Beastie Boys
Iversity is the key to the Beastie Boys' success. They never stay in one place long
enough to let anyone bite their style. Over the years, many have tried and many
have cried because no one else has the proper skills when it comes to blazing hardcore,
passing the mic or throwing down funky grooves. Much like the epic Check Your
Head, their new album Ill Communication is mixed with patently diverse stylings that
somehow coalesce into one fat ass sound. Between snowboarding, skating and hoops,
Adam Yauch and Mike D took some time out to explain their game. -Bryce Kanights
A CHAT WITH ADAM YAUCH
How do you come up with new material?
We listen to a lot of different kinds of
music and that makes for playing different
shit. We didn't write anything too much
beforehand, we just took the winter off and
went snowboarding. I did anyway. When we
got back together we just started improvis
ing and playing whatever felt right at the
time. When something sounded good we'd
just turn the tape machines on.
You played upright bass on the album?
Yes, and I did indeed bring it to Alaska.
Jay Liska has a big Cadillac limo we drove
from Anchorage to Valdes, which is like a six
hour drive and I had it strapped on the
roof. II was just hoping that it would make it.
"Tough Guy" and "Heart Attack Man"
reminisce on the punk style the band
began with. Fill us in on your origins.
The drinking age in New York used to be
eighteen so there really wasn't a problem
with people our age going out to clubs since
nobody really checked IDs or anything. We
used to go to punk clubs all the time and
see bands. There was a scene with a bunch
of kids that we used to hang out with. The
Bad Brains had just come up from DC as well
as a band called the Stimulators that we
used to play with. Everyone was starting
bands and the Beastie Boys were one of
those bands. Kate (Luscious Jackson) was
the original drummer and John Berry was
the original guitarist. That was around "81.
Do you get noticed often in public?
Not too much. People don't notice us,
we're one of those top secret groups.
It seems like you change your look often.
Definitely. I'm coming out with the Jheri
curl afro mullet for the summer tour.
What is you opinion of gangster rap?
Well, I feel that the lineage behind it is
comprehensible. I understand where it's
coming from because there has been so
much oppression for so long and black
people's oppression is still going on. Most of
the world is being run by white males so
there is a lot of anger. There is also much
financial oppression at this time, so some of
that anger is a little bit misdirected but I
understand where it's coming from. The
basis of the system is radically unfair and out
of balance but I don't feel that violence is
the solution. Violence breeds more violence.
What's in store for Lollapalooza?
The band has been working on our game
a lot and we're not quite sure what the other
bands are going to have for their game on
the road. We're working on plays, we're
working on a lot of passing at this point and
the group is working together as a team. We
figure Quest is gonna have a good game out
there but we're not expecting a lot of com-
petition from the other bands. The Pumpkins
are gonna have to dig deep. Y'know the
Pumpkins got a couple tall guys in their
band so unless they really learn to box out or
they have some sort of high school skills that
we don't know about, I think we may come
home with some rings.
A CHAT WITH MIKE D
How often do you go
into the studio?
We're here every day.
It's where Grand Royal is
and it also has the half-
pipe and basketball court,
so it's more than a studio.
It's our clubhouse. You'd
be surprised what Adam
(Horowitz) can do on the
ramps with that lowrider
bicycle. Matt Hoffman
look out. We're starting
the lowrider league of
ramp riders.
Do you agree with
Adam that you change
your look a lot?
Yeah, because if you
don't change up then
you'll get to the show and
there'll be kids who've got
the same look as you
'cause they want to sport
the same shit you have.
We're trying to get people
to do their own thing and
they're doing our thing so
then you've got to rein-
vent your own shit.
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