How old blues re-inspired a jaded Beck
It’s been six years
since Beck last released an album, but a week or so ago, he released his
twelfth studio album, Morning Phase. Now, Beck is far too well known to need an
album review from me, but what I would like to remind those who didn’t know, or
have forgotten, is how Beck rediscovered his musical mojo in the 1980s by
discovering old blues.
Becoming bored with the
electronic pop of his teenage years,
electronic pop of his teenage years,
in the mid-1980s Beck got into the
“maniacal,
distorted, visceral” rock of New York’s Velvet Underground and Scottish band, Jesus
& Mary Chain. Then he discovered the purity of such 1920s and 1930s blues as
played by pioneers like Lead Belly, Son House and Blind Willie Johnson.
“It was one of those
moments that unlocks the door to the rest of your life,” he said recently. “I
got totally into that music at the exclusion of everything else”.
moments that unlocks the door to the rest of your life,” he said recently. “I
got totally into that music at the exclusion of everything else”.
Beck (born Bek David
Campbell but using his mother’s maiden name of Hansen when his parents
separated) took to busking old Mississippi John Hurt songs in his native Los
Angeles.
Campbell but using his mother’s maiden name of Hansen when his parents
separated) took to busking old Mississippi John Hurt songs in his native Los
Angeles.
“I would be lucky to
make $5. I learnt one thing. It is impossible to make money busking unless you
are playing Hey Jude.”
make $5. I learnt one thing. It is impossible to make money busking unless you
are playing Hey Jude.”
After getting ripped
off of all his savings and then beaten up in New York, Beck returned to LA and
released “Loser” on a small indie label. “I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you
kill me.”
off of all his savings and then beaten up in New York, Beck returned to LA and
released “Loser” on a small indie label. “I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you
kill me.”
It must have been a sardonic
attempt to communicate how he felt at that moment but the song shot him to
stardom and a career was born. Morning Phase is the multi-instrumentalist singer
songwriters latest phase.
attempt to communicate how he felt at that moment but the song shot him to
stardom and a career was born. Morning Phase is the multi-instrumentalist singer
songwriters latest phase.
Should you want to find
out about old 1920s and 1930s blues, the second volume of How Blues Evolved
tells you all you need to know. For all the blues that went on earlier, try
Volume One.
out about old 1920s and 1930s blues, the second volume of How Blues Evolved
tells you all you need to know. For all the blues that went on earlier, try
Volume One.
In the UK, get your FREE How Blues Evolved Volume One and Two previews on this link below:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=how+blues+evolved+volume+one
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=how+blues+evolved+volume+one
In the USA, get your free previews on this link:
