BECK 1st release 7" MTV MAKES ME WANT TO SMOKE CRACK

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173

BECK

GOD IS MY WETSUIT

RARE FIRST RELEASE BY BECK

SPLIT 7" RECORD WITH BEAN

1993 FLIPSIDE RECORDS FLIP 46

ON CLEAR / BLUE VINYL

TRACKS

BECK SIDE:

1. MTV MAKES ME WANT TO SMOKE CRACK
2. TO SEE THAT WOMAN OF MINE

BEAN SIDE:

1. PRIVATES ON PARADE
2. ROCK > SCISSORS < PAPER

THIS SUPER OUT OF PRINT, RARE SEVEN INCH RECORD IS THE FIRST RELEASE BY BECK.  IT WAS A SPLIT SEVEN INCH WITH BEAN (A/K/A Steve Moramarco).  THE VERSION OF THE "MTV" IS DIFFERENT FROM THE LATER "LOUNGE" VERSION FEATURED ON THE "LOSER" SINGLE.  THIS 7" HAS NEVER BEEN RE-PRESSED, & THESE RECORDINGS HAVE NOT SHOWN UP ON ANY CD RELEASE. 

COMES WITH THE COVER & INSERT.  ALL ART & VINYL ARE IN MINT, BARELY PLAYED CONDITION.  THIS IS A HOLY GRAIL FOR BECK COLLECTORS.  CHECK OUT MY 100% POSITIVE FEEDBACK & BID WITH CONFIDENCE.

FROM WHISKEYCLONE.NET:

"MTV Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack"... what can I say? It's one of Beck's oldest classics. No, it is THE oldest classic. It certainly holds up with anything he's written since, in my opinion. It was Beck's first real release, as a shared single with Bean on Flipside Records. Side A included "MTV" and "To See That Woman Of Mine." (Side B was given to Bean, who was Steve Moramarco, Beck's friend of "Steve Threw Up" fame.) Later, the song would be released to bigger numbers as a b-side on the UK "Loser" single, albeit in the more novelty "lounge" version.

To the surprise of many, it's actually quite a poignant song and commentary. On the surface, it's hilarious; dig a little deeper, and it's kind of sad. A song called "MTV Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack" would have been a dumb joke and/or novelty in hands of a lesser songwriter. As it turns out, it is actually one of the more autobiographical songs Beck has ever written, which gives it a powerful depth. He wrote the song while working at a video store in the fall of 1992. It was the last job Beck would have; after being canned, he went on unemployment, busked around, and then his music began to take off. His voice on the original recording is raw and he sounds rough and broken. The lyrics match.

Beck, in an article with the London newspaper, The Independant, remembered this time of mini-mall jobs. He felt disconnected from the other employees, and one day he "realised, 'Oh my God, everyone I'm working with is imitating a sitcom.' That's why I couldn't relate to them." It is this observation which inspired "MTV Makes Me Want To Smoke Crack."

So despite the title, Beck is not just making a comment about the videos you can see on MTV. Beck is rarely that straight-forward in his lyrics. He's using MTV, where everything is perfect and perky, to contrast that with his own life experience. To that point, he had been struggling for money, trying to make it; things were rarely perfect and perky. As Beck explains it, "It’s just a stream of conscience with a dulled mind. I wrote it while I was working at a video store. It has that mini mall, video store spirit to it." Beck's brilliance is in the details of his commentary, little observances and a great humor to convey the struggle and reality vs. the dream and TV.

Please feel free to email me with any questions. A discount will be given on shipping for multiple items (please email me if you plan on bidding on more than one). I give positive feedback & appreciate it in return. Thanks for looking!

120 MINUTES BECK HANSON ODELAY MUTATIONS LOSER BONGLOAD RECORDS MELLOW GOLD SEA CHANGE SCIENTOLOGY ALTERNATIVE ROCK LOLLAPALOOZA LOLLAPALOOSA GRUNGE ROCK NIRVANA SONIC YOUTH DINOSAUR JR PUNK ROCK SEVEN INCH 7" RECORD ALBUM VINYL 45 RPM OUT OF PRINT RARE