Donald Fagen's legal effort to obtain sole rights to use of the Steely Dan name (story) has provoked a response from the Walter Becker estate.  A statement issued by a spokesperson for the Becker estate read in part, "We believe the agreement to which Mr. Fagen refers in his suit - drafted 45 years ago - was not in effect at the time of Walter's death", and added, "Mr. Fagen's lawsuit, riddled with half-truths and omissions, misleadingly fails to state that the day after Walter died, Mr. Fagen had his lawyer send a demand letter to Walter's estate", a counter to Fagen's suggestion that the legal battle was initiated by the Becker estate.  The spokesperson went on to contend that Becker's widow made efforts to arrive at a compromise in the matter that were all rejected or ignored by Fagen.

AntiMusic.com