Walter Beck of Steely Dan dies

[Vertigo]

Any old fans of Steely Dan here? Bass guitarist Walter Beck sadly died on the 3rd aged 67.

 

[J Riff]

Yes, sadness. They were set to tour.

 

[Foxbat]

Oh Damn! Another one gone to the great gig in the sky

 

[J Riff]

Beck, Becker. Unspecified causes, probably something to do with Rock and Roll... RIP.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

I was gutted when I found out - was a massive fan of Steely Dan.
I also loved his 11 Tracks Of Whack album - produced by Fagen - but Circus Money was almost unlistenable for some reason (it appeared to have zero tunes).
I put a few links in the music section, on the Monday iirc.
He was an absolute one-off. In fact, they both were.
Played Can't Buy A Thrill and Pretzel Logic last night. Impeccable songwriting!
[media]

 

[Foxbat]

Ah memories!

My first taste of Steely Dan as a teenager was Rikki Don't Lose That Number(wasn't everybody's?) Jeff Baxter played guitar solo on this and then went on to join another of my favourites (The Doobie Brothers).

But I soon found out that there was so much more Steely Dan worth listening to. Never looked back

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Ah memories!

My first taste of Steely Dan as a teenager was Rikki Don't Lose That Number(wasn't everybody's?) Jeff Baxter played guitar solo on this and then went on to join another of my favourites (The Doobie Brothers).

But I soon found out that there was so much more Steely Dan worth listening to. Never looked back

Likewise.
I listened to The Nightfly and Kamakiriad last night. Also fabulous!

 

[J Riff]

They had good guitar plankers, Skunk Baxter, and Elliot Randall... (his solo LP from around 1970 is better than some Steely Dan LPs BTW*), and some really cool tunes dint they? Like Bhoddisatva and oh, My Old School and a few others, before Aja. Randall also played with the Druids of Stonehenge around 1968, which sounds really cool, but they were only okay. As such things go. IMHO.

 

[Foxbat]

Likewise.
I listened to The Nightfly and Kamakiriad last night. Also fabulous!

Ah yes. The Nightfly. One of my absolute favourites.

So many recordings sound dated when you go back and listen to them many years later but The Nightfly still sounds fresh and contemporary. Its clean and uncluttered tones are a classic example of the good old 'less is more' adage.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Ah yes. The Nightfly. One of my absolute favourites.

So many recordings sound dated when you go back and listen to them many years later but The Nightfly still sounds fresh and contemporary. Its clean and uncluttered tones are a classic example of the good old 'less is more' adage.

It's a most curious, even extraordinary recording. I've never heard anything quite like it (sonically) - especially the drums and percussion on 'New Frontier'. What the hell were they recording with ?

Do you know Kamakiriad? Also wonderful. I'm going to give Morph The Cat another go tonight, see if I can get into the 2nd half...

 

[J Riff]

We will forego Nightfly for the moment, as it's Walter who's died, not Donald - and check out 11 tracks of Wack, which I don't know anything about, but with a title like that .. also; Circus Money, will sample these tnite I reckon.

 

[Foxbat]

It's a most curious, even extraordinary recording. I've never heard anything quite like it (sonically) - especially the drums and percussion on 'New Frontier'. What the hell were they recording with ?

Do you know Kamakiriad? Also wonderful. I'm going to give Morph The Cat another go tonight, see if I can get into the 2nd half...

Yes. I have both Kamakiriad and Morph The Cat - both I enjoy but Nightfly (for me) is the better of the three.

I've been listening to Two Against Nature which I initially had trouble listening to but now I'm starting to enjoy more - especially the first two tracks (title track and What A Shame about Me). Becker's playingon this album is both subtle and Steely (if that can be applied).

 

[J Riff]

And Walter's tracks aren't so wacky after all. Not compared to, say, Ape Call or Noon Balloon To Rangoon, by Nervous Norvus.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

We will forego Nightfly for the moment, as it's Walter who's died, not Donald - and check out 11 tracks of Wack, which I don't know anything about, but with a title like that .. also; Circus Money, will sample these tnite I reckon.

I can't listen to Circus Money alas - zero tunes and sounds uninspired - but 11 Tracks Of Whack is marvellous, delightful and ever-wonderful.
PS. there's 12 tracks

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Yes. I have both Kamakiriad and Morph The Cat - both I enjoy but Nightfly (for me) is the better of the three.

I've been listening to Two Against Nature which I initially had trouble listening to but now I'm starting to enjoy more - especially the first two tracks (title track and What A Shame about Me). Becker's playingon this album is both subtle and Steely (if that can be applied).

Yes, The Nightfly is wonderful, but I really think Kamakiriad is as good.
I listened to Morph The Cat last night, and it's grown on me. It dips a little in the middle, but pretty damn good. Lots of guitars!
Going to dare to re-listen to Sunken Condos tonight. I did not like it when I bought it, and haven't listened to it since...

I really liked Two Against Nature too, fantastic songs. Didn't like Everything Must Go as much, and I very rarely bother with that one...

 

[logan_run]

I liked steely dan.