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Music News: Steely Dan band will continue in memory of Walter Becker

Walter Becker (l) and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan pose with their Grammys for Best Pop Vocal Album, 'Two Against Nature,' in 2001.
Walter Becker (l) and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan pose with their Grammys for Best Pop Vocal Album, 'Two Against Nature,' in 2001.Vince Bucci/AFP/Getty Images

by Jay Gabler

September 05, 2017

Donald Fagen says that he'll continue to "keep the music we created together alive as long as I can" with the Steely Dan band in the wake of cofounder Walter Becker’s death at 67. "He was smart as a whip, an excellent guitarist and a great songwriter," says Fagen in a tribute to Becker published via Rolling Stone. "He was cynical about human nature, including his own, and hysterically funny."

Stars including Slash, Nile Rodgers, AC Newman, Julian Lennon, and Ryan Adams also paid tribute to Becker on social media. Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast) called Steely Dan "a definitive band of my childhood" and revealed that her parents almost named her Aja. "I'm still p---ed they didn't." (Billboard)

Performing in Detroit, Beck called Becker "a rock 'n' roll hero" and interpolated a snippet of Steely Dan's song "Josie" into his renditon of "Where It's At." (Billboard)

Club Jäger closes

Clubhouse Jäger, the bar and venue in Minneapolis's North Loop neighborhood, has closed after its staff collectively resigned. The sudden development came in the wake of a disclosure last week that bar owner Julius De Roma donated to last year's Senatorial campaign by white nationalist David Duke. If there was any doubt regarding what course of action the bar's staff would take, City Pages reports, it was resolved when new patrons started to show up voicing support of De Roma and his affiliation with Duke. After an emotional final night of operation on Thursday, the staff closed down the bar one last time and donated leftover food to charity. It's now unknown what, if any, future Clubhouse Jäger will have.

Toni Basil sues Disney over "Mickey"

Toni Basil has filed a lawsuit against companies including Disney and Viacom over what she contends were unauthorized uses of her 1982 hit "Mickey." The song was licensed for use in shows including South Park and RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as in an advertising campaign for Forever 21, but Basil contends that publishing company Razor & Tie did not in fact have proper permission to license the song. Basil is seeking the relatively modest sum of $25,000 plus $750 per song use, as well as the return of licensing rights to her from Razor & Tie. (Rolling Stone)

Colleen Green detained and deported from Australia

American indie rocker Colleen Green was detained and deported by Australian immigration authorities, she says, when she arrived to play a series of shows. Green says her Australian tour promoter failed to secure the proper visa for a professional performer and told her to say she was just visiting friends. When immigration officials spotted merch in her luggage, they held her up and sent her back to the States. (Billboard)

"Motown Mansion" contents go up for auction

The contents of the "Motown Mansion" are going up for auction. The Detroit house, where Berry Gordy lived from 1967 to 1969, will be cleared of its contents next month since owner Cynthia Reaves, who bought it from Gordy in 2002, has sold the house to a new owner.

"Things will be affordable through a full price range," says auctioneer Aaron Siepierski — which sounds correct, given that items up for bid will range from cookware to Gordy's personal Steinway. For the Motown fan who has everything...Berry Gordy's spatula? Could happen.

Dates for the auction have not yet been set. (Billboard)

Just Waits 'til next season

If you've ever wondered what late night at a Seven Kingdoms watering hole might sound like, check out this video of Game of Thrones stars Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion), Iain Glen (Ser Jorah), and Rory McCann (the Hound) covering "I Hope I Don't Fall In Love With You." The Tom Waits classic appears on his 1973 debut album, Closing Time. (Rolling Stone)