Beck asked RDJ to produce an album for him in 1998

Knew of the "Richard's Haircut" remix and all, but this tidbit was news to me:

https://www.stereogum.com/2065648/beck-discusses-failing-to-get-aphex-twin-to-produce-him-in-the-90s-and-denying-dumb-and-dumber-loser-for-its-theme-song/news/

RDJ certainly was hit up often for remixes and collaborations, can't help but wonder if that's partly why he ramped up his eccentric reputation in interviews.

Cool

Nice find!

He got invited for tea with RDJ and didn't go?  wtf.

OK, Becker. 

Just my opinion but when Midnite Vultures came out, it became my most disliked record I ever heard from an artist I loved. I remember about 3 tracks in and thinking what's this fucking garbage? Mellow Gold and Odelay were both 9/10 albums for me. I bought Mellow Gold with just hearing one track (obviously Loser) and that LP blew me away, I wasn't expecting it at all, perfect weird and wonderful tunes.

Not that I've played it in decades, but I know I still hate that album 

It's his Prince album.  I like it very much.  Guero's the one that totally missed the mark for me.  Oh, and Colors was awful.  Apparently he's got a new one out tomorrow, produced by Pharrel Williams.  Something tells me it will not be good.

That Boards of Canada Broken Drum remix tho...

Seems a real scientologist wanker.

beck fucking HATES tea

bec: "produce my album?"

Rich: "im busy - maybe come 'round for some tea?"

bec: "no way"

it went on like this for two years! Beck was dead-set to have afx produce, but would not, under any circumstances drink tea. Negotiations fell apart from there.

  On 11/21/2019 at 9:30 PM, Stickfigger said:

I saw Beck in 2012 and I dunno, someone said there was something wrong with his back ? But he looked very sad on stage and it was when he was releasing "very serious" music and it was all a bit sad 

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Well, he broke up with somebody - I think the "Sea Change" album was the inspiration for that - or was it "Morning Phase"?

All this talk of Beck makes me want to listen to "Up All Night"

  On 11/21/2019 at 8:50 PM, Zephyr_Nova said:

It's his Prince album.  I like it very much.  Guero's the one that totally missed the mark for me.  Oh, and Colors was awful.  Apparently he's got a new one out tomorrow, produced by Pharrel Williams.  Something tells me it will not be good.

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I heard one song off the new album that had some BoC-lite synth vibes. Nothing amazing though. All of the recent stuff is catchy pop and I don't hate it but it's just so meh. Kind of over him, I feel like older pop stars should either go all in for shameless arena pop or go into really wacky 'fuck it' experimental territory and all the new Beck stuff seems safe AF. It's also neither goofy / tongue-n-cheek nor earnest and mature.

  On 11/21/2019 at 8:53 PM, hijexx said:

That Boards of Canada Broken Drum remix tho...

 

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One of the best remixes, I played the shit out of that (original song is great as well)

Wonder how that remix happened in terms of Beck contacting BoC

Well I know BOC said in a very old interview that Beck was one of their favourite artists. So I guess it wasn’t to difficult to high 5 each other.

 Beck... that’s the soccer bloke married to the spice girl right? 

nobody ever mentions Mutations but that album really grew on me back when it came out. at first i was like wtf is this, but its actually really good. prob even deeper than odelay in the sense that its a bit more serious and moody...

  On 11/21/2019 at 8:41 PM, beer badger said:

Just my opinion but when Midnite Vultures came out, it became my most disliked record I ever heard from an artist I loved. I remember about 3 tracks in and thinking what's this fucking garbage? Mellow Gold and Odelay were both 9/10 albums for me. I bought Mellow Gold with just hearing one track (obviously Loser) and that LP blew me away, I wasn't expecting it at all, perfect weird and wonderful tunes.

Not that I've played it in decades, but I know I still hate that album 

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This, was a big fan then "sex law" video lol wtf is this shit ?

  On 11/21/2019 at 9:49 PM, Joyrex said:

Well, he broke up with somebody - I think the "Sea Change" album was the inspiration for that - or was it "Morning Phase"?

All this talk of Beck makes me want to listen to "Up All Night"

 

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Yeah, he broke up with his longtime girlfriend and then recorded Sea Change. He was "happily" married when Morning Phase was recorded, so I don't know why he tried to make a SC sequel. Now, this new album, Hyperspace, seems to be somewhat downhearted since he's divorcing his wife (I honestly think he left her for Jenny Lewis). He makes sad albums during periods of relationship strife, it seems. None of them are good -- I still don't really like Sea Change, Morning Phase sucks, and the only thing I like that I've heard from Hyperspace is Saw Lightning. I skipped Colors because it's just not the Beck I like.

I forgot to comment on the actual topic. I think a Beck/RDJ record would have been cool, but he should have known that it wasn't going to happen. He was quite fortunate he got a remix that was actually good and was a true remix instead of an original AFX track passed off as a Beck remix. I do wonder what it would have sounded like. Maybe he should ask again.

  On 11/22/2019 at 6:31 AM, d-a-m-o said:

This, was a big fan then "sex law" video lol wtf is this shit ?

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Nah. Not for me. I’m not the world’s biggest Prince fan either (shock horror! Lol). So when folks say it’s his Prince album (which they do a lot) That butters no parsnips with me.

  On 11/22/2019 at 6:15 AM, MisterE said:

nobody ever mentions Mutations but that album really grew on me back when it came out. at first i was like wtf is this, but its actually really good. prob even deeper than odelay in the sense that its a bit more serious and moody...

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Mutations is the favourite Beck album for most people I talk to, myself included.  And yes, i talk to myself frequently.  Love the production on that one.

  On 11/22/2019 at 6:32 AM, flim said:

 He was quite fortunate he got a remix that was actually good and was a true remix instead of an original AFX track passed off as a Beck remix.

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Always sounded to me like a leftover track with thr beck vocal very lazily pasted on top

  On 11/22/2019 at 7:36 AM, perunamuussi said:

Always sounded to me like a leftover track with thr beck vocal very lazily pasted on top

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Yeah, I can see why you'd say that. It sounds and feels like a real remix to me, but... I mean, it's more of a remix than either of those supposed Nine Inch Nails mixes.

can we all agree Gamma Ray is awesome

I will never forgive my alt stations for not being varied with repeats anymore. Nice find!

really glad this didnt happen. fuck Beck, isnt he a scientolotit anyway? 

  On 11/22/2019 at 6:35 AM, beer badger said:

Nah. Not for me. I’m not the world’s biggest Prince fan either (shock horror! Lol). So when folks say it’s his Prince album (which they do a lot) That butters no parsnips with me.

 

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Actually a prince influenced beck album produced by the neptunes on top of their game in 99 would have been the tits.

This story is really irritating me for some reason. Probably the scientology. Also his appearance in The Circle which is one of the worst films ever made. Also his bandwagoning over legends' deaths, Bowie/Prince etc. A prize turd.