Beck joins Scientologists

The Church of Scientology is believed to have claimed another celebrity member - the Grammy-winning musician Beck.

He was introduced to the controversial new-age religion by his bass player, Justin Meldal-Johnson, earlier this year and has become a devout follower, according to his friends.

Since becoming a disciple of the ''Church'', founded by science-fiction writer L Ron Hubbard in the 1950s - whose famous members include Tom Cruise, John Travolta, his wife Kelly Preston, and Lisa Marie Presley - Beck has ditched his girlfriend, actress Winona Ryder, and his managers Gary Gersh and John Silva.

He is now understood to be using Meldal-Johnson's girlfriend, who is also a member, as his manager.

''Scientologists like to keep their own in the fold,'' a friend told the New York Post.

Beck's spokesman Dennis Dennehy would not confirm the story, saying: ''The personal and spiritual lives of my clients are none of my business. I don't ask and they don't tell.''

Beck, 30, won a Grammy in 1997 for best alternative music performance with Odelay. His Midnight Vultures disc was nominated for best album this year, but lost to Steely Dan.

The Scientologists cultivate showbusiness followers for their high-profile publicity value, and believers like Cruise and Travolta have been outspoken in their support of the church, whose critics accuse it of charging followers huge sums of money for self-help courses and of harassing people who try to leave.

One famous member who is believed to be disaffected is Nicole Kidman. She is being divorced by Cruise and one of the problems in their marriage is understood to be her desire to bring up their children as Catholics, as she was, rather than as Scientologists.