random beastie memories

[Bernard Goetz]

In 1987, when we were 14, my best friend and I took a cassette copy of Licensed To Ill out to the woods behind his house and ceremoniously burned it and buried it, because we couldn't stop listening to it. We were supposed to be listening to Def Leppard and Van Hagar and Iron Maiden and The Cult, not rap. It was a weird phase probably brought on by hormones and latent racism. Anyway we were back on board by the following year, which I know because I recall listening to Tougher Than Leather all summer of 1988.

[M|X|Y]

I transferred into a different school in the forth grade as the slightly olive skinned kid in a school full of sparkly brwight children. When i got there i stood out like a sore thumb, so i'd make to the sidelines and lose myself to the Beastie Boys License To ill bangin' out of my orange foam headphones' cassette Walkman. I got a fair amount of shit just for being different so my solace was drawing while listening to my Beasties. Kids thought I was weird and probably uncouth - this city kid lost in a preppy town on a preppy playground surrounded by snot-nosed stuck up preppy kids - listening to RAP music... GOD! Whenever 'She's Crafty' would come on, kids would perk up at the sound of the trumpets blaring out, trying to tease me for listening to 'that salsa-mexican music' (clearly not salsa, and i'm not mexican).

These same people today are the biggest bunch of squares I'm so glad not to have to know.

Beastie Boys forever!

[Micodin]

I bought License to Ill and my best friend bought Raising Hell on cassette on the same day at a small record store called The Record Connection in Waterville Maine in '86. I was familiar with RUN DMC because I already had their self titled and King of Rock. But, that LTI changed my life. Both records are still very dear to my heart.

People ask me what my influences are as a hip hop artist. I always tell them Rick Rubin, Bomb Squad, and Dust Brothers circa '85 to '89.

[Michelle*s_Farm]

I met Yauch three times. It allowed me to experience the man beyond his performance persona (if that makes any sense). Below are my memories of each event:

1) I first met Yauch at a Check Your Head afterparty at the old Amazon Club in Manhattan. I learned that: Yauch did not like cargo shorts, did not know where a particularly obscure sample came from on the LP and thought a fan had artistic hands. I could see Mike D smoking a joint at the party. Ad-Rock was not there as he was off visiting friends after the show.

2) The second time I met Yauch was at an art show opening in NYC. Met his publicist who was nice. He was such a gentleman.

3) The third and final time I met Yauch was at an another art show opening in NYC. I summoned the courage to tell him we met before and that his music and actions had inspired me like no other person (e.g., helping me to get on the right track life wise). He thanked me, was gentle, and courteous. Unfortunately, I was really embarrassed for providing too much information.

[Bernard Goetz]

All I ever got to say to Yauch was "I'm the last of these guys" as we shook hands. It was backstage at the Rocky Point Amusement Park show in Rhode Island in summer of '92. My friends lined up to greet him as he was looking through a pile of L7 t-shirts, and I was last. Not a memorable thing to say, and looking back I wish I had embarrassed myself by going over the top with gratitude.

[Bernard Goetz]

There's nothing like Paul's Boutique.

[Micodin]

They rocked a "person request" at a Philly show for me and my friend. Great moment.

I was around them quite a bit during the "Gala" days.

[pshabi]

I hollered out "Get on the bus!" At the Atlantic City gala show in between songs and Adrock stopped the band and called Mark out front to do the track.

Also had an exchange with Adrock from the front row at the Vans Skate Show in Cali when he caught a glimpse of my "BeaTSie Boys" hat I had embroidered at the mall. Took it on stage, showed it to the crowd, and said something about his lawyers would be contacting me.

In Miami, I was DRUNK AS HELL at the Crobar club show. GOOD drunk. GREAT time. Maybe a foot from the stage that was waist high at most. Separated by a velvet rope. Midway through the set, they slow down and drop open letter. TT5b had just come out. I remember just putting myself two finger peace sign up in the air and keeping it there until the first hook came in. Just bobbing my head.

Yauch made eye contact with me and just gave me a slow sideways head nod of acknowledgement, which to me, said "you feel what I'm feeling."

I certainly did. A musical masterpiece indeed.

[abbott]

back in the day...

