8-Bit Weapon namedropped by Beck in Blender magazine

[Kroogah]

OK, the latest issue of Blender (the one with the oh-so-trendy Eminem and 50 Cent on the cover) has a great interview with Beck in it, bugging him about Guero and the Gameboy Variations EP.

One of the questions is along the lines of "You seem hip, what are some hip bands to look for?" and all the bands Beck names fall under "Micromusic" as Seth calls it. He says "8-Bit from LA" which I'm pretty sure is 8-Bit Weapon. Quote:

"There's this whole scene of bands using Gameboys and old computers in their music. They're anti-technology by using obsolete technology"

Something along those lines anyway. Rock on, Naughtyboy and Stickgirl.

[Chunky]

Haha that is great.

all i can think of when i heard that was, wow where was beck when he heard 8bit

[leorange]

One of the questions is along the lines of "You seem hip, what are some hip bands to look for?" and all the bands Beck names fall under "Micromusic" as Seth calls it. He says "8-Bit from LA" which I'm pretty sure is 8-Bit Weapon. Quote:

"There's this whole scene of bands using Gameboys and old computers in their music. They're anti-technology by using obsolete technology".

actually, i believe that he's talking about a seperate group just called "8-bit" that is a part of that scene. i've heard 8-bit on kxlu out here in l.a., and have not heard but have heard of 8-bit weapon.

8-bit (http://www.ninjastarrecords.com/bit%7E1.htm)

8-bit weapon (http://www.8bitweapon.com/)

great minds thinking alike. :)

[Kroogah]

Crap. Shoulda known. These guys are....wow. Suddenly I love 8-Bit Weapon even more for being an instrumental group. LOL

[Bunnibear]

Forgive me if this is a little off topic :(

For those who haven't seen or heard of 8-Bit Weapon they were recently on an episode of Attack of the Show which aired on April 11th. The two members of 8-Bit Weapon play for a short time and then have an interview with one of the show's hosts. According to the G4TV website they will be airing the episode again on 4/16/2005 at 11am ET / 8am PT.

[I Am Humanoid]

...a great interview with Beck...

Beck smokes freebase.

[badinsults]

Apparently this kind of music is becoming pretty big in places like Norway.

Personally, I loved the Somethingawful.com Mario Paint Music competition they had a few weeks ago. Some great stuff.

http://www.somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=2740

[Jive3D]

This type of music has been popular everywhere for a while now - it's just that different people become aware of it and say, oh hey looks it's popular now, b/c I noticed some suckas be jammin' to it over in that place. word.

No, but really, that EP is excellent.

Tracklisting for those interested...
(1) Hell Yes (Ghettochip Malfunction mix)
(2) Que' Onda Guero (Gameboy Homeboy mix)
(3) E-Pro (Bad Cartridge mix)
(4) Girl (Bit Rate Variations in B-Flat mix)

I can hook you up. Just ask. :)

[Uzi 9mm]

Forgive me if this is a little off topic :(

For those who haven't seen or heard of 8-Bit Weapon they were recently on an episode of Attack of the Show which aired on April 11th. The two members of 8-Bit Weapon play for a short time and then have an interview with one of the show's hosts. According to the G4TV website they will be airing the episode again on 4/16/2005 at 11am ET / 8am PT.

Yeah, that was a pretty neat episode. It was also kinda cool how they explained how all the equipment worked, those guys are definately old school. :)

[GrandAmChandler]

This type of music has been popular everywhere for a while now - it's just that different people become aware of it and say, oh hey looks it's popular now, b/c I noticed some suckas be jammin' to it over in that place. word.

No, but really, that EP is excellent.

Tracklisting for those interested...
(1) Hell Yes (Ghettochip Malfunction mix)
(2) Que' Onda Guero (Gameboy Homeboy mix)
(3) E-Pro (Bad Cartridge mix)
(4) Girl (Bit Rate Variations in B-Flat mix)

I can hook you up. Just ask. :)

I am asking. I need that EP. I have the Guero CD/CD with all the studio tracks plus the 4/5 remixes... I hear the Gameboy remix is incredible and I can not find it ANYWHERE online!!! Jive 3D. Hook a brother up.

