Steely Dan's Irish concerts to go ahead despite death of Walter Becker

Promoter MCD has confirmed the two Steely Dan concerts scheduled for next month are to go ahead despite the death of founder member Walter Becker.

Becker died at the age of 67 on Sunday of an undisclosed illness. Steely Dan is made up of Becker and Donald Fagen.

The band's brand of jazz-infused laidback rock spawning hits such as Reelin' In the Years, Do It Again and Rikki Don't Lose That Number gave them a global following.

Steely Dan are due to play a show at the 3Arena on October 28th, their first in Ireland for more than 20 years. After it sold out, another show was added for October 30th. Both are part of BluesFest, a travelling roots festival which also includes The Doobie Brothers.

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MCD pointed to a statement released by Fagen after Becker’s death confirming that all the scheduled dates for the forthcoming tours will go ahead.

Fagen wrote: “I intend to keep the music we created together alive as long as I can with the Steely Dan band.”

Fagen described Becker as a "friend, my writing partner and my bandmate since we met as students at Bard College in 1967".

He added: “Walter had a very rough childhood - I’ll spare you the details. Luckily, he was smart as a whip, an excellent guitarist and a great songwriter. He was cynical about human nature, including his own, and hysterically funny.

“Like a lot of kids from fractured families, he had the knack of creative mimicry, reading people’s hidden psychology and transforming what he saw into bubbly, incisive art.”

Becker’s daughter Sayan posted a heartfelt tribute to her father on his website describing him as someone who “loved music more than anyone I know”.

She explained: “We had one hell of a ride. You are my world, my soulmate, my father, that I love so much.

“It’s true your love is shining from the next galaxy. I could see it now; you got a whole galaxy of guitars to look at. Rock on dad, rock on until your heart is content.”