Adam Yauch’s Last Song

[Eoin MCL]

https://youtu.be/lhxmSh-X_8Y

Mix Master Mike shared a snippet of MCA’s last ever vocals on Instagram live last week. Luckily my main man Jérôme from the Beastie Family Facebook page was quick off the mark and recorded it. I have screen captured his video in order to share it with all of my friends here on the Message Board. It’s short but it’s something special for us fans!

I’m assuming this verse comes from the final session which Mike spoke about in Rolling Stone in 2012. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/mike-diamond-on-the-beastie-boys-last-recordings-with-adam-yauch-121425/

“How much music did you make at your final recording session with him last fall?”
Mike D: Adam instigated it. It could only come from him, in terms of where he was at with treatment. It was stuff we had written or demo-ed, and there were new ideas. He wasn’t sure he was able to do vocals. But after a bit, we ended up doing them. And he was fine. It was a way for him to say, “Yeah, I’m doing it.”

PWR2MCA

[Laver1969]

Beautiful. Thanks to everyone who helped in getting this recorded and posted.

[Jiberish]

Thanks for sharing that!

Sounds like he fell into a NSTB flow "another plane another train another bottle to the brain" at around the 00:18 second mark. I know he's not saying those words. Just a similar flow. In a cool way.

That made me super jazzed, and super bummed at the same time. Jazz Bumm.

[pesto pizza]

From the snippet l heard its good!

[Mister-Gerard]

So happy to share my find with all the Beastie Boys fans (thanks Eoin to put it on the Message Board) !
I was luckily enough to record it before it disappeared.
God damn that DJ made my day !

Jerome

[Kid Presentable]

I like to think the song is about a day and it’s beauty, from dawn through til dusk. Which would be too real.

Amazing how much he still sounded like MCA, all the way until the end.

[WesleyOHSnaps!]

Damn.

[Sir SkratchaLot]

Thanks, I must have missed it in IG. I hope Yauch's family is doing well.

[Brother McDuff]

wow, what a bittersweet feeling this raises. such a treat to hear his voice though, and he sounded on point as ever. good lookin out for catching and sharing this. (y)

[tt5brevisited]

wow
thanks!

[Micodin]

love it.

[brooklyndust]

I know it's never going to happen, but it would be cool if Mike and Adam did one last album with MCA's vocals kind of like a Tribe Called Quest did.

[Kid Presentable]

I know it's never going to happen, but it would be cool if Mike and Adam did one last album with MCA's vocals kind of like a Tribe Called Quest did.

Or just release what they have.

[Micodin]

I know it's never going to happen, but it would be cool if Mike and Adam did one last album with MCA's vocals kind of like a Tribe Called Quest did.

i hope that never happens tbh. sounds horrible.

[Kid Presentable]

i hope that never happens tbh. sounds horrible.

Could you sort of see them doing it?

[Micodin]

Could you sort of see them doing it?

nah. maybe some unreleased jam sessions from the G-Son or TMU eras but that’s it. they both seem firm on that. a manufactured Beasties album w/o Yauch’s input is not interesting to me. it would cheapen the bands legacy imo.

[dust monkey]

nah. maybe some unreleased jam sessions from the G-Son or TMU eras but that’s it. they both seem firm on that. a manufactured Beasties album w/o Yauch’s input is not interesting to me. it would cheapen the bands legacy imo.

thought about this long and hard and i agree. from what i understand phife was around for most of the tribe recording... i recall wanting to know what input he had when announced and I want to say it was just he and tip for like half a year or something. stitching a full beastie album together with new/old music and new/old vocals is something suge knight would do with every scrap of 2pac vocals left on tape.

agree though they would never do anyway

[brooklyndust]

In retrospect, yes it would be terrible if it was just patching together random shit. But I remember reading somewhere that they were recording new material right up to the point of his passing.

It would only work if they had some stuff in the can that already had MCA's blessings but just maybe needed to be mixed or polished. The way it seems to work with them that all 3 of them collectively have to turn the key / push the button before anything is released. But I agree id rather have them keep an untainted legacy than something crappy released just for the sake of it.

