Mic to Mic

Mike D on The Colbert Report

2012-01-13T09:42:00.005-05:00

Beastie Boys in the cut for 2012 Rock Hall induction

2011-12-07T09:17:00.004-05:00

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2012 inductees this morning, and Beastie Boys are among the artists who made the cut this year. Joining Beastie Boys in the 2012 class will be Guns N' Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Donovan (Adam Horovitz' former father-in-law), Laura Nyro, The Faces, Freddie King, Don Kirshner, Cosimo Matassa, Tom Dowd, and Glyn Johns.

The induction ceremony will take place in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 14. Tickets for the ceremony will go on sale to the public on December 17 at Rockhall.com.

Beastie Boys love Japan

2011-10-26T10:55:00.009-04:00

Beastie Boys have partnered with A Bathing Ape to offer a charity t-shirt that will aid tsunami and earthquake victims in Japan. The t-shirt, which features a graphic design by Mike Mills, will be sold at A Bathing Ape stores worldwide beginning on November 12. (It will first be offered at Vogue's Fashion Night Out in Japan and several BAPE stores in Japan on November 5.)

Beastie Boys issued the following statement: "The people of Japan have given Beastie Boys so much love and appreciation throughout the years, that we want to give back and help them, in some way, get through the devastation they've recently been through."

The t-shirt will cost ¥5040 (approximately US$66). Proceeds from the t-shirt sale will be given to Civic Force, a disaster relief agency working in Japan.

Straight outta Manhattan: New remix by Adrock

2011-08-16T09:33:00.010-04:00

Adam Horovitz has created a remix of Tune-Yards' "Gangsta" -- a song from the artist's 2011 album w h o k i l l -- for a remix EP released yesterday. The EP, which includes a remix by Cut Chemist, is available as a digital download at the iTunes store.

Tracklist
1. Gangsta
2. Gangsta (Ad Rock Remix)
3. Gangsta (Cut Chemist Remix)
4. Gangsta (Instrumental)
5. Gangsta (Acapella)

Listen:

tUnE-yArDs - Gangsta (Ad-Rock Remix) by thisisfakediy

4AD, the label putting out the EP, is offering Horovitz' remix as a free download at its website.

A limited edition vinyl release of the EP will be available on September 12.

Now available: Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win Remix EP

2011-07-26T13:33:00.005-04:00

The Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win Remix EP was released as a digital download today on Amazon and iTunes.

Tracklist
1. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Edit) [Explicit]
2. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (SebastiAn Remix) [Explicit]
3. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Bangladesh Remix) [Explicit]
4. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Major Lazer Beastie Remix Edition) [Explicit]
5. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (K. Flay Remix) [Explicit]
6. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Z-Trip's Evil Twin Remix) [Explicit]
7. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Acapella - Make Your Own Remix) [Explicit]

There is no information on a scheduled CD or vinyl release of the EP.

Beastie Boys new video: Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win

2011-07-19T06:52:00.005-04:00

Everything you wanted to know about the new Beastie Boys video

2011-07-13T19:10:00.014-04:00

Photo by Mic to Mic

1. Directed by: Spike Jonze
2. Story by: Adam Yauch
3. "Actors": Beastie Boys action figures by Nigo and Santigold
4. Opening Scene: At a concert
5. Story: A sniper crew attempts to attack Beastie Boys and Santigold. A car chase between the two parties ensues. The chase involves sharks, zombies, Sasquatch, helicopters, parachutes, and submarines.
6. Video release date: End of July
7. Video length: 20 minutes

Photo by Opening Ceremony/Ace Hotel

The video for "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win" (featuring Santigold) premiered at a private party at the Ace Hotel in New York City last night. See photos from the premiere at the Opening Ceremony/Ace Hotel blog.

Press
-Interview Magazine: Boys (and Santigold) Just Want to Have Fun
-New York Observer: Beastie Boys Get Plastic at Premiere of Epic-Length Spike Jonze-Helmed Music Video

Beastie Boys feat. Santigold: Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (Major Lazer Remix) Vinyl 7"

2011-06-20T18:13:00.008-04:00

The Major Lazer Remix has a single and is out pressed on Red Gold & Green Tie Dye Colored vinyl - Limited to 1000 pieces!

Money Mark and Alfredo Ortiz team up for performance

2011-05-10T10:27:00.003-04:00

Money Mark and Alfredo Ortiz will be performing together at a benefit for San Francisco Cinematique, a film society that showcases experimental film and video. The benefit will take place on Thursday, May 19 at 8 pm at 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco. Tickets are available at Brownpapertickets.com.

Inside Beastie Boys: Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

2011-05-06T14:12:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday (5/1), Adam Horovitz and Mike Diamond sat down with Matt Pinfield to talk about Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Audio of the interview is presented in four segments, courtesy of FMQB Productions.

Money Mark makes music for internet show

2011-05-06T11:03:00.005-04:00

Money Mark is providing the soundtrack to a new internet show at ComedyCentral.com. The show, called The Download, looks at technology, entertainment, and social media. You can watch the first episode (above) and hear Mark's signature keyboard sound.

Mark will be a guest on the next episode of The Download, which airs on Thursday, May 12.

Hot Sauce Committee Part Two: What the critics are saying

2011-05-03T14:40:00.000-04:00

Photo: Philip Andelman

Well, the Beastie Boys new album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, is finally out, and the reviews are streaming in. Although the majority of reviews are positive, the consensus seems to be it is good, not great. The album is receiving an average rating of four stars out of five.

Below are a few select comments from reviews:

"[Hot Sauce Committee Part Two] is exactly the Beasties album that the public has been salivating for, and more--not just a return to form, but a masterpiece on the level of '80s classics like their raucous debut Licensed to Ill and the staggering sample odyssey Paul's Boutique."
-Matt Diehl, Los Angeles Times
Rating: 4 stars (out of 4)

"...Beasties sound exactly like themselves, cutting loose without straining to fit anyone else's idea of relevance...they make no effort to accommodate or even acknowledge any of the latest hip-hop trends. Instead, we get the sound of master musicians in their comfort zone, doing everything their own way."
-Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

"The Beasties' weird, wise-cracking spirit shines brighter than it has in years…the top five or six tracks here are on par with the band's best work…the Beastie formula sounds vibrant, cohesive and, yeah, still saucy."
-Patrick Foster, The Washington Post

"The earnest social commentary that was slipped into Beasties albums like To the 5 Boroughs in 2004 and Hello Nasty in 1998 has virtually disappeared on Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Now Beastie Boys are back to their longtime staples of boasting and name dropping, particularly New York City locations and all sorts of food..."
-Jon Pareles, New York Times

"Many of Part Two's tracks are reminiscent of early Beastie Boys...The album is a return to form that still manages to be innovative and ridiculously fun."
-Megan Gibson, Time

