Eminem News

The O.C is where it's at when it comes to Beck rolling out new material for the masses.

The alt-rock hero will preview five tracks from his forthcoming album, Guero, on the Mar. 10 installment of the Fox soap opera, nearly three weeks before the disc is scheduled to drop.

Guero was originally scheduled to hit stores last October but was delayed to Mar. 29 to give Beck time to polish the production. Ironically, Interscope/Geffen may move up the release date now that multiple songs from the disc have been making the rounds on the Internet. (Interscope recently moved up release dates for highly anticipated new discs from Eminem and 50 Cent due to Internet piracy).

The five tracks selected for The O.C. are the lead single, "E-Pro," along with "Scarecrow," "Missing," "Girl" and "Qu Onda Guero."

An additional track by Grammy winner, a cover of Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End," will be featured on the episode and, per Billboard, be included on the fourth installment of The O.C.'s soundtrack series.

Debuting tracks on demographically desirable TV shows is becoming a key element of promotion, even among established artists like Beck. For example, U2 previewed several tracks from How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb on CSI several weeks before its release last year.

In addition to Beck's foray to The O.C., the Los Angeles-based postmodern poster boy has been busy prepping for a more established mode of hyping his new disc--playing live. He has been dress rehearsing for his upcoming tour via a series of "secret" L.A. shows in recent weeks. Beck has been spotted in small venues like Hollywood's Club 1650 working out his new band (Dan Rothchild on bass, Brian Lebarton on keys and Matt Sherod on drums) to mostly rave reviews.

Beck has also been featuring the dancing team of Ryan and Kestrin, who offer energized interpretations of Guero's hypnotic stripped-down funk (see "Black Tambourine"). Ryan, with his martial-arts influenced dance moves, will join Beck on tour.

Tour dates have not yet been announced, but should be announced in the coming weeks.

"I would expect him to tour soon," says Gary Bongiovanni, editor-in-chief of the touring trade Pollstar. "Like most artists, he probably makes more money from touring than from record sales."

Insiders expect Beck to play a few summer dates in Europe followed by select U.S. shows; a longer U.S. tour could follow in the fall.

Beck's label reps would not comment on a tour timetable.

Guero will be released in two versions, per Beck's Website, a regular 13-track edition and a deluxe two-disc set, which features extra tracks, remixes and a 5.1 surround sound mix.

Meanwhile, even non-Beck fans have a reason to tune in to the Mar. 10 episode of The O.C.. Fox plans on unveiling the new trailer for Star Wars: Episode III--Revenge of the Sith during the broadcast.