BULLETIN: Walter Becker dies.
I'm pausing the "Earworm" series for a day to celebrate the life of Walter Becker. He died yesterday, and it's yet another reminder of what happens to us as we age--our heroes begin to pass on. The Good News for us is that our heroes leave a tangible legacy that we can enjoy for the rest of our time on the Mortal Coil.
Walter Becker was half of Steely Dan. I often say that the older I get, the better Steely Dan sounds. They brought jazz to rock music, and created not only a basketful of AM rock staples, but a rich collection of deep album tracks that further burnished their legacy.
You can like or not like "Reelin' in the Years", or "Do it Again", but one listen to "Don't Take Me Alive" or "Haitian Divorce" and you'll know you're in the presence of greatness. Their reputation as obsessive studio rats, bringing in session players to play one bar, is well documented. They even quit playing live for a time, although they relented on that later in their career to the joy of everyone who saw them.
Becker and his partner-in-crime Donald Fagen explored the seamy underside of human interaction. The lyrical content was unfailingly depressing, focusing on losers, dreamers, and things going from bad to worse. Nobody was spared--women, men, drug dealers, philanderers. And Becker was at the front of it.
After an incredible (if somewhat low-output) series of records, they parted. Some of it was that they had tired of the studio system. Part was Becker's challenges with substances. they eventually reunited and produced more music, even winning a Grammy for Record of the Year.
Before that, however, Fagen and Becker went their separate ways for a time (over a decade). Fagen was producing music every so often, but Becker was invisible (no doubt a nod to his battles with chemicals). But Becker did produce one album that showed his dark side in full view.
Eleven Tracks of Whack wasn't a great Steely Dan album, just as most of Fagen's solo work wasn't either. You could almost hear them reaching out to each other seeking that synergy that propelled Steely Dan to iconic status. But one track in particular played in my head yesterday as I heard the news (sorry, Steely Dan song title pun. I won't do it again. Oops). Take a listen as Walter visits with his former (current?) dealer and recounts his time "Down in the Bottom". RIP, Walter. You done good...
See you tomorrow, after my mourning period has eased...
Pete
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