"[The album contains] grimy keyboards, grimier vocals and sparse beats that sound like they belong on a demo rather than a major-label release. In contrast to the polish of much mainstream hip-hop, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two sounds like a crusty mix tape...That's not a bad thing. On the contrary, it's a refreshingly understated return to long-ago form by one of hip-hop's most venerated groups."
-Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune
Rating: 3 stars (out of 4)

"...much of the album, while usually loud, is surprisingly minimalist--in good ways (the spliced samples and spacious beats of "Long Burn the Fire") and bad (the dub instrumental "Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament," even the driving "Make Some Noise" is studded with holes and lacks a real chorus). It's still a good party, just maybe not worth fighting too hard for."
-Thomas Conner, Chicago Sun-Times
Rating: 3 stars (out of 4)

"...this is the Beasties Boys at their most vital, engaged and surprising...While drum loops remain a staple, Hot Sauce Committee is also the most organic mix yet of their hip-hop and musician sides. The result? From staggering grooves to jams that could soundtrack the future robot wars, don't expect the expected here."
-Neala Johnson, Herald Sun (Australia)
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

"...a party album that's as good as 1998's Hello Nasty.… Hot Sauce Committee Part Two finds the Beasties on marvellously carefree form, scattering references to food, microphones, Bob Dylan, Lee Majors and other pop-cultural detritus..."
-Kitty Empire, The Guardian
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

"Time has not dulled Mike D, MCA and Ad-Rock's devotion to the old-school hip hop aesthetic of big beats and braggadocio."
-Basem Boshra, Montreal Gazette
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

"The Beasties are back with a 16-track album full of squelchy beats, tossed-off jokes and on-point rhyming..."
-Jason Lipshutz, Billboard

"Hot Sauce is a lot like Daniel Craig's übercool James Bond--another stripped-down return to a franchise's best virtues after a decade or so of wandering the desert. It took a little time, but the Boys are back with a license to ill."
-Kyle Anderson, Entertainment Weekly
Rating: A-

"The sound of the Beasties here is catnip for those who still revere their late 80s/early 90s output: vocals are drenched in reverb...while the tracks fuse live instrumentation and samples...delivering tracks alive with ideas and chaos and funk and noise and groove..."
-Stevie Chick, BBC Music

"[Hot Sauce Committee Part Two] is a vibrant mix of live instruments and samples, blending the '70s-funk vibe of The Mix-Up with the Beasties' hyper-verbal wordplay as emcees MCA, Ad-Rock and Mike D ping-pong rhymes back and forth, with occasional help from guests."
-Eric R. Danton, Hartford Courant
Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

"All the staples are present: wonky electronics, hardcore punk/rap crossovers, a daft routine about the name Larry, a funky instrumental, a rap battle with Nas, magnificent beat-making."
- Ludovic Hunter-Tilney, Financial Times
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

"...there's no radical new direction: HSCP2 might have been lifted out of any period in the trio's history from 1990 onwards – with jubilant old-skool synth squiggles and absurdist rhymes about the sort of topics nobody but the Beasties would think of covering."
-Simon Price, The Independent (UK)

"Hot Sauce is rooted in the good-time party-rocking rhymes and dusty grooves of old-school hip-hop, though the group finds ways to expand its sound without deviating from retro fundamentals."
-Nathan Rabin, AV Club

"[Hot Sauce Committee Part Two] sounds fuzzy, the songs are kinda rough, and there doesn't seem to be any ambition to make a hit--their focus seems to be simply aimed at having fun. It's as if the Beasties are revisiting their Check Your Head and Ill Communication days, minus the massive singles."
-Eddie Fleisher, Alt Press
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)

"...with the production obscuring the scarce hooks, the impact of the trio's still-ample wit gets blunted. Lacking the detailed soul-searching that's always given the Beasties' pop-culture onslaught wisdom and depth, Hot Sauce merely simmers when it needs to boil."
-Barry Walters, Spin
Rating: 6 stars (out of 10)

"The record's appeal is largely nostalgic...Hot Sauce Committee Part Two begs the question: can you be nostalgic about nostalgia?...[It] sounds like a record out of step with the world."
-James McMahon, NME
Rating: 7 stars (out of 10)

In the end, it matters very little what critics think and say about the album. They are not the ones who buy the Beastie Boys music and see their shows. What matters is what fans think about the album. So what do you think? Do you love it, hate it, or feel ambivalent about it?

Beastie Boys stream new album at Madison Square Garden

2011-04-23T10:48:00.007-04:00

Beastie Boys streamed their new album Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 in its entirety live from center court of Madison Square Garden this morning. Fans tuned in to see only Sasquatch and a boombox. The stream image consisted of the following views:

When the streamed completed, it began repeating continously. Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 will be released on May 3 in North America.

Watch the 'Make Some Noise' video

2011-04-20T19:20:00.005-04:00

Watch the short-form video of "Fight for Your Right Revisited," aka the "Make Some Noise" video, above. It was posted at MTV.com earlier than announced.

Update: You can watch the long video at theaudioperv.com.

'Fight for Your Right Revisited' to air on U.S. TV this week

2011-04-18T16:45:00.012-04:00

According to TV Guide, "Fight for Your Right Revisited" will air on VH1 on April 20 at midnight and on Comedy Central on April 21 at 3 a.m. EDT.

The Guide don't lie.

Update: According to a press release from MTV Networks, the "Make Some Noise" video (not "Fight for Your Right Revisited" but a short 5-minute video [an edit of FFYRR]) will premiere online on April 21 at 6 pm on the websites for MTV2, mtvU, VH1, Palladia, Comedy Central, MTV, and Spike.

U.S. 'Make Some Noise' Record Store Day single to benefit Japan Relief Fund

2011-04-12T09:59:00.013-04:00

Recordstoreday.com has confirmed that the "Make Some Noise/Make Some Noise (Passion Pit Remix)" vinyl single for Record Store Day will NOT be available in record shops in the United States. Because Beastie Boys don't want to disappoint their American fans, they've partnered with the U.S. Record Store Day people to sell a limited number of the records online on April 16. The sale of the records will go to benefit the American Red Cross Japan Relief Fund.

Restrictions apply: You may order only one record, and the shipping address must be within the United States. Watch Recordstoreday.com for ordering details.

Crazy-crazy: Lyrics to 'Make Some Noise'

2011-04-08T16:12:00.015-04:00

I listened to the Beastie Boys' new song "Make Some Noise" a few times, and the following is what I heard lyric-wise. Please give me your feedback and corrections. I would like to post the lyrics to Beastiemania.com asap.