"My squad, we gotta pact -- we're never coming wack"

I guess I was just a huge fan of the last Tribe album and am always longing for new Beastie Boys material.

[Micodin]

stitching a full beastie album together with new/old music and new/old vocals is something suge knight would do with every scrap of 2pac vocals left on tape.

for sure. Puffy keeps doing it with BIG. a shit-load of remix and compilation albums. same thing is happening to Big L, ODB, Eazy and countless others. some could say the same about the J Dilla's situation. it's gross to me.

with Yauch being so "hands on" w/every project, it would bum me out hearing him rap on a track that he didn't originally rap on or have a part of creating.

i am interested in...

beastie demos, lost or unreleased songs from ANY era

or

new shit from mike and adam rapping on a song they made, with MMM scratching in some Yauch lines.

[cj hood]

never say never....

[Kid Presentable]

nah. maybe some unreleased jam sessions from the G-Son or TMU eras but that’s it. they both seem firm on that. a manufactured Beasties album w/o Yauch’s input is not interesting to me. it would cheapen the bands legacy imo.

But the tracks laid down as late as the final recording session would be ok, right?

[Kid Presentable]

thought about this long and hard and i agree. from what i understand phife was around for most of the tribe recording... i recall wanting to know what input he had when announced and I want to say it was just he and tip for like half a year or something. stitching a full beastie album together with new/old music and new/old vocals is something suge knight would do with every scrap of 2pac vocals left on tape.

agree though they would never do anyway

It’s miles different to the Suge example, though. You’re really going to liken Mike and Adam to that creep? I’m not sure they wouldn’t do it, and couldn’t pull it off. They wrote a book in a way we couldn’t have ever predicted.

I don’t want to infer they would do it for the wrong reasons, either, but whatever they’ve got left lying around, if they wanted to share it, they’d surely give it’s due respect in terms of presentation. And if that’s just polishing up old recordings, then great!

I guarantee if they did repurpose and create a ‘collage’ (and it’s a big, gross if from what I’m reading) you’d hear it and love it, though. It’s them. Come on. We all have concerns about execution, and it’s a sensitive subject, but 2/3 of the Beastie Boys have far better sensibilities about how to do it (and why) than we do.

Let’s say Yauch’s last song is a solo joint; easy, that could be an ‘as is’. But if they wanted to layer some pre-recorded fuzz bass or other random vocal - or instrumental - shit of their own in there too, I wouldn’t be mad.

We know in every instance, no matter which way they ultimately go, their intentions are pure. That’s enough, surely.

[tuc70021]

I feel like we've had 7 years of musical silence from the band (more or less), and I think that's fine. I think when a band comes out and says "we're done," and they really mean it (that is, no more bonus releases, no unheard tracks, etc), there's kind of a peace in knowing that you've got the legacy of the group, all your favorite albums, and you can just sit back and remember the good times.

When bands keep popping back up "out of retirement," I get this uneasy feeling like "are they gonna drop some super shitty album and kind of taint their legacy?" Even if they aren't doing anything, if they're the type of band that would do something, it just.... I dunno.... makes me kind of cringe.

I have around 300 records, and 100 of them are Beastie records, all from the catalogue that exists now. I'm cool with what they've done. They were the soundtrack of my youth, and so far, a lot of my adulthood. Would it be neat to hear Adrock jamming on some weird hippy jazz bugout track for 2 hours? Sure. Do I really want to hear it. Not really. He's done enough for a lot of us already. The dude can sit back, order Chinese food, watch judge shows, and have fun with whatever awesome thing is next in the post-Beastie world.

[Kid Presentable]

I feel like we've had 7 years of musical silence from the band (more or less), and I think that's fine. I think when a band comes out and says "we're done," and they really mean it (that is, no more bonus releases, no unheard tracks, etc), there's kind of a peace in knowing that you've got the legacy of the group, all your favorite albums, and you can just sit back and remember the good times.

When bands keep popping back up "out of retirement," I get this uneasy feeling like "are they gonna drop some super shitty album and kind of taint their legacy?" Even if they aren't doing anything, if they're the type of band that would do something, it just.... I dunno.... makes me kind of cringe.

