In nineteen eighty six...

these songs above caught the attention of many a professional artist. There were gathering's at Mad Dog Studio's on Lincoln Blvd in Venice. Philly steak sandwiches were all the rage.

Those people were concerned with songwriting & melody of any song and even my carefully constructed musicianship at that time caught the attention of a few there because the four tracks I had produced were very perfectly put down on each track so everyone there hearing the songs through the Mad Dog studio playback could hear the musicianship of each separate track with me performing two guitars, rhythm and lead, keyboards, and, vocals. So the tracks it was thought were "small," maybe "small masterpieces that only needed" regular "larger recording in an actual regular music studio?" Dusty Wakeman at Mad Dog Studio talked about treating drum tracks with new various drum effects, and for whatever the case was, I instead ended up booking studio time at the Studio Suite in Glendale. Walter Egan eventually talked on the radio about the new Missing Link recordings from The Studio Suite as "being done on large sixteen track tape" thus verifying the simple concept of taking four tracks to professional recording studio quality because the previous live recordings of the Missing Link band played on KXLU FM were recorded on a four track, miced to one channel. Those one channel recording's were the first of the entire band, now lost, that Jim Dunfred on KXLU FM initially played on his radio program, Surf Wave. The future was looking up, there was no reason for it not to?

These four track songs above here, also were recorded using a Casio Drum Machine for simply keeping time, but the professional musicians then, could determine their listening beyond that, to how the songs may sound if we recorded them at Mad Dog? These four track songs also were recorded using that new product of Tom Schulz from super group Boston, a Rockman Guitar Device for using inline recording instead of traditionally what was usually mic-ed guitar amplifiers & instruments. The Rockman enabled a person living in for say an apartment to make recordings without neighbor's being disturbed by loud musical sounds.

These four tracks recorded into Tascam's, then new, Porta One Four Track Recorder. Previous to that & Initially, some of these songs were recorded on a BIC T-4 cassette deck because of it's unique two track mic/line recording ability, at the time which was unusual for any retail cassette recording & playback unit.

So "The Bedroom Tapes," as coined by Jim flooded the radio airwaves in the Southbay area on Surfwave. I was extremely grateful Jim Dunfred played these live band recordings then, although, I could not foster him to interview me on the air, which he often would do with more established artists.

"So where were the studio recorded songs going to come from?" I had been through many a conversation's by then with Walter Egan who later produced four of these songs in nineteen eighty-seven. Whenever I'd mention major record label's such as CBS where he spent much of his career as a professional artist, he responded with blurbs here and there about music executive Irving Azoff or producer Earle Mankey, but Walter's getting Missing Link also signed by such people did not materialize. It was nineteen eighty seven, being fed up with still "waiting" from nineteen eighty-four through nineteen eighty six and getting no record label attention, Walter Egan then agreed to produce & record four songs that eventually received new radio airplay on KROQ, besides the four-tracks or live one channel tracks once played on Surfwave. It could be notated that Walter Egan and other major label artists I had worked with, never themselves after nineteen eighty three ever were signed to major labels again with them instead self promoting, self recording and self distributing their music and careers to this day although they do have resulting prominence from their initial major label work and recordings. The major label people they were familiar with were not interacting with them anymore then and they have not released any new major label recordings.

Released January 20, 1986



"Missing Link Us

About:
The new Missing Link Us recording's are here.

Playing along side groups such as,

Foo Fighter's, Panic! At The Disco,

and Paramore,

these songs don't stop coming at you!

Featuring songwriting from Brent Alan Beck, The Missing Link Band pumps out clear melodies spaced between interesting chords. Hard Rock, English Blues, Ballads, Rock 'N' Roll, Alternative, are all found in this expansive music catalog.

Brent Alan Beck performed studio guitar for Producer Robert Kuropatwa upon Jan Berry’s Second Wave.

Brent is featured in recordings upon Walter Egan’s release “Lost Album.”

Brent studied professionally with Brill Building lyricist and songwriter Roger Atkins.

Missing Link Music Bio:
Forming in early eighties from the songwriting of Brent Alan Beck, The Missing Link, an EP of four songs were quickly recorded & produced by Columbia Artist Walter Egan. These are the first four songs available from studio sessions at the Studio Suite, in Glendale, CA. Songs receiving airplay on KROQ, & KXLU. Photo’s of resulting latter sessions can be found on Walter Egan’s “Lost Album” on Renaissance Records. There are also consequent live band sessions now available for streaming upon ITunes etc.

“To me, music, in songwriting is similar to a fantastic meal. And the lyrics are as, salt, pepper, & spice that we add to a fantastic meal in making it just right.”

“I was initially a lyricist as early as seventh grade. I wrote poetry in fourth grade. Chords I utilized to the metered verse, and consequently, I began writing music also.

Songs were a bit complicated for me to actually perform in my early years in public. So my writing ability was ahead of my performing ability. I could hear all the music in my head though, or I had transcribed onto page, and knew how it would sound.” I had a great teacher who taught me how to transcribe notes and chords for my original songs.