For some reason I remember being a 4 year old and eating at Denny's alot. They had these kids menus that you could pop out pieces and turn into a mask. Also, I remember liking it, because the kids meal came with a shake or malt. but shit, I have not been to Denny's in 20+ years. My uncle operated a few Dennys then and my family supported the guy.

my best early BBoy memories were the 7th grade with my friend Doug who was the only 7th grader with a car and licenses do to his past of being held back. I thought his car was bad ass, Cutlass with 2 12 inch woofers, nice wheels, custom paint and we drove around the middle school blasting Girls and Time to Get Ill. Not to mention my 13-15 year old Chick Fil A days where we put together sandwiches reciting Paul Revere lyrics, Run DMC and a little 2 live crew. Unlike Denny's I never quit the Beastie Boys.

[Bernard Goetz]

After the classes of 1990 graduated, my town's two high schools merged.
I was part of the class of 1991. As my senior year approached, the town encouraged us to reach out and connect with our new classmates as a sign of unity. I had spent most of the previous year spreading the good word of Paul's Boutique, which my friends and I were addicted to and couldn't believe had tanked (though I think now the commercial failure made us grow even more attached to it but that's another story).
So, in the interest of 'Together We Can' (the new school's motto), I bought a stack of cheap blank cassettes (those shitty "Irish" ones that came three to a pack in a plastic bag) and scrounged around my siblings' collections for blank tapes they wouldn't miss, and made copy upon copy, off of my green cassette and my LP. At one point that summer I had four stereo units in my house making copies. The first day of school, I stood at the front door handing out my homemade tapes of Paul's Boutique, saying 'Together we can!' I think I made about 35 copies in all, which doesn't seem like a lot to me right now, but it was definitely an undertaking. And I got a lot of feedback from people who loved the album as a result. I'd like to think a few of them actually bought it after that. Maybe not. A couple of years ago on Facebook someone from that class posted a pic of his copy and tagged me, saying he still has it. That was pretty sweet.

Found the pic - it was right after Yauch passed: http://yezukevich.com/boutique.jpg

[tuc70021]

Not particularly impressive, but probably my golden Beasties moment. I got into the band late (because I was born in the mid-80s), so when I finally did get into them, I had all the albums up to Hello Nasty to explore. I immediately fell in love with their music and everything about them, but Paul's Boutique never quite did for me.

Then one night when I was in high school, I couldn't sleep, so I went downstairs, put on my Paul's Boutique record, plugged in my headphone to the stereo, and sat back on the couch. As soon as "To All the Girls" dropped, it was like I was hearing the album for the first time. I listened to it straight through only stopping to flip the records. When it was over, not only was it my favorite album, but I was somehow changed.

I'm not saying Paul's Boutique single handedly changed my life, but it was the push I needed. For some reason, I just grew up a lot at once. I was like "Ok, time to stop watching TV and shit. Time to start listening to some older music, read some books, have sex, stay out at night, talk to grown ups about grown up shit, learn an instrument, and get busy." I think I have earned a solid D+ at successfully being a grown up, but still, that fuckin' album......

[Micodin]

Then one night when I was in high school, I couldn't sleep, so I went downstairs, put on my Paul's Boutique record, plugged in my headphone to the stereo, and sat back on the couch. As soon as "To All the Girls" dropped, it was like I was hearing the album for the first time. I listened to it straight through only stopping to flip the records. When it was over, not only was it my favorite album, but I was somehow changed.

I listened to Paul's Boutique when it dropped. I had the Sony yellow waterproof Walkman and the tie-die cassette. Then I listened to it again.

Paul's Boutique is definitely better on headphones. The mixing and panning was mastered perfectly for headphones.

[YoungRemy]

personally, 03-07 was a hell of a run and then 09-12 was more bittersweet, but both were significant and impactful times in my life and I can completely and confidently say they were centered around the Beastie Boys.

I typed out a timeline of my experiences and then deleted everything.

what a hell of a run.

[Bernard Goetz]

When they did an in-store signing event in October (?) 1989 at Strawberries in Boston I was too far back in line to meet them, but my friend did and got his vinyl copy of LTI signed by all three. He used to have it up on his wall at home. A sight to behold.