Howie Beck
Encyclopedia
Howie Beck is a Canadian singer-songwriter
and producer based in Toronto
. His debut album, 1997's Pop and Crash, was recorded at home while Beck recovered from mononucleosis
.
Beck began to attract attention outside of Canada with 1999's Hollow. Around this time, some of Beck's songs made appearances in prime-time TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Queer as Folk, and Felicity. Picked up by the independent record label Easy!Tiger, Hollow was released in Europe
nearly two years after its Canadian release, and regular international tours followed. More recently, his music has appeared in episodes of One Tree Hill and Degrassi.
Beck regularly trades guest appearances, in recording sessions and onstage, with other Canadian artists such as Sarah Harmer
, Hayden
, Leslie Feist
, Jason Collett
and British singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt
. Beck is also an accomplished drummer, and briefly played drums for Bourbon Tabernacle Choir
in the mid-nineties. He has also appeared as a multi-instrumentalist on many albums by Hayden, Sarah Harmer, Gonzales and others.
After a long break from the music industry, partly triggered by September 11
, Beck finally released his third, self-titled album in Canada in 2004. The album was again released in 2006 in the UK, Europe and the US to generally positive reviews. That year he toured with Josh Rouse
and Nada Surf
in Europe and Scandinavia
.
How to Fall Down in Public
, his fourth full-length album, was released to critical acclaim in Canada on February 24, 2009, receiving glowing reviews and features in the Canadian press. Beck continues to have mainly a devoted cult following, largely due to his irregular live appearances. Though he again played all of the instruments on the album, he was assisted by Gonzales
in some instrumental and production duties. Also appearing on the album are Feist and Sarah Harmer, both appearing as guest vocalists.
In recent years, Beck has started to work on select projects as a producer and mixer. He has produced and mixed two albums for Broken Social Scene
member Jason Collett, Idols of Exile
(2005) and Here's to Being Here
(2008), Hayden's 2009 album The Place Where We Lived
and Matthew Barber
's album, True Believer, released in 2010.
In March 2010, Beck was nominated for a Juno Award
in Canada for his album, How To Fall Down in Public.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and producer based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. His debut album, 1997's Pop and Crash, was recorded at home while Beck recovered from mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis
Infectious mononucleosis is an infectious, widespread viral...
.
Beck began to attract attention outside of Canada with 1999's Hollow. Around this time, some of Beck's songs made appearances in prime-time TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Queer as Folk, and Felicity. Picked up by the independent record label Easy!Tiger, Hollow was released in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
nearly two years after its Canadian release, and regular international tours followed. More recently, his music has appeared in episodes of One Tree Hill and Degrassi.
Beck regularly trades guest appearances, in recording sessions and onstage, with other Canadian artists such as Sarah Harmer
Sarah Harmer
Sarah Harmer is a Canadian singer-songwriter and activist.-Biography:Born and raised in Burlington, Ontario, Harmer gained her first exposure to the musician's lifestyle as a teenager, when her older sister Mary started taking her to concerts by the well-known Tragically Hip. At the age of 17, she...
, Hayden
Hayden (musician)
Paul Hayden Desser who records as Hayden, is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Thornhill, Ontario.His early works are a largely eclectic mix of genres from grunge rock to alt country, as demonstrated by his first full album, Everything I Long For, released in 1995. Since then his work has become...
, Leslie Feist
Leslie Feist
Leslie Feist , known professionally as simply Feist, is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, both as a solo artist and as a member of the indie rock group Broken Social Scene....
, Jason Collett
Jason Collett
Jason Collett is a Toronto based singer-songwriter. He has released four solo albums, and is a member of Broken Social Scene. His latest album, Rat a Tat Tat, was released in March, 2010.-Early life:...
and British singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt
Ed Harcourt
Ed Harcourt is an English singer-songwriter. To date, he has released five studio albums, two EPs, and thirteen singles. His debut album, Here Be Monsters, was nominated for the 2001 Mercury Prize...
