Donald Fagen v. The Estate of Walter Becker

Maybe shoulda got that Haitian divorce!
Donald Fagen v. The Estate of Walter Becker | Crime & Justice | Justice

 

So was it common practice for bands of their era to "incorporate" like this? I wasn't quite motivated enough to read through the whole document, but on the surface it looks like they had a pretty formalized agreement hammered out in '72.

 

wow. Interesting stuff.

 

Yeah it seems pretty straightforward to me - unless the estate can show that the agreement was faulty (lawyers help me out) it seems like they're trying to renege.

 

sounds to me like "everything must go" to Fagen....

I am sure he would rather not have be dealing with this at all, but...

 

It’s not so much the incorporation but the buy/sell agreement that is interesting. It seems like a smart idea when you consider how disputes between rights holders has thwarted developing the legacy of other bands. Apparently the beneficiaries of Becker’s will don’t like having to give up their rights for a cash out.

 

The Becker Estate doesn't appear to have a leg to stand on. Still, this is really sad. Too bad, once only Walter and Donald were left, that they didn't hammer out a new agreement. Maybe something along the lines of the Beach Boys where former members still own a stake in the name.

 

Why would "former members" of the band be included? It's been years since there was anybody but Becker and Fagen. I would hope that Becker's estate would get royalties from Becker's song writing credits. But maybe not.

 

Four days after his death, huh?

Way to let that body get cold, Becker Estate...

 

But they did have an agreement where both members had a stake in the name... until death.

Apparently, Fagen wants to be able to tour as Steely Dan sometimes, and if the estate had a 50% ownership/stake in the corporation, they could veto that, just as one example.

As long as the estate is fairly paid for their share, I think it's fine.

Either way, the agreement seems pretty clear to me...

but I'm not a lawyer, although I have seen every season Law and Order, which pretty much makes me one, right?...

 

yea, that jumped out at me that Donald proposed a new agreement and Walter nixed it. Wonder if DF saw this coming when it became apparent WB was terminally ill

 

So no new Steely Dan cd box /product out in the near horizon then ?

 

I wasn't implying that former members of Steely Dan be included (other than Walter Becker), just pointing out that the agreement The Beach Boy's have include former members, in this case Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and the state of Carl Wilson.

 

indeed. all it does is taint their relationship in the press and in his mind.
seems like they were smart enough to realize when they co-authored that buy/sell clause when other individuals got in the mix it would get ugly and this proves it. though i suppose the "gotta shoot to score" adage applies that for the becker estate it is worth a try but...
sounds like a fruitful couple years for the fagen legal staff after the libby misunderstanding and now this.

 

I'm sure the whole idea of paying 50% of a future tour's net to a departed band member doesn't sit well, either...

 

More economical to tour as Donald Fagen, no ?

 

It will have to be a Cheap Xmas in the Fagen household this year...

 

No. This isn't correct. Al and Brian aren't 'former members'. The Beach Boys as an entity are controlled by BRI of which Brian, Mike, Al and Carl's (and Dennis's?) estate are the board members. It's entirely their decision as board members to allow Mike to tour as The Beach Boys, so they still have 'membership' of The Beach Boys, even if they aren't performing.

Much smaller returns.

 

Maybe DF just doesn't want to deal with a potential "Yoko" going forward.

 

But, Becker family get even less money.

 

We got that in '93, Citizen Steely Dan.

 

Dolla Dolla Bill Y’all!
Here's the CliffNotes version, from rolling stone dot calm:
Steely Dan's Donald Fagen Sues Walter Becker's Estate
Musician seeks to retain control over Steely Dan, citing agreement band signed in 1972.

 

They deserve a bigger box.

 

I said this in another forum but to me this is like the Becker estate is getting their advice from Ahmet Zappa.

 

sigh