Make Some Noise

Yeah, get up
Yeah
Uh

Yes, here we go again
Give you more, nothing lesser
Back on the mic, it's the anti-depressor
Adrock--no pressure--yes, we need this
The best is yet to come and, yes, believe this

Let go my Eggo while I flex my ego
Sip on Prosecco, dressed up tuxedo
Sipping coffee, playing keno in the casino
Want a lucky number, ask Mike Dino

I burn the competition like a flame thrower
My rhymes age like wine as I get older
I'm getting bolder, competition is wanin'
I got the ball and I see the lane and

We got a party on the left, a party on the right
We gotta party for the motherfuckin' right to fight
Make some noise if you're with me
You gotta make some noise if you're with me
Crazy, crazy, crazy

Our resurrection by popular election
Get paid every year like tax collection
Hear my perfection, a rotary connection
Taking emcees down by lethal rap injection

I'm like an ornithologist when I get miffed
You must have drank a fizzy-lifting drink and you got lifted
And sifted, I'm just riffin'
When I catch emcees it's time for wing-clippin'

I fly like a hawk, or better yet a seagull
I sniff suckers out like a beagle
My ego is off and runnin' and gone
'Cause I'm about the best and if you fess well, that's wrong

We got a--
We got a party on the left, a party on the right
We gotta party for the motherfuckin' right to fight
Make some noise if you're with me
You gotta make some noise if you're with me
Crazy, crazy, crazy

The break is crazy
Crazy-crazy

Pass me the scalpel, I'll make an incision
I'll cut off the part of your brain that does the bitchin'
Put it in formaldehyde and put it on the shelf
You can show it to your friends and say, "That's my old self"

Can't do me nothing, can't tell me nadda
Don't bug me now because I'm doin' the lambada (bada!)
The forbidden dance (wha!)
Here's my chance
To make romance in my b-boys stance

Parlay my romancing into financing
Opened up a restaurant with Ted Danson
The roaches check in but they never check out
I set the record straight, no doubt

We got a--
We got a party on the left, a party on the right
We gotta party for the motherfuckin' right to fight
Make some noise if you're with me
You gotta make some noise if you're with me

'Make Some Noise' single for Record Store Day may not happen

2011-04-05T20:08:00.004-04:00

You may have found it odd that after stories of Beastie Boys offering a limited edition "Make Some Noise" vinyl single for Record Store Day were reported last week, neither the Beastie Boys nor Record Store Day sites confirmed the release. I checked in with a rep with Record Store Day to ask what the dealio is and learned that the organization is indeed working with Beastie Boys management on the release, but there is an issue holding it up and keeping both parties from making an announcement. So until there is an official announcement, it's best not to get your hopes too high.

Beastie Boys contribute to auction to help Japan

2011-04-05T18:44:00.008-04:00

Beastie Boys are among the artists who have contributed to an auction to benefit relief efforts in Japan. Proceeds from the EMI Family 4 Japan eBay Auction will go to help people affected by the tsunami and earthquake in Japan. EMI will match funds raised by the auction up to €1 million.

The Beastie Boys items in the auction are:

1. A signed set of BAPE dolls [VIEW ITEM]
2. A signed Hello Nasty gold album [VIEW ITEM]
3. A signed Beastie Boys Japanese Moon Man [VIEW ITEM]

The auction ends April 21.

Play time for Adam

2011-03-22T10:46:00.007-04:00

[VIDEO]

Adam Horovitz plays with the new Slim Phatty Analog Synthesizer from Moog.

For some reason, Moog removed the video of Horovitz playing with the synthesizer from its Youtube page. Enjoy this photo of Horovitz from Moog's Facebook page instead.

Beastie Boys announce new album release date (for real)

2011-03-13T12:28:00.006-04:00

And here's the confirmation that I told y'all to wait for. Adam Yauch confirmed this morning on Beastieboys.com that Hot Sauce Committee, Pt 2 will be released on May 3.

Tracklist
1. Make Some Noise
2. Nonstop Disco Powerpack
3. OK
4. Too Many Rappers [new reactionaries version] (featuring NAS)
5. Say It
6. The Bill Harper Collection
7. Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win (featuring Santigold)
8. Long Burn the Fire
9. Funky Donkey
10. The Larry Routine
11. Tadlock’s Glasses
12. Lee Majors Come Again
13. Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament
14. Here’s a Little Something for Ya
15. Crazy Ass Shit
16. The Lisa Lisa/Full Force Routine

Release date for new Beastie Boys album not determined

2011-02-25T10:05:00.010-05:00

Contrary to some reports, Hot Sauce Committee, Pt 2 does not yet have a set release date. A source at Capitol Records, the Beastie Boys record label, told me yesterday that the album is neither completed by the band nor has a definite release date.

Late last year, Beastie Boys management and Capitol reps discussed a possible March release date. When the deadline passed for the band to deliver the album in time for the label to coordinate a March release, the parties met again a few weeks ago to discuss a new release date. The meeting ended with no release date determined.

Please don't believe the reports by media who aren't checking their facts and are just regurgitating what some other media source is reporting. Believe me when I tell you that Beastie Boys will announce the album's release date to fans themselves through their own channel (i.e., official web site, official e-newsletter) when they're good and ready.

Mix Master Mike on Jimmy Kimmel Live

2011-02-11T10:33:00.001-05:00

Last night Mix Master Mike performed with Travis Barker, Game, and Swizz Beatz on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

"Fight for Your Right Revisited" premieres at Sundance Film Festival

2011-01-21T10:02:00.028-05:00

After going "off the map" since his July 2009 announcement of having cancer, Adam Yauch made his return to the showbiz world with the screening of his short film Fight for Your Right Revisited at the Sundance Film Festival last night. Before its premiere, Yauch kept details of the film secret except for the cast list (on IMDb.com)-- even the actors were kept in the dark about the story. Danny McBride, who portrays Yauch in the 20-minute film, told MTV that he didn't know what the film was about despite having a lead role. It's puzzling why Yauch kept the film so secret, especially from Beastie Boys fans, the audience who is most likely to appreciate the film. Yauch's only communication to fans about the film was a posting of a film still at Beastieboys.com in December.

Reviews of the film are mixed. One audience member tweets that the film was "Endless and ultimately pointless cameos in an extremely vapid overlong music vid spoof." Okaaay. The Los Angeles Times provides a weirdly kinder (?) assessment of the film, saying it is so unfunny that it is perhaps funny. What?

New York Magazine tries to be helpful by describing the roles of each character in the film, but doesn't give an opinion on it. Not particularly helpful.

Moviefone offers positive words about the film, saying it is "equal parts hilarious, offensive and really great to listen to." Yay! It's just like the Beastie Boys!

In its review of the film, MTV says "Some scenes crackle with comedic verve, thanks to the talents of some of Hollywood's most reliable improv talents...[while] Other scenes could have benefited from a trim or two in the edit room."

It's unclear if Yauch attended the screening last night. From all accounts, it seems that he did not attend. (The saying goes "If there's no photo, it didn't happen.") Elijah Wood, who portrays Adrock in the film, appeared at the screening and made some comments to the audience. Danny McBride was also seen at the festival, but it's unknown whether he attended the screening.

