Happy Birthday to Donald Fagen, co-founder of Steely Dan.
Rachael can vouch for how hard the inspiration hits, when it comes to a musician like myself. This is the my story of said inspiration by Don.
The first time I can remember hearing your music, was a very magical part of my life on a warm summer night in 1978. My best friend Joey had snuck a little bottle of moonshine away from one of our neighbours that used to run off a gallon or two in Smithfield, Kentucky. It doesn't matter who. ;)
I was getting blurry for one of the first times, and the song 'FM' came on the new portable fm radio (aptly named 'The Big Mouth'), that I had gotten for an xmas gift from Mom.
--- For those of you who are too young to remember, FM radio did not always exist! And when it came around, it was like the difference between night and day! ---
The station was WLRS 102 - The Walrus! -out of Louisville. The song was loud, the laughing was loud, the crickets were loud, the moon and stars were loud !
That night, that summer breeze, that warm enveloping hug of the 'shine, that my best friend was still alive. THAT time will never come again, but when I hear this song, it moves me deeply. It makes me feel the breeze, the warm tummy, the floaty feeling of your first alcohol, and the memories of my buddy Joey's familiar presence and wit.
Donald, you inspired me to become more of a jazz musician at a young age. And for that I thank you. You really turned me on jazz-rock fusion and it help mold my style into what it is today.
BUT WAIT ! THERE'S MORE YOU SAY ? Ah ha ! There is more !
Flash forward to 2010. In Australia, feeling very homesick and lost musically. No instruments to be played. The warm minstrel inside me that used to be almost died away. Then guess what happened... I heard FM on a random internet radio station. All of that past came flooding into me, permeating me with such an powerful flashback of emotion, that I was shaking and weeping. Right there and then, I decided to learn how to play that song on piano to regain that enjoyment over and over again when I played and sang it. We had very little money, but I put a keyboard on lay-by at Allens Music and got it out the next week. Needless to say I was a bit obsessive about it. It really meant a lot to me. Learning how to play those Steely Dan songs and the piano, really pulled me out of my funk that I was in and made me a much more awake person emotionally and spiritually.
It wasn't too long after that, that we were pregnant again ! Hmmm...
I was hoping they would tour again so I could see them again. But I was here and they never come to Oz. Then as if they heard my plea...BIG SURPRISE... they DID come here shortly after that!
And I got to see them perform these songs that mean so much to me in my life. It was beautiful.
Well life goes on and on we went with life. Lorcan was born and I could play piano. There really is no moral to my tale. Maybe when inspiration strikes, don't be afraid to stand up ride that wave brother !
But Donald Fagen inspired me in 1978 and again in 2010. Now that's magic.
Thank you for all the beautiful music you create. I am forever your humble adoring fan and I hope you live much longer. Happy Birthday old friend.
ALSO - Lorcan our son was named after Don to pay some sort of homage to one my heroes, and one of the most biggest influences musically and personally in my life.
Lorcan Rune Faegen Howse Shea
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