. Beck is also an accomplished drummer, and briefly played drums for Bourbon Tabernacle Choir
Bourbon Tabernacle Choir
The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir were a Canadian alternative rock band that formed in 1985 in Toronto, Ontario. Their R&B-flavoured rock made them a mainstay on Canadian campus radio in the early 1990s, but the band never quite broke through to the mainstream....
in the mid-nineties. He has also appeared as a multi-instrumentalist on many albums by Hayden, Sarah Harmer, Gonzales and others.
After a long break from the music industry, partly triggered by September 11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, Beck finally released his third, self-titled album in Canada in 2004. The album was again released in 2006 in the UK, Europe and the US to generally positive reviews. That year he toured with Josh Rouse
Josh Rouse
Josh Rouse is an American folk/roots pop singer-songwriter.-Biography:Born in the small town of Paxton, Nebraska, he moved to various places in the Midwest during his childhood due to his father's military career...
and Nada Surf
Nada Surf
Nada Surf is an American alternative rock band. Formed in 1992, the New York band consists of Matthew Caws , Ira Elliot and Daniel Lorca .-Early years:...
in Europe and Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
.
How to Fall Down in Public
How to Fall Down in Public
How to Fall Down in Public is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Howie Beck, released February 24, 2009. The album was a nominee for Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards.-Track listing:...
, his fourth full-length album, was released to critical acclaim in Canada on February 24, 2009, receiving glowing reviews and features in the Canadian press. Beck continues to have mainly a devoted cult following, largely due to his irregular live appearances. Though he again played all of the instruments on the album, he was assisted by Gonzales
Gonzales (musician)
Gonzales, , is a Grammy-nominated Canadian musician currently residing in Paris, France. Though best known for his first MC and electro albums, he is also a pianist, producer, and songwriter....
in some instrumental and production duties. Also appearing on the album are Feist and Sarah Harmer, both appearing as guest vocalists.
In recent years, Beck has started to work on select projects as a producer and mixer. He has produced and mixed two albums for Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene
Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock band, a musical collective including as few as six and as many as nineteen members, formed in 1999 by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning. Most of its members currently play in various other groups and solo projects, mainly based around the city of Toronto...
member Jason Collett, Idols of Exile
Idols of Exile
-Track listing:#"Fire" - with Amy Millan#"Hangover Days" - with Emily Haines#"Brownie Hawkeye"#"We All Lose One Another"#"Parry Sound"#"I'll Bring the Sun"#"Tinsel and Sawdust"#"Feral Republic"#"Pavement Puddle Stars"#"Almost Summer"#"Pink Night"...
(2005) and Here's to Being Here
Here's to Being Here
Here's to Being Here is the fourth solo album by Jason Collett of Broken Social Scene. The album was released on February 5, 2008 on Arts & Crafts....
(2008), Hayden's 2009 album The Place Where We Lived
The Place Where We Lived
The Place Where We Lived is the eighth full-length album by Canadian singer-songwriter Hayden, released May 26, 2009 on Hardwood Records and Universal Music Canada.- Track listing :- References :...
and Matthew Barber
Matthew Barber
Matthew Barber is a Canadian singer-songwriter. His music has been classified as indie pop and pop rock with folk and alternative country influences....
's album, True Believer, released in 2010.
In March 2010, Beck was nominated for a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
in Canada for his album, How To Fall Down in Public.
Discography
SOLO ALBUMS- Pop and Crash, 1997
- Hollow, 1999
- Maybe I Belong (EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
), 2001 - The Chance is Gone (EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
), 2001 - Howie Beck, 2004
- How to Fall Down in PublicHow to Fall Down in PublicHow to Fall Down in Public is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Howie Beck, released February 24, 2009. The album was a nominee for Adult Alternative Album of the Year at the 2010 Juno Awards.-Track listing:...
, 2009