequila and getting high. 'Babylon Sisters' is really smooth too though.

Becker and Fagen were incredible studio musicians, but sounded just as good live (like Pink Floyd).





For MS...

[Midwest Spy]

Thanks HotD.

Our local sports shows on the radio like to play music when they come out of a break. So, the first 30-60 seconds or so of a song will play, and then the host will come on and the music will get potted down, etc.

Last week, I'm listening, and they come out of break to: Babylon Sisters.

Hadn't heard it awhile, but it's a good tune. Not in my personal Top 10, but still enjoyable.

[Donovan]

For some reason Steely Dan leaves me completely cold.

[Maggot]

Jake "raging bull" LaMotta has died at 95. He sure had one tough chin! With all the talk of football players having cracked skulls I wonder if his brain will be studied for the same problems.

[Clang McFly]

Great boxer. Jealous, womanizing jerk. Or did he become decent in his old age? I just saw the movie Raging Bull last weekend.

[HairOfTheDog]

Hugh Hefner died tonight. He was 91.




Hefner reportedly took $600 and an understanding of sex appeal and turned it into an empire.

He wasn't my favorite kinda guy, at least not what was publicly known. But, he achieved the success he sought and made a big mark on society and culture. RIP.

[BigMark]

I know his housekeeper, it's my understanding he's been leaving a big mark for years.

[HairOfTheDog]

I know his housekeeper, it's my understanding he's been leaving a big mark for years.

Well......Big Marks can be funny sometimes, also gross.

[Eat Shit And Die]

Randy old fit.

[Duchess]

I know his housekeeper, it's my understanding he's been leaving a big mark for years.

All roads lead to poop.

Poop is mainstream these days. There is a poop character, poop costume, poop birthday cake. Goddamn! This acceptance of poop will be the downfall of America. Poop be damned.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

I missed commenting on Steely Dan. Glad I got to see them last year when they played in WPB, great show, pretty amazing. Those guys played together for 50 years, one hell of a run

[Blindgreed1]

Hugh Heffner died on hump day

[Duchess]

[Maggot]

He was always smiling.