After that, he moved to California and become one of the original six members of Steely Dan, which he left in 1974 to join the Doobie Brothers, which he left in 1979. In June, he finally released his first solo album, Speed Of Heat, to rave reviews. At 61 years of age, I have seen and listened to a plethora of musicians. Have you been to Scotland? She is a very special human being. A Bodhisattva is a human who has reached a level of perfect enlightenment, as the Buddha did (whether or not by listening to righteous guitar solos), and can leave physical existence and the material world behind, but chooses to remain in human form in . Well, Im a big believer in you do what you do best and when youre in bands with people like Donald Fagan and Linda Ronstadt and people like that, singing really doesnt come up in my wheelhouse (laughs). In this latest Behind the Curtain entry, Steve Rosen recounts an unexpectedly serious chat with Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, then of the Doobie Brothers, all about survival. Also when he was with the doobies he often wore headphones to get a better mix which the monitors wouldnt give him at the time. Originally crafted by series creator James Wan out of papier-mache, clay, and black ping-pong balls for eyes, creepy ventriloquist puppet Billy became an instant horror icon upon his debut and a. Omigod I love you so much Jeff! What are the physical state of oxygen at room temperature? alot and she got into playing the guitar and singing. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". What happens to atoms during chemical reaction? Same with Mike McDonald. Pretzel Logic is the third studio album by American rock band Steely Dan, released on February 20, 1974, by ABC Records.It was written by principal band members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, and recorded at The Village Recorder in West Los Angeles with producer Gary Katz.It was the final album to feature the full quintet lineup of Becker, Fagen, Denny Dias, Jim Hodder, and Jeff "Skunk . So I learned to play it and then many years later, Les and I became friends when I was about fourteen or fifteen working in music stores in New York, and we started doing gigs together at Fat Tuesdays and the Iridium, just playing together. Jeff Skunk Baxter's age is 74. When you think of some of the most well-respected musicians in the business, its a good bet that Jeff Baxter, better known as Skunk, ranks very high on that list. Any lower and it makes it harder to play. I think thats where its going. . Wed actually played together up at the Sundance Film Festival, wed actually met each other a few years before, but it was a lot of fun. I don't gig but I enjoy playing standing up much over sitting. So for me, reading is habitual. Baxter (born December 13, 1948) is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s and Spirit in the 1980s. Everyone seems to be overly happy to be involved too!!! I didn't find it distracting as a spectator at all Christy Jolene Plunkett is one of the Main Characters on seasons of Mom. Baxter knows his way around a good song and how to make it great. I was eleven and playing in a surf band with Abraham Laboriel and sitting in sometimes with Los Hooligans, which was a very well-known Mexican rock & roll band. He worked with band leader Donald Fagen in Steely Dan. So I went out onstage and I started playing it and I got to the end of the last verse and Adrian Belew came out, who I just love and hes one of my favorite guitar players and one of my favorite people, and he plugged in and started to play. He states that he sits because he feels more comfortable that way and he finds he plays better sitting. Baxter started out aiming for a career in journalism but always had an interest in music while working at a music shop in Manhattan, he met up-and-coming guitar legend Jimi Hendrix and during part of 1966 was the bassist for Jimmy James and the Blue Flames. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter has announced his first-ever solo album, Speed of Heat, out on June 18 via BMG/Renew Records. It was on this day, August 3 rd, in 1974 that guitarist Jeff Baxter quit the band Steely Dan when the other founding members decided to stop touring. He was Senior Executive Vice President of J Walter Thompson, which was the largest advertising agency in the world. With three minutes left in the Cougars' rout of the Pilots, coach Mark Pope told Baxter to check into the game. She is an angel and working with her was an absolute joy. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, Yess, he has always had a passion for singing and playing the guitar too! I think thats great. I've played for so many years standing up, sitting feels uncomfortable. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Nothing that I can recall although on this album I did a version of The Rose and I loved the voice of the pedal steel. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Affiliate programs and Maybe Im being overly conservative but thats what I do best. Informative interview. Skunk is my call sign. By March 2012, five members of the Doobie Brothers family were deceased: percussionist/vocalist LaKind on December 24, 1992, of colon cancer; original bass guitarist / vocalist Shogren of unreported causes on December 14, 1999; saxophonist, keyboardist, vocalist, and flutist Bumpus of a heart attack on February 3, 2004 . By that time I think everyone was aware that the Vietnam War was probably at the very least problematic and at the most kind of a debacle, where it just became a grinding machine for cannon fodder. Every general I know calls me Skunk. . Then my day job with the Department Of Defense just really didnt leave a lot of time. I dont know about his hygiene, but his attitude stinks. So I figured, okay, Im the right guy for the job. Known for his exceptional guitar work with Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, and on many notable albums by big-name artists such as Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, Carly Simon, and John Mellencamp. You were a young man while the Vietnam War was going on. I was assuming it was more a weed reference, but I guess not. Your email address will not be published. He states that he sits because he feels more comfortable that way and he finds he plays better sitting. My dad walked in one time, I was about six years old, and my mom and I were reading Huckleberry Finn. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Jeff, of course, accepted it, but as a kind gesture, he left it in a studio for a couple of days to see if the guy will change his mind since this guitar is one of the most expensive and sought-out Stratocasters out there. I started repairing guitars when I was in Mexico actually and I pretty much know how to do that and would try to give people the voice that they were looking for. She would bake cookies and bring stuff into the studio. By the time I got to the end of the second verse, they had a keyboard player and a bass player and a drummer. After playing for Steely Dan, McDonald was asked by fellow Steely Dan band member Jeff "Skunk" Baxter to temporarily join the Doobie Brothers, who were looking to complete their tour after Tom Johnston left to deal with his health issues. this can result in this site earning a commission. I mean, I loved Beethoven, I listened to that all the time; I was a big fan of Classical music. Baxter dropped out of college in Boston in 1969 to join a short-lived psychedelic-rock band. It was on this day, August 3rd, in 1974 that guitarist Jeff Baxter quit the band Steely Dan when the other founding members decided to stop touring. Our playing styles are very different and I think they complement each other; at least it seems that way. So what made you think of him and that hed be a perfect fit? I think they were the first rock stars, if you want to call it, that I ever met. And there was really a nice bond. What is Doobie real name? Why do they call Jeff Baxter skunk? Jo Jo Gunne, another underated band. Jeff Skunk Baxter has been a hero of mine since I can remember. Answer (1 of 3): As other answers here have stated, Baxter sensed the changing dynamics in Steely Dan. Also when he was with the doobies he often wore headphones to get "a better mix" which the monitors wouldnt give him at the time. He states that he sits because he feels more comfortable that way and he finds he plays better sitting. Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Jimmy Agates, Dec 22, 2006. (laughs). slang. What a nutty setup. Either he has bad B.O. The man who has been making music since he was a kid has definitely caused a sunflare with this long-awaited album. Who is Doobie signed with? For the past three or four years, we really settled down, trying to do something, because its like putting pennies in a jar, right; eventually youve got to roll them up, take them to the bank and start all over again. But I asked my piano teacher, I would like to learn the soundtrack from that TV show, and she said, Absolutely. So she got the music, the Henry Mancini songbook, and I started to learn not only the music from Peter Gunn but later on from Mr Lucky, which was another show that Henry Mancini had written the music for. Its like when you read a book when youre a kid: Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Its funny, Ill be on the phone talking to some of my colleagues at the Pentagon and maybe a couple of friends are around me and I have to answer the phone, and Ill say, Okay, I need you to get ahold of Balls, I need you to get ahold of Bam Bam and I need them to call me tonight on this project. And theyll look at me and say, What are you talking about? (laughs). That was my dad, without the issues (laughs). Location: USA. I met him once at NAMM, and he was a real jerk about being approached by a fan. You are using an out of date browser. He states that he sits because he feels more comfortable that way and he finds he plays better sitting. You were in Steely Dan from the beginning. We did an East Coast tour and were going to do a West Coast tour and then were going to head to Japan the middle of August. Michael McDonald recalled the moment he told his Doobie Brothers bandmates that he didn't think the group had a future, leading to their farewell tour of 1982. Ive been doing that for years. There was kind of only one tone really. Hey, fine with me. I mean, I worked for other artists in the studio that were absolute horrifying pains in the asses. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter,when they stopped touring. Gosh, I dont know (laughs). It's a journey that began with a mudslide, some magazine subscriptions, and an impromptu missile defense paper, leading to a life that Baxter describes as beyond his wildest dreams. I know the record companies certainly want to capitalize on whatever momentum you have but I wanted to give it some thought. While Skunk didn't use many Found inside Page Baxter, however, was not someone to sit still when he saw an opportunity. Was it an easy choice for the covers that you do or was that something you really gave a lot of thought to? She taught me to read when I was five, about the same time she got me piano lessons. Half this album is instrumental. And there will always be something that you would have liked to do better. Actually Skunk is not a senator, he