Money Mark to play shows in spring

2011-01-12T11:36:00.009-05:00

Photo by Mic to Mic

Money Mark is confirmed to play the Primavera Sound Festival in Barcelona, which takes place May 26 through 28. Tickets are available at Primaverasound.com. Mark will also be playing with Jack Johnson when he tours Japan in March. Visit Jack Johnson's official web site for details about his tour.

Mix Master Mike stars in commercial

2011-01-07T12:05:00.001-05:00

Skullcandy has produced a commercial to promote the DJ headphones Mix Master Mike created for the company. The commercial shows Mix Master Mike doing what he does best.

Money Mark remixes Tom Tom Club

2011-01-07T12:03:00.002-05:00

We're not sure how this flew under our radar, but last fall Money Mark created a remix of Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love." The remix was included on a bonus disk with the reissue of Tom Tom Club's Genius of Live, a live compilation album last September.

Tom Tom Club member Chris Frantz told Spinner.com that Mark's remix is the band's favorite one on the bonus disk.

You may legally download "Genius of Love (Money Mark Remix)" from Nacional Records.

Mike D talks to Zane Lowe

2011-01-06T07:33:00.010-05:00

Mike Diamond called into the BBC 1's Zane Lowe Show earlier today from his home in California, where he was "about to get ill on a sandwich." Mike told Lowe that Beastie Boys plan to release Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 this spring. Whether the band will tour has not yet been decided. It will be Adam Yauch's decision. Mike also spoke about the band's new video/short film (a "filmeo" as he called it) as well as explained to Lowe how to prepare steel-cut oats.

Listen to streaming audio of the Zane Lowe Show at BBC.co.uk. The interview begins around the 1:14 mark.

Fight for Your Right Revisited

2010-12-13T06:05:00.015-05:00

According to nme.com, Adam Yauch will have a new short film out, "Fight for Your Right Revisited" with the tagline "After the Boys Leave the Party."

Yauch is director and screenwriter for this short film, which will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, with the cast of Elijah Wood, Danny McBride, Seth Rogen, Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, and Jack Black among other big names.

The man himself posted a still from the film on Beastieboys.com at the beginning of December as a hint.

Mike D confirms that it will also be a video for a new song, "Make Some Noise."

Mike D remixes Matt and Kim and Lykke Li

2010-12-07T19:54:00.009-05:00

Mike Diamond has created a remix for Brooklyn band Matt and Kim. The song, titled "Cameras (Mike D Remix)," was released today and is available for download at the iTunes store and Amazon.com.
You may listen to the full song at Soundcloud.com.

But wait! That's not all. Mike has also created a remix for Swedish singer Lykke Li. "Get Some (Mike D Remix)" can also be heard on Soundcloud.com. The song will be available for download at iTunes next Tuesday (12/14) with Lykke Li's "Get Some" deluxe edition single.

No soft joke: 1982 Adam Horovitz interview

2010-11-18T11:50:00.024-05:00

One of the editors at Beastiemania.com has discovered a short 1982 radio interview with Adam Horovitz and Dave Rubenstein on WNYU's "Life After Death," which was a New York hardcore and punk radio program hosted by Hal Jannen. Rubenstein (aka Dave Insurgent) and Horovitz, were on the program to promote a free show in which their bands--Reagan Youth and the Young and the Useless, respectively--were playing at the Mudd Club in New York City on August 2, 1982.

You may download and listen to an mp3 of the 5-minute radio interview HERE or at Beastiemixes.com.

The audio comes from hardcore music fan Greg Fasolino, who recorded the "Life After Death" programs on audio cassettes and kept them for nearly 30 years before sharing them online. Four of Fasolino's recordings of "Life After Death"--including the one from which the Horovitz/Rubenstein interview has been extracted--are available to download from the blog More Than a Witness. It should be noted that Fasolino did not record full audio of the programs, choosing to stop the cassette player on occasion. Additionally, note that his recordings are two or more shows that were combined on a single cassette.

On the same program that Horovitz promoted the Mudd Club show, he supposedly premiered the Young and the Useless' 7-inch. Unfortunately, Fasolino's recording does not capture that part of the program.

The average Beastie Boys fan may not find the Horovitz/Rubenstein interview or the "Life After Death" recordings all that interesting; however, the over-40 fans who remember the hardcore music scene and 80's college radio will likely be highly entertained with the audio.

In memory of Sean Carasov

2010-11-01T21:45:00.001-04:00

Click to enlarge

In memory of Sean "the Captain" Carasov, who passed away on October 30, we share his article "The Captain's Beefs," which was published in Issue #1 of Grand Royal Magazine (Fall/Winter 1993).

'So What'cha Want' is best song ever says Tammy D

2010-10-27T14:59:00.012-04:00

Today Tamra Davis, aka Tammy D aka Mrs. Michael Diamond, was a guest DJ on KCRW radio in Los Angeles. She chose five songs and discussed their significance to her. Her first song pick was Beastie Boys' "So What'cha Want." Davis explained the song pick by sharing a personal story:

I love that song. It, to me, really defines a time and this attitude. It's also a personal song to me because my husband is Mike D, and while he was making that record, I was just like the wife at home like, 'Oh God, you're just like taking so long on this record,' and the record company had asked them to make one more single and I was just like, 'Oh god, not another week in the studio every night.' So then he comes back and he plays me this song, "So What'cha Want" and I remember sitting in the front of our house in the car listening to it and I just was like, 'This? This is the song that you spent all this time on?!? This isn't that good.'

Time changed her opinion of the song, which she says is the best song that she has ever heard.

You may listen to and/or download audio of the program at KCRW's website, as well as read a full transcript of the show.

Tamra Davis is currently promoting her film Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child, which contains music composed by Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz.

(Shoutout to Mama B)

Who funky: Lyrics to 'Pop Your Balloon'

2010-10-26T22:45:00.005-04:00

More than a year ago, Beastie Boys fans got to hear "Pop Your Balloon," a new song from Hot Sauce Committee, Pt 1 (and on Pt 2) when it was included as an audio track on the NBA Live 10 video game.

Because I don't like album spoilers, I avoided listening to the song. However, yesterday's announcement from the band made me realize that I've been holding out on listening to the song for no good reason. What the band will eventually release on Pt 2 may not sound or have the same lyrics as the NBA Live 10 track.

Because of my holdout, Beastiemania.com does not have a discography and lyrics page for "Pop Your Balloon." We'll correct the matter now that I have finally broken down and listened to the track. Please help Beastiemania.com by providing feedback on my lyric transcription. The only verse that I had a problem with is Mike D's last one. He spits out too many syllables too quickly. I catch that he's rapping about Tron and Kahn.

