Archive for the ‘Justin Meldal-Johnsen’ Category

Beck Summer Tour 2012

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012

Beck’s little batch of tour dates kicks off today!

In case you missed it, Beck is doing 4 shows this week up the west coast headed to Sasquatch Festival in Washington, 2 shows in NYC around the Governor’s Ball Festival, and then 2 shows in August including Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco.  I have no idea if other shows are in the cards or not (I’d hope so).  I also have no idea what to expect, but do know that Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Roger Joseph Manning Jr. and Joey Waronker are in the band again.  One site claims Smokey Hormel is back also!  We’ll know in about six hours if that’s true.  :)

If anyone is going to any of these shows, please keep good track of the setlist for me and send it along.  If anyone wants to ustream it through their phone back to Beck fans worldwide, also let me know and we’ll host your stream link.

Also, similarly, I’ve been updating Hijacked Flavors with lots of information lately, mostly opening acts and band members and stuff.  But if anyone saw Beck, in the ’90s in particular, and remembers ANYTHING about the shows please pass it on.  Even if it’s a vague recollection or just one song you remember for sure I’d like to add it.  :)

Finally, join our Facebook group: more ‘news’-y things happen there than I care to post regularly here.  :)  Also if everything works out I’ll occasionally post in there live from the shows I’m going to (tonight and Thursday).

Tonight’s show, I won’t lie, is making me quite nostalgiac.  Not only with JMJ, RJMJ, Smokey and Joey… but the El Rey.  My first Beck concert was in 1997 on the Odelay tour, and it was awesome.  But it was the second one I saw at the El Rey shortly after the Odelay tour that really kicked off my Beck bootleg collecting.  That night, “Beck and Friends” played a whole bunch of acoustic/country vibe songs, as a sort of way to come down after the long Odelay tours.  Hearing Odelay live was amazing, but realizing Beck could also play other styles?  Since I couldn’t go to every concert, I took to listening to as many as possible.  And here we are.  Beck’s at the El Rey again.  14.5 years later.

I hope it’s not a pure nostalgiac show (except for “Where It’s At”), I’m not ready for Beck to go there.  So fingers crossed this summer leads to some news about more regular new music.  But regardless, there’s going to be some good concerts!

Beck Stuff 2012

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

Hey, long time no post. But I figure–if Beck’s not going to do anything, why should I? Haha j/k.

Anyway, as you probably heard, Beck is lined up to headline the Sasquatch Festival up in Washington this May. Justin Meldal-Johnsen is lined up to be in the band, and who knows if it will lead to more or just be a one-off evening or what. Stay tuned!

(UPDATE A DAY LATER: Beck does have another show lined up for May 27, in Bend, OR. Still unclear if this is just a little Sasquatch run (same area of the country in the same weekend) or something more ambitious. The Bend show is with Metric, info here.

Can’t remember if I posted here on this before or not, but this Youtube user has been posting clips from a Beck show in 1992 or 1993. One of the clips is video from the actual performance of “Ozzy” that is on Stereopathetic. It’s amazing! There’s also a few unknown songs up there, like “Weak Ass Shit,” “Know I’m Gonna Make It,” and one I called “Crushing The Cantaloupe.”

Lastly, over the past few years, even though Beck hasn’t been releasing anything, he has been registering new compositions to the copyright song database. There’s a handful that remain unknown–I hesitate to imply a new album from these, but they must be from something!

“Curfew” – ended up in I Am Number Four but wasn’t on the soundtrack so we haven’t heard it

“City Of Refuge” / “Iron Horse” / “Jacksontown” / “Tournequit”: all four of these were registered at the same time; they seem blues-influenced by their titles. “Iron Horse” ended up in the TV show Sons Of Anarchy, so perhaps Beck gave them 4 bluesy songs? I’m just speculating here. A short clip of “Iron Horse” is on Youtube, other 3 unheard.

That leaves:
“She Coulda Done Better” & “Looking For A Sign” & “Constellation” (registered around a year ago)
“Cities” & “Spiral Staircase” & “Touch The People” (registered recently)

So again, I hope these are a sign that some sort of music is coming soon… :)

Beck news

Monday, August 29th, 2011

So as I like to do every so often, I’ll try to summarize what Beck’s been up to in case you missed anything. And, yes, despite the lack of official Beck material, he’s actually been pretty busy! (First, check beck.com for some current news, like Autumn DeWilde’s photo book.)

