Dan the Automator

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Short description Template:Infobox musical artist Daniel M. Nakamura (born August 29, 1966), better known by his stage name Dan the Automator, is an American record producer. He is the founder of the publishing company Sharkman Music<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the record label 75 Ark.<ref name=phoenixnewtimes>Template:Cite web</ref>

Early life

Daniel M. Nakamura<ref name="consequenceofsound" /> was born in San Francisco, California, in 1966.<ref name="sfchronicle" /> His parents spent time in Japanese internment camps as children.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His father worked for the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and his mother taught at City College of San Francisco.<ref name="sfchronicle">Template:Cite web</ref> As a child, he learned to play violin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While in high school, he became immersed in hip hop culture.<ref name="sfchronicle" /> He graduated from San Francisco State University.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Nakamura started his career as a DJ when he was a teenager.<ref name=consequenceofsound>Template:Cite web</ref> After seeing the younger DJs DJ Qbert and Mix Master Mike performing live, he decided to focus on producing tracks.<ref name=sfchronicle/> He first gained attention for his work on Kool Keith's 1996 album Dr. Octagonecologyst.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His debut EP, Music to Be Murdered By, was released in 1989.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He released his debut album A Much Better Tomorrow in 2000,<ref name=consequenceofsound/> an expansion of his 1996 EP A Better Tomorrow. Keith featured extensively across both versions.

He composed the score for the 2019 comedy film Booksmart,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with the soundtrack album released that same year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Collaborations

In 1999, Nakamura and Prince Paul formed the collaborative project Handsome Boy Modeling School, assuming the alter egos Nathaniel Merriweather and Chest Rockwell, respectively.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Their debut album So... How's Your Girl? featured numerous guest musicians, including Róisín Murphy, DJ Shadow, and Del the Funky Homosapien. They released a second album, White People, in November 2004, with collaborators including RZA, Cat Power, and Mike Patton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Nakamura used the Nathaniel Merriweather pseudonym for his Lovage project with Patton and Jennifer Charles. After Paul briefly left the duo over a business dispute,<ref name= retirement>Template:Cite web</ref> Handsome Boy Modeling School have since played further shows and spoken of a forthcoming third album.<ref name="mxdwn-2022">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2000, Nakamura joined Del the Funky Homosapien and Kid Koala to form Deltron 3030.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They released their eponymous debut album the same year, featuring guest appearances by Sean Lennon and Damon Albarn. In 2001, he produced the debut album of Albarn's "animated" band Gorillaz,<ref name=consequenceofsound/> appearing as a member of the band, alongside Del the Funky Homosapien. Both later appeared on the second Deltron 3030 record, Event 2, released in September 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album also featured appearances by Jamie Cullum, Emily Wells and Zack De La Rocha, with interludes performed by actors David Cross, Amber Tamblyn and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Nakamura is one half of Got a Girl, along with actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The duo's debut album, I Love You but I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now, was released in 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In September 2015, they embarked on a four-city tour of Seattle, San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles, where they played their entire album live, including a cover of Handsome Boy Modeling School's "I've Been Thinking".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2023, Handsome Boy Modeling School released a limited release LP of 7 new songs in collaboration with Fords Gin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2025, Nakamura was announced as one of the remixers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup theme, representing the San Francisco Bay Area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Discography

Studio albums

• A Much Better Tomorrow (2000)
• Booksmart: Score by Dan the Automator (2019)
• Easter Sunday: Music from the Motion Picture (2022)

Compilation albums

• Wanna Buy a Monkey? (2002)
• Dan the Automator Presents 2K7 (2006)

Remix albums

• Bombay The Hard Way: Guns, Cars and Sitars (1998)

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 - "Black 13" (2014)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Dr. Octagon - Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation (2018)
• Black Keys - Ohio Players (album) (2024)
• Dan the Automator - Dan the Automator Presents: Good Advice for Suckers (2024)

Film music/scoring

• Scream 2 - "Right Place Wrong Time" (1997)<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ocean's Eleven - "The Projects (P Jays)"<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (2001)
• Slackers - "Rock n' Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This)," "Holy Calamity" (2002)
• Blade II - "Gorillaz on my Mind" (2002)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref>
• Tony Hawk's Underground - "A Better Tomorrow," "Positive Contact'' (2003)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Tony Hawk's Underground 2 - "Holy Calamity (Bear Witness II)" (2004)
• Charmed - "Fallen" (2005)<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
• Californication - "Mojo" (2007)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• The Sopranos - Stage 5 Remix (2007)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Scott Pilgrim vs The World - "Slick (Patel's Song)" (featuring Satya Bhabha), "Ninja Ninja Revolution" (2010)
• Better Call Saul - "The Truth" (2015)<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
• Money Monster - "What Makes the World Go Round? (Money!)" "Da Da Da" (2016)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Booksmart - Original Score & Music
• Always Be My Maybe - "Hello Peril" "I Punched Keanu Reeves" (2019)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Broken Bread - Original Score Season 1 (2019)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Holidate - Original Score (2020)
• Dash & Lilly - Original Score (2020)
• Salt & Pepa - Music (2021)
• Easter Sunday - Original Score (2022)

External links

• Template:Discogs artist