WOODVILLE – Beginning in the ‘70s, the jazz rock stylings of Steely Dan and the band’s witty, irony-laden lyrics, captured a great deal of music fans’ attention.
Songs such as “Bad Sneakers,” with lines like “Yes, I’m going insane/And I’m laughing at the frozen rain,” composed by the duo of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker had such lasting influence that a tribute act named itself after the song.
Bad Sneakers, a Houston-based band, which features Woodville musician and restaurateur “Wild Bill” Spurlock, on vocals and guitar, will return to the Emporium Stage in downtown Woodville this weekend.
The band takes the stage on May, Sept. 18 at the Emporium Stage, located at 216 W. Bluff. The show begins at 6 p.m.
Known to casual music fans for hits like “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Rikki, Don’t Lose That Number,” Steely Dan carved out a legacy of albums filled with intricate melodies and ace lyricism. For the majority of its heyday, “the Dan,” as the band is known to many fans, was a studio act that largely eschewed playing live. Bad Sneakers keeps “the Dan’s” music alive, and plays a variety of the band’s music, from the hits to deeper cuts off the many best-selling classic albums.
The band features a 10-piece band that includes four horn players. The band is based in the Houston area and bills itself as “the only band of its kind” in the area in which it is based.
Bad Sneakers plays such venues as Dosey Doe in the Woodlands; Main Street Crossing in Tomball and the Continental Club in downtown Houston.
Spurlock said that his interest in all things Steely Dan comes, originally, from his older brother Jim. Although he was too young to experience them in their own time, “I always had a great supply of music from the greatest music decade, via Jim,” he said.
When he was looking for good tunes to use for improvisation on his trumpet, he discovered Steely Dan.
The genesis of the band came about 20 years ago, according to Spurlock. He had some buddies over for a Saturday jam session. “No agenda,” he said. “It took a bit for us to figure out that we all knew some SD tunes and the rest of the afternoon was spent kind surprised that we could pull off the Dan. The rest is history.”
For advance tickets to Sunday’s show call the Emporium Stage at 409-283-3832. The pricing for tickets are: reserved seating, $25 and general seating, $20. Tickets are available at the door.
