Fagen and Becker also agree to tour again, but it is quickly aborted after the first rehearsal when members of the backup band started comparing pay scales and started griping over who was making more money.
In July , Fagen and Becker release the title track to the movie "FM" and it reaches 22 on the singles charts. With the phenomenal success of "Aja," Donald and Walter are under considerably less pressure to release new material quickly. Tiring of the L.
While recording "Gaucho", Becker and Fagen had to endure various misfortunes which delay the release date: Becker is hit by a car, one of their favorite new tracks "The Second Arrangement" is accidentally erased by an assistant recording engineer, and there is a dispute over which record company has the rights to their forthcoming album.
Donald and Walter continue to hold back the album while they unsuccessfully fight the price increase. Finally, "Gaucho" is released in November, The album hits 9 on the charts and also goes platinum.
After the release of "Gaucho" Fagen and Becker felt exhausted both musically and personally. In their minds, they reached their creative peak with "Aja" which made the recording of "Gaucho" an arduous challenge.
In June, , not long after Warner Bros. Becker retreats to Hawaii, Fagen continued to work with Katz and Nichols and released his critically acclaimed solo album, " The Nightfly " in October, While "The Nightfly" also achieved gold sales status and peaked at 11 on the charts, Fagen quietly moved into semi-retirement in New York City.
Rumors of a Steely Dan reunion flew across the country in as he and Fagen played on model Rosie Vela's debut album, "Zazu," a Gary Katz production. Afterwards, they also attempted to write sometimes by satellite telephone linking Maui and New York songs for a new Steely Dan album, but they didn't come up with anything they really liked.
Giving up on reforming Steely Dan, Walter then focused on producing jazz albums in the late '80s and early '90s for artists on the Triloka and Windham Hill record labels. After attempting and scrapping some songs for a follow-up to "The Nightfly" in the early '80s, Fagen also resurfaced from time-to-time, working on some movie and literary projects. In the late 80's and early 90's, Fagen, also having given up the idea of reforming Steely Dan, started exploring other musical styles, most notably soul music.
He started making low-profile live appearances at some small New York clubs to sit in and play 60's soul music with a couple of bar bands. At the same time, he started participating in some soul music songwriter tributes called New York Soul. Since each of the Review artists realized that they also had a constituency for their own music, they started peppering up the show with a few of their own hits.
Solo Albums Begin. While taking part in the low-key, New York area club gigs, Fagen also started work on " Kamakiriad " his solo album follow-up to "The Nightfly" and asked Walter Becker to be his producer.
The two of them started working together on and off at Walter's studio in Maui and various studios in New York City. The album was specifically a Donald Fagen solo project and not a Steely Dan project, but Dan fans started getting more excited as they learned of Walter's growing role in the project. Becker was not only serving as producer but also co-wrote one of the tracks "Snowbound. At the same time, it was learned that Walter Becker would be doing his first solo album and that he asked Donald Fagen to produce it.
As more stories started to be revealed, it was discovered that Donald had also co-written a couple of the songs. With the two of them working together again and having a good time with it, the kindling for the rebirth of Steely Dan was there and ready for ignition.
Donald Fagen was going to be making an unadvertised appearance and performing a couple of Steely Dan oldies. Walter Becker was in town working on Fagen's album, but emphatically stated he would not join Donald on stage. Walter just wanted to watch. But when the crowd discovered Walter's attendance they showed their tremendous appreciation and Walter relented, strapped on a guitar, and joined Donald on "Black Friday," "Josie'" and "Chain Lightning.
Becker, to Fagen's surprise, said "sure. Touring '93 - ' In the late summer of , Fagen and Becker resurrected the Steely Dan name for the first tour in 19 years. They put together an all-star band dubbed the "Steely Dan Orchestra", including lead guitarist Drew Zingg, pianist Warren Bernhardt, drummer Peter Erskine, bass player Tom Barney, three sax players, and three female backup singers.
Donald played keyboards and Walter played guitar. All the shows sold out quickly and were applauded by critics as one of the top shows of the year.
Donald played some of his solo tunes like "True Companion" and "I. To the surprise of many Dan fans, Walter also performed a couple of solo tunes, singing lead on "Book of Liars" and "Fall of '92", the latter of which he co-wrote with Donald. Most hadn't ever been performed live before, but some, like "Reelin' in the Years", were rearranged with saxes replacing the opening guitar solo for the tour.
The tour was such a resounding success, and such fun for everyone in the Steely Dan camp, that Donald and Walter made plans to tour again in , while they were putting the finishing touches on Walter's solo album. Even after the group disbanded in the early '80s, their records retained a cult following, as proven by the massive success of their unlikely return to the stage in the early '90s.
Walter Becker bass and Donald Fagen vocals, keyboards were the core members of Steely Dan throughout its various incarnations. The two met at Bard College in New York in and began playing in bands together shortly afterward. The duo played in a number of groups -- including the Bad Rock Group, which featured future comedic actor Chevy Chase on drums -- which ranged from jazz to progressive rock. Eventually, Becker and Fagen began composing songs together, hoping to become professional songwriters in the tradition of the Brill Building.
Following the recording of the soundtrack, Becker and Fagen attempted to start a band with Denny Dias , but the venture was unsuccessful. Katz suggested that Becker and Fagen form a band as a way to record their songs, and Steely Dan -- who took their name from a dildo in William Burroughs ' Naked Lunch -- were formed shortly afterward.
Can't Buy a Thrill was a critical and commercial success, but its supporting tour was a disaster, hampered by an under-rehearsed band and unappreciative audiences. Palmer left the band following the tour. Countdown to Ecstasy , released in , was a critical hit, but it failed to generate a hit single, even though the band supported it with a tour. For their next album, 's Katy Lied , the duo hired a variety of studio musicians -- including Dias , Porcaro , guitarist Elliot Randall , saxophonists Phil Woods , bassist Wilton Felder , percussionist Victor Feldman , keyboardist Michael Omartian , and guitarist Larry Carlton -- as supporting musicians.
Katy Lied was another hit, as was 's The Royal Scam , which continued in the vein of its predecessor. Steely Dan was on its way to fame and, after a few more years of penury and forced servitude, fortune.
They were actually starting to sound pretty good. They made a decision to retreat to the studio to concentrate on composing and recording. Naturally, the other band members wanted to work, and so departed for greener pastures. Donald and Walter, who had already started adding studio players on the Pretzel Logic sessions, began to write with certain musicians in mind.
This last was completed after the boys, now heart-sick and drained by the shallow excesses of Tinsel Town, moved back home to New York City. Donald wrote and recorded his first solo album, The Nightfly , which was a critical and popular hit. Then, he more or less cracked up. But not for long.
Walter Becker explains: "We spent all the money from the last tour. Jim Hodder original drummer for Steely Dan , age 42, drowns in the swimming pool of his home in Point Arena, California. They would re-form in Steely Dan releases Gaucho. The album is meticulously produced and features contributions from Rick Derringer and Mark Knopfler.
Steely Dan 's Greatest Hits album enters the charts.
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