And the Welcome everyone to Soda Jaker on songwriting. This is Brian, here as always with Simon, and joining us for our final episode of 2019

is a shape shifting American singer-songwriter and musician who rose to fame in the early 90s

with his experimental and lo-fi style and went on to become one of the most prolific and versatile recording artists of the last quarter century whose music has encompassed folk, funk, soul, hip-hop, rock, country, psychedelodelia, and pretty much any other style you care to name.

As this episode reaches you, he's recently released his 14th studio album, The Excellent Hyper Space,

and we were lucky enough to meet with him at a Swiss London hotel back in late September to discuss that and more.

We are uncommonly excited to welcome to the show The One and Only Beck.

Hosey E, Dido, Sting and now Beck.

2019 is officially the year of the mononym for this podcast.

Our guest was born Beck, David Campbell in Los Angeles in 1970. His father was an arranger, composer and conductor,

his mom a visual artist and his grandfather was a pivotal figure in the fluxus art movement.

Beck dropped out of school in 10th grade and received his first guitar at 16.

He developed a fascination with folk music, spending many hours trying to master Mississippi

John Hurt's finger picking technique and discovering the likes of Woody Guthrie and blind Willie Johnson, he also discovered an affinity for hip-hop through Grand Master Flash.

He began attending poetry slams and performing locally at coffee houses and clubs and as a street musician while taking on various menial jobs.

Beck moved to New York in 1989 and became immersed in that city's anti-folk movement,

returning to LA in the early 90s, where he circulated some demos, gained the attention of Bonglode records and recorded his breakthrough song,

Loozer, which Beck was apparently reluctant to put out. He considered it mediocre.

The song eventually made the US top 10, and following a bidding war, Beck signed to Geffen in

1994 and released his genre blending debut album, Mello Gold, the same year.

I think you saw him on top of the pops at that time didn't you?

Yeah he had a band comprised of like 90 year old men I seem to remember.

And I also saw him on the old music show The Beat which used to be on TV hosted by Gary Crowley and

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