Cancer stole a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer today in MCA, otherwise known as Adam Yauch. Before they were a jokey hip hop band, they were a punky four-piece with a female drummer - Kate Schellenbach, who went on to drum for Luscious Jackson (who were signed to the Beastie's Grand Royal Records). The story is that, when the band partnered with Rick Rubin to help infuse hip hop into their sound, creative differences ensued with Kate, and she was not to be a Beastie any more.
Their first post-Kate single was also featured on the soundtrack to the movie Krush Groove. This was that single. Although not a big hit at the time - and you can clearly hear a lot more punk than in their later work - it was clearly a harbinger to a brilliant career to come.
I never really became a huge Beastie Boys fan - I liked their more hip-hop infused stuff, but not a lot of their later experimental sound - but I do love this song, to this day. I hope you enjoy it, a special Guilt-Free Sunday on a Friday.
I've had a love/hate relationship with this band. Check Your Head and Ill Communication had some cool tunes. Never got the whole License to Ill/Paul's Boutique love. That said, Adam always seemed to be an awesome dude. It's certainly a sad day.
ReplyDeleteI am exactly upside down from you on this. Paul's Boutique is where they still had me, but after that, they lost me for the most part. However, I like the way they broke hip hop through cultural barriers - they were not the typical hip hop artists, and now, they proved that anyone could be. Well, anyone with talent.
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