Pop Your Balloon (Clean Version/NBA 10 Live)

Rickity-rickity-rickity-rickity-wow!
I got the golden style
You people go wild when I bless this crowd
Ooh to the ahh, to the ooh, to the eee
You want to know who funky and I said 'Je suis'

Well, I give you a wedgie, I give you a noogie
But my [censored] electric boogie
Break dancing at your door on a pile of [censored]
Set the bag on [censored]

I bust into your radio station
Put on my [censored] mask and put my tape on
By the time you figure out what went wrong
Light up my jet pack and I'm gone

Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon

I grab my mic and people lose their minds
And twist their hands in the air and bop their heads in time
Rockin', shoutin' (Do your dance, Mike)
Because I'm built for speed like a Tour de France bike

I got the tape spinnin' in the echoplex
I keep the competition sealed under a hex
And if you waste my time then I get vexed
I never sleep 'cause it's the cousin of death

Like Franz Harary, I'm a magic man
Films in the cam, cat's in the bag, carpet is shag
You can try to take the boast, but you can't take the brag

Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon

We come together upon the mic and rock it
We got styles ain't none of y'all can top it
We in the cut and, yes, we in the pocket
We're getting down and that's right, that's right, that's right, that's right…

Yo, because I'm down in the basement mixin' up
I'm on the edge and I'm on the break
You've got the press, and I've got the plates
We pressin' [censored] by the crate

Yes, we make it happen with the rappin'
With the crunch with the Cap'n and the Boo Berry
With Count Chocula, the sound that you love
We've been getting fly with the highest above

I'm on, the one, the battle tank in Tron
You're too far gone -- ARGH! -- another pawn
Guide searching, what channel is he on?
'Cause there ain't no sunshine when Mike D's gone

Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon
Pop your balloon, pop-pop your balloon…

Yo, the sound man almost lost his soup on that one
He's still contemplating it though
Oh-oh, look out!

Someone please suggest an alternate lyric for "We've been getting fly with the highest above." It's too Christian rock to be Beastie Boys.

You may listen to the song HERE.

Beastie Boys announce new album tracklist

2010-10-25T10:58:00.007-04:00

Beastie Boys have announced via their fan email list that the tracklist for Hot Sauce Committee Pt 2 will be the same as announced for Hot Sauce Committee Pt 1. The songs on HSCP2 will be remixed, redone, refurbished, recalculated versions of the songs that they originally recorded for HSCP1. The band plans to release Hot Sauce Committee Pt 2 in spring 2011.

Hot Sauce Committee Pt 2 Tracklist:

1. Tadlock's Glasses
2. B-Boys in the Cut
3. Make Some Noise
4. Nonstop Disco Powerpack
5. OK
6. Too Many Rappers (featuring Nas)
7. Say It
8. The Bill Harper Collection
9. Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win (featuring Santigold)
10. Long Burn the Fire
11. Funky Donkey
12. Lee Majors Come Again
13. Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament
14. Pop Your Balloon
15. Crazy Ass Shit
16. Here's a Little Something for Ya

Beastie Boys' special announcement

2010-10-18T04:26:00.010-04:00

Beastie Boys recently updated fans with this new information:

"Although we regret to inform you that 'Hot Sauce Committee Part 1' will continue to be delayed indefinitely, 'Hot Sauce Committee Part 2' will be released on time as originally planned in Spring of 2011."

It also appears that BeastieBoys.com might be undergoing some sort of makeover (for the new album?) as the message board (and everything else) seems to be down, and the above message is the only text on the screen. So keep an eye on changes to that page!

Adam Yauch zips through the 'Jackass 3D' red carpet

2010-10-17T12:46:00.004-04:00

No time to say hello?

Philippe Zdar to work on new Beastie Boys album

2010-10-14T11:36:00.005-04:00

The French music industry has been abuzz with talk that Beastie Boys have invited French artist Philippe Zdar (of house music duo Cassius) to help them mix Hot Sauce Committee. Zdar has successfully mixed albums and songs for Phoenix, Cut Copy, and Chromeo, among other artists.

A source close to the band has shared that Mike Diamond confirmed Zdar will be mixing HSC. It appears that Zdar will reign over the mix of the entire album, not just a few songs or remixes.

Rare Beastie Boys concert recording surfaces

2010-10-02T01:47:00.011-04:00

A very rare recording of a 1986 concert featuring the Beastie Boys has surfaced in an audio sharing forum. The recording is from a July 19, 1986, concert at Madison Square Garden.

The audio captures two hours of a mega-concert with performances by Run-DMC, Whodini, LL Cool J, Timex Social Club, and Beastie Boys. Beastie Boys performed only two songs--"Slow and Low" and "Hold It Now, Hit It."

You can download the audio HERE.

The concert is in mp3 format and not divided by song. Beastie Boys' performance can be found in the second file around the 10:30 mark.

Beastie Boys nominated for Rock Hall induction

2010-09-28T12:11:00.002-04:00

Beastie Boys have been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. Other nominees are Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi, Chic, Neil Diamond, Donovan (Adam Horovitz’ former father-in-law), Dr. John, J. Geils Band, LL Cool J (who was discovered by Adam Horovitz), Darlene Love, Laura Nyro, Donna Summer, Joe Tex, Tom Waits, and Chuck Willis.

The inductees will be announced in December, and the awards ceremony will be held on March 14 in New York City.

Making music with Adam Horovitz

2010-09-17T21:01:00.006-04:00

Propellerhead, the maker of music software Reason, recently taped a video interview with Adam Horovitz in his home studio. In the interview (above), Horovitz discusses sampling and his approach to making music.

An outtake video (below) has Horovitz sharing stories about the Beastie Boys early days.

Both videos are available to download at Propellerhead's website.

Adam Yauch: cured like ham!

2010-09-16T23:03:00.019-04:00

Michele Lupi and Adam Yauch in Venice. Photo: GQ.com Italy.

Michele Lupi, the editor-in-chief of GQ Italy, has become an unusual source for an update on Adam Yauch. In an editorial posted at GQ.com Italy, Lupi describes meeting Yauch in Venice this month and shares details from personal conversations with Yauch.

In his editorial (published in Italian HERE), Lupi explains how he came to connect with Yauch. The story goes that Lupi was contacted by Italian rapper Jovanotti, a friend of Yauch's, to help Yauch find a house to rent in Venice while he attended the Venice Film Festival. Lupi used his connections to help out Yauch.

During a party for the Venice Film Festival, Lupi ran into Yauch and introduced himself as the guy who helped him with the house. Yauch thanked him, and the two chatted casually. Lupi decided to brave the personal question about Yauch's health and was surprised that Yauch responded openly and frankly. Yauch told Lupi that after 12 months of trying to beat the cancer, he believes that he has finally found the cure. Yauch said the trip to Venice and the Venice Film Festival was to celebrate the cure.

Back-Alley Beastie Boys

2010-08-24T21:17:00.000-04:00

Enjoy this photoset of the Beastie Boys taken by Emilie Sandy in London in June 2009. Sandy took the photos for use in a UK magazine. In her blog, Sandy shared, "They were really nice guys and were extremely easy to work with...just shows their shooting experience throughout the years."

