Beck Seeing Triple On 'Guero'

[TimmyB]

from www.billboard.com

Edited By Jonathan Cohen. February 03, 2005, 4:10 PM ET

Beck Seeing Triple On 'Guero'

In the wake of an unfinished copy of his new album leaking onto the Internet last month, Beck will offer fans a bounty of reasons to purchase the real deal. Due March 29 via Interscope, "Guero" will be released as a standard CD, a double-disc package with two videos and a 5.1 audio mix and a third edition featuring four remixes.

Videos for "E-Pro" and "Black Tambourine" will be included on the double-disc set, while Boards Of Canada, Octet, Dizzee Rascal and, as first reported here, Royksopp, contribute the remixes on the third package.

On Tuesday (Feb. 1), Beck quietly unveiled the "Hell Yes" EP on Apple's iTunes Music Store, featuring remixes of the title track and "Que Onda Guero" by 8-bit and remixes of "E-Pro" and "Girl" by Paza. A video for "Hell Yes" directed by Mumbleboy is also available on iTunes.

Beck has yet to confirm tour dates in support of "Guero," but he played his second surprise show in recent weeks last Friday at Echo in Los Angeles, which featured a number of tracks from the new album.

-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

[StoneMtn]

I have weird views on Beck; different than on any other musician I enjoy.

I really love his studio work. I absolutely despise seeing him live. It isn't so much his playing, which is usually mediocre but not terrible, but the sound has always been horrible.

The funny thing is, though, I kept forgetting how bad I found him live (probably because I enjoy his discs so much) and have now seen him four separate times. I will never see him again, though.

(The best I've ever seen him play was when I saw him solo, opening for Neil Young a few years back, but he was playing acoustic and played all of his songs in a completely different way than I have ever heard before. It sounded like he was trying to do Neil Young versions of his own songs.)

Anyway I discourage anyone from seeing him.

No offense intended to TimmyB, who I suspect is gearing up to buy some Beck tickets right now, but that is my honest opinion.

[TimmyB]

No offense taken StoneMtn.

The funny thing is I have been absolutely blown away everytime I've seen Beck.

The first time I saw Beck I too was seeing Neil Young headline the show. It was at SPAC in Sartatoga apart of H.O.R.D.E. 1997. I had 'Mellow Gold' and 'Odelay' and enjoyed them but I had no idea what to expect from Mr. Hanson. He blew my socks off that day and I have been a huge fan ever since.

During the SPAC show Beck went from the solo acoustic folk of "Pay No Mind (Snoozer)," to the solo with only a harmonica blues of "One Foot in the Grave," to back with the band of the country rock of "Jack-ass" to his brand of of hip hop with "Where Its At." All four songs were performed with taste and nothing came off as kitchy. How many other artists can perform four different genres in succession and pull it off?

I saw Beck again in 2000 for his tour in support of 'Midnite Vultures' at MLG in Toronto and then twice more performing an acoustic set solo and with his band at Neil Young's Bridge School Concerts. From the Toronto show to the Mountain View concerts, Beck flipped 180% and I loved it all. From "Mixed Bizness," "Milk & Honey," "Peaches & Cream" and "Devils Haircut" to "Bottle of Blues" and "Nobody's Fault But Mine" it was all amazing.

The last time I saw Beck in support of my favorite album of his "Sea Change" was at Massey Hall with the Flaming Lips opening for him and supporting him. Beck started out solo acoustic and on his last solo number Beck even took my request for his song "Rowboat" the song I love so much because of Johnny Cash's cover of it on Cash's "American II: Unchained." Then Beck performed an amazing set covering most of his career with the Lips.

As you said StoneMtn, I'm patiently waiting to hear when and where I'll be seeing Beck again.

And unlike you I recomend anyone who likes Becks more rocking stuff to see his upcoming tourl as it shall most likely have more edge than "Sea Change." If you just like Beck I'm sure you will enjoy him as well.