Parallel to a genre: the three songs that changed Beck’s life
If you had a glimpse into Beck’s life in 1989 when he was living off leftover pizza and couch-surfing, living as a failing musician in a city where the folk scene had become too exclusive for its own good, you would have guessed he would never make it professionally. However, he did, not only to the point that he could make a living off music but to the point that he is considered one of the greatest musical pioneers in recent years.
What makes Beck so unique? A few things. Firstly, there is his writing style, which holds the fundamentals of folk at its very centre but almost mocks the silly seriousness of it. You need to remember that when Beck was playing in New York, folk was a huge genre, and the major players were making millions, so to have them sing about the complexities of life was a bit silly. Beck went more literal with his struggles; rather than overdressing them, he just called himself a loser and moved on. It’s a style that still appeals to many.
The other thing that makes him stand out is his attitude towards music. His life has been a constant struggle when trying to make it, one of persistent rejection and a scene in which he was steadily losing faith. He continued making music and trying to work out how to push the boundaries of the sounds already out there. His commitment to music contributed to this, and the albums he listened to led to this solid commitment.
In an interview, Beck was asked about the music that changed his life, whether because of the memories it triggered or because they gave insight into the music he wanted to make. As a result, we can better understand what work has gone into making Beck the kind of musician he is.
He cited one of his first musical memories as being when he was in the car and ‘Hot Child in the City’ by Nick Gilder came on. Though he confesses his Mum played a lot of music at home, this record probably sticks in his mind because car journeys were usually experienced in silence. “The adults who were driving the cars I was in usually had the radio off and were chain-smoking, and it was just long hours of looking out the window,” he said.
There are three songs that Beck states genuinely changed his life, though. And while the tracks might not have much in common by way of sound, they are linked in the sense that they were incredibly innovative pieces of music. They didn’t push a genre outside its boundaries; instead, they recognised the boundaries of the genre and made something parallel to them. In other words, they did something similar to what Beck did when he pioneered the anti-folk movement.
The three songs he claims changed his life are ‘Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough’ by Michael Jackson, Aphex Twin’s ‘Windowlicker’ and ‘Harder Better Faster Stronger’ by Daft Punk. All three tracks are pioneering in their own right and triggered something in Beck that stayed there. He still remembers being backstage at shows when ‘Harder Better Faster Stronger’ started playing. “Couches were getting upturned, people were doing flips over each other, food was flying,” he said, “It was this unchoreographed chaotic ballet.”
We must appreciate the perseverance of musicians like Beck as he climbs in the face of mountains too big to see the top of. His love of music kept him going, and without those records, we might not have a lot of the music that is massive today.
What songs changed Beck’s life?
- Michael Jackson – ‘Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough’
- Aphex Twin – ‘Windowlicker’
- Daft Punk – ‘Harder Better Faster Stronger’