I have around 300 records, and 100 of them are Beastie records, all from the catalogue that exists now. I'm cool with what they've done. They were the soundtrack of my youth, and so far, a lot of my adulthood. Would it be neat to hear Adrock jamming on some weird hippy jazz bugout track for 2 hours? Sure. Do I really want to hear it. Not really. He's done enough for a lot of us already. The dude can sit back, order Chinese food, watch judge shows, and have fun with whatever awesome thing is next in the post-Beastie world.

100%. I feel it’s a continuum rather than a binary yes/no with these guys, but either way we all have come out better off for there having been a band.

[dust monkey]

...They wrote a book in a way we couldn’t have ever predicted.

this is a really good point i had not considered. well played.



never say never....

hang tight....Spring is right around the corner....

warming up....

hood is like the mike zeroh in beastie wars

the echo chamber has gone dark since EP.54

[facedownfall]

this is a really good point i had not considered. well played.



never say never....

hang tight....Spring is right around the corner....

warming up....

hood is like the mike zeroh in beastie wars

the echo chamber has gone dark since EP.54

Yeah I've noticed this, I've run out of episodes to listen to.

[Micodin]

I guarantee if they did repurpose and create a ‘collage’ (and it’s a big, gross if from what I’m reading) you’d hear it and love it, though. It’s them. Come on. We all have concerns about execution, and it’s a sensitive subject, but 2/3 of the Beastie Boys have far better sensibilities about how to do it (and why) than we do.



what's the matter with taking the band at it's word when they said the band is no more? and why should we ask them to break that promise? it comes off kinda greedy and entitled imo. remember, we are all customers. the band doesn't owe us anything.

i'm far more interested in the old demos, lost songs, and jam sessions of them in their prime. when they were really getting it. but thats just me bro.

[Kid Presentable]

what's the matter with taking the band at it's word when they said the band is no more? and why should we ask them to break that promise? it comes off kinda greedy and entitled imo. remember, we are all customers. the band doesn't owe us anything.

i'm far more interested in the old demos, lost songs, and jam sessions of them in their prime. when they were really getting it. but thats just me bro.

Not entitled. They can (and will) do what they want. Only riffing on possibilities.

[cj hood]

this is a really good point i had not considered. well played.



never say never....

hang tight....Spring is right around the corner....

warming up....

hood is like the mike zeroh in beastie wars

the echo chamber has gone dark since EP.54


F' that dude...'don't forget to subscribe for future SW content'.....10min video on possible rumor that's probably not true....

i'd rather watch the 'dick in the box' vid....vintage version....in the Spring time warmth of the east coast....

[Micodin]

star wars? did someone say entitlement?

"I don't own star wars but i want them to do what i want them to do because i went to all the movies and bought all the action figures and lunch pails, do what i want, gimme gimme gimme!" :)

[dust monkey]

F' that dude...'don't forget to subscribe for future SW content'.....10min video on possible rumor that's probably not true....

i'd rather watch the 'dick in the box' vid....vintage version....in the Spring time warmth of the east coast....


haha....that dude is a turd isn't he. sorry hood after consideration i realize that was probably an offensive comparison, you are certainly not like him. that dartboard shit is just fresh on my mind cause his BS keeps popping up in my recommended section and i keep having to not interested him. i get excited seeing a headline thinking the trailer or even name is coming and BAM mike zeroh.

don't forget to subscribe

[Eoin MCL]

I love posts discussing and speculating on future projects and possibilities. I crave one last release, a box set of b-sides or something but obviously I realise they Boys don’t owe us anything. Like Kid P said, I think speculating on hypothetical albums is fair game.

Cj’s cryptic posts just add to the excitement! A side band with Fredo and Money Mark would be neat!

[Micodin]

I think speculating on hypothetical albums is fair game.

never said it wasn't. i just think it's a bad look my guy.

[Kid Presentable]

never said it wasn't. i just think it's a bad look my guy.

I wrote 'relax' but it's not a helpful response, so: ninja edit.

Rather than dissecting the idea, this is creeping into veiled attacks at people who have or agree with the idea. I appreciate why it shouldn't be discussed and accept that it is a sore point for some.

It is beyond stating the obvious that the band is done. This was just riffing on what 'done' means in a post-book world, and I was enthused by the possibilities presented by this snippet.

