Beck

Biography: Beck was not born into a rich family; he lived in a rooming house for the first of his childhood. He never really had any friends which gave him time alone so he could learn the guitar and be creative. Beck had dropped out of school by grade 9. His Father David Campbell was born in Canada and his mother Bibbe was born in the states and she worked in B movies. When his parents chose to Divorce because of money troubles Beck moved in with his mother and so did his brother Channing and they took her last name with them Hansen.

Both of Beck's parents were creative and so was his grandfather who studied in the art of Flexus. Beck had published a book on design and art which had the title of "Beck and Al Hansen Playing With Matches".

By the time Beck was 19 he decided it was time to find a path, he was really interested in Folk and blues. He set off on a train with little money and a guitar on his way to New York. He would get several "gigs" at weddings and bars for a while with little or no money but he never really cared he was doing what he loved and was doing a great job at it! Finally he was noticed by a man named Steve Hanft; he took notes about Beck during a performance at a club. Steve's friend Tom Rothrock several weeks later went to the same club heard the same guy made some notes and then they ended up comparing notes soon finding out he was the same person so they decided to work together and then later approached and ask if Beck would like to record a couple a songs he said sure and then Loser was born.

After the recording of Loser it was played on local radio stations and became very popular. It had a very catchy chorus "soy un predidor" which means I'm a loser. Loser was Beck's first song he released although he has had much other music before it was never such a hit as Loser became and was very creative. After Loser came out Beck soon released Mellow Gold (March, 1 1994) with Loser as track number 1. There was 12 songs on this album Enless you were lucky and lived in Australia, the album down there of Mellow gold included a few other tracks on a sample c.d.


And if you think Beck was going to finish that year of his debut album like that he recorded another albums titled One Foot In The Grave (June, 27 1994),One Foot In The Grave had a very bluesy theme to it. The album had 16 tracks to it enless you lived in Japan which had 3 bonus songs titled "It's All In Your Mind, Feather In Your Cap" and "Whiskey Can Can" Beck did a tour then settled in on the long journey/begining of his new album.

After Beck was known as the "slacker" of the music industry he got angry. He didn't want to be known as a slacker through out his entire singing career or a one hit wonder. He worked on his second album for really long periods of time trying to make everything perfect adding sounds seeing which was best and took a while to create(between the years 1994-1995) but finally in 1996 it all payed off ODELAY was released. One of beck's most popular albums up to date with one of the best sounds Beck has ever created. A new type of music and everyone was begging for more. He had several hits through out the album which were, Devil's haircut, where it's at, New Polution, Sissyneck and Jack-ass (which all soon became singles). If ever you ask a person if they had heard a Beck they would probably answer ODELAY.

A funny story towards the end of the creation to ODELAY would have to be it's name. The way the album earned its name was from a mistake. Beck had wanted the name Orale for one of his songs on the album now titled Lord Only Knows but by accident the engineer wrote it down as Odelay and Beck had then decided to use that for the name.

Then on November 3, 1998 Beck released another album titled Mutations, it had 11 tracks plus a 12th one titled Diamond Burlocks which came a few seconds after the last track (Static) as a bonus song. It wasn't as popular as his other albums before, but it has some of his best songs ever written, Cold Brain's which was track 1 was a mellow song to start off along with track 2 Nobody's fault but my own which was also mellow. Track three titled Lazy Flies and then Cancelled Check which was more of a country tune. Something very different from any Beck album before is that Beck had ended up publishing his lyrics into the c.d. booklet this was kind of cool to have while you listen to the music.

Only one year later after the release of Mutations Beck had brought on a new album titled Midnight Vultures (November 23, 1999). Midnight Vultures had a very R&B background to it and was very interesting to hear. In the booklet there was a picture of Beck in pink pants and green high tops(he always looks good). He had several hits produced from this album which were- Sexxx Laws, Beautiful Way, Nicotine and Gravy and Mixed Business (mixed buisness had an awesome video). The last track of this album which was titled Debra was a song Beck had for a while just sitting there, he performed it at several concerts but it was not on an album until Midnight Vultures.

This is the time where it brings me to his latest album up to date that has been recorded and released, Sea Change. Sea Change was recorded in 2002. This album came out with four different covers. There were twelve tracks on this album with surprisingly no "bonus beats". Every song was very calm easy going music. (normally every track is different but I found there was only one to me and that was track two) The first song titled The Golden Age feels kind of like a new beginning "put your hands on the wheel let the golden age begin" makes me feel like it is a new beginning and then he travels through stuff that happens and we must "hold on" for it will soon be over. Track two Paper Tiger, was very different from every other track on this entire album it almost seems like he was playing it right in front of you or that he performed it for the very first time at a jazz club as almost a poem or a train of thought. The way he ends it was so eccentric that you have to just listen to it again it was wonderfully done and smart. Track number five Lost Cause was well created with a chorus that you would never want to stop singing "baby your a lost cause". This was one of the songs he had a music video for. Track number eleven which was known as Little one was also one of his songs he had a music video for and was really pretty. The best part of the song (personally I think)would have to be "in the sea change nothing is safe" I like that part because it makes me think and I kind of wonder if that is how he decided to name the c.d. sea change or maybe the title of the c.d. gave him the idea of the song. This was also the second last track of the song and it started with "go to sleep were so tired now" which sounds like a good way to end a c.d. and although it wasn't the last song Side of the Road which was also made a really good end towards an awesome c.d.

Finally in 2005 Guero is released March 29th E-Pro's the single along with Hell Yes! This album has a special edition with tons of secret stuff and twenty tracks(13 if you buy the regular). This album is very different as always every Beck album is and really good to listen to. If you really search on the dvd you can see the music video for E-Pro and Broken Drum. The special addition also includes a booklet with AWESOME photos of Beck which is worth the extra coin. This album has very cool rythms and awesome style. I love every word of it.

And next comes The Information. The most recent 2006 album of Beck's. It's probably his best album to date complete with echoey groove rock with a tinge of pop, a bluesy folk feel, including a bit of dance reminiscent of Odelay. Cell Phone's Dead, Elevator Music, Think I'm In Love, Motorcade and We Dance Alone are personal favorites. But the entire album is basically jsut rhythmic funky goodness gold here people. Genius album. Genius man.… Expand