Checking in with Alfredo Ortiz

2010-08-08T14:44:00.034-04:00

Photo by Ari Marcopoulos, originally published at Beastieboys.com

Alfredo Ortiz, the Beastie Boys percussionist and drummer, is a consummate musician, who at any given time might be a member of a dozen bands. No exaggeration. Fredo is currently on tour in Europe playing drums with Tito & Tarantula (see tour dates HERE). The band are touring in support of their album Back into the Darkness. They recently recorded the title song for the upcoming Robert Rodriguez film Machete (see the film trailer HERE).

Fredo in action with Tito & Tarantula

Over the last year, Fredo has recorded and produced music with a number of musicians, including Mexican-American artist Lysa Flores, whose music will be included in a documentary titled Immigrant Daughter. Fredo helped to produce Flores' new album on which he plays drums and contributes vocals. The album should be completed before the end of this year. See video of Fredo performing with Lysa Flores in Pasadena last month HERE.

Fredo also recorded with Los Angeles-based bands Funeral Party (on their album Golden Age of Knowhere) and Cava. Fredo played drums and percussion, as well as helped to write several songs, on Cava's new album A Naughty Dread, which was released last month. Cava's keyboardist is Walter Miranda, who toured with the Beastie Boys in the late 90s when Money Mark was unable to go on the road.

If that weren't enough, Fredo recently recorded percussion with garage rock band the Jump Offs, whose members saw Fredo perform with BS2000 in 2001 when they were only 10 years old. Fredo was introduced to the Jump Offs by his friend Manny Nieto, who has recorded with Los Lobos, Lysa Flores, and Kim Deal, among others. Manny has Fredo working in the studio right now during his short break from the Tito & Tarantula tour, laying down drums for an album by punk band The Inevitable Backlash. You can hear Fredo drumming on the band's cover of the All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell," which they recorded live in two takes. The NSFW video of the song is located HERE.

To top all of that, Fredo has been recording an album of his own (!), which he plans to release in 2011. Hiatus what?!

In addition to working on music, Fredo has done some recent television work. He appeared in the 200th episode of CSI with friend and fellow Beastie Boys associate Eric Bobo. Fredo has also contributed to a new commercial for Venus Gillette (yes, ladies razors), which will air in the coming months.

Fredo and Eric Bobo on the set of CSI

Fans interested in connecting with Fredo may reach him through his Myspace page and official web site.

The best of 'Rappin' with the Rickster' on dvd

2010-07-26T21:06:00.015-04:00

Ricky Powell has compiled a new dvd containing the best clips from his early 90s cable access show, "Rappin' with the Rickster." The two-disc dvd set includes interviews and footage of the Beastie Boys, Russell Simmons, Cypress Hill, Sonic Youth, and Kool Keith among others. (Click on the image at left to view the dvd contents list.)

The clips on the dvd were pulled from Powell's original analog masters, so the quality is much better than the VHS-sourced clips fans have posted at Youtube. (View some clips HERE, HERE, and HERE.)

The dvd, aptly titled Rappin' with the Rickster, may be purchased at Amazon.com and other online outlets. According to the distributor, the dvd's official release date is tomorrow, July 27. Please note that the dvd is a region 1 dvd (United States and Canada).

Powell recently did an interview with Conspiracy Worldwide Hip Hop Radio in the UK that Beastie Boys' fans will appreciate. Powell talks about his time with the Beastie Boys in the past and where he stands with them now. Powell definitively puts the question of beef between the band and him at rest.

There is no beef. "I never hang with them as a unit anymore...Adrock gives me dues and respect," he says. Powell attributes his not hanging with them now to his being a "bohemian, swingin' bachelor" and the band being married with children. Powell summarizes it all with the explanation, "Their wives don't really dig me."

Stream or download and listen to the 34-minute interview HERE (see the download link at the right of the Play button). The interview is highly recommended.

No Beastie Boys album in 2010

2010-07-01T10:05:00.000-04:00

Bad news, Beastie Boys fans. According to a source at the Beastie Boys' label, Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1 has been removed from Capitol's 2010 release schedule. My source says the album has been on-again, off-again a number of times this year, but now it is definitely off for 2010.

Fans should not assume this news is a sign that Adam Yauch is doing poorly. It simply means for reasons known only to the band, the album will not be released this year.

Do not despair. There are a number of things related to the Beastie Boys to check out or do during the band's continued hiatus.

HE CHOPS, HE DICES
Attend a Mix Master Mike show to reaffirm what you know: Mix Master Mike reigns supreme on the turntables. See MMM's performance schedule at Mixmastermike.com.

2 MCS AND NO DJ
See the film Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child by Tamra Davis to hear music composed by Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz. Visit the film's official website to see if it is being screened in your area.

Y'ALL KNOW KEYBOARD MONEY MARK
Watch Money Mark's Myspace and Tumblr pages for possible updates on his new album. Also listen to Mark's keyboarding on Salvador Santana's album Keyboard City, which was released earlier this year. Mark played on and produced some of the songs on the album.

WE LIVE TO PLEASE HIM
Make Yauch happy by seeing some of Oscilloscope Laboratories' films. Visit Oscilloscope.net to view a list of its films. (On American cable TV, Flow: For Love of Water is currently showing on the Sundance Channel.)

A BOOMBOX IS AN OLDIE MUSIC PLAYER
If you are in Washington, DC, visit the National Museum of American History to see the exhibit "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment." Beastie Boys donated the boombox that they used on tour opening for Madonna in 1985 to the exhibit. The exhibit is in DC through August and then will travel to museums in Detroit and New York City in the coming year.

HE WAS BORN TO SING AND DANCE
If you are in New York City, attend a "Our Hit Parade" show at Joe's Pub. If Adam Horovitz is not on stage performing with the ensemble, he is usually in the audience. Performances are generally scheduled during the last week of each month, and they are hilarious. Review the calendar at the venue's website for performance dates. (Note: "Our Hit Parade" often posts full video of its shows to its website.)

RELATED THROUGH MARRIAGE AND MUSICAL TALENT
See the concert documentary "Le Tigre: On Tour," now screening at various film festivals. Some of the concert footage in the documentary was shot when Le Tigre opened for the Beastie Boys on their concert tour of Japan and Australia in 2005. (Beastie Boys do not appear in the documentary.) You should see this film because Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, and JD Samson are interesting women who make interesting music. In many ways, they are similar to the Beastie Boys, particularly their sense of humor and feelings on standing up for what you believe.

JULIA CHILDS NEVER SHOPPED FOR SUPERHERO PAJAMAS
Watch or rewatch Tamra Davis' internet cooking show to see the Michael Diamond family and friends at home and at play, while you learn how to prepare healthy dishes.