I get the sensitivity around the discussion and the limitations of having it so I'll leave my contribution at that.

[Eoin MCL]

never said it wasn't. i just think it's a bad look my guy.

Fair enough. Can totally see that perspective. Literally based on what Ad-Rock has said about releasing their CYH-IC “stoner jams” I’m excited to hear something someday if it ever happens.

[Extra Cheese]

10 second snippets from MMM got fools acting crazy

[Brother McDuff]

Mario’s statement awhile back about how much solid unfinished material he has backed up has always saturated my brain a bit, but this guy here will have to join the “less likely that not” camp on this tip. the bboys have always been super classy about preserving their legacy. not releasing shit just for the sake of it. i dont see them seeking some sort of pay day or nostalgia run. they have enough money, other interests, and respect for Yauch to exploit a considerably sterling run and output therein. the retrospective book feels especially finalizing to boot. thats my take, at least.

[Kid Presentable]

Mario’s statement awhile back about how much solid unfinished material he has backed up has always saturated my brain a bit, but this guy here will have to join the “less likely that not” camp on this tip. the bboys have always been super classy about preserving their legacy. not releasing shit just for the sake of it. i dont see them seeking some sort of pay day or nostalgia run. they have enough money, other interests, and respect for Yauch to exploit a considerably sterling run and output therein. the retrospective book feels especially finalizing to boot. thats my take, at least.

I agree. Amy Winehouse’s demos for her third album were shit-canned by her label boss and it was for the better. Fuckin hard not to think about how much of a possibility Mario made it seem like, tho.

[dave790]

new shit from mike and adam rapping on a song they made, with MMM scratching in some Yauch lines.

To me that sounds far worse than releasing some final sessions material that they were clearly all working on together.

Edit: incidentally, anyone else slightly uneasy that it’s MMM sharing this? I feel like such a decision should only be Adam or Mike’s, and I can’t help feeling this is something they’d never do. But I could be wrong.

[Micodin]

To me that sounds far worse than releasing some final sessions material that they were clearly all working on together.

apparently your not talking to me my guy because i never said anything about their final sessions. i was talking about a Frankenstein record like the last Tribe record. so there’s that.

i get it. my wanting to protect the bands legacy is getting in the way of your fantasy land lets play pretend scenario situations. i'll back off. i'm the bad guy. have at it ya entitled weirdo jackals and fantasize away.

xo,
uncle mic

[Micodin]

i love all u guys remember that.

[dave790]

On the contrary, I actually agree with most of what you said. The idea of scratching MCA vocals into new Adrock and Mike D joints just also happens to sound a little ‘Frankenstein’ to me.

I don’t think sarcasm is your strongest suit. You were better off just making valid points.

[Kid Presentable]

i love all u guys remember that.

<3

[Micodin]

On the contrary, I actually agree with most of what you said. The idea of scratching MCA vocals into new Adrock and Mike D joints just also happens to sound a little ‘Frankenstein’ to me.

I don’t think sarcasm is your strongest suit. You were better off just making valid points.

putting unused yauch verses on beats he’s never rapped on, like BIG and Eminem “Dead Wrong” is a Frankenstein record.

mike and adam creating a new song from scratch with a couple yauch scratches in the intro or the break like Spam is not in my book. agree to disagree.

i can’t help u on the sarcasm tip tho. sorry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[YoungRemy]

I have always said in private that the one thing I longed for was a final solo track from MCA, recorded during his last days on Earth. It’s completely morbid and selfish of me. This gives me some sort of false hope, despite every single statement they have made on record and even in court, that they are through, which is an obvious sentiment. I never cared for the idea of unpublished stoner jams from the 90s or stuff that has been canned for decades unless it was from 2009-2012.

It’s just a fantasy I have, that the one thing Yauch gave his blessing for, would have been to release that one last track when the time was right.

I would like to somehow think that Adam amd Mike gave the track to MMM for some purpose or another. Maybe it was a scrapped plan for the book tour and the live music component and nothing will ever come about it.

I’m glad MMM shared it but I am also curious about how A&M feel about it and would love to hear a statement on it.