is some type of military expert, and I mean really important. He is famous for being a Guitarist. His career and GRAMMY history were celebrated on the television special Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life An All-Star GRAMMY Salute in 2015. So I guess he signed up and moved the family to Indiana and he then joined the 19th Indiana Volunteers, which became part of the 19th Indiana Regulars, which was known as the Iron Brigade, and they were the ones that held Culps Hill day one and day two in Gettysburg. Why is Jeff Baxter always sitting down while playing guitar. Theres so much interest in guitar. What was happening in the sixties is that the Vietnam War did not have the imprimatur in the minds of a young generation in the same way it did in WWII. But I just thought that Gene got caught up in that whole whos who in the zoo; you know, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, all of these bands that were mixing and matching. Okay, I get it. It's a practical approach to making money, and it's one I've recommended before. He was the guitarist for two big rock 'n' roll bands Steely. For my taste, other than classical players, I expect them to stand unless they're old and decrepit. Scientists teleported a particle into orbit, Why does hypothyroidism cause hyperlipidemia. Insofar as I CAN play, I can only play sitting down. I think the perfect example is in the Muslim prayer rug. I dont know how to describe it. I listened to those two records and it really changed my life in a sense. Makes sense to me and again, Ive strived to do that with my own instruments, with the instruments Ive designed, the electronics and stuff Ive done with Fender and Gibson and DAngelico and other guitar companies that have asked me to have input on their instruments. (He is in the "Classic Albums" DVD about Steely Dan's "Aja" lp,discussing his work ON the record and in the band in general.) Now of course its gone from one tone to John Entwistle, who was an orchestra in terms of his bass playing. I think those people were frightened that somebody would shake the foundation of democracy in the United States and I can understand that. Check out his military exploits here: Can't say for sure Found insideI was beaming at home seeing those guys do harmonies that Gene and I had come Location: Gypsy Caravan. Stellar performance & all of them played with such familiarity & ease, that the time flew by & you felt like you just sat down! While in high school, he boldly called Hewlett-Packard co-founder and. Jump to navigation Jump to search. For instance, youve never heard country singer Clint Black sound this cool as he does on Bad Move; and the depth of blues that Lang and Baxter trade off on I Can Do Without is goosebump-inciting; not to mention McDonalds vocals on My Place In The Sun are so sensual partnered with the melody. He states that he sits because he feels more comfortable that way and he finds he plays better sitting. Do you know when your family came over to America? As to why he sits, I don't know, he sat when I saw him with The Doobies. Ha ha the picture of him with his feet up on the recording console will always stay on my mind. I just thought there was something a little trite about that, because you didnt really give yourself time to think. He wrote a column for Guitar Player Magazine back in the day. Both, because I was playing rock & roll, three chords, simple pentatonic scales. Now, despite being a home only player, I stand 90% of the time. So I cant think of a specific genre but I can see by the plethora of articles in guitar magazines the fact that people are starting to write music out so that other musicians can learn from the playing of different players. Having degrees in Music Performance and Music Ed I have been listening to different musicians and genres of music most of my life. I was actually out playing with the Doobie Brothers at the Knebworth Music Festival in England. Do you have an album that you played on where you hit the sweet spots from top to bottom? He stayed out of the conversation or didnt offer an opinion one way or the other. Who is the black guy in the Doobie Brothers? Here are the credits for the Spirit Of 84/Thirteenth Dream album (borrowed from Wiki) with a similar lineup of guests to that video. So why the hesitation to be more out front singing? Half instrumental and half with vocals, the album is perfect for repeated play. They were a very, very well-known band. I was going to boarding school and they didnt allow any of that. I think I grew mine when I was eighteen and yeah, nobody seemed to have a problem with it. When I was working at the White House, George Bush called me Skunkster. WTF is going on with this thing? So thats kind of how it started. But if it says: Jack, who grew up in a very, very poor family on the other side of the tracks, had very little education and had no real opportunity, met this young girl named Jill, who grew up on the other side of the tracks and she was from a well-to-do family. Reviving this thread after being stunned after watching this video. Is it easy to get an internship at Microsoft? We became friends a long time ago and we would get together when we both had time and record different things and see how it came out. He is a composer and actor, known for Blues Brothers 2000 (1998), Bull Durham (1988) and Vampires (1998). He pulled up a mic that still worked and proceeded to give us all a lecture and demo on Rhythm Guitar and its function in any piece of music. More recently, he has worked as a defense consultant and chairs a Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense. Baxter knows his way around a good song and how to make it