Where and when did Steely Dan form?

Steely Dan was officially formed in 1971 by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, but the two actually met a few years prior in 1967 at Bard College in New York. Fagen told the origin story to Entertainment Weekly in 2007. He was walking by the campus coffee shop Red Balloon, and said, "I hear this guy practicing, and it sounded very professional and contemporary. It sounded like, you know, like a black person, really. And that was Walter. I walked in and introduced myself to him. I just said, 'Do you want to be in a band?'"

What genre is Steely Dan?

Um, can the answer be "everything"? Because this is a question that people have been asking since they first heard the funky intro on "Do It Again," the first track on the band's debut album Can't Buy A Thrill.

The fact is, Steely Dan knows no genre, and that's a major part of the appeal. You will find Steely Dan listed under the flag of "rock," but the reality is that Steely Dan is a blend of rock, soft rock, jazz, R&B, blues, jazz rock, pop, pop rock, jazz fusion, and a whole bunch of other vibes.

In other words, there's a reason that Steely Dan has been sampled in hip-hop over the years, most notably by Kanye West when he sampled Steely Dan's "Kid Charlemagne" on West's song "Champion" from Graduation.

How did Steely Dan get their name?

Good story here, and fans of the Beat Generation and sexual intercourse will appreciate it. Apparently the name Steely Dan comes from William S. Burroughs' novel Naked Lunch, in which there's a steam-powered strap-on-dildo named Steely Dan III. Put it another way: This music bangs.

Which Steely Dan album came out first?

Steely Dan's debut album Can't Buy A Thrill released in 1972. It kicks ass.

How many albums has Steely Dan sold?

Steely Dan has sold over 40 million albums throughout their career. Their discography is as follows:

• Can't Buy a Thrill (1972)
• Countdown to Ecstasy (1973)
• Pretzel Logic (1974)
• Katy Lied (1975)
• The Royal Scam (1976)
• Aja (1977)
• Gaucho (1980)
• Two Against Nature (2000)
• Everything Must Go (2003)

Who are the members of Steely Dan?

The two primary members and nucleus of Steely Dan are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, who died in 2017.

Various musicians have joined the band over the years.

Primary Members:

• Donald Fagen – lead vocals, keyboards (1972–1981, 1993–present)
• Walter Becker – guitar, bass, backing and lead vocals (1972–1981, 1993–2017; his death)

Other Members:

• Jeff "Skunk" Baxter – guitar, backing vocals (1972–1974)
• Denny Dias – guitar (1972–1974, studio contributions until 1977)
• Jim Hodder – drums, backing and lead vocals (1972–1974; died 1990)
• David Palmer – backing and lead vocals (1972–1973)
• Royce Jones – backing vocals, percussion (1973–1974)
• Michael McDonald – keyboards, backing vocals (1974, studio contributions until 1980)
• Jeff Porcaro – drums (1974, studio contributions until 1980; died 1992)

Who died from Steely Dan?

Co-founder Walter Becker died in 2017 after a battle with esophageal cancer.