[dave790]

putting unused yauch verses on beats he’s never rapped on, like BIG and Eminem “Dead Wrong” is a Frankenstein record.

mike and adam creating a new song from scratch with a couple yauch scratches in the intro or the break like Spam is not in my book. agree to disagree.

i can’t help u on the sarcasm tip tho. sorry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Fair. Apology accepted!

[M|X|Y]

incidentally, anyone else slightly uneasy that it’s MMM sharing this? I feel like such a decision should only be Adam or Mike’s, and I can’t help feeling this is something they’d never do. But I could be wrong.

Yes, I had this same thought.

[dust monkey]

mike and adam creating a new song from scratch with a couple yauch scratches in the intro or the break like Spam is not in my book.

Squat works...yauch was prob snowboarding when they recorded hence his absence (speculating), nonetheless it works and Spam works so.......

Yo take a few of these b-boys and call me in the mornin'
Keep it on the crusty eye, bagel with some butterflies
Spit gritty like we in MCA's voice box
Y'all bull and my ox don't fit the mix

[Brother McDuff]

i dont suspect Mike and Adam are petty enough to sweat MMM's sharing of 10sec worth of material, especially when it was presented in tribute. he seems to maintain a good relationship with the two, and i dont reckon he's the type to step on toes if he thought it might bother someone. and besides, it sounded like a dope cut. definitely wasnt pulling up the trash with that one.

[Kid Presentable]

Squat works...yauch was prob snowboarding when they recorded hence his absence (speculating), nonetheless it works and Spam works so.......

Yo take a few of these b-boys and call me in the mornin'
Keep it on the crusty eye, bagel with some butterflies
Spit gritty like we in MCA's voice box
Y'all bull and my ox don't fit the mix

I think like the Futurama thing he sat out on squat consciously so the label wouldn’t try to force a whole “Featuring Beastie Boys” type of situation. Which is very cool, in my view.

[Jiberish]

I think like the Futurama thing he sat out on squat consciously so the label wouldn’t try to force a whole “Featuring Beastie Boys” type of situation. Which is very cool, in my view.


This. I believe he had told his wife he was gonna take some time off because they had just had their kid, and he knew if he rapped on ghat track there would be no way Tommy Boy wouldn't push a whole big marketing/video thing on all of them.

I like Squat. I think it would have been better w/ all 6 group members. But whatever, u=you gotta respect somebody for having principles.

[Jiberish]

I have always said in private that the one thing I longed for was a final solo track from MCA, recorded during his last days on Earth. It’s completely morbid and selfish of me...

His new verse on TMR is incredible to think about in the context of his illness. He says "like a Nexus 6 Coming Home to Roost "... I mean he is basically saying "I know that my time on this earth is nigh, I'm coming back to the studio just to stay alive." (that was an unintentional rhyme)

I'm assuming everybody here has seen Blare Runner? Obviously I'm not inside Yauch's head, but you you know, the Nexus 6's featured in the movie have the urge to return to Earth when their 4-year lifespan has been used up. Trying to find ways to stay alive.

I think I have said as much in other threads. I say it again here to illustrate YR's point. Just based off his Nexus 6 line alone, he put me right into his POV. I would also love to hear what else was going through his head at this time.

[Kid Presentable]

His new verse on TMR is incredible to think about in the context of his illness. He says "like a Nexus 6 Coming Home to Roost "... I mean he is basically saying "I know that my time on this earth is nigh, I'm coming back to the studio just to stay alive." (that was an unintentional rhyme)

I'm assuming everybody here has seen Blare Runner? Obviously I'm not inside Yauch's head, but you you know, the Nexus 6's featured in the movie have the urge to return to Earth when their 4-year lifespan has been used up. Trying to find ways to stay alive.

I think I have said as much in other threads. I say it again here to illustrate YR's point. Just based off his Nexus 6 line alone, he put me right into his POV. I would also love to hear what else was going through his head at this time.

A few references to Blade Runner throughout their career, I think.

I love how upbeat he sounds in this snippet; the witness, and nothing more, to the dawn of another day.

[dust monkey]

I think like the Futurama thing...

what is the futurama thing? i feel like i should know this.

[Kid Presentable]

what is the futurama thing? i feel like i should know this.

