Beck was born in Los Angeles, California, to David Campbell (a musician and son of a Presbyterian minister) and Bibbe Hansen (a former dancer for The Velvet Underground, founding member of the satirical band Black Fag, and visual artist). When his parents separated, Beck stayed with his mother and brother in Los Angeles, where he was influenced by that city's diverse musical offerings—everything from hip-hop to latin music—and his mother's art scene – all of which would later reappear in his recorded and published work.
Although Beck's work defies easy description, his eclecticism and genre experiments have sparked comparisons with Prince, though Beck was undoubtedly a less prolific artist, and drew on an absurdist, free-flowing lyrical style totally original when first exposed to mainstream audiences (indeed, some critics labeled him and his breakthrough single Loser as novelties - see below). Despite this individualism, Beck's music was very much a product of the 90s and the media age in general, with hip hop, indie/underground rock, electronic music and genre-benders like the Beastie Boys as notable touchstones; in addition, some critics could not resist likening his head-spinning lyrical aesthetic to a post-modern Bob Dylan sensibility.
After dropping out of high school in the mid-1980s, Beck educated himself and traveled widely. In Germany, he spent time with his grandfather, fluxus artist Al Hansen. His artistic relationship with his grandfather may have influenced both his album art and sense of musical collage. He began the musical activity in 1988. The late-80's found him in New York City as part of the punk-influenced anti-folk music movement.
Beck returned to Los Angeles at the turn of the decade, destitute but motivated. During this time, Beck sought out (or snuck onto) stages at venues all over Los Angeles, from punk clubs to coffee shops. Some of his earliest and most thought-provoking recordings were achieved by working with Tom Grimley at Poop Alley Studios, a part of WIN Records.
In this atmosphere of heady creativity the founders of Bong Load Custom Records discovered Beck. Their 1993 12" vinyl Loser, from an initial run of 530 copies, created a sensation on college and alternative radio that led to a furious bidding war between labels to sign Beck. Eventually, he chose Geffen Records, who offered him terms that included an allowance for the release of independent albums while under contract (he may have owed Bong Load another album or two).
In 1994, Geffen's official debut release of Mellow Gold made Beck a mainstream smash success; it also led to his iconic status as the "slacker" representative of the alternative rock scene, although the title of the song had been ironic.
At the same time, he released Stereopathetic Soulmanure on Flipside Records and One Foot in the Grave on independent K Records. Beck took his act on the road with the 1995 Lollapalooza tour. Still, some critics panned him as a one-hit wonder. Audiences' (especially at Lollapalooza) familiarity with Loser only, and their general disinterest in his other work only reinforced his image as a one-hit wonder. It's been said said that Beck released Stereopathetic Soulmanure and One Foot in the Grave to shake the Gen X-ers that associated themselves with him and made "Loser" their slacker anthem.
The one-hit wonder label was put to rest with the release of 1996's Odelay, a collaborative effort with The Dust Brothers, producers of Paul's Boutique. The lead single, "Where It's At", received heavy airplay and its video was in constant rotation on MTV. Within the year, Odelay had received perfect reviews in Rolling Stone and Spin magazines, having been listed on countless "Best of" lists (it topped the Pazz & Jop Critics Poll for 'Album of the Year'), receiving double-platinum status, and earning an impressive number of industry awards, including two Grammys.
Odelay was followed in 1998 by Mutations. Produced by Nigel Godrich of Radiohead fame, it was intended as a stopgap measure before the next album proper. Recorded over two weeks, during which Beck recorded one song a day, the sessions produced 14 songs. Mutations was a departure from the electronic density of Odelay, and was filled with folk and blues influences. Songs on the album consisted of older tracks, some even dating back as far as 1994.
In 1999, Geffen released the much-anticipated Midnite Vultures, an orgy of sexual and culinary innuendo supported by a world tour. For Beck, it was a return to the high-energy performances that had been his trademark as far back as Lollapalooza.
After Midnite Vultures came Sea Change in 2002, another airy and emotional album with producer Nigel Godrich, which became Beck's first U.S. Top 10 album, reaching # 8. Sea Change was conceptualized as an album with one unifying theme—the stages following the end of a relationship. The album also featured string arrangements by Beck's father and a sonically dense mix reminiscient of Mutations. The Sea Change tour featured The Flaming Lips as Beck's opening and backing band.