Foremost, Beck has continued with the producer chapter of his career. After the Charlotte Gainsbourg and Jamie Lidell albums last year, this year he has also done albums with Thurston Moore and Stephen Malkmus. Both of those kept Beck in the news, as much of the press around their release was focused somewhat on Beck’s production. (And even some joint interviews with Beck.) Coming up, there are some more Charlotte Gainsbourg tracks (an EP and a sort of compilation album but with new material) that Beck produced, including some songs like “Paradisco” that Beck played live a few years back. Also on the producer-front, Beck is apparently producing Dwight Yoakam’s upcoming album. (!) I’m actually really getting into the idea that Beck is a producer at the moment. It’s a great position for his talents.

Beyond the producer thing, most everything else is on hiatus: Record Clubs, new albums, everything. Beck in a recent interview with Pitchfork sounded like he’s pretty unsure how to proceed, so I guess we’ll have to be patient! (And if you haven’t read that interview, go do it, it’s fairly revelatory.)

However, Beck has started doing the occasional live thing, which after a few years away from the stage is nice to see. He did a charity concert in San Francisco in May. And last night, he was the headliner of a Serge Gainsbourg tribute concert. The show, which was apparently mostly Beck’s idea, featured many singers doing the songs of Serge Gainsbourg. The house band also included Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Joey Waronker, James Gadson, and Justin Meldal-Johnsen. Beck sang 4 songs: “Nefertiti,” “Teenie Weenie Boppie,” “Les Sucettes,” and “Ah! Melody.”

I was there and filmed the first 3 songs: sorry the video quality is poor, I wasn’t close, but it sounds ok:

My video got linked around the web on some of the bigger news sites and blogs, which is great. Hope you all enjoy it! It just goes to show though: Beck, we’re all still here. We’re all still hungry for anything you want to give us, even if it’s a shaky dark clip of you singing “Teenie Weenie Boppie.” Any bit of Beck news is pored over, from recent interviews to 10-seconds of a new song being in a movie trailer (“Curfew”). Your base, Beck, is waiting… :)

Beck’s Friends

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

1. First, and most intriguingly, Beck’s long-time musical director/bassist/friend, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, has reported that he will not be in Beck’s bad on the upcoming Modern Guilt tour. Only Brian Lebarton, the keyboardist, from the Guero/Info tours remains. If you’ve seen Beck live at all since 1996, you’ve probably seen JMJ and his fro–the only times he wasn’t in the group was on (some) of the Sea Change tours. There were 4 Sea Change tours: Beck toured alone, with the Flaming Lips, with JMJ in Australia, and then with a new band without JMJ for the summer of ’03. Also during 2005, JMJ was not in the band, but he rejoined them in 2006. JMJ’s bass mastery, leather outfist, and general bad-assness will be missed, but really, new bands = new sounds = exciting new shows.

No word yet on who else is joining. One rumor is that one of the members of Islands was asked to drum (Beck’s been a fan for a few years, they have a remix on Guerolito), but he said no. More info on all that as we find out.

2. Next, and I find this absolutely fascinating. Over on Beck’s myspace page, recently his Top 8 Friends were changed to 8 ancient Greek figures: Alexander The Great, Archimedes, Protagoras, Aristotle, Sappho, Archaenus, Socrates, and Pythagoras. And, on their myspace pages, their only friends are Beck and Tom (the Myspace guy). So clearly, Beck (or at least his marketing team) had something to do with it. But why? Is it some indication of what the album marketing will be like? Maybe someone’s just being random? Is it some play on the ancient figures with modern guilt? A quick Google search indicates that “modern guilt” may have some connection to Greek philosophy, and/or existentialism (my thoughts on Beck and existentialism are a constantly growing list, but that’s another post). Hopefully more clues about what’s behind all this is forthcoming, or maybe it’s just a bit of random nonsense, I dunno.

Hints At A New Album

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

So it does appear that Beck is hard at work at a new album. A recent Rolling Stone article about Odeluxe mentions that he is recording in L.A. with a producer he declines to name. Beck assured that it will be out this year.

Spin Magazine “reports” in one sentence that Beck is back to work with Nigel Godrich, which sounds possible. But then JMJ, Beck’s bassist/musical director, added to the mystery that Beck is working with someone JMJ set him up with, so I read that as someone new. (“And it’s going well,” he added.)

So… this is a report that there isn’t a lot to report, and what little there is to report isn’t quite solid info. I feel like a real member of the media.

Wounded Cougar: Lick The Holidays!

