Masters of quirky lyrics tune up to Do It Again

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Guitarist Walter Becker, left, and singer/pianist Donald Fagen of Steely Dan have been rocking since the 1970s. Danny Clinch photos

Walter Becker, left, and Donald Fagen are known for writing songs too long for airplay. Their first big hit was "Do It Again" (1972).

Steely Dan Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's "Everything Must Go" tour ends in Hawai'i On Maui: 7 p.m. today; gates open at 5 p.m. Alexander & Baldwin Amphitheater, Maui Arts & Cultural Center $50 general admission; $65, $75 for reserved seats (808) 242-7469 In Honolulu: 8 p.m. Saturday Blaisdell Arena $66, $71 ($81 seats are sold out); all seats reserved (877) 750-4400

And now they're Dandified middle-agers, for the most part, who were with the Dan then and are with the Dan now, as Steely Dan comes to Hawai'i this weekend.

Guitarist Walter Becker, 53, and singer-pianist Donald Fagen, 55, of Steely Dan, will be in Maui tonight, Honolulu Saturday.

Talk about Dandemonium.

To their fans, Becker and Fagen are the American counterparts of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, though the American duo has always been more cerebral, creating provocative tunes that translate the essence of understated cool. Along with The Eagles and Hall & Oates, they emerged in 1972 and remain active today.

Steely Dan's music tells stories, compelling the listener to think. The lyrics are peppered with double meanings, raising questions and consideration.

In its 2003 incarnation, Steely Dan commands big bucks ($81 in Honolulu, $75 on Maui for top-price seats).

The last time the duo put out an album, "Two Against Nature," in 2000, Bill Clinton was president; Eminem was the flavor of the moment; the fears of Y2K were unfounded.

And when Steely Dan was recording its newest Warner Bros. studio album, "Everything Must Go," 9-11 was traumatizing everyone.

The tragedy has not affected Steely Dan's identity as a '70s group; but its kindlier, gentler '70s flavor has emerged as a relevant and satisfying tonic in the 2000s. What was pop stuff then is smooth jazz now, in some quarters, but the band remains popular.

Steely Dan has a storied past, beginning in 1967, when Fagen and Becker were students at Bard College in Annandale-On Hudson, N.Y., where they began collaborating on songs performed with pickup bands. The two shared an uncommon bond in jazz — along with blues, pop music and literature.

Before becoming Steely Dan, they were members of Jay and the Americans' touring band in 1970, when the Americans were hot on the charts with "This Magic Moment," a remake of a Drifters classic.

Steely Dan's first album, "Can't Buy a Thrill," was released by ABC Records in 1972.

As Danfans would say, the rest is history.

Some Dan-dy factoids:

Against the norm: More often than not, Steely Dan works against the tide. Fagen and Becker record tunes that are too long for traditional radio airplay; their songs can be considered abstract and noncommercial, though they are harmonic and endearing. They go through sidemen with regularity and keep touring to a minimum.

What's in a name: The group's name is derived from a steam-powered ... er ... sexual implement in William Burroughs' novel "Naked Lunch."

Fagen and Becker had other groups with less-sexy handles like The Leather Canary and The Don Fagen Trio.

Breakup and makeup: Fagen and Becker went their separate ways in 1980. After that, Fagen made his first solo CD, "The Nightfly," and Becker settled on Maui to become an avocado farmer and laid-back local who also runs a recording studio.

Fagen's second solo album, "Kamakiriad," was produced by Becker, with some work done on Maui, signalling a reunion.

Their top 10 hits:

• "Do It Again" (1972).
• "Reeling in the Years" ('73).
• "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" ('74).
• "Black Friday" ('75).
• "Peg" ('78).
• "Deacon Blues" ('78).
• "FM (No Static at All)" ('78).
• "Josie" ('78).
• "Hey, Nineteen" ('80).
• "Time Out of Mind" ('81).

Write on: During the 1980s, Fagen composed tunes for other pop acts, including the Manhattan Transfer, Diana Ross, Jennifer Warnes and the Yellowjackets. Becker produced sessions for Rickie Lee Jones, China Crisis and numerous jazz acts.

Vocal point: Becker surprised fans when, in 1994, his "11 Tracks of Whack" featured him on vocals for the first time.

Honorable mentions: "Two Against Nature" put Steely Dan into the winner's column, as ASCAP's Founder's Award was bestowed in May 2000.

The album also won four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, in February 2001; Steely Dan also was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2001.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.