BIG SCREEN TAKEOVER
Keep an eye out for announcements about the Bad Brains documentary in which Yauch appears. The film has been in post-production status for some time. Screenings could be announced any time.

The Dirty-Dirty interview with Mike D

2010-06-16T19:08:00.014-04:00

Buzz 103.1 radio in West Palm Beach, Florida, recently posted audio of an interview it conducted with Mike Diamond in February 2008. The interview was done to promote the Beastie Boys performance at the Langerado Festival in March 2008. Whether the audio ever aired or has been shared before this week is unknown. (It's new to us.)

In the interview, Mike talks about the Beastie Boys recording Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1. Although there are no revelations about the album in this interview, it's worth a listen because it is Mike being Mike.

Beastie Boys play on display

2010-05-24T18:31:00.019-04:00

Photo by Philip Andelman

Milk Gallery in New York City is currently hosting an exhibition by photographer and music video director Philip Andelman, titled "Three Days in Paris." The photo exhibition chronicles three days in which the Beastie Boys and The Dead Weather hung out together in the City of Lights. The photos were taken in June 2009, when the Beastie Boys were in Europe to promote Hot Sauce Committee, Pt 1.

"Three Days in Paris" is on display at Milk Gallery until May 29. If you are unable to visit the exhibition in person, you may look at some of the photos HERE.

You may find additional photos Andelman took of the Beastie Boys that do not appear in the exhibition at his website, PhilipAndelman.com. (Click on "not moving" then "beastie boys.")

After "Three Days in Paris" closes at Milk Gallery, it will move to a gallery in Berlin, Germany.

Beastie Boys with scissors

2010-05-23T23:18:00.007-04:00

Video and photos of the Beastie Boys at the ribbon cutting ceremony of MiniMoogseum, an installation honoring synthesizer inventor Bob Moog, were published online today by the Moog Foundation. The ceremony took place at the Orange Peel in Asheville, North Carolina, where the installation is housed permanently, almost a year ago. (Beastie Boys played a show in Asheville on June 10, 2009.)

See photos of the Beastie Boys at the ribbon cutting ceremony and read more about the MiniMoogseum at Moogfoundation.org.

Mike D jams with Church Street School music students

2010-05-01T18:51:00.008-04:00

Photos by Mic to Mic

Mike Diamond participated in a guitar jam at the Church Street School for Music & Art today as part of the Tribeca Film Festival Street Fair.

More photos HERE.

Jam with Mike D and Andrew W.K.

2010-04-21T23:36:00.006-04:00

The details about Mike Diamond's appearance at the Tribeca Film Festival Family Day have been announced. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Church Street School for Music and Art, Mike will be hosting and leading a public guitar jam with Andrew W.K. on Family Day on May 1.

The jam session will take place outside the school, which is located at 74 Warren Street, from 3 to 4 pm. All players are welcomed to join the jam.

Mike Diamond attends Food Bank for NYC dinner

2010-04-21T18:39:00.009-04:00

Mike Diamond did his best Blue Steel, posing for photographers on the red carpet at the Food Bank for New York City's 8th Annual Can-Do Awards dinner in New York City last night. Mike and his wife, Tamra Davis, have been long-time supporters of the Food Bank for New York City, which aims to end food poverty throughout the five boroughs.

See more photos of Mike on the red carpet HERE.

Let the hunt begin

2010-04-17T06:03:00.009-04:00

Don't forget to go out today and support your local independent record store. If you're on the hunt for the Beastie Boys super surprise record, let us know your luck in finding it. Moreover, if you find it, let us know what's on the album.

Update: The super surprise album contains two remixes: "Here's a Little Something for Ya Remix" by DJ Shadow and "Lee Majors Come Again Remix" by Cut Chemist. These remixes were mash-ups created for the DJ Hero game soundtrack. For more information and photos of the album, visit Beastiemania.com.

Family fun with Mike D

2010-03-31T23:15:00.003-04:00

Mike Diamond will be making an appearance at the Tribeca Family Festival Street Fair on May 1 in New York City. He will be participating in a Guitar Play-In (perhaps as Country Mike?) to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Church Street School for Music and Art. The event is free and open to the public.

Mike Diamond designs a custom watch

2010-03-29T11:56:00.010-04:00

Mike Diamond has collaborated with watchmaker Nixon to design a custom Time Teller P watch featuring his image. The watch is available in blue, green, orange, and white and may be pre-ordered at Watchismo for $75. It was also be sold at select retail stores beginning in September.

Speaking about the watch, Mike said, "I am proud to release this little treasure as a token of my achievement in both the yachting and hip-hop communities. This advanced time piece allows me to navigate the open seas and the open mic."

Update: The price of the watch has been changed to $85.

Audio of Beastie Boys live at the Orange Peel

2010-03-27T18:28:00.027-04:00

Photo of Country Mike at the Orange Peel by Money Mark

Today's audio share got lost in the hubbub of Adam Yauch's cancer announcement last fall. It is of the Beastie Boys performance at the Orange Peel in Asheville, North Carolina, on June 10, 2009. It's the only full-show audio from the two club concerts that the Beastie Boys performed in 2009 (the other show was in Baltimore, Maryland), where the band premiered performances of songs from Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1. The recording was taped and shared by Taylor Maurer.

Setlist
The Biz vs. the Nuge (with Biz Markie)
Time for Livin'
Remote Control
Root Down
Sure Shot
Super Disco Breakin'
Posse in Effect
Shake Your Rump
Gratitude
Electric Worm
Sabrosa
Lee Majors Come Again
Transit Cop
Body Movin'
B-Boys in the Cut
Do It (with Biz Markie)
Pass the Mic
So What'cha Want
Ricky's Theme
POW
Lighten Up
Egg Raid on Mojo
Tough Guy (with Country Mike)
Bennie and the Jets (with Biz Markie)
Mix Master Mike Interlude
Intergalactic
3 MCs and 1 DJ
Heart Attack Man
Mark on the Bus
Sabotage

Although the two new songs ("Lee Majors Come Again" and "B-Boys in the Cut") and the collaborations with Biz Markie are interesting to hear, I find the performance of "Body Movin'" to be the most interesting one in the recording. Mix Master Mike whipped up some crazy beats for the song and you can hear the Beastie Boys struggling to keep up with what he threw at them. The song peters out miserably, but what happens before that is good.

You can download a recording of the show as a zip folder of mp3s HERE, or if you prefer lossless audio, you can find a FLAC torrent of the show at DIME.

Maybe a Beastie Boys remix, maybe not

2010-03-26T00:13:00.004-04:00

Uffie, an electropop artist on Ed Banger Records, recently posted a remix of a song from her upcoming album to her website. The remix is titled "MCs Can Kiss (Mike D Remix)" [free download HERE]. A Mike D remix, you ask? From my work on Beastiemania.com, I know that there is another artist who uses "Mike D" as his handle and that he remixes songs. I contacted both Uffie's and Beastie Boys' official peeps for clarification, and no one could confirm that the Mike D who remixed the song is Mr. Michael Diamond of Beastie Boys. So, maybe the song is a Mike D aka Sweet Lou remix, or maybe it's a Mike D aka the Other Guy remix. You decide.