In September 2003, Beck returned to the studio to work on his sixth major-label album. Guero was produced by the Dust Brothers and Tony Hoffer and features a collaboration with Jack White of The White Stripes; it marked a return to Odelay-era sound. The album was released in March of 2005 and despite critical acclaim, the album received a more lackluster response from Beck's indie-oriented fanbase.
Beck married Marissa Ribisi in April 2004, shortly before the birth of their son, Cosimo Henri Hansen. 2004 also saw the release of "10 Years of Mellow Gold," a short documentary about Beck's first album.
Beck's next album, The Information was released on October 3, 2006. It is a largely electronic and ambient, filled with blips and beeps. It was produced by Nigel Godrich, who worked on "Sea Change" and a longtime Radiohead and Thom Yorke producer. The first single was Nausea, an acoustic rock hip hop song. The next single was Cellphone's Dead, and the third single was Think I'm In Love.
His next single, Timebomb, was released on iTunes on August 21, 2007, and the limited edition vinyl 12" was released on November 2, 2007, with an instrumental version of the song on the B-side. In December, 2007, it was announced that Timebomb had been nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance.
Modern Guilt was the eighth studio album by Beck. It was released on July 8, 2008. The album fulfilled Beck's recording contract with Interscope Records. Outside of North America, the record was released by XL Recordings. Its three singles were Chemtrails, Gamma Ray, and Youthless.
Modern Guilt features two contributions by Cat Power and was produced by Beck and Danger Mouse.
The album entered both the Billboard 200 and the Canadian Albums Chart at number four, and gave Beck his first ever Top 10 placing on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number nine. The album has also been Beck's best charting album in Australia, reaching 13. It sold 84,000 copies in its first week. Although successful, this does not match the first week sales of The Information, which were 99,000. In December 2008, Modern Guilt was nominated for Best Alternative Album at the 51st Grammy Awards.
Song Reader, a project Beck released in December 2012, is 20 songs presented only as sheet music, in the hopes that enterprising musicians will record their own versions. The idea of Song Reader came about nearly fifteen years prior, shortly after the release of Odelay. When sent a book of transcribed sheet music for that album, Beck decided to play through it and grew interested in the world before recorded sound. He aimed to keep the arrangements as open as possible, to re-create the simplicity of the standards, and became preoccupied with creating only pieces that could fit within the Great American Songbook. In 2013 Beck began playing special Song Reader concerts with a variety of guests and announced he was working on a record of Song Reader material with other musicians as well as possibly a compilation of fan versions.
In the summer of 2013, Beck was reported to be working on two new studio albums: one a more self-contained acoustic disc in the vein of One Foot in the Grave and another described as a "proper follow-up" to Modern Guilt. Beck expects to release both albums independently. He released two standalone singles over the course of the summer: the electro ballad Defriended and the chorus-heavy I Won't Be Long. A third single, Gimme, appeared on September 17.
In October 2013, it was announced that Beck signed to Capitol Records. Beck released his twelfth studio album entitled Morning Phase on 21 February 2014. For the recording of Morning Phase, Beck reunited with many of the same musicians with whom he had worked on the critically acclaimed 2002 album Sea Change. On January 20, 2014, the album's first single Blue Moon was released. Beck released the second single, Waking Light, on February 4, 2014.
4 years later, on October 13th, 2017, Beck released the second album that was supposed to come out alongside Morning Phase. This album was called Colors. Colors is very different from Beck's previous albums, in which he takes a stab at pop music. Beck's expertise, mixing genres, works in this album when he mixes Alternative Rock, hip hop, and a lot of Pop. The album's earliest single, "Dreams", was released in June 2015, and three more ("Wow", "Dear Life", "Up All Night") were released between June 2016 and September 2017. The title track was released as a single in April 2018. The album won the Best Alternative Music Album and Best Engineered Album (Non-Classic) at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
After a short wait, Beck released Hyperspace on November 22, 2019. There was little marketing for this album. The whole album is a collaboration with Pharrell Williams, as he produced almost every song on the album. The album's first single was "Saw Lightning" released on April 15, 2019, and had a folk-pop sound to it. It doesn't fit with the rest of the album's synth lo-fi sound. Other singles were "Hyperlife" and "Uneventful Days" on October 17, 2019, and "Dark Places" on November 7, 2019.
