Many often wonder how Jeff Skunk Baxter, famed lead guitarist for the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan, came to be a well-known figure in the Intelligence Community. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. JBL's Peter Chaikin interviewed CJ Vanston about his collaboration with Baxter on their forthcoming album Skunk. I just had another listen to Steely Dan on The Definitive Collection. Baxter continues to be active as a performer, commentator, composer and producer. Jeffrey Allen " Skunk " 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. Where would you say your journey from the music industry into the defense world first began? How did you know Congressman Rohrabacher? I have also watched the tendency of the U.S. government, as with most other governments, to have difficulty shedding the belief that throwing money at a problem is the best solution. Guitar World is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The best guitarist they ever had & I'd say that to Fagens face! The good news is that I live in America and am something of a, I guess the term is an autodidact. Theres so much information available, the opportunity for self-education in this country is enormous. In addition, he makes $1,379,630 as President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director at VBI Vaccines. Click to reveal "I'm told I make a very good bad guy," Baxter said in 2005. Go back and listen to that. Get the latest and greatest Guitar news with one of our guitar magazine subscriptions. Cropper was joined on stage by Eddie Floyd, Mike Mills, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Felix Cavaliere, William Bell, Phil Vassar, Lee Roy Parnell, Billy F Gibbons, Henry Cho, Jason Scheff, James Burton, Randy Owen, Sixwire and many more incredible artists! I managed to track That bourgeois individualism that he's endorsing, man, Simmons, Mat Snow, Jeff Tamarkin, Ben Thompson, Kieron Tyler, down Frank Wilson, . Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, "My Old School" We've seen Steely Dan multiple times over the years and at every show the biggest crowd-pleaser is "My Old School." The groove is infectious, the story is hilarious and the guitar is outrageous! Elton John truly ruled during the first part of the '70s. Walter Becker described Larry's role as a kind of musical director who could translate their ideas for the other musicians on Steely Dan recording sessions. You are using an out of date browser. I think the best vibrato system Ive ever seen is the [Washburn] WonderBar. After my experiences at NIMA and NGA, I share the vision that pretty much all intelligence is geospatially based. Walsh's mother was a classically trained pianist of Scottish and German ancestry.. Walsh was adopted by his stepfather at the age . Join the vinyl revival! The first 3 SD albums are just chock full of the Skunks brilliance. Part rockstar, mustachioed and toting a self-modded Fender, his extraordinary playing helped two formidable yet contrasting bands, Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers, to their best work in that halcyon decade. What have you learned from your experiences about diversity in the Intelligence Community? Its rare. "Afterward, he invited me into his study and I saw all these pictures of airplanes and missiles on the wall it turned out he was one of the guys who had invented the Sidewinder missile," Baxter said in, "One day, I don't know what happened. At 73, his session rsum is Lukather-long, spanning from Ringo Starr to Donna Summer, while his 360-degree curiosity has sparked sidelines both apt and unlikely: youre as liable to find him co-designing a guitar synthesizer as advising the US Congress on missile defence. My first were related to music and the music business, and I have fulfilled much of what I set out to do. In 1990, Baxter joined John Entwistle, Joe Walsh, Keith Emerson, Simon Phillips and relatively unknown vocalist Rick Livingstone in a supergroup called The Best. He immersed himself in technical journals and defense publications during the 1980s. His birth sign is Sagittarius and his life path number is 11. Steely Dan shares a particular place (with Elvis Costello) in my head. And this little Burns Bison with five regular machineheads and one Kluson. Thats the quintessential blues solo. And I [look at] guitars kind of the same way. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter's resume reads like a who's who of legendary musicians oh, and his side gig is as a U.S. defense missile advisor so it's cool to see as his 74th birthday approaches,. Skunk first reached a wide rock audience in 1968 as a member of the psychedelic rock band Ultimate Spinach. All rights reserved. Has also worked as a producer. When we cut the track, I was pleasantly surprised how well it supports a tremendous injection of energy. Born December 13, 1948, in Washington, D.C., USA. From his first band in Mexico to working in guitar stores in Manhattan to being a member of many bands, Skunk is recognized as a legendary guitarist. He was the bass player in Jimi Hendrix's pre-Experience band. Military leaders brought him in to consult, regularly asking him to play the role of the enemy during war games. "One day, I don't know what happened. It was stream of consciousness and I didnt know what to do with it, so thats why I gave it to the Congressman. Discover Jeff Baxter's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Co-written by Baxter, Vanston and Black the track includes a stonking electric guitar and organ duke-out while Blacks vocal performance is praiseworthy. My favorite part was how he got 4F status by