I hate trends and in 1987 the Beastie Boys were very trendy ...
Then something happened. Kids did as they always do, they moved on to something else. When "Paul's Boutique" came out in 1989 the kids did not come out in droves. It was a collaboration with producers The Dust Brothers and veered away from their work with Rick Rubin. No guitars from Slayer this time...
I worked at a local chain record store during that period and believe me, it did not sell to the kids of suburbia. One of those kids worked with me an he played it. I admit I did lol when I heard the line "I got more hits than Sadaharu Oh". To name drop the Japanese all-time home run leader was a scream...
The album only initially went Gold and the guys were no longer a trend.They also started to get critical acclaim
"Musically, few hip-hop records have ever been so rich; it's not just the recontextulations of familiar music via samples, it's the flow of each song and the album as a whole, culminating in the widescreen suite that closes the record. Lyrically, the Beasties have never been better — not just because their jokes are razor-sharp, but because they construct full-bodied narratives and evocative portraits of characters and places. Few pop records offer this much to savor, and if Paul's Boutique only made a modest impact upon its initial release, over time its influence could be heard through pop and rap, yet no matter how its influence was felt, it stands alone as a record of stunning vision, maturity, and accomplishment".—Stephen Thomas Erlewine
In the 90's "Ill Communication" was a big comeback for the group. I admit to enjoying "Sabotage" and it was good to see them playing some instruments....
The guys even started to grow up some. Yauch's passion became raising awareness of the plight of the people of Tibet. He became a Buddhist. Somehow he didn't make it seem trendy. His efforts rang true...
Apparently he was a family man and that's always the saddest thing about someone's passing, forget the music, a young girl lost her dad...
I think one of the reason you are seeing such an outpouring of reflection and loss from so many is because Adam was the same age as so many of us. Frankly, it's scary. It reminds us of our own mortality. Our time here is finite. There's a chance you might not even make 50. We're not young anymore. As men, we are often afraid to go to the doctor for any kind of screening. I admit I was very nervous last fall when I had a virtual physical done where they scan your entire body. I've been battling health issues for a while and was convinced in my mind that there was a good chance they would find a major problem. They didn't and it was a relief ,but I should still have more examinations done.... Of course, I keep putting it off. ...
Ever had a colonoscopy? Actually the fasting and the, ahem, "prep" work is probably the worst part. Adam's death is just another reminder to us post-middle agers that we need to pay more visits to our doctors...
Again, I don't claim to be a BB fan. I admit it does seem heartwarming that Adam was still alive to know that he was inducted in to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame. I wrestle with that because there is no way the Beastie Boys belong in the "Rock n Roll" Hall of Fame. If there was a "Rap" hall of Fame , yes, they belong in there. Just because you had some "Hall of Fame" nights partying to their music doesn't mean they made "Hall of Fame" music. I will rant about the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame another time (s)....
Peace
RIP Adam.
Here's my favorite Beastie Boys performance. I had a new respect for them being able to hang with Elvis Costello. Wish they had done some stuff that was more "musical" like this. I may have even become a fan.
Elvis Costello and The Beastie Boys - Radio Radio by anchelito
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