[robotriot]

You may also want to check out monotonik, a nice netlabel which often has 8bit-ish sounds to it :)

http://www.monotonik.com/

[Big Papa Husker]

That music is sweet! The Mario Paint Competiton songs were amazing... I should have done that ;)

[Nature Boy]

I hear the Gameboy remix is incredible and I can not find it ANYWHERE online!!!

iTunes has it. Unless of course you're looking to get it for free...

(I downloaded it from them and I agree - it's fantastic. I originally thought it was SID music used in the first couple of tracks but Cap'n Wrong corrected me :) )

[Necromutant]

Pretty slick! I really like that 8-Bit, had never heard of them. :) BUT, I think they are copying a local band in Denver that has been doing something similar (and better ;)) for at least 2-3 years, maybe longer called Mr. Pacman. Mr. Pacman is the best band of "video game/electronica" sound that I have heard: http://www.mrpacman.com/

If you have a chance to checkout one of their shows, don't miss it, they are crazy play a great show and it may be the only time you have a chance to see someone set up a real C64 on stage and play music on it... :P

[Julio III]

the guy that did the last 2 of the Beck remixes is called Paza, you can download a mini-album at www.8bitpeoples.com who also have their entire back catalogue by loads of people making old videogame chip music available for download

[Dimitri]

the guy that did the last 2 of the Beck remixes is called Paza, you can download a mini-album at www.8bitpeoples.com who also have their entire back catalogue by loads of people making old videogame chip music available for download
And Paza is part of the X-Dump (http://www.x-dump.com/) collective, which also includes one of my favoritest artists, Psilodump, who also happens to have an album on 8bitpeoples. Interesting to see that chiptunes are starting to get some popular recognition, but I've got a feeling it's just a mutation from "people" listening to electropop (or electroclash if you're feeling trendy).

[DeputyMoniker]

What happened to Beck? When I heard Sea Change, he was the balls. Now hes gone back to his old style with Guero. I dont like it so much...I wanted more Sea Change. Anybody else prefer Sea Change over Becks typical sound?

[midgey]

If you have a chance to checkout one of their shows, don't miss it, they are crazy play a great show and it may be the only time you have a chance to see someone set up a real C64 on stage and play music on it... :P

On that note, you should also check out Tree Wave. They're probably the most original group out of this genre, as they strive to make an organic sound out of some not so orgainic sounding instruments (Atari 2600, Dot Matrix Printer, C64). www.treewave.com

[Jive3D]

What happened to Beck? When I heard Sea Change, he was the balls. Now hes gone back to his old style with Guero. I dont like it so much...I wanted more Sea Change. Anybody else prefer Sea Change over Becks typical sound?

You're one of the few people that really liked that album. I can appreciate the musical accomplishment - but Beck's Sea Change was really all about him getting the sadness out of his system when Wynona Rider broke up with him. Guero is a nice return to roots in the style of Midnight Vultures and Odelay. The Dust brothers worked with him on Guero (they also produced Midnight Vultures).

I highly recomend the Special Edition of Guero. It's got the CD with more tracks than the regular retail release, plus you get a DVD with some great visual material set to the album - not exacly music videos per say, but you can watch the entire album set to some very cool visualisations.

[ianoid]

Anyone listen to venerable Japanese band YMO? 8BW sounds a heck of alot like 'em, and claimed at CGE last year that they've never heard them.

[GrandAmChandler]

I am a huge Beck fan, and Guero's return to it's Odelay!, and Midnight Vulture's roots is the best thing he ever did. He vowed to never make another Odelay! and I commend him for that. If you listen to Guero all the way through, you pick certain songs that could have gone on Sea Change, gone on Midnight Vulture, Mutations, etc... Sea Change is good, you just can't be in the mood for it all the time. Guero is a beck mix tape essentially. I also recommend the Cd/DVD combo version. It's in your DVD aisle, took me a hard time to find it on the release date back in March. Most Critics are raving about this album, and Beck's return.
As for the 8 bit weapon mixes. I just listen ed to all of these, and they are incredible. Those guys do a wonderful job remixing these already great tracks. Who woulda thought that video game bleeps and blips would have been so great in a full length song? (Besides Buckner & Garcia) LOL

Okay this is way long. Point is obtain Guero. Give it a listen, and if you can check out the 8-bit weapon remixes.