Hehe, I was just reading a music news site and saw a story about the Automator. It says he has a project pairing Busta Rhymes and Leann Rimes! Also one of the Iron Chefs! (And not to mention Beck...)

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New projects from Gorillaz producer Dan 'The Automator' Nakamura include a solo album on which he pairs guests like Busta Rhymes and LeAnn Rimes according to no greater logic than their names.

Nonetheless, the album, called 'Omakase', has attracted no shortage of quality collaborators with the current list including Black Rob, De La Soul's Maceo, DJ Q-Bert (who contributed scratches to Dan's seminal Dr Octogon production 'Dr. Octagonecologyst'), the Neptunes, Beenie Man, Mike Patton of Faith No More and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.

Of the collaboration with Busta and LeAnn Rimes, he told MTV News: "Busta's recorded his part already... we're having trouble with [LeAnn Rimes'] label and it's kind of a drag because she wants to do it and her management wants to do it.

"The track is done and everyone's approved the track. Creatively it's all good, the parts are all ready to go."

Meanwhile, Dan The Automator has already completed studio work producing the next Beck album, the Gorillaz movie soundtrack and the follow-up to his acclaimed collaboration with Prince Paul, the Handsome Boy Modelling School project.

"We're really aiming towards more of an urban audience as opposed to my solo record," he said It's gonna' be a lot more hip-hop and we're gonna' give people some good fashionable tips for the new year."

Cool--it sounds eclectic, to say the least. I am especially inrigued by Iron Chef Morimoto making an appearance. I wonder what the context will be?

Also good to hear that Handsome Boy Modeling School is readying itself for another record. That Beck project is always mentioned but we haven't heard anything official yet so I always think in the back of my mind that it might be dead in the water.

Yea I gave up long ago on hoping to hear all of Beck's collaborations.

Also I should add, I'm not clear how old the news above is. Talk of a new Handsome Boy record has been around awhile. Hopefully, it's my favorite Automator project.

[Edited on 19-3-2003 by seacaptain]