How it was just Mike and Adam H on the episode featuring Beastie Boys.

[dave790]

i dont suspect Mike and Adam are petty enough to sweat MMM's sharing of 10sec worth of material, especially when it was presented in tribute. he seems to maintain a good relationship with the two, and i dont reckon he's the type to step on toes if he thought it might bother someone. and besides, it sounded like a dope cut. definitely wasnt pulling up the trash with that one.

Not so much about them being petty - I doubt they are overly fussed. MMM is part of the Beastie family after all. I just think it should still be their call. It seems telling that MMM chose to do a brief live snippet.

[pesto pizza]

His new verse on TMR is incredible to think about in the context of his illness. He says "like a Nexus 6 Coming Home to Roost "... I mean he is basically saying "I know that my time on this earth is nigh, I'm coming back to the studio just to stay alive." (that was an unintentional rhyme)

I'm assuming everybody here has seen Blare Runner? Obviously I'm not inside Yauch's head, but you you know, the Nexus 6's featured in the movie have the urge to return to Earth when their 4-year lifespan has been used up. Trying to find ways to stay alive.

I think I have said as much in other threads. I say it again here to illustrate YR's point. Just based off his Nexus 6 line alone, he put me right into his POV. I would also love to hear what else was going through his head at this time.
Never thought about that verse like that, good insight.
Just loved it because its my second favourite movie, now it means more.Thanks

[Jiberish]

I love how upbeat he sounds in this snippet; the witness, and nothing more, to the dawn of another day.

Agreed. It sounds like it was gonna be a fun track.

[bigfatlove06]

It's interesting hearing everyone's POV. Mine is basically that if they decide to put out anything that relates to prior albums (don't care if it's them just bullshitting in the studio) I'd be interested. For new stuff, I like where they left it with HSCP2 (although I still want the rest of the tracks that they had in the can for the other volume, as well as the pre-Zdar mixes). As far as anything new(er/ish) I'd like to hear that too. I don't think much about their legacy and what it all means. Worst case scenario for me would be that whatever they were working on I didn't particularly care for, but that wouldn't make it any different than releases that came out while Yauch was alive (looking at you TMU). I'd still pick it up and archive all of the releases just like I have over the last 30 years. The only thing that would be a real bummer for me is another compilation of old shit in a new box.

What would excite me the most I think would be soundboard recordings they have of live shit that they bothered to keep track of. Like what Minor Threat did, or what They Might Be Giants does.

[dave790]

Well put (y)

I also wonder what happened to the Gala show they filmed.

[brmanuk]

Feels weird that MMM shared that but whatever. Gimmy more.

[cj hood]

Feels weird that MMM shared that but whatever. Gimmy more.

testing the waters...

[Late-Night Lion]

[QUOTE=bigfatlove06;1821813]It's interesting hearing everyone's POV. Mine is basically that if they decide to put out anything that relates to prior albums (don't care if it's them just bullshitting in the studio) I'd be interested. For new stuff, I like where they left it with HSCP2 (although I still want the rest of the tracks that they had in the can for the other volume, as well as the pre-Zdar mixes). As far as anything new(er/ish) I'd like to hear that too. I don't think much about their legacy and what it all means. Worst case scenario for me would be that whatever they were working on I didn't particularly care for, but that wouldn't make it any different than releases that came out while Yauch was alive (looking at you TMU). I'd still pick it up and archive all of the releases just like I have over the last 30 years. The only thing that would be a real bummer for me is another compilation of old shit in a new box.

I agree with this. I'm also up for anything new they would want to do, not as "Beastie Boys" per say but working together with collaborators like Mark, Bobo, MMM, whoever.

[Micodin]

Well put (y)

I also wonder what happened to the Gala show they filmed.

good question. i went to 70 of those Gala shows. i'd love to see what the shot (and they shot a lot).

[cj hood]

F' that dude...'don't forget to subscribe for future SW content'.....10min video on possible rumor that's probably not true....

i'd rather watch the 'dick in the box' vid....vintage version....in the Spring time warmth of the east coast....

Philly knows....

[Sir SkratchaLot]

Philly knows....

Haha. :rolleyes: