Note from Rob: Without reverting to too many cliches, the music world is reeling today at the loss of Adam Yauch, more famously known as MCA. While the Beastie Boys were not exactly a metal band, their unique output transcended genres. The group was larger than life yet they seemed like very attainable personalities. I asked Sid, one of the Livecast co-hosts, and the biggest Beastie fan I know to write up a little something in tribute to Yauch. This is what he sent over:
When I was seven, I sang along to "Fight for Your Right" with my friends at school and was amazed that the Brooklyn in "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" was the same one I lived in.
When I was 10, I was confused by Paul’s Boutique, years later I’ve come to realize just what a flawless album it really was.
When I was 13 and grunge was all the rage, I rocked out with all the “Buzz Cuts” on Check Your Head and even considered buying a skateboard.
When I was 15, Ill Communication was one of the only albums I’d listen to that didn’t feature Billie Joe Armstrong.
When I was 18 I went to the Tibetan Freedom concerts the Beastie Boys put on and patiently listened to talk of monks and China while waiting for the Beasties and Rancid and many other acts to blow me away, and they did.
When I was 19 and working for a record label in the city, I was amazed to find out that the "Nasty" in Hello Nasty was actually a PR firm I had to visit regularly for work.
When I was 21, I was diagnosed with cancer.
When I was 29, I was diagnosed with cancer a second time.
Luckily, so far, I’m in remission and doing well. The same can not be said for Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys. The Beasties, more than any other group, always hit closest to home for me, because they were my home. They were the D train, they were the Lower East Side, they were everything.
As they grew, I grew with them. But some things I really didn’t need to share with them, like this fucking cancer. I try to convince myself I’ll be fine and live to a ripe old age, but when a symbol of youth and idealism I’ve been looking to since I was in elementary school dies of the disease, it really fucking rattles me. None of us want our heroes to die. Especially not in a way that we’ve already envisioned ourselves dying from countless times. I don’t really know where I’m going with this. But wherever it is, it’ll be way shittier for lack of MCA. Rest in peace, sir.
