[Swooziemoonshoe]

Hi peeps, I hope you won't mind me joining just to post here. I've actually lurked on the Beastie boards on and off since 2000, fan since about '94. My interest in the Beasties has waxed and waned over the years and the news took me a bit by surprise, but I have found it so incredibly sad, and a week on I am still getting tearful. I'm 34 and have never reacted like this to the passing of a musician before, I'm quite overwhelmed by my sadness and I just wanted to hang out here with other people who get it.

I think the Beasties inspire loyalty for so many reasons; their great music, incredibly entertaining personalities and performances, and their extremely cool attitudes being some. As everyone is noting, MCA was a great artist but the way he pulled off his public social conscience while maintaining a sense of humour and a lack of pomposity has never been replicated by anyone else ever. Plus the dynamic between the three of them was always so joyful, and the loss of one member of the indestructible three-piece is too heartbreaking to bear.

Anyway sorry again for leaping in for the first time at this sad time, but this is the only place I can think of to join with others feeling the same way. Love to you all, RIP MCA x