beastie book (spoilers)

[Micodin]

i LOVED the book don't get me wrong. loved it!

but.....

i still have questions.

how did they choose their rap names? how did mike get the vw medallion? what's in the vault? how did mike get into surfing and adam into snowboarding? why the dj switch? the break-up with mario?

i could go on. but, i have questions bro.

[Bradleystp]

Originally Posted by Micodin

i LOVED the book don't get me wrong. loved it!

but.....

i still have questions.

how did they choose their rap names? how did mike get the vw medallion? what's in the vault? how did mike get into surfing and adam into snowboarding? why the dj switch? the break-up with mario?

i could go on. but, i have questions bro.

All very great questions. And again, I say there should have been something on the recording of Country Mike!!!

[brooklyndust]

There also wasn't a lot of talk about John Berry and his death or Dave Scilken for that matter.

I know they didn't want to delve too much into their personal lives and it's none of our business, but it would have been interesting to hear them talk about that and be more venerable then having the cook book and other stuff. But, also the beasties have never been quite that way.

[Brother McDuff]

Originally Posted by Bradleystp

All very great questions. And again, I say there should have been something on the recording of Country Mike!!!

oh yeah, was that country dude they allegedly shared G-Son with a real fellla, or were they alluding to the legend of country mike?

[Kid Presentable]

The heavy focus of the book on those formative years has really reframed everything they did post 86 for me. I feel like I’m hearing their catalogue with new ears, in a way.

[brooklyndust]

was surprised to know that Yauch did the drums for Too Many Rappers. I love that drum beat, especially the original version.

[Kid Presentable]

Originally Posted by brooklyndust

was surprised to know that Yauch did the drums for Too Many Rappers. I love that drum beat, especially the original version.

I think the Led Zeppelin backbeat part is his, since they ‘sampled’ it.

[YoungRemy]

Yauch played and recorded that Too Many Rappers drumbeat himself, that’s what made the earlier references in the book to recording techniques and LZ samples come full circle.

[Sir SkratchaLot]

Originally Posted by Micodin

i LOVED the book don't get me wrong. loved it!

but.....

i still have questions.

how did they choose their rap names? how did mike get the vw medallion? what's in the vault? how did mike get into surfing and adam into snowboarding? why the dj switch? the break-up with mario?

i could go on. but, i have questions bro.

I've heard interviews with the Hurra where he says the Beasties weren't touring enough to allow him to earn a steady paycheck. I would have liked to see a chapter on the Hurra's career though.

[tuc70021]

I think the book was extremely Beastie-like: it didn't really answer any questions and they didn't really seem to care about focusing on anything "important."

A lot of the stories have been told before (those 2009 audio commentaries on the remastered albums had lots of the same stories in them), and the new ones didn't seem to have much rhyme or reason.

Things I'd like to have read about:
1.) John Berry leaving/getting kicked out of the band.
2.) How much of the music on Paul's Boutique was already made by the Dust Brothers and how much was "new."
3.) What were some songs that never made it to an album, but that either Adam or Mike really liked?

Things I actually read about:
1.) Hippie Fucking Steve.
2.) Mitchell
3.) Cassette tapes

But you know what? That's exactly what I thought this book was gonna be. These guys don't owe the readers anything, and to write a book that both the general music-listening population and the intense Beasite nerds could have enjoyed equally would have been impossible. Mike and Adam recently did some interview where they were saying if Yauch was involved in writing the book, it would have taken 10 years and when you opened it, it would have folded out into a full size theater and you'd then watch a 12 hour movie about the band. I mean, I would have fucking LOVED it if Yauch had creative control and made it into a bachelor's degree program in Beastienomics, but he didn't, and I get that they probably just wanted to tell some stories about their good times. They don't focus on Hurricane and the breakup, Adrock's or Mike's divorces, Dave's death, Yauch's death, etc. It's a fun book. I'm totally happy with it being kind of like reading a Chinese restaurant zodiac placemat.

[cj hood]

Originally Posted by Micodin

i LOVED the book don't get me wrong. loved it!

but.....

i still have questions.

how did they choose their rap names? how did mike get the vw medallion? what's in the vault? how did mike get into surfing and adam into snowboarding? why the dj switch? the break-up with mario?

i could go on. but, i have questions bro.

THIS.