Jokermen Podcast: Teaser // Walter Becker: CIRCUS MONEY with Alex Preiss

Release Date: December 25, 2025
Hosts: Jokermen (Evan & Ian)
Guest: Alex Preiss
Episode Focus: Exploring Walter Becker’s Circus Money album—its place in the Steely Dan universe, what sets it apart, and personal reactions to Becker’s solo work.

Overview:

This special holiday episode of Jokermen dives deep into Circus Money, Walter Becker’s enigmatic and often-overlooked second solo album. Alongside guest Alex Preiss—a noted Steely Dan aficionado in the online world—the hosts reflect on their personal journeys with Becker’s solo work, discuss what makes Circus Money unique, and why it’s an essential (if mysterious) part of the Dan canon. The episode carries a conversational, enthusiastic tone, laced with humor, nostalgia, and deep respect for Becker’s artistry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introducing the Christmas "Gift" (00:00–01:32)

• The episode begins festively, with the hosts describing the release as “the Christmas gift that has been so long a coming.”
  “Santa’s been busy for years now…” (A, 00:00)
• The only item on their Holiday Gift Guide: a link to buy Circus Money on Mailboat Records for $9.99.
• A quirky fact: Circus Money was released on Jimmy Buffett’s Mailboat Records label.

Quote:
“…it is a link to the website where you can purchase Circus Money by Walter Becker for $9.99 plus shipping and handling. This is the same website that has a lot of Jimmy Buffett.”
—A (00:30)

Welcoming Alex Preiss & Significance of the Album (01:14–02:39)

• Alex Preiss, returning guest, is introduced as a Steely Dan expert.
• The podcast frames this episode as a long-awaited sequel to their previous deep dive on Becker’s 11 Tracks of Whack.
• Alex reflects on first encountering Circus Money as a CD in the Barnes & Noble music section, but not listening to it deeply until much later.

Quote:
"Yeah, thanks for having me back, guys. It's always a pleasure."
—C (01:29)

Quote:
“…this is a long awaited follow up to the 11 tracks of whack episode… Alex, introduced us, or at least introduced me to the concept of Walter Becker's second album…perplexed me just right from the jump with the image and the cover art…”
—B (01:32)

The Album’s Mystery and Unique Sound (02:17–03:41)

• There’s an “air of mystery” to Circus Money—largely because:
  • It's less discussed than any other Dan/Becker/Fagen album.
  • The album art and its reggae-influenced sound feel out of step with expectations.
• Alex admits he barely knew the album upon release; his deep dive into Becker’s solo work came years later.
• This is often “the last stop” for Steely Dan fans exploring solo projects.

Quote:
“…it kind of is basically a reggae album. Like all of those things together, just air and mystery.”
—C (02:32)

Accessibility and Distinctiveness (04:04–05:07)

• The album isn’t hard to listen to musically, but it feels “unique… the most unlike any other Steely Dan or Donald Fagan project.”
• Over time, host Ian describes developing genuine affection for Circus Money, rating it “up there with 11 Tracks of Whack, if not even higher.”

Quote:
"It's unique, this record. It's probably the most unlike any other Steely Dan or Donald Fagan project."
—A (04:04)

Quote:
“…at a certain point…a switch flips, something just kind of clicks in my brain… this is up there with 11 tracks of whack, if not even higher…a record that I'm so deeply, madly in love with…”
—B (04:43)

• Alex tempers his praise, stating he’s glad it exists but prefers Tracks of Whack; he’s not sure how he’d feel about Circus Money outside the context of being a hardcore Dan fan.

Quote:
“I prefer tracks of Whack. I do really like this album. I don't know how much I would like it if I weren't already so kind of invested in…the mythos of Walter Becker. But yeah, I'm very glad it exists.”
—C (05:07)

Fan Allegiances: Walt vs. Don (05:44–06:20)

• The group playfully debates whether they are more “Donald” (Fagen) or “Walter” (Becker) fans. Alex ultimately leans Fagen, but values Becker’s “pure” presence. Host Evan identifies as a “Walt guy,” relating Becker’s solo work to Lindsey Buckingham’s role in Fleetwood Mac.

Quote:
“…this is the one that Donald just was not involved in at all. And in terms of, like, Don or Walt, I think I still lean Donald at the end of the day.”
—C (05:47)

Quote:
“I'm a Walt guy.”
—A (06:19)

• Evan draws parallels: just as Lindsey Buckingham is his lens into Fleetwood Mac, Becker’s “distinct poetic perspective”—existential and dark—underpins his love of Steely Dan.

Analogy: Steely Dan and the Beatles (07:49–end)

• Ian compares the importance of Becker to Steely Dan’s sound with how George Harrison adds a vital dimension to the Beatles.
  • Donald is the “front man” and public face, analogous to Lennon & McCartney, but Becker brings a necessary third dimension.
• Listening to Becker solo is described as a particularly strong, “uncut” experience:

Quote:
“Pure, uncut, black tar Walt.”
—B (06:12)

Quote:
“…when you get that full uncut Becker experience as you do on these two records, it’s an intense flavor that I don’t know, is kind of unlike any other musician or music listening experience that I’ve ever had.”
—B (08:29)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Circus Money's unique style and reception:
  “There is an air of mystery around this one… the least discussed album of all the Steely Dan and Donald and Walter albums… it kind of is basically a reggae album.”
  —C (02:17)

• On personal connection to Becker and the solo albums:
  “I'm a Walt guy.”
  —A (06:19)

• The 'full Becker' experience and its intensity:
  “Pure, uncut, black tar Walt.”
  —B (06:12)

• On the interplay of Steely Dan’s two creative catalysts:
  “…when you only get that, when you get that full uncut Becker experience… it's an intense flavor that I don't know, is kind of unlike any other musician or music listening experience that I've ever had.”
  —B (08:29)

Suggested Listening Segments

• Holiday Gift Guide / Album Availability (00:27–01:00)
• What makes Circus Money a “mystery” (02:17–02:39)
• Alex’s First Encounter: Barnes & Noble days (03:05–03:41)
• Debating Walt vs. Don allegiance (06:12–06:22)
• "Uncut" Becker & Beatles Analogy (07:49–08:29)

Tone & Style

The conversation is playful, joking, and affectionate, with each host and guest sharing honest, sometimes self-deprecating takes on their Steely Dan fandom. There’s a running theme of personal discovery—how digging into Becker’s idiosyncratic solo work has illuminated new sides of the band and their own tastes.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a love letter to Walter Becker’s Circus Money, examining why this under-appreciated album is such an odd and alluring piece in the Steely Dan canon. The hosts and guest contextualize it within the broader solo work of Becker and Fagen, compare their fandoms, and draw analogies to classic band dynamics like the Beatles. For anyone remotely interested in Steely Dan or curious about musical “deep cuts,” this conversation is a warm, insightful, and relatable entry point.