Dan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura[1] (born August 29, 1966),[3] better known by his stage name Dan the Automator, is an American record producer from San Francisco, California. He is the founder of the publishing company Sharkman Music[6] and the record label 75 Ark.[7]
Dan the Automator | |
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![]() Dan the Automator in 2015 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Daniel M. Nakamura[1] |
Also known as | Nathaniel Merriweather[2] |
Born | [3] San Francisco, California, U.S.[4] | August 29, 1966
Genres | Hip hop[5] |
Occupation(s) | Record producer |
Years active | 1986–present |
Labels | |
Associated acts |
Early life
Nakamura was born in San Francisco, California.[4] His parents spent time in Japanese internment camps as children.[8] His father worked for the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and his mother taught at City College of San Francisco.[4] As a child, he learned to play violin.[9] While in high school, he became immersed in hip hop culture.[4] He graduated from San Francisco State University.[10]
Career
Nakamura started his career as a DJ when he was a teenager.[1] After seeing the younger DJs DJ Qbert and Mix Master Mike performing live, he decided to focus on producing tracks.[4]
His debut EP, Music to Be Murdered By, was released in 1989.[11] He first gained national attention for his work on Kool Keith's 1996 album Dr. Octagonecologyst.[12]
In 1999, Nakamura and Prince Paul formed the collaborative project Handsome Boy Modeling School, assuming the alter egos Nathaniel Merriweather and Chest Rockwell, respectively.[13] In that year, he joined with Del the Funky Homosapien and Kid Koala to form Deltron 3030.[14] In 2000, he released A Much Better Tomorrow.[1] He produced Gorillaz's 2001 debut album, Gorillaz.[1]
He is one half of Got a Girl, along with actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead.[15] The duo's debut album, I Love You but I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now, was released in 2014.[16]
He composed the score for the 2019 comedy film Booksmart.[17] The soundtrack album was released in 2019.[18]
Discography
Studio albums
- A Much Better Tomorrow (2000)
- Booksmart: Score by Dan the Automator (2019)
Compilation albums
- Wanna Buy a Monkey? (2002)
- Dan the Automator Presents 2K7 (2006)
EPs
- Music to Be Murdered By (1989)
- King of the Beats (1990)
- A Better Tomorrow (1996)
Singles
- "Bear Witness III (Once Again)" (2002)
- "Rapper's Delight" (2009)
Productions
- Dr. Octagon - Dr. Octagonecologyst (1996)
- Cornershop - When I Was Born for the 7th Time (1997)
- Kalyanji–Anandji - Bombay the Hard Way: Guns, Cars and Sitars (1998)
- Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Acme (1998)
- Handsome Boy Modeling School - So... How's Your Girl? (1999)
- Primal Scream - XTRMNTR (2000)
- Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 (2000)
- Gorillaz - Gorillaz (2001)
- Lovage - Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By (2001)
- Ben Lee - Hey You. Yes You. (2002)
- Galactic - Ruckus (2003)
- Handsome Boy Modeling School - White People (2004)
- Head Automatica - Decadence (2004)
- Jamie Cullum - Catching Tales (2005)
- Teriyaki Boyz - Beef or Chicken (2005)
- Peeping Tom - Peeping Tom (2006)
- Little Barrie - Stand Your Ground (2006)
- Josh Haden - Devoted (2007)
- Men Without Pants - Naturally (2008)
- Anaïs Croze - The Love Album (2008)
- Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (2009)
- Dredg - Chuckles and Mr. Squeezy (2011)
- Miles Kane - Colour of the Trap (2011)
- Lateef the Truthspeaker - Firewire (2011)
- Kasabian - Velociraptor! (2011)
- DRC Music - Kinshasa One Two (2011)
- Pillowfight - Pillowfight (2013)
- Jamie Cullum - Momentum (2013)
- Deltron 3030 - Event 2 (2013)
- Got a Girl - I Love You but I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now (2014)
- Exodus - Blood In, Blood Out (2014)
- Dr. Octagon - Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation (2018)
References
- Comaratta, Len (August 29, 2010). "Whatever Happened To: Dan the Automator". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Keast, Darren (December 27, 2001). "Nathaniel Merriweather Presents..." Dallas Observer. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Kellman, Andy. "Dan the Automator: Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Harlaub, Peter (July 12, 2019). "Dan the Automator follows his own lane to food, movies, 'Always Be My Maybe'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Quinlan, Thomas (May 1, 2001). "Dan the Automator: The Complete Package Concept". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Crain, Zac (November 25, 1999). "Handsome Dan, Automator Man". Miami New Times. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Kelley, Brendan Joel (January 17, 2002). "Nathaniel Merriweather". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Ganahl, Jane (November 29, 2004). "He's sold millions of albums. Handsome, too. Calls Beck a pal. The Automator a rock star? No". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- Rotondi, James (March 1, 2001). "Automater for the People". Electronic Musician. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Bee, Adrianne (December 17, 2004). "Holiday gifts with a Gator connection". San Francisco State University. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Weingarten, Marc (February 17, 2002). "Alchemist of Alternative Rap". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Harrington, Richard (January 19, 2001). "Back to the Future With the Automator". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Lynskey, Dorian (November 4, 2004). "Cartoon capers". The Guardian. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Brown, Emma (October 9, 2013). "The Future is Deltoron 3030". Interview. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Sundermann, Eric (June 17, 2014). "Deltron 3030's Dan the Automator and Mary Elizabeth Winstead's Video for "Did We Live Too Fast" Would Make Ernest Hemingway Proud". Vice. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Barshad, Nim (June 3, 2014). "Hear Dan the Automator and Mary Elizabeth Winstead's Cinematic 'Did We Live Too Fast'". Spin. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- Carr, Paul (July 18, 2019). "Broke a Couple of Rules: Movie Scores with Dan the Automator". PopMatters. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
- Haubrich, Wess (May 10, 2019). "Exclusive: Check out this track from Dan "The Automator" Nakamura's score to Olivia Wilde's Booksmart". The 405. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dan the Automator. |
- Dan the Automator discography at Discogs