hello everyone, How have you been? I’m doing alright. School starts soon so that is cool. I am going outside my comfort zone and taking a risk. I let my fear of failure stop me from doing so many things in my professional life in the past, ideas that I had that I could of profited from greatly but passed up and someone else ended up scoring big. Not this time! They say the best way to conquer your fears is to face them head on. I am ready to begin. I am going to school for web development/software development with a certificate in web security. As well as learning Blockchain engineering, it’s has growth potential that I will not pass up or miss. Anyways on to the tunes
I have been on a Steely Dan kick as of late. If you don’t know Steely Dan was a duo of songwriters, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Two friends from New York who wrote some of the best music of the seventies. Walter Becker passed away last year, so now it’s just Donald Fagen who still plays and tours under the Steely Dan name. The band started in 1972 a five piece band consisting of Denny Dias on guitar, Jeff Baxter on guitar, Jim Hodder on drums, with Becker playing bass, and Fagen on keys and lead vocals. This lineup recorded three albums Can’t Buy A Thrill, Countdown To Ecstasy, and Pretzel Logic.
The band decided to quit touring in 1974, choosing to instead make studio albums. Dias, Hodder, and Jeff Baxter left the band to pursue other things. Baxter ended up in the Doobie Brothers with Michael McDonald who also sang back up vocals on Steely Dan songs. The duo of Becker and Fagen would employ studio musicians for different tracks in each album while certain songs would have a core group of players. Such as jazz players of the era. Steve Gadd, Bernard Purdie, Larry Carlton, Rick Derringer, the aforementioned McDonald, and various other musicians.
The next four albums Katy Lied, The Royal Scam, Aja, and Gaucho would all achieve success despite any touring for support of the albums. Their albums are great because they were methodical and passionate about the playing and the sound. Have been fans of R&B and jazz, Becker and Fagen combined those elements and brought them to rock and roll community. The band called it quits in 1981. Becker and Fagen both persuing solo records. Sometime in the mid nineties they got back together for some shows but no album. Various solo output from both members continued until 2000 when the band reformed for the album Two Against Nature. Then inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 2001. They recorded their last album Everything Must Go in 2003 and toured until Becker passed in 2017. Fagen said he wouldn’t tour under the Steely Dan name because of Becker’s passing but for commercial reasons was told not to. End of history lesson and on to the songs yeah!
If you have listened to rock radio you have probably heard this song.
“Reeling in the Years” from Can’t Buy A Thrill. Featuring a scorching guitar solo from session player Elliot Randall
“My Old School” from Countdown to Ecstasy
“Night by Night” from Pretzel Logic. This song seriously grooves
“Bad Sneakers” from Katy Lied
“Kid Charlemagne” from The Royal Scam. Kanye fans might recognize this sample.
“Peg” from Aja featuring Michael McDonald on background vocals.
“Hey Nineteen” from Gaucho
And last butt not least, and cheeky puns aside. Today’s bum is from a beautiful woman. Who has amazing eyes, awesome tattoos, loves Batman and Star Wars. She has been showing me love and is a Mega Babe! @pekku
Thank you ladies for all your support, questions, comments, suggestions for new music. Or if you want me to feature your bum in my blog let me know. Stay Gold!