Continuing, “Through much effort, I formed a band in my early twenties & some of the rehearsals were recorded on a portable, cassette device. Electric guitars & cymbal crashes were very forgiving if I missed fingering chords from failing to rehearse as often as I’d have liked. A few years after that, & being unable to keep these musician’s together I ventured back to music clubs similar to famed Roxy or Whiskey a go-go. Some of the music clubs were being replaced by open mic night nights at sandwich/coffee cafe’s or bars?”

“I adapted my electric, guitar songs to my Ovation acoustic guitar, & it was a bit frustrating for some at clubs to listen to. No cymbal crashes anymore. As before though, I had it all in my head or on the page. I also knew, what the band, rehearsal’s I had just came from, sounded like. My band did not return though, so I stayed performing in various coffee shop venues around Los Angeles on my acoustic guitar during the late eighties fumbling through those original tunes and hoping to covered. At this time also, I had been an understudy of Berton Averre of The Knack. Drum sounds or lack there of, were a big part of rock and roll before Grunge finally appeared. Dry production, wet production etc? Many recordings illustrated then like, Lone Justice’s I Found Love, Danny Wilde’s Time Runs Wild, Tonio K.’s Without Love, include a snare drum and bass drum, to a vocal, seemingly without bass. It’s very difficult to listen to and it was a difficult time because production or lack there of again was over shadowing songs and songwriting. Songs rarely sounded in concert, as were heard on CD. Not until recordings like, Nevermind by Nirvana, Guns and Roses Use Your Illusion, and ARC Angels was this, sort of, production inhibition overcome. It seemed like there was no rock and roll between eighty three and ninety one. So that’s why folk music was on such an up surge. Acoustic guitar act’s like Tracey Chapman & Jewel, emerged from such venues. Music is still impacted today by female artist’s that bare roots to late eighties folk.”



Influences: Jethro Tull, The Who.
Sounds Like: Foo Fighters, Tom Petty, Linkin Park, Paramore, Traffic

Making a musical recording or performance is a lot like a play. Learn your instrument parts & then integrate your sounds. These recording's here, consist mainly of two guitar and vocal. Anyone else can add a bass, keyboard, drum parts, or a proper vocal, as they please! My writing consisting of metered verse, songwriting, & a music library catalog from 1977 until present, currently via moniker, Muted; Piano; Keys MusicBMI.

Along the musical journey, Brent Alan Beck worked with Berton Averre of The Knack, Billy Steele of Steve Perry, Robert Kuroptuwa of Jan Berry, Walter Egan of Columbia Records & Backstreet/MCA Records fame & featured in the movie, "Boogie Nights" plus author of rock 'n' roll biography, "Top Ten." While working with Walter Egan in the eighties, was fortunate enough to get some enormous tips from the late Randy California of the r'n'r group, Spirit. Many notes shared from Randy to me, such as that Jimi Hendrix used to tune his guitar to the key of, "C." Also, that the Spirit sound is mainly achieved by plugging his guitar into a bass amplifier, instead of a guitar amplifier. I was present when Randy California played his Jackson Guitar for the lead on a Walter Egan song called, "Invisible Man" which can be found on Walter Egan's Lost Album for Renaissance Records. Randy California also lent me his advice about preparation for performing by stating all you do is: "Turn On" for the stage, & then, "Turn Off" when leaving. Randy also insisted to always warm up before a performance with scales & finger exercises. Photos from that session; including myself; can be found on that compact disc from Walter Egan called The Lost Album, on the Renaissance Label. Additionally worked with: Roger "It's My Life/Animals" Atkins, of Screen Gems/Monkeys fame, Tony Zamora of Tremoloco & Wild Colonials, James Snodgrass of Bangles, Eddie Munoz of The Plimsouls, Stanley T., Jack Sherman of Red Hot Chili Peppers, David Diamond of Berlin, Ron Parker of Christians In Art. "My professional career could have been deemed as starting in high school serving as a roadie for Robbie Rist doing frequent shows at the world famous Troubador in Hollywood." Robbie Rist opened for Jamie James' Kingbees, & Brian Wild & Livewire/B. Wild very often, and also, in the years of 1979 & 1980 Robbie Krieger of the Doors showed up often to perform guitar with Helena Springs. The Missing Link played and performed with members listed, from 1986 to 1988. The Quest played together from 1988 to 1991. Members of The Quest: Jim Stokes, Lead Guitar; Bob Stokes, Bass Guitar; Thaddeus M. Francis, Lead Vocalist & Guitar; Rick Casono, Drums; Brent Alan Beck. In nineteen ninety-one I started playing live solo performances in Los Angeles, CA at places such as: The Central/Viper Room, Music Machine, Our House, 8121 Club, The Troubadour, Be-Bop Records, Natural Fudge Company, 14 Below, & various other venues. Studied with following teachers in Los Angeles, CA. Vocal instruction: Gloria Bennett, Kathy Ellis, Mike Campbell, Seth Riggs-Helen of Wilson/Phillips. Guitar Instruction: Chuck Holden, Ted LaBash. Keyboard Instruction: Dennis Haggerty KC. Valley College: Sound Engineering, Vocal Instruction. Hear the songwriting of Brent Alan Beck now by streaming or downloading on your favorite music provider.