Mike Beck

In the USA, he's been called Big Ugly Mike; In Europe, they know him as Chicago Mike.

Mike Beck has been performing for more than fifteen years. Possessing a diverse repertoire of more than 500 songs, Mike has developed a loyal following on two continents. Whether performing solo, with his acoustic duo Big Eyed Beans From Venus, or with his full Electric Beans Rock & Soul Revue, audiences return again and again to enjoy his high-energy live performances.

Born in Los Angeles, but growing up in Chicago's north suburbs, Mike immersed himself in the Windy City's phenomenal wealth of music, exploring the best of its blues, jazz, gospel, soul and rock offerings. Following a two year pilgimage to New Orleans, Mike returned to Illinois, this time landing in Carbondale, situated in the Southern end of the state. Here, he further honed his aggressive acoustic guitar style, while enhancing and mutating it by fusing bluegrass elements gleaned from so many of the talented pickers he found in Southern Illinois. Seven years in the wilds of Utah followed three years living in the Blues Mecca of Chicago's north side. He now resides back in Chicago's north suburbs when he's not recording and performing throughout the USA and abroad.

Possessed of a powerful voice and dynamic stage presence, Mike's performances include forays into rock, soul, blues, and country, including compelling originals, classic rock favorites, stirring soul standards, and guilty pleasures.

In November 2002, while on tour in Europe with his band Big Eyed Beans From Venus, Mike released his premiere CD Chicago Mike (Big Ugly Music & Media), which features special guest appearances by Grammy-winning harmonica virtuoso Howard Levy, blues guitar great Larry McCray, folk-diva Nora O'Connor and others.

Though performing and songwriting have been his primary pursuits, Mike has also enjoyed a developing career as a producer. In addition to serving as co-producer on his own Chicago Mike CD, in 1999 Mike produced a single for Gary "Wheaties" Allen called The Candy Bar Song. In 2002, he produced Live In Chicago for Dutch blues-rock band Half Past Midnight, renown throughout Europe for their six years with former Hendrix frontman and mentor Curtis Knight. Since its release in December 2002, Live In Chicago has enjoyed tremendous support from the European blues magazines and strong radio airplay throughout Holland and Germany.

Mike is currently finishing work on the USA version of his Chicago Mike CD release, and is getting ready for his Spring 2003 European Tour which starts on March 6, opening for Half Past Midnight and Canned Heat in Helmond, The Netherlands.