2) BECK can refer to a fictional rock band from the Japanese Anime series BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad. The fictional BECK's songs feature in the BECK Original Sound Track. BECK's style and members are highly influenced by various different artists. From vocals in the style of Zack De La Rocha from Rage Against the Machine, guitar influenced by Tom Morello of the same band, the band is highly influenced by rap-rock.
As the series develops, other influence appear, including guitar in the style of Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, and Red Hot Chili Peppers John Frusciante. During the series, the band covers a famous The Beatles song, 'I've got a Feeling'. The name BECK could have possibly been influenced by the first artist Beck, mentioned above. Harold Sakushi, the original author of the series, has confirmed that BECK is generally based around the Red Hot Chili Peppers, being his favourite band.
1000 BPM
Beck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Corrupted files from galactical planets
Write a new genetic code
Thoughts get transported
From neanderthal skulls
To digital food malls
Telemarketing people
With cellular headsets on their skulls
From a Plexiglas prism
Biochemical jism
Hits you with its rhythm
They act like Earth
Was a terrestrial prison
A zoo for humans
Put their cities into ruins
Now we can feel what we're doin'
Renew the stratosphere in plastic
Wonder out aloud, spastic
What else can the dust try to tell us?
Comin' to you
One thousand beats per minute
Comin' to you
One thousand beats per minute
Comin' to you
One thousand beats per minute
Comin' to you
One thousand beats per minute
Categorize the Antichrist
With credentials
And a backstage pass
Gasoline in a flask
Tried to pull off his mask
But there was really his face
Repackaged meat from a plant
Security cameras strapped to his back
Failed prescriptions, antidotes
With media in a quarantine submission
Consultants revoke their souls
With unanimous votes
Portions of the proceeds
Go to chain store victims
In remission conditions
With remodeled kitchens
Comin' to you
One thousand beats per minute
Comin' to you
One thousand beats per minute
Comin' to you
One thousand beats per minute
Comin' to you
One thousand beats per minute
The lyrics of Beck's song "1000 BPM" contain a commentary on the impact of technology on society and the environment. The references to "Electronic eye vision" and "corrupted files from galactical planets" suggest that technology has allowed us to expand our consciousness and explore beyond the limitations of the physical world. However, the line "write a new genetic code" implies that these advancements come at a cost, as humans try to manipulate and control nature with potentially dangerous consequences. The imagery of "telemarketing people with cellular headsets on their skulls" selling "wisdom from a Plexiglas prism" suggests that technology can be used to manipulate and exploit people for profit.
The second verse delves deeper into the theme of exploitation, referencing the "Antichrist with credentials" and "repackaged meat from a plant". The line "failed prescriptions, antidotes with media in a quarantine submission" implies that the media is complicit in promoting harmful products and ideas. The line "portions of the proceeds go to chain store victims in remission conditions with remodeled kitchens" highlights the irony of corporations profiting from the suffering they cause.
Overall, the song is a critique of the negative consequences of technology and capitalism on society and the environment. The fast-paced, frenetic beat of "1000 BPM" reflects the urgency of the message.
Line by Line Meaning
Electronic eye vision, astromagnetic
The song starts by highlighting the technological advancements in modern times with electronic eyes and magnetic waves used in space.
Corrupted files from galactical planets
There are corrupted files of information coming from other planets as noted by the following line about writing a new genetic code, suggesting humans may be playing God with genetic engineering.
Write a new genetic code
Humans are trying to rewrite the way nature works for their own benefit.
Thoughts get transported
The idea that thoughts can be transmitted to others, even across generations.
From neanderthal skulls
This line suggests that even basic thoughts from our earliest ancestors can be transmitted across generations.
To digital food malls
From our earliest days to the present, humans have used technology to interact with and control the world around them.
