The Day The Music Died…Yesterday
Walter Becker, co-founder of Steely Dan, died yesterday, September 3rd.
I loved Steely Dan more than Gayle Sayers loved Brian Piccolo (obscure reference #85 from my writings).
Walter Becker died at the age of 67 yesterday, forever putting an end to his “group” Steely Dan. I’m still depressed about it. Steely Dan was Donald Roth’s favorite group, also (a reference to a fictional character in my novel, 5IVE SPEED, available on Amazon).
As a matter of fact, like Donald Roth ( https://www.amazon.com/5IVE-SPEED-NOVEL-Charley-Warady-ebook/dp/B004JHZ2CQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1504544616&sr=1-1&keywords=5ive+speed ), I know all the lyrics to the Steely Dan songs and I don’t understand any of them. I also know that the name of their group, Steely Dan, refers to the name of a kind of dildo mentioned in William S. Burroughs’ famous novel, “Naked Lunch.” I read “Naked Lunch” twice and I’ve seen the movie. Like a Steely Dan song…I don’t understand “Naked Lunch.”
I have gone days where I only listened to Walter Becker and Donald Fagen and whoever else they chose to accompany them on a particular album, and I never tired of the music. In my mind, there’s The Beatles…and then Steely Dan.
The death of Walter Becker means there is no more Steely Dan. I’ve never seen them in concert, but it was on my list. I guess I’ll have to take it off the list. I’m also guessing that Donald Fagen will not be searching for an Adam Lambert to take his place.
I have to ask myself, though, why his death has affected me in such a pronounced way. Is it really because, with his death, there is no more Steely Dan? I don’t think so. When I search my soul for the true reason, I arrive at the truth. He was 67 years old. He was five years older than I am right now; and I think that scares the shit out of me. I mean…let’s face it…I don’t own the last two Steely Dan albums which were produced in this millennia. I haven’t bought a new Steely Dan album since “Gaucho” in 1980; so let’s not kid ourselves…
Attention fellow Baby Boomers! We’re dying, motherfuckers. I don’t know about you, but it’s never brought to my attention until one of my musical icons dies. I’m not talking drug overdoses here. I’m talking about complications brought about by being fucking old.
As of this writing, they’re still not saying the cause of death of Walter Becker; but I’m going to take a wild stab at the fact that it had nothing to do with his youth.
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that I will continue to listen to my Steely Dan albums as if Walter Becker is still alive and it’s still 1980 and they just came out with the vinyl album, “Gaucho.” That’s what a legacy is all about.
That’s what true Rock & Roll is all about.
