Beck Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970), known by the stage name Beck, is an American singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his lo-fi, sonically experimental style, and he became well known for creating musical collages of a wide range of styles. His later recordings encompass folk, funk, soul, hip hop, alternative rock, country and psychedelia. He has released 12 studio albums, as well as several non-album singles and a book of sheet music.
Born in Los Angeles in 1970, Beck discovered hip hop and folk music in his teens and began to perform locally at coffeehouses and clubs. He moved to New York City in 1989 and became involved in the city’s small but intense anti-folk movement. After returning to his hometown in the early 1990s, he cut his breakthrough single “Loser”, which became a worldwide hit in 1994. His 1996 album Odelay produced hit singles, topped critic polls and won several awards. He released the stripped-down Mutations in 1998, and the funk-infused Midnite Vultures in 1999. The downcast, acoustic Sea Change (2002) showcased a more serious Beck, and 2005’s Guero returned to sample-based production. The Information (2006) was inspired by electro-funk and hip hop, and Modern Guilt (2008), likewise, by 1960s music.
With a pop art collage of musical styles, oblique and ironic lyrics, and postmodern arrangements incorporating samples, drum machines, live instrumentation and sound effects, Beck has been hailed by critics and the public throughout his musical career as being among the most creative and idiosyncratic musicians of 1990s and 2000s alternative rock.
Two of Beck’s most popular and acclaimed recordings are Odelay and Sea Change, both of which were ranked on Rolling Stone ’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of all Time. The four-time platinum artist has collaborated with several artists and has made several contributions to soundtracks.
In February 2014, Beck released the album Morning Phase. It won Album of the Year at the 57th Grammy Awards on February 8, 2015. Two years later he released Colors, October 13, 2017.
Hyperspace is the fourteenth studio album by American musician Beck. It was released through Capitol Records on November 22, 2019. It followed Beck’s divorce from his wife Marissa Ribisi in February 2019. The album is a collaborative project with high-profile producer Pharrell Williams, who is credited for production and features on several songs. Recording for the album started in late 2018. Music journalists describe the album as synth-pop and vaporwave aesthetic-inspired, though Beck draws from several genres
2022 update( REF: Pitchfork): Neil Young seems unhappy with Beck for releasing an NFL-sponsored acoustic cover of “Old Man,” as Stereogum points out. Beck’s cover came out yesterday after trailing a Sunday Night Football game; a few hours later, Young posted a still from his anti-sponsorship video for 1988 song “This Note’s for You.” In the image, shared on Instagram, Young holds a bottle labeled “SPONSORED BY NOBODY.”
Young has long defied the unnecessary commercialization of his music, and “This Note’s for You” is one of his more explicit rallying cries. “Ain’t singing for Pepsi/Ain’t singing for Coke/I don’t sing for nobody/Makes me look like a joke,” he sings. “This note’s for you.” But, in 2021, the ardently independent singer-songwriter sold half of his catalog to Hipgnosis. That includes the copyright and income interests for approximately 1,180 songs. Though the terms and content of the sale are undisclosed, Young may have lost the right to veto sponsorship deals for songs like “Old Man.” Pitchfork has emailed Young and Beck’s representatives for comment.
For his part, Beck, a huge fan of Young, had deemed the line “24 and there’s so much more” a fitting nod to both Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, who won Super Bowls when they were 24 years old, according to a press release yesterday(9/27/2022) .
Discography:
Golden Feelings (1993)
Stereopathetic Soulmanure (1994)
Mellow Gold (1994)
One Foot in the Grave (1994)
Odelay (1996)
Mutations (1998)
Midnite Vultures (1999)
Sea Change (2002)
Guero (2005)
The Information (2006)
Modern Guilt (2008)
Morning Phase (2014)
Colors (2017)
Hyperspace (2019)
Sacramento’s K-ZAP 93.3 FM plays Beck. All part of 50 years of Rock, Blues and More, 24-7 on our station’s stream at K-ZAP.ORG/LISTEN/
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