Rest in Peace Walter Becker (Steely Dan)

ny times

npr

No other details were offered, but the guitarist, bassist and songwriter had been in poor health, and didn't participate in two Steely Dan concerts in July. Fagen told reporters in August that Becker had undergone a medical procedure that prevented him from touring.

Becker had performed with Steely Dan as recently as April.

Saw him with the DAN on November 8, 2009 at Northrop Auditorium perform the complete Aja record.

In going through many of the Yearly Albums Calendars in the 70's, I will fully admit to not knowing (but meaning to) many of their albums in full. I did own A Decade

http://www.walterbecker.com/


So just reading about his background on Wiki, he was a member and/producer of the band China Crisis whose music sounds familiar, but at the same time, I'm not sure I've ever heard much if any of it before today. 80's "Sophistipop" aka Synth/New Wave pop/rock which a lot of it is good music, but does sound much of its time.

Also learning of him playing in a Jazz band with Chevy Chase in HS and writing/recording the soundtrack for the Richard Pryor film You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat from 1971 with Jay and the Americans.

Also a sort of 2nd degree personal note on definitely both Todd Rundgren and Donald Fagen (and I think Becker). A friend of mine used to talk about selling his music every winter and going to Hawaii. Delivering pizzas while living on the beach in a Tent. And Hanging Out with Rundgren, Fagen and I'd presume Walter Becker as well.

Granted I never saw pics or anything, so only can go by his word, lol.

I really like Steely Dan, although I have never considered myself a fanatic or hardcore fan. But like Billy Joel or some others, I think if I ever do find the time to spend with their catalog and know their albums much better than I do, I may see them and Becker in an even higher light. They were studio masters and pop-music craftsmen. And I think even beyond their many hits, they were perfectionists for all of their writing and recordings, Much like Kevin Gilbert. Which is why I may at some point get into them more, own all of their albums, etc.

It's just too bad it may come after now Walter Becker is gone.

R.I.P.

Over the Conlfuence of Giants (Queen+Steely Dan+ S Miller+UtIoG)

I wondered what happened to this, as I recall finding it on Under the Influence of Giants myspace page back around 2006 or 2007.

The only thing is, I don't recall the rapping nor even the Steve Miller, although I'm not surprised by that.




Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
Steely Dan - Do It Again
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like an Eagle
Pat Metheny Group
Common (the Rapping)

Mayer Hawthorne: Playboy.com Video Interview

Good interview asking Mayer about his favorite records; Steely Dan included! Favorite Artist: I knew about his Barry White influence, but he adds a little more here., His shows, his favorite record stores. The store in the Bay Area, Groove Merchant I can't say I know, and when he mentions Amoeba, while I guess the Hollywood store is the largest, I have yet to go there, and know Amoeba for their Bay Area stores.

Mayer Hawthorne - Where Does This Door Go (2013)

7/8/13 9:19AM
NPR STREAMING THE WHOLE THING THIS WEEK (7/8-7/15?) 


6/26/13 11:43AM

New official for "Her Favorite Song"

oh my gawd, Mayer and the Doggeeeee Band!

Jessie Ware?

 
6/22/13 12:13AM

I dig this teaser, which I would guess "Behind the Door" is the title of a documentary about the album?



Having captured listeners’ attention with lead single Her Favorite Song and the Father’s Day-themed Reach Out Richard (which I’ve adopted as my official theme song), Mayer Hawthone continues to build anticipation for his senior set with The Stars Are Ours. A recent interview revealed that Hawthorne and frequent collaborator Pharrell Willams (co-producer of the record in conjunction with Andrew Cohen) share a passion for Steely Dan, and nowhere is that influence more clear than on this cut, a bluesy, ‘70s-inspired rocker boasting intricate guitar work and a knotty vocal melody. Like what you’re hearing? More retro, yet forward-looking jams await on Where Does This Door Go, dropping July 16, via Universal Republic.

Stream the 2nd to last track "The Stars Are Ours"
(it's also on iTunes by the way)


Deluxe Edition Link
Info:

1 Problematization 0:15
2 Back Seat Lover 3:51
3 The Innocent 3:22
4 Allie Jones 4:04
5 The Only One 3:20
6 Wine Glass Woman 3:47
7 Her Favorite Song 3:33
8 Ay Bass Player 0:14
9 Crime (with Kendrick Lamar) 4:40
10 Reach Out Richard 4:08
11 Corsican Rosé 4:08
12 Where Does This Door Go 4:18
13 Robot Love 3:27
14 The Stars Are Ours 4:31
15 All Better 4:18

1 They Don’t Know You (Bonus Track) 4:05
2 Fool (Bonus Track) 3:07
3 Kaila (Bonus Track) 3:57
4 Small Clone (Bonus Track) 4:00
5 Designer Drug (Bonus Track) 3:33


6/18/13 12:00PM
PRE-ORDERS LINK

Awesome how he finally is releasing Henny & Gingerale and at least Designer Drug will the B-side for that 7" single.


6/13/13 11:57AM
New song below "Reach Out Richard" as as Mayer just wrote:
Love you Dad. This new song is for you.  

Also I love how in this Article from RollingStone.com  he talks about his background with of all genres, \M/etal. Haha,..a genre my gf you can say, is not a fan of, lol.

The singer – who was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan and has since relocated to Los Angeles – says Where Does This Door Go allowed him to explore all his varied musical influences, from hip-hop to funk and metal. "This is the album that is truly me," Hawthorne says. "It was really about a journey into the unknown, doing something totally different and not knowing where it was going to go or how people were going to respond to it. And if that means really having that sort of DJ Haircut side of me come out and my hip-hop background, and my love for Michael McDonald and Steely Dan and the Cars. . . I used to be a metalhead, too, back in the day. I listened to Iron Maiden and Helmet and those are influences that have finally gotten [a] chance."

6/3/12 8:00PM

http://lifeandtimes.com/mayer-hawthorne-reveals-where-does-this-door-go-tracklist-and-speaks-on-kendrick-lamar-collab

this album is sounding more intriguing in a lot of ways. The only things are, #1 Designer Drug is not included. Could it be this album's "Henny and Gingerale"?

#2 there's a whole bunch of guests, but other than Jessie Ware and I suppose now Pharrell Williams, they're not necessarily names I have favorable backgrounds with.

Although if the songs are good, that may not matter. The comparisons to Thriller and the name dropping of Steely Dan caught my eye in that interview.

I guess with Designer Drug's absence, and the comment about so many songs could be singles; i.e. the album has 4, 5, 6 or more songs as good if not better than Designer Drug, it's absence may also not matter.

But we'll see. July 16th of course is a holiday in more than 1 respect.



L+T: At SXSW, you premiered some of the tracks from Where Does This Door Go. If I’m not mistaken, you originally didn’t know if you were actually going to release some or all of the tracks as an EP or album…or even release them at all. Is that correct? Was there a determining factor that led to your decision to create a LP?

MH: I recorded over forty songs for this album. It was really tough to narrow it down. The track list changed every day. In the end I decided to keep the album short and try to release the rest later. I really wanted to make a party record like [Michael Jackson's] Thriller, where every song could be a single.




1. Problematization
2. Back Seat Lover
3. The Innocent
4. Allie Jones
5. The Only One
6. Wine Glass Woman
7. Her Favorite Song
8. Crime (with Kendrick Lamar)
9. Reach Out Richard
10. Corsican Rosé
11. Where Does This Door Go
12. Robot Love
13. The Stars Are Ours
14. All Better


5/15/13 8:16PM
New single "Her Favorite Song (featuring Jessie Ware)" being released on Monday May 20th, but streamable now.

This is just a out-of-leftfield prediction, but this Mayer Hawthorne may THEE record to come out of nowhere as a legit album of the year contender. Why I say that, I would NOT expect it. But these 2 new songs and trailer really intrigue me.

I may actually get to enjoying Mayer somewhat close to my Mayer-aholic girlfriend does, lol.

4/29/13 9:13AM



Facebook Link

July 16th, 2013. Where Does This Door Go it's easy to presume that is said title and the release date of his next full-length record. Designer Drug the single he released like a month ago, is about as good a track as he's recorded (although my Mayer-aholic girlfriend might argue otherwise). It even has a psychedelic element.

I do know this should be a big deal to me given it is such a big deal to my gf. It actually comes out only 4 days after Mayer plays at the 2013 Basilica Block Party in fact, in Minneapolis.

Interesting trailer which shows clips from many movies. The one's I caught:

Being John Malkovich
Beetlejuice 2x's
Willia Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
The Wizard of Oz
Scarface
The Shining
Alice in Wonderland
The Matrix
Team America: World Police



May 25 University of Denver - Magness Arena Denver, CO
Jun 08 Cultivate Festival - Golden Gate Park San Francisco, CA
Jul 12 Basilica Block Party Minneapolis, MN

with One Republic
Jul 23 Ravina Festisval - The Pavillion Highland Park, IL
Jul 25 LC Pavillion (Outdoor)  Columbus, OH
Jul 27 Meadow Brook w/ OneRepublic Rochester Hills, MI
Jul 28 Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center  Canandaigua, NY
Jul 30 Newport Yachting Center  Newport, RI
Aug 01 Bank of America Pavilion  Boston, MA
Aug 02 Mgm Grand Theater At Foxwoods  Mashantucket, CT
Aug 03 Musikfest  Bethlehem, PA
Aug 05 Filene Center At Wolf Trap  Vienna, VA
Aug 06 Cape Cod Melody Tent  Hyannis, MA
Aug 08 Tags w/ OneRepublic Big Flats, NY
Aug 09 Pier Six Pavilion  Baltimore, MD
Aug 10 Hudson Waterfront Park  Hudson, NY
Aug 12 Hard Rock Live  Orlando, FL
Aug 13 Seminole Hard Rock Live Amphitheatre  Hollywood, FL
Aug 15 Chastain Park Amphitheatre  Atlanta, GA
Aug 16 Time Warner Cable Uptown Amphitheatre Charlotte  Charlotte, NC
Aug 18 The Woods at Fontanel  Nashville, TN