Actually that’s just the first (blank) page pulling away from the binding; it’s an old notebook…🩼— In my experience he was mos def a non-ripper. Indeed, every pad of any kind with any content was laced with his phrases, lines, thoughts. I’m still finding little pieces of him amongst pages of flight numbers, phone numbers, grocery lists….

Translating additional page notes, for those who struggle with W’s handwriting: * International day of the dog * Ringing the ratbell down to tha bone * Grey hat hacks * Grand Canyon rim to rim

Finally back to add my “where were you…” testimony. Hi. I’m D-Mod. And I’m a Whackdict. (But first thanks again to Matt for penning another hunk of ‘Becker oral history’.  You know that everything on WBM will reverberate beyond our humble readership in this present moment, joining other preserved Beckernalia to form a voice that will speak through time -- about a singular, category-resistant artist and those who vibed with him most deeply.) All-righty then. For my first whack, I was:   in a remote New Hampshire hamlet; humping a new tenure-chasing Ivy-league gig; anxiously prepping for a brutal winter by studying catalogues from LL Bean, Patagonia, and REI— (trying to learn about this strange new category of clothing and accoutrements known as  ‘technical cold-weather gear‘); living off the Co-Op pasta bar, an aging record collection, and the irresistible antics of songbird, raven, and red squirrel societies that decorated the pine groves all around ... … and utterly cut off from whatever meager pipelines may have carried news of Fagen, Becker, and the Dan.  No publication reaching me would have wasted ink on an obscure project from some “second-fiddler” uninterested in auto-iconography. I’d not found the babydan byways on the budding Interwebs. And I’d never even heard of Metal Leg.  But one autumn evening a college radio DJ mentioned in passing that Becker’s solo debut was “on the way”. It fact, it had already dropped… but I guess The Wells Fargo Wagon was still making its way up the rutted pony road to us.  So I placed my order with Ye Olde Village Music Shoppe, vaguely expecting something Kama-like but with a novel voice (which could have been…a bit of a let-down, frankly… but that’s another tale).  And when the order arrived and I got whacked? Notably, I felt none of the first-listen disorientation many others report. For one, I immediately absorbed Becker’s voice not as comparison or contrast but simply a given: This is what that guy sounds like. This is how that guy expresses what he chooses to express with wot pipes god gave’im.  And I was drawn to that voice without any intervening dissonance….perhaps because it fit comfortably within a bluesy, idiosyncratic style I’d long been attracted to anyway? Similarly with the stripped-down demo aesthetic, which I immediately understood as set of choices. Intriguing choices to be sure… but only adding to my sense of there being an intentional artist behind the art. In fact that was my overarching reaction to all aspects of 11TOW [I’m excising several paragraphs of needless analytic first-draft bloat here]: yeah, I pretty much loved the work right away — and was simultaneously, acutely aware of a he-who-generated-and-molded it. At its core, in other words, this work had presence.  So. As a piece of music and from first listen (and moreso over time), 11TOW entertained, satisfied, and impressed me. And from my first introduction to its presence,   I was intrigued. I was delighted. I was captured. [POSTSCRIPT: No discussion of 11TOW should fail to include the intrepid Dave ‘Da Kine’ Russell — Walter’s engineer, mixer, gear-wrangler, Hyperbolic manager and maintaner, and all ‘round long-time booster and helpmeet in so many aspects of work and life. If there’s been a truer, more dedicated Sancho Panza to any questing fool, I’ve yet to hear of him. ❤️🙏. And of course he was deply invested and involved with 11TOW in particular. Perhaps he’ll take me up on my suggestion to add his thoughts to this thread.…? [PPS: more generally, we’ll soon be reviewing/editing our media pages to ensure they include Dave’s engineering and/or mixing credits where appropriate. ’Cause folks, WBM would be but a small pile of hissing midnight MIDI cassettes without Da Kine Dave Russell 🙏.]]

Thanks for that Matt. I hear the "where were you when you first heard..." bell ringing. All-righty then -- I'll jump back on soon with my story 😎

ICYMI, some audio clips are now up here

DF on keys is unlikely because of the possible time periods this would have been done + when the other players were present. There are favored candidates for all players (and for the venue and circumstance)….but we’d rather wait for more certainty rather than speculating here

Walter's note-to-self as he planned 11TOW : Sloppiness needn’t be a goal or an esthetic — just do the best you can, that will be plenty sloppy enough. 

{'Jim Beard Jam' Update Sept 2024] Did anyone else watch the livestream of a Brooklyn gathering in honor of Jim on June 19? I learned of this just 2 hrs b4 the event (via an email from….my lawyer! [a big Dan fan]). Added Sept 2024: I managed to look in on the live stream when my glitching connection allowed.  It was very nice, of course. And so clear how Jim and his talents are profoundly missed. But I was particularly moved — although not surprised —that virtually every member of the SD touring band was in attendance. including those who must have traveled far to be there. As they all crammed onto that tiny Brooklyn “stage” for Pretzel Logic (Larry Goldings on keys), I was startled by a thought: could this be the last time I’ll see these dear and talented people gathered to perform SD's music? Only the Magic Eightball knows for sure.  But if it is to be so, gathering in tribute to their comrade and friend is a pretty good way to go out. 

My relationship with cameras and mirrors is much the same :-). Like I said before, you can always just use a hanger to model your item ...

Hey Mike— I’m “here” too…although not always Here, IYKWIM. Like Matt, my time’s been hijacked by other things. But we’re not dead yet :-)

If you want to share, you (anyone) can just post a pic of your garment on a hanger…and add that it fits you, and looks fab 😝 (coming from someone who’d never post a selfie)

WBM’s “English Rose” ☺️

Looking sharp! That sweater is so old, it may be getting sort of hip again 😛. In any case it looks great on you, and glad the EU/Italia customs finally if belatedly got their act together 📭

I thought I saw your pic here in the shirt…but it seems to have disappeared & I assumed you chose to delete. Indiv choice about posting.

It's a lovely shirt -- kept it for a good while, convincing myself I woud wear it. But, what's that rule? If after X years you haven't...let it go!

Perhaps the most 'straight' (formal) pieces out of Maui... Bloomies, baby! (New Yorkers woud know). I infer they landed here in a suitcase or trunk forwarded here at a tour's end. Hope you have use for them. PS the scarf was a favorite in the city

🥲🙏❤️‍🩹

Sort of an ordinary garment...but one well W-worn. (hope not too much so...)

Int’l goods just arriving now (customs, etc). Keep that O2 mask on… “Your item departed a transfer airport in HEATHROW, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND. The item is currently in transit to the destination.”

Sweater: In 'person'?: I appologize, you don't seem to know I'm an AI Mod. Hey Matt, did we forget that part in the FAQ?