Telemarketing people
The idea that modern technology is being used to sell things to people in ways that were never before possible.
With cellular headsets on their skulls
People are so attached to technology that they are willing to wear it on their heads, as if the technology is a part of them.
Selling you wisdom
The idea that people are being sold things that may not be useful or beneficial to them, but are marketed as such.
From a Plexiglas prism
The use of a clear, plastic object as a metaphor for the ways in which marketers and advertisers attempt to shape our perceptions.
Biochemical jism
The idea that our basic biological processes have been twisted and manipulated for profit.
Hits you with its rhythm
The rhythm of modern life and technology is taking over and affects us all in different ways.
They act like Earth
Those in power act as though they own the planet.
Was a terrestrial prison
Implicit in the idea that Earth is a prison is the idea that humans are trapped on this planet with no hope of escape.
A zoo for humans
The idea that humans are being contained and controlled like animals in a zoo.
Put their cities into ruins
The idea that humans are destroying the very environment they are trying to control and exploit.
Now we can feel what we're doin'
A call to action, urging humans to recognize the damage they are causing to the Earth.
Renew the stratosphere in plastic
The idea that humans will use technology to fix the very problems they have caused, even though their solutions may have unintended and negative consequences.
Wonder out aloud, spastic
The idea that humans may be moving so quickly towards their own destruction that they do not know what they are doing.
What else can the dust try to tell us?
The idea that we should be listening to the natural world and looking for clues as to how we can live in harmony with our environment.
Categorize the Antichrist
A call to question the dominant religion and its perception of good and evil.
With credentials
The idea that those with the most power are often the least ethical.
And a backstage pass
This could refer to someone having special access or insider knowledge, and using that to their own advantage.
Gasoline in a flask
Modern technology, specifically gasoline, has given humans a great deal of power over the environment, but also has the potential to cause great harm.
Tried to pull off his mask
The idea that humans are hiding their true selves behind their technological advancements.
But there was really his face
The idea that humans cannot hide behind technology forever, and that their true selves will eventually be revealed.
Repackaged meat from a plant
The idea that much of what we consume has been altered and manipulated to the point that it no longer resembles its original form.
Security cameras strapped to his back
The idea that humans are constantly being watched, even when they are not aware of it.
Failed prescriptions, antidotes
The idea that modern medicine and other technological advancements are not always successful, and may in fact cause more harm than good.
With media in a quarantine submission
The idea that the media is controlled by a select few and is used to shape public opinion and spread propaganda.
Consultants revoke their souls
The idea that those in power have lost sight of their humanity and ethical standards and are only interested in profit and power.
With unanimous votes
The idea that those who hold power are acting in concert to maintain that power, even if it is at the expense of the greater good.
Portions of the proceeds
The idea that those in power are able to profit from their actions, often at the expense of the people they are meant to serve.
Go to chain store victims
The idea that corporations prey on the most vulnerable members of society.
In remission conditions
The idea that even in the face of adversity, humans have the potential to overcome and prosper.
With remodeled kitchens
The idea that humans are becoming more focused on material possessions and luxury, even as the world around them deteriorates.
Comin' to you
One thousand beats per minute
The repetition of this phrase throughout the song suggests that the frenetic pace of modern life and technology is inescapable.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: HANSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
#Phonepunk#
This album finally hit me yesterday, it's like he went back to Stereopathetic/Mellow Gold style songwriting but using his polished studio know-how. Fun album!
HorseheadNebula85
This man has bastardized hip hop by injecting a jaw harp into the mix. I fucking love it.
l
i WOULD share this to my friend group but.... they don't deserve to see this masterpiece
Patrick Mason
I love how perfectly-timed the hand gesture is with the beat at 0:35.
Tommi Frost
Beck is a musical mindfuck. I LOVE IT.
Helium Road
I love this, total throwback to the early days of MTV when videos were made on cheap videotape for next to nothing and some were super creative.
King of Memes
This music video is something I'd film with my buddies at 2 am because we have nothing to do
kalukamix
genialny track
frgplw
one of my absolute favorite songs
frgplw
there's a part in this that sounds exactly like my mom screaming at me and it scares me every single time