RIP Walter Becker, Co-Founder of Steely Dan

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 3 Sep 2017 7:47 am

Hugely influential musician and producer. Too young.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... 67-w500956

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 3 Sep 2017 8:13 am

Way too young. RIP Mr. Becker..

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ ... er-w500968

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 3 Sep 2017 8:57 am

Back in '85 there was a song that stood out for me. It was a song by English band China Crisis and it was called "Black Man Ray". I bought their album and found out that it was produced by him.
Sad news.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Xo3sWd294

Chris Boyd · Post by **Chris Boyd** » 3 Sep 2017 9:59 am

Such a loss...Walter was been a part of my musical fabric since "Can't Buy a Thrill" in '72...RIP and thank you so much Walter....

John Brock · Post by **John Brock** » 3 Sep 2017 10:20 am

Wow..musical genius...what a loss RIP

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 3 Sep 2017 1:47 pm

Godspeed Walter.

All the classic Dan tunes that defined the planet and the mindset of many...

Do it Again
Reelin in the Years
Dirty Work
Bodhisattva
My Old School
Rikki
Pretzel Logic
Black Friday
Daddy Don't Live in that New York City No More
Don't Take Me Alive
Kid Charlemagne
Black Cow
Aja
Josie
Peg
Deacon Blues (my fave)
FM
Hey Nineteen

What a prolific AND BRIGHT pen!

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 4 Sep 2017 4:43 am

One of my all time favorite groups. RIP Walter. Steve t

Craig Stock · Post by **Craig Stock** » 4 Sep 2017 5:35 am

RIP Walter,

He started out with Fagan as backup singers for Jay and the Americans.
Have all ways loved his guitar on 'FM'
Also liked the China Crisis album that Joachim mentioned as well as his solo album from years ago.

Jason Stillwell · Post by **Jason Stillwell** » 5 Sep 2017 6:39 pm

Very prominent steel in this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euf716oQx-w

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 5 Sep 2017 6:47 pm

Jason Stillwell wrote:Very prominent steel in this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euf716oQx-w

That's Skunk Baxter on steel. He's played on other tunes as well.

Jeff Skunk Baxter

Here he is on Pearl of the Quarter of the album Can't Buy a Thrill.

Roger Nichols engineered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GM8vnIZFw0

Steely Dan

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 8 Sep 2017 5:26 am

I interviewed Elliot Randall for my Guitar Dreams book. Here's what he said about recording Reelin' in the Years:

ER
On the evening that I came in to overdub the leads on Reelinâ€™, they simply said, â€œdo your thingâ€ â€“ not another word, really. It was 100 percent â€˜off the cuffâ€™. When it comes to soloing, I find it much more enjoyable to be given the opportunity to go wherever the spirit takes me but on the other hand, Iâ€™ve had to learn and play certain written solos for orchestral pieces in the past; also an enjoyable experience.

AV
What guitar, amp, effects, etc did you use?

ER
Oh, if I had ten bucks for every time Iâ€™ve been asked that question, I could probably put triplets through college! The ingredients were: my â€™63 Fender Stratocaster, using the neck pickup, which was a â€™69 Gibson PAF and the only amp that was in the studio that night - an Ampeg SVT â€“ a beast of an amp that I certainly wouldnâ€™t have picked, if Iâ€™d had a choice. But we cranked it up to 11, Roger Nichols hunted around for the â€˜sweet spotâ€™ to place his mic, found it, and voilla!

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 8 Sep 2017 5:45 am

Andy Volk wrote:I interviewed Elliot Randall for my Guitar Dreams book. -

ER
On the evening that I came in to overdub the leads on Reelin’,'63 Stratocaster, using the neck pickup, which was a ’69 Gibson PAF... an Ampeg SVT – Roger Nichols hunted around for the ‘sweet spot’ to place his mic, found it, and voilla!

Amazing they got that sound using that amp and a surprise it was a bucker at the neck.

Total serendipity.

Still reelin' and a rockin' years later...