Beck’s Record Club is up and active!

It looks like that every week (on Thursday evenings), a new track will go up on beck.com. They are videos. So far, the first two tracks of Velvet Underground + Nico have been uploaded. There is also a url at therecordclub.com which looks like it will host the old videos from prior weeks.

You can also keep up via twitter alert at twitter.com/beck or twitter.com/recordclub

Also, there is apparently going to be an interview on Pitchfork.com with Beck sometime soon, so keep your eyes open for that.

So… Pitchfork has a bit more about the Record Club!

Sounds like more songs will be coming soon, and that Beck has been meeting up with various friends solely with the plan to spontaneously create and record covers of famous albums. They also make it sound like this was just pretty much for fun, to do in spare time. They also indicate that the bands’ (and his) official websites will be used to share the songs.

No hints yet what albums were covered (beyond VU & Nico of course). (Unlike Pitchfork though, we do know that it appears the Nico parts were covered by an Icelandic singer named Thorunn.)

I could be wrong as well, but I don’t believe the Sonic Youth – EVOL cover was part of the Record Club exactly. We’ll have to see in time.

So from what we know, we’ll need your help in keeping an eye on other band’s websites (MGMT, Devendra, or anyone’s really). Let us know if anyone hears or reads anything about these recordings in other artists’ comments or communities! You can email us at: computergirls [at] whiskeyclone.net

EDIT: Go to Beck.com for more word straight from Beck! (And a cool redesign!)

Since this is hitting up all over the web at all the usual music places now (Rolling Stone, thanks for the link), here’s the added info:

Record Club tracks will be released on beck.com. They will also sometimes go up on other artists’ sites if they were involved, but it sounds like always on beck.com for sure. The VU/Nico album is coming first, it appears, and a video for “Sunday Morning” is up now. Tracks will show up weekly! (Who wants to wait a week between tracks?!) Also, right now, I have not seen any info about HOW the songs are distributed? mp3 download? Or just like “Sunday Morning”–a flash video only? Please, Beck, make it downloadable!

No added word yet about what other records were covered, but as said reportedly Devendra Banhart, Jamie Lidell and MGMT have all participated (or will?). Beck says on his site they almost did Digital Underground’s Sex Packets! After all these years, we could have finally had a “Humpty Dance” cover!

UPDATE UPDATE: Record Club is now on Twitter!

Also one news site claimed that the Record Club also did a Talking Heads album.

A couple of months ago, I’m sure you recall, Beck released his One Foot In The Grave Deluxe album. He self-released it for the most part, and sold different packages on beck.com. One such superpack was the vinyl version of the Deluxe, as well as some other goodies (a totebag, t-shirt, etc.). The site said the vinyl would be shipped at the end of May.

A few weeks ago then, people started to get their packs. Included with all the listed stuff was a little black vinyl 7″ record, labelled “Record Club – Sunday Morning.” This had been unlisted and was a surprise addition.

Turns out, the song is a new studio recording of the Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning” (a song Beck had played live a fair amount over the years; mostly in 2002 or so). Beck recorded it in March or April of this year, and it was immediately pressed and then sent out with the superpacks.

I am told that there WILL be more Record Club vinyls, and probably soon! I am not sure how or when or where they will be available to purchase; this first one was basically a secret until it arrived. So keep an eye out and let us know if you see or find anything: computergirls@whiskeyclone.net

Also, one question–did anyone order the One Foot Deluxe vinyl + download set from beck.com? Did that package have a Record Club vinyl in it too?

UPDATE: The band on “Sunday Morning” was Beck, Nigel Godrich, Brian LeBarton, Chris Holmes, and an Icelandic singer named Thorunn. Well, from Chris’ own blog, he mentions here that they did the ENTIRE Velvet Underground & Nico album!