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007

I know this is a Beck blog but screw it, Wounded Cougar–the greatest band of all-time–Beck even thinks so*–has t-shirts for sale, and you need one.

 http://woundedcougar.bigcartel.com/product/eye-patch-bikinis-white-t-shirt

 Also, buy their CD here:

http://cdbaby.com/cd/woundedcougar

It’s the holiday season!  WUCU your friends and family with these gifts.  The more you buy, the more likely the band will be to record a second album!

 *He hasn’t said this, but can you prove he disagrees?

Buenos Aires DAY 2 (12/2/2007)

Wednesday, December 5th, 2007

Again from JMJ, the setlist (songs with links are to youtube videos that have surfaced) for DAY 2 opening for The Police in Buenos Aires :

01. Devils Haircut
02. Black Tambourine
03. Think I’m In Love
04. The New Pollution
05. Fuckin’ With My Head
06. Sunday Sun
07. Paper Tiger
08. Lost Cause
09. Soldier Jane
10. Girl
11. Where It’s At
12. Nausea
13. Minus
14. Loser
15. E-Pro

*Video quality on the youtube videos is not all that great and camera kinda goes everywhere, so frxz who get motion sick watch out. hehe. Sound quality is pretty decent, however.

Buenos Aires DAY 1 (12/1/2007)

Wednesday, December 5th, 2007

Here’s the setlist (songs with links point to youtube videos of the performances) posted on stewoo.net by none other than JMJ himself. Looks as if the Echoplex was indeed a warm-up and the setlist here is pretty similar.

Devil’s haircut
Black Tambourine
Loser
Think I’m in Love
New Pollution
Fuckin’ with my head
Information
Sunday Sun
Paper Tiger
Soldier Jane
Where It’s At
Nausea
Girl
Minus
Mutherfucker
E-Pro

Some comments regarding the show from JMJ as found on stewoo.net:

“Oh yeah – the gig? It was fun. Getting our sea legs for the stadiums. I think we rocked, we’ll see what the press says, since their words obviously mean a lot more than what I have to say. Had a great time tho, seriously.”

Beck at the Echoplex: Thoughts

Tuesday, December 4th, 2007

I see Newt called me out on my thoughts a few posts ago about the recent warm-up gig at the Echoplex, since I’m in LA and was there.  Sorry for taking so long to get this up, but better late than never, right?

The exciting thing about the show was the new band: Beck’s usual crew (Wounded Cougar) was mostly otherwise committed, and in Beck’s zeal to go to South America and open for The Police, he had to get a new band together.  Justin Meldal-Johnsen, the longtime music director/bad-ass bassist/Leatherman, was there.  Beck’s drummer from 1994-2000 (and sporadically since), Joey Waronker, was back again.  Joey and JMJ are amazing together.  Guitar was played by Jason Falkner, who played on Sea Change and Info, and was in Jellyfish with Roger Joseph Manning Jr.  And finally keyboards/effects/tambourine was provided by none other than Nigel Godrich, producer of Mutations, Sea Change and Info (and the 6th member of Radiohead).

Apparently, the band had only rehearsed three or four times.  The setlist, posted below, was all the songs they knew together (tho I’m postive JMJ and Joey could play anything; not so sure the other guys–including Beck).  The songs after “E-Pro” were not on the setlist, and were spontaneous encore additions.

The music was relatively heavy-sounding, not quite as subtle or diverse as usual Beck concerts.  The band’s chemistry and tightness was good, but nowhere near as strong as Wounded Cougar–who had been Beck’s touring (and studio) band for a number of years and become quite impressive.  But it was the first show (of only 4) and I assume will get even better.

Highlights were the songs pulled from Mellow Gold, and not played in around 10 years, “Motherfuker” and “Fuckin With My Head.”  I really enjoyed Nigel Godrich’s goofy little keyboard break on “The New Pollution.”  “Girl” was played extremely fast.  “Sissyneck” and “Lord Only Knows” were also memorable, but I’m such a sucker for anything Odelay, and may be biased on those.

Anyway, hopefully some of the South American gigs will get recorded too.  This is an interesting lineup for the band, and it would be great to hear them grow.

Shirley Manson = FAIL. Sia Furler FTW.

Saturday, October 13th, 2007

There was a media report or two back not long ago that Beck was working on a song with Shirley Manson for her solo album.  I had added it as “Unknown Shirley Manson Collaboration” on Almost A Ghost.

Turns out, this rumor is not true.  The media lies!  Don’t believe everything that you read!  Get a parking violation and a maggot on your sleeve!

Beck’s right-hand man, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, does and has worked with Shirley and he debunked it.

Beck is, however, going to be on Sia Furler’s upcoming album, so look for that!