Beck released his fourteenth studio record Hyperspace Friday, and as part of the press cycle he sat down for an interview to clear up some long-asked questions about his life. Namely, he explained his relationship with Scientology.
On top of being known as a Grammy-award winning musician, the musician’s relationship with the Church of Scientology has long been discussed. But in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald Friday, he said there’s a “misconception” about him and the religion.
“I think there’s a misconception that I am a Scientologist,” he said. “I’m not a Scientologist. I don’t have any connection or affiliation with it. My father has been a Scientologist for a long time, but I’ve pretty much just focused on my music and my work for most of my life, and tended to do my own thing. I think it’s just something people ran with.”
Beck said he reason people “ran with” it is most likely because he’s stated he’s a Scientologist many times in the past. Beck admitted to being a part of the religion to the Irish Sunday Tribune in 2005. “Yeah, I’m a Scientologist. My father has been a Scientologist for about 35 years, so I grew up in and around it and stuff… I don’t have anything to hide. I am completely proud of my life.”
Furthermore, Beck defended the organization in an MTV interview in 2003. “The good done speaks for itself,” he said about the church. “There’s that kind of intolerance, which to me is kind of insidious; you can make a judgment about something you don’t really know about. I’ve just seen, it’s the kind of thing where you can’t really deny the humanitarian things. The stuff with education, drug treatment… programs for criminals and prisons. It’s pretty staggering actually.”
The reason for distancing himself from Scientology could be the separation from his wife of 15 years, Marissa Ribisi. Ribisi and her twin brother, actor Giovanni Ribisi, are second-generation Scientologists who are active in the organization and have attended many public events with the church.
Hyperspace is out now via Capitol. Get it here.
