Released 30 years ago this week, ’11 Tracks of Whack’ found Walter Becker stepping into the spotlight after huge successes in Steely Dan with Donald Fagen.

When Walter Becker died today in 2017, he’d already created a fantastic legacy with Steely Dan. His solo work was less heralded, but no less interesting.

A swampy alternate version of Walter Becker’s twangy delight “Cringemaker” bowed for the occasion of his 73rd birthday. Check it out at Walter Becker Media.

This newly released Walter Becker demo provides a timely reminder that he was just as adept at laying down a groove as Steely Dan cohort Donald Fagen.

Walter Becker’s ’11 Tracks of Whack’ outtake “The Dopest Cut / Down In the Bottom” is another treat for Steely Dan fans that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

Here’s a tantalizing suggestion of what Walter Becker’s debut might’ve sounded like if he made ’11 Tracks of Whack’ more like ‘The Nightfly’ instead of ‘Plastic Ono Band.’

The ample leftovers from Walter Becker’s ’11 Tracks of Whack’ sessions continue to be pulled out of the frig, warmed in the microwave and set on the table for feasting.

The fine folks at Walter Becker Media have dropped another cleaned up ’11 Tracks of Whack’ outtake on us, an edgier number titled “Ghost of Hipness Past.”

Walter Becker’s ’11 Tracks of Whack,’ released on Sept. 27, 1994, is both a neglected minor treasure and a delightfully peculiar album.

Enough gushing about guitars, saxes and drums. Here are Steely Dan’s five best miscellaneous performances, as selected by our panel.