Beck Hanson has always been an
innovator. The indie musician officially hit the scene in 1993 with his first
studio album Golden Feelings
. He’s managed to sustain a career over the last 18
years with a loyal following of hipsters. But like everyone else in the record
industry, he’s also had to adapt to the changing times.
. He’s managed to sustain a career over the last 18
years with a loyal following of hipsters. But like everyone else in the record
industry, he’s also had to adapt to the changing times.
Like The Flaming Lips
, Weezer
and a
few other tech-friendly artists, Beck has learned to embrace the internet as
one of the weapons in his arsenal. On his site beck.com, he does the typical
updates on breaking news, music videos and buyable merch for sale. But he also
hosts artists’ exhibitions on the Colorspace page and posts interviews that the
singer-songwriter has conducted with musicians like Caetano
Veloso and actors such
as Will Ferrell.
, Weezer and a
few other tech-friendly artists, Beck has learned to embrace the internet as
one of the weapons in his arsenal. On his site beck.com, he does the typical
updates on breaking news, music videos and buyable merch for sale. But he also
hosts artists’ exhibitions on the Colorspace page and posts interviews that the
singer-songwriter has conducted with musicians like Caetano
Veloso and actors such
as Will Ferrell.
But the real destination at Beck.com
is the Record Club. As the site explains the special channel, “is an informal
meeting of various musicians to record an album in a day.” Beck worked on the
existing tracks with collaborators like his brother-in-law/actor Giovanni
Ribisi, Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and indie-darling
Leslie Feist
.
.
The musicians do not rehearse or
arrange the songs in advance and they don’t set out to make flawless
recreations or outdo the originals. The site explains, “The songs are rough
renditions, often first takes that document what happened over the course of a
day as opposed to a polished rendering. There is no intention to ‘add to’ the
original work or attempt to recreate the power of the original recording. Only
to play music and document what happens.”
True to form, Beck has picked an
eclectic mix of albums for the Record Club so far. The short list includes The
Velvet Underground & Nico
, Songs of Leonard Cohen
, Alexander “Skip”
Spence’s Oar
and the INXS classic Kick
. But the most surprising entry on the
list has to be Yanni Live at the Acropolis
. Will pan flute master Zamfir’s The
Lonely Shepherd
be next?
, Songs of Leonard Cohen, Alexander “Skip”
Spence’s Oar and the INXS classic Kick. But the most surprising entry on the
list has to be Yanni Live at the Acropolis. Will pan flute master Zamfir’s The
Lonely Shepherd be next?
Our favorite tracks are the Record
Club’s renditions of The Velvet Underground
& Nico’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror” and
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