It seems that contempt for his radio-friendly '70s tunes such as "The Joker" and "Fly Like an Eagle" drove Steve Miller off the stage in '80s. He told Rolling Stone in 2008, "Bands like X were the big thing in L.A., and my work was
being called unmitigated slop. I said to myself, 'I get it! I'm
outta here! Stop kicking me, I'm leaving.' " He retreated from the spotlight for about 5 years, and reemerged when he saw bands like the Beach Boys enjoying a second chance on the road. Sure, the Steve Miller Band haven't had a Top Ten record in over 25 years. And the aforementioned hits now only seem enjoyable on a boat with three 12-packs of beer a la Jimmy Buffet. But the Steve Miller Band oeuvre consists of a lot of well-crafted tunes that you may have never cared to know about because of such contempt.
Don't worry, you have a lot of time to get acquainted with the band's catalog. It isn't scheduled to play at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood until November.
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