Update: I finally got confirmation from the Beastie Boys camp. The remix is indeed Mike Diamond's work.

A super surprise from the Beastie Boys

2010-03-23T18:33:00.009-04:00

Beastie Boys have contributed a "super surprise" 12-inch record for Record Store Day, which is a day in which special vinyl and CD releases are sold exclusively at independently owned record stores. The purpose of Record Store Day is to encourage music fans to support their local record stores, instead of big box stores or online music stores.

The Beastie Boys' super surprise record for Record Store Day is limited to 1,000 copies and will be distributed among more than 700 record stores. If you are interested in getting a copy of the Beastie Boys' album, go to your local record store and express interest in it. The record store will not be able to guarantee you a copy, but it will be able to make a request for the record.

I checked with Other Music, a popular independent record store in NYC, and was told that the store requested 14 copies of the Beastie Boys' album, but it has no idea how many it will actually get. It's all a crapshoot -- for both the record stores and buyers.

A source at Capitol/EMI, the Beastie Boys' record label, confirmed that the label did not commission the album from the Beastie Boys -- meaning, the idea to participate in Record Store Day was solely the Beastie Boys' idea. Knowing that the label was not involved in the album means the album could be anything. Because it's the Beastie Boys, you have to assume that it will be interesting.

A list of the special releases for Record Store Day can be viewed HERE. Record Store Day takes place on April 17.

Mike D and Adrock make music for film

2010-03-09T00:27:00.006-05:00

Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz have contributed original music to the soundtrack of the documentary Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child. The film by Tamra Davis, Mike Diamond's wife, offers a portrait of the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who died at age 27 from a heroin overdose. (Read a bio on Basquiat HERE.) The film had its premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival and will have its theatrical release later this year.

See the trailer at the film's official web site.

Beastie Boys track on benefit CD gets leaked after 15 years on the shelf

2010-03-08T18:12:00.015-05:00

A nameless former A&R assistant for Columbia Records has posted an unreleased 1995 planned benefit CD for Leonard Peltier, an American activist and member of the American Indian Movement who was convicted and sentenced in 1977 to life imprisonment for the murder of two FBI agents during a 1975 shootout on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. During Peltier's trial and following his conviction, there was debate over his guilt and the fairness of his trial.

The benefit CD was planned to help raise awareness of Peltier's situation and help pay for his legal fees. Beastie Boys were among the artists who supported Peltier and contributed a song to the album. The Beastie Boys also supported Peltier by performing at the Leonard Peltier benefit concert in April 1994, which was organized by Rage Against the Machine.

The album is available to download in full HERE, where you can read more about Peltier's case. Alternatively, you may download or listen to an mp3 of just the Beastie Boys song, titled "(R)Evolution Time," HERE. The song is an early, unmastered version of "Resolution Time."

Please note that the songs on the album have not been mastered.

Exiled in the Land of the Free - A Benefit Album for Leonard Peltier
Tracklist:

"Leonard Peltier In a Cage" - The Goats
"Stick It Out" - New Bomb Turks
"Wake Up (Live)" - Rage Against the Machine
"Land of the Free Disease" - Corrosion of Conformity
"I Saw it Move" - Chavez
"If Only (demo)" - Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age)
"Long Ago" - Beaver Chef
"I Can Still Feed Myself Thanks" - Superchunk
"Just a Patsy" - Helmet
"Atomic Garden" - Bad Religion
"Punishment" - Silica Gel
"Spirits" - Giant Sand
"¿Do The Digs Dug?" - The Goats
"Clean Slate (Live)" - Quicksand
"(R)Evolution Time" - Beastie Boys
"Scumbag" - Biohazard
"Redman" - Brother Sun
"Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing (Live)" - Mike Watt
"The Punchline" - Zack De La Rocha and Corrosion of Conformity
"Greetings from Leonard Peltier" - Leonard Peltier

Adam Yauch predicts new Beastie Boys album and tour in fall

2010-03-08T09:50:00.005-05:00

Adam Yauch has confirmed what a source at EMI/Capitol Records told us last month: Beastie Boys will not be releasing Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1 until this fall. In an interview conducted at the Spirit Awards last week, Yauch told EW.com that the band hope to release the album in September, but cannot commit to any date until he fully recovers from cancer treatment.

"It was really disappointing to have to hold the record and postpone the tour, but doctor's orders," Yauch said. He admitted that his recovery to good health has not been easy: "It was touch and go there for a while but I am finally getting my energy back."

Yauch also shared that Beastie Boys will go back in the studio and review their work on Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1 and possibly make changes before its release.

Adam Yauch attends Spirit Awards

2010-03-06T18:30:00.008-05:00

Lenny Kravitz and Adam Yauch on the Spirit Awards red carpet

Adam Yauch attended the 2010 Spirit Awards honoring independent film in Los Angeles yesterday. Yauch joined the film-making team of The Messenger for the awards ceremony. The film by director Oren Moverman (and distributed by Oscope) was nominated in several categories. Woody Harrelson won the Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his role in the film.

See more photos of Yauch on the red carpet HERE.

Learning how to scratch

2010-02-19T23:02:00.008-05:00

Recognize anyone in this video?

Adam Horovitz teams with Rival Schools

2010-02-09T09:57:00.005-05:00

According to Rock Sound magazine, Adam Horovitz has been working on a song mix for New York post-hardcore band Rival Schools. The song, titled "69 Guns," will be a single on Rival Schools' next album, which is expected to be released this summer.

Beastie Boys album to be released in fall 2010

2010-02-04T20:06:00.002-05:00

According to a source at EMI/Capitol Records, the release date for the Beastie Boys' Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1 has been pushed back further. The label is now projecting a September 2010 release date.

Label reps recently met with John Silva, the Beastie Boys' manager, to discuss the band's status. Silva told the label that he "didn't see the album coming out anytime soon because of Adam." Apparently, Adam Yauch needs more time for recovery. Whether that means Yauch is not doing well or he simply wants more time off for personal reasons is unknown. Let's hope that it's the latter.

Beastie Boys on New York hardcore compilation re-release

2010-02-03T21:45:00.008-05:00

New York City-based record label ROIR has re-released a 1982 cassette-only hardcore compilation titled New York Thrash on vinyl and CD. The cassette was originally curated by Dave Hahn, Bad Brains' manager, and served to showcase the hottest bands in the New York thrash scene. The cassette included two Beastie Boys' songs.

In a 1983 interview with Flipside Magazine, Adam Yauch, Kate Shellenbach, and Michael Diamond