Just got word that Steve Becker, drummer for Southside Johnny and the Jukes on their best post-Sony albums, has died. My sincerest condolences go out to all of his family and bandmates.
Steve was probably the nicest guy in the music business I ever met; unpretentious, a great player, and really funny. He ran a recording studio in the swamps of Jersey -- I think maybe in Nutley or maybe West Orange or maybe Bellville -- that was technically state of the art, affordable, and a wonderful relaxed place to hang out at. I did a shitload of demos there, and if you needed a session sax player, somebody from the Jukes or the E-Street band would show up and not even ask for money.
Bottom line -- Steve was a total sweetheart, and he had more great stories about the great and the near great in the field of rock-and-roll than I ever had hot meals. I'm not sure of his age, but unless I'm totally wrong, he was a decade younger than me.
Here's a wonderful song he played on. From their 1979 album The Jukes, live on TV in 1980.
I'm so bummed I can't find the words.
3 comments:
Bye Bye, Bam Bam. Death be not proud.
Sorry for the loss of your friend, Steve.
I always liked the double live effort.
Did he have a long illness or was it a sudden thing?
Condolences,
Vickie Rock
I have just learned of this sad, sad, news .... and I am in total shock. I knew Steve many moons ago, but have always had a place in my heart for him. Steve's studio was located in Bloomfield, NJ right on the boarder of Newark. It was a great studio ... as such, owned by a great guy.
RIP Steve
Renee Goodsight Cassidy
My name is richard bernal silva . steven and i when to grammar school together. We attend Our lady of All Souls in East Orange NJ. he was 8 grade and i was in 7th. His grandfather lived 7 houses away and i would see a lot of him in the summer months. When he got older he told me that he got a job as a drummer for southside johnny and he was ecstatic. He show me they first album they cut.
In his grandfather basement the records were displayed on top of a 1890 2 inch slate pool table . Not being into music i push the records aside and challenge him to a game of 8 ball. To show you what kind of person steven was he didn't even get mad . He was an incredibly likable person and sweet to the core. He was what most people should be " Genuine without malice ". Later that day He said he was lucky to get the job but he really wanted to be a guitarist. Now has far as where his studio was it was 1st ave in Newark Several blocks from his grandfather's house in bloomfield.We were a sweetheart of a guy.... Adios amigo.
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