advising the final doctor on how to build a home stereo with a high "wife acceptance factor". Same with trying to apply what I know of the art of music to the art of intelligence analysis. Part of the real value out of all of this are the opportunities for people to meet others they would have never met in any other forum, to share ideas, and then from those ideas grow capabilities, which then feed back into the Community. Having been a musician in the U.S. means I have the freedom to make and play the music I want to. Article by Jeff Skunk Baxter Featured in Guitarist Magazine Feature on Les Paul. While finishing work on Pretzel Logic, Baxter became aware of Becker and Fagen's intentions to retire Steely Dan from touring and work almost exclusively with session players. "But what they realized is that they're looking for people who think out of the box, who approach a problem with a very different point of view because we're talking about asymmetrical warfare here.". He was born in 1940s, in Baby Boomers Generation. That same year, he produced and played guitar and synthesizer on the band's album Where the Beat Meets the Street on Columbia Records. Why did it take me so long? It means the IC can approach a problem from a number of facets and levels of experience. Having spent many yearsat the coalface as a guitar dealer and tech, Rod's more recent work as a writer covering artists, industry pros and gear includes contributions forleading publications and websites such asGuitarist,Total Guitar, Guitar World (opens in new tab),Guitar Player (opens in new tab)andMusicRadar (opens in new tab)in addition tospecialist music books, blogs and social media. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - ASYMMETRICAL THINKING IN A CONVENTIONAL WORLD. But its such a statement. His career continues with the release in June 2022 of his first solo CD. The words Fender, Telecaster, Stratocaster and the associated headstock designs are registered trademarks of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Theyre hard to find. I mean, what would you have done? December 11, 2018 at 5:40 p.m. EST. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, is an accomplished American rowdy guitarist whose total net worth is over $2.5 million. The guitarist's debut popular recording was with the psychedelic pop group Ultimate Spinach. So I went down to Guitar Center. Legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, known to millions from his groundbreaking work with Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, and from countless smash hit recordings he's performed on as an in-demand, first-call studio musician, has announced that his first-ever solo album, Speed of Heat, will be released worldwide via BMG/Renew Records on June 17, 2022. I think Denny Dias gets overlooked, food for thought. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider The Stratocaster. I have a self-taught technology background because I learned how to repair and design guitars and electronics myself. He's also worked with the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and contractors like Northrup Grumman. Overview. On a practical note, which of the vibrato systems that youve played over the years has been your favorite? Guitarist who performed in the Platinum-selling bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers. What drew you to that track? This Burns was in a box that said $35 Buy Me! It had a number of guitars in it. , money, salary, income, and assets. He is a member of famous with the age 62 years old group. The estimated Net Worth of Jeff Baxter is at least $1.66 Million dollars as of 30 September 2019. When they listen to Doctor My Eyes, they go, Well, thats Jackson Browne. And you listen to Taj Mahals Leaving Trunk. 74 Year Olds. Born December 13, 1948, in Washington, D.C., USA. You will receive a verification email shortly. "Reagans plan was a bit much. Fantastic player one of my favorite solos of all time - a master piece IMHO. He contributed the guitar fills and signature solo heard on the groups highest charting hit " Rikki Dont Lose That Number.". Some cultures do certain things better than others, some have niches of expertise, and they all certainly have different perspectives. Baxter has kept up his musical work. according to Baxter. GuitarPlayer is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Jeffrey Baxter girlfriend, wife list. Baxter dropped out of college in Boston in 1969 to join a short-lived psychedelic-rock band. Baxter represented Washington's 4th Legislative District in the Washington State Senate for less than 10 months during 2011. Read Full Biography. He was a good friend.. Jeff Skunk Baxter has had a long and very successful career in the music business. Jeff got his start working in Manny's Music in New York City,where he ran into a young Jimi Hendrix and ended up playing bass in one of Jimi's early bands. People who worked with him also told The Journal he could be a self-promoter. So, how much is Jeff Baxter worth at the age of 62 years old? "We thought turntables were for playing records until rappers began to use them as instruments, and we thought airplanes were for carrying passengers until terrorists realized they could be used as missiles," he said in 2005. Like the session guys who turned up, played a brilliant solo and never even got a credit Well, Ive been in that game yknow, Thank you very much, just give us your W4 form. But thats okay. Sagittarius Named Jeff #14. They used more art and less money. Skunk is the master, he is the musician I listen to and try to emulate. BA1 1UA. The Jeff Skunk Baxter era of Steely Dan sounds noticeably different than the later albums, in my opinion. [1] Bath The groove is infectious, the story is hilarious and the guitar is outrageous! So I started working with teams that were designing simple digital two- and four-track recorders for a company called Akai, and guitar synthesizers and other music-processing ideas for a company called Roland, both of which were exploring this new technology. to me the unique perspectives and sensibilities are unlike the vast majority of their contemporaries from a lyrical standpoint. I was in a hurry to the session and didnt have a guitar because I was moving and everything was in transit. How do you balance these two very different areas of expertise? BA1 1UA. Im seeing major cultural, technological, and fundamental changes for the better in the Intelligence Community. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. Looking back, have you always had a non-reverential, hands-on approach to guitars? CJ would add a few plug-ins, but its pretty much the ME-10 and the guitar. Thank you for signing up to The Pick. They are scared to death by something that represents freedom of thought and expression. Known as "Skunk" to friends and bandmates, Baxter was a founding member of Steely Dan and later joined the Doobie Brothers for some of their most popular albums. Sites: Wikipedia. But I really like the tonality of that particular style of pickup.. They then decided that adding vocals, both from Baxter and guest artists would provide even more depth to the project. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Artist: Jeff "Skunk" Baxter , Tour: The American Vinyl All Star Band , Venue: The Beacon Theatre , Hopewell, VA, USA. I was reading a lot of trade magazines, especially Aviation Week and Janes Defense. Orianthi, Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter, Slash and Richie Sambora attend the NAMM Tec Awards at the Anaheim Hilton on on January 24, 2015 in Anaheim, California. JavaScript is disabled. His career continues with the release in June 2022 of his first solo CD. Some folks would posit that when you walk into this thing with a background of making hit records, that experience doesnt really prepare you to be able to contribute to the IC. Despite being the second choice of the Republican Precinct Committee Officers to current State Representative Matt Shea, he was appointed in February 2011 to fill the vacancy following Senator Bob McCaslin, Sr.'s resignation due to health difficulties. He said, It was all going to hell. I understood what he was talking about, he meant that pop music was getting a little too pop and a little less music. Never. This was my first opportunity to spend time with the Young Professionals Group. On Tuesday September 7th, a lineup of great musicians came together at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville to celebrate Steve Cropper's 80th birthday. If they came into a venue and heard you playing a guitar solo that was not on the original record, they could shut you down and arrest you, because you were exercising freedom of ideas, breaking the mold, thinking outside the accepted norm. I didnt have some of the knowledge that those folks did, but I also didnt have some of the constraints, and its been an honor and a privilege to work with the folks at NGA. McDonald's vocal and songwriting contributions, as well as Baxter's jazzier guitar style, marked a new direction for the band. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Your arrangement of Steely Dans Do It Again is a highlight. For one thing, I read an article by William Nolte in Studies in Intelligence, way back when NGA first startedhe was talking about trying to teach intelligence analysts how to improvise, because analysis is partially science but also partially art. Part rockstar, mustachioed and toting a self-modded Fender, his extraordinary playing helped two formidable yet contrasting bands, Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers, to their best work in that halcyon decade. In 1982, he featured on Spirit's album Spirit of '84, released as The Thirteenth Dream outside of the USA. Guitarist. I asked a friend to do some math for me to test my hunch that the same radar could track a missile warhead. In the past 15 years or so being involved with the IC, a whole new set of challenges opened up to me and, as a result, I set some new goals, one of which is to support USGIF and the Intelligence Community in growing and becoming all that it can be in an increasingly complex, dangerous, and rapidly-changing world. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. You guys went from being kind of a rough-and . I have a friend who was an ambassador, and told me about the improvisation police from when he was growing up behind the Iron Curtain. We co-wrote this one with CJ Vanston. While preparing to tour in support of Stampede, Doobie Brothers founder Tom Johnston was hospitalized with a stomach ailment. In the late 70s, wed had bad rains where I was living in L.A., and an older neighbors house flooded with mud so I helped him shovel it out. It gave me an opportunity to dive into and learn about the cutting edge of what was going on in military and aviation. The CD, co-produced with CJ Vanston, features his incredible guitar work with songs of many different genres and features performances with Michael McDonald, Jonny Lang, Rick Livingstone and Clint Black. Thats the way you deliver the best product. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter has been a hero of mine since I can remember. I was out in the studio parking lot with a router. 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