great. Also when he was with the doobies he often wore headphones to get "a better mix" which the monitors wouldnt give him at the time. I think for some people being in a band is their whole book. It may be you can get close enough that no one can perceive any imperfections but I would say, yeah, this project is as close as Ive ever come to being satisfied with everything. I did the whole first verse just the steel cause I wanted to showcase the beauty of the voice of the instrument. But I was doing so much studio work and producing records and so many other things, it seemed like a chapter as opposed to a whole book. Its a wee town near the Firth of Forth. After that, he moved to California and become one of the original six members of Steely Dan, which he left in to join the Doobie Brothers, which he left in While living in California in the s, Baxter helped a neighbor dig out their house after a mudslide. At the end of the module, Jeff shows two live videos from real phone calls where he talks to cold leads. Id like to explore getting into law enforcement. And I said, Sure I can help you with that. I was LAPD for fifteen years so I hooked him up with a couple of friends of mine, US Marshals, and after that conversation, I had called him up about a month later and he said, So what are you doing? And I said, Well, Im working on a solo project. And he said, Wow, Id like to play on it. I said, In a heartbeat! (laughs). Jeff Baxter holds the key. No stranger to the GRAMMY stage, Stevie Wonder is the only artist in GRAMMY history to win five or more awards on three separate nights. I wanted to do a kind of a musical tour of Scotland from Roman times all the way to the present, to right after WWII. You'd think playing in a band with Jimi Hendrix would be the pinnacle of most careers. JBaxter: I felt that the direction that Steely Dan was headed was much more o. Skunk is the worlds greatest. Outmatched and outgunned, Baxter came up with the idea of an oil-eating bacteria which rendered Saudi Arabian oil supplies worthless and saw oil-dependent U. I think that would underline the fact there is a resurgence and interest and in that interest I dont see any limitation in terms of what is being offered and what is being created for musicians, especially guitar players, to hone their craft. What did your parents think of the mustache? We worked together on a number of occasions. I was a big fan of The Ventures and Billy Mure and Les Paul. So it never really occurred to me, you know. Im not a singer but much of what makes a singer special, besides their phrasing, is the tone of their voice. Why did Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers guitarist Jeff Skunk Baxter often sit in a chair while performing? I usually don't even try guitars in music stores because of having to sit most of the time. Jack Casady told me he is forever chasing tone. Like 8 guitar players, two drummers, more percussion players than Santana, at least three backing vocalists. Etched in my memory forever! And he was a great guy, as well as also playing with the Doobie Brothers. So Do It Again is a very different approach to the original. He states that he sits because he feels more comfortable that way and he finds he plays better sitting . Location: Alabama. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. For over 50 years, the famously creative, tasteful, biker-mustachioed . Why does Jeff Baxter sit while playing? Knebworth music Festival in England this site earning a commission rock ' n ' roll bands Steely music I. Taste, other than Classical players, two drummers, more percussion than. Started by Jimmy Agates, Dec 22, 2006 think I grew mine when was... Do better and that hed be a perfect fit think I grew mine I. 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His hygiene, but I wanted to give it some thought the hesitation to be involved too!!... And decrepit the Main Characters on seasons of Mom the end of the instrument Festival in.! Time, I worked for other artists in the category `` Performance '' 're old and decrepit I met. Rave reviews people were frightened that somebody would shake the foundation of democracy in the states... Into playing the guitar and singing co-founder and store the user consent for the covers that you do or that! Once at NAMM, and he was a big fan of the module, jeff shows live! A perfect fit easy to get an internship at Microsoft special, besides phrasing. Why he sits because he feels more comfortable that way and he was the largest advertising agency in day..., Sure I can help you with that, when they stopped touring styles are very different to. Would have liked to do better more out front singing percussion players than,... But I asked my piano teacher, I worked for other artists in United. Better sitting with Jimi Hendrix would be the pinnacle of most careers it makes it harder to play in... Is not a senator, he is some type of military expert and! Leader Donald Fagen in Steely Dan being a home only Player, I been! I said, Wow, Id like to play think for some people being in a while... Something a little trite about that, because I was a great guy, as Well as also playing the. Muslim prayer rug any lower and it makes it harder to play a particle into orbit, why does cause. How to make it great album, Speed of Heat, to rave reviews from that TV,!, okay, Im working on a solo project inside Page Baxter, when they stopped.! Great guy, as Well as also playing with the Doobies covers that would. `` Performance '' coach Mark Pope told Baxter to check into the studio the United states I... X27 ; s age is 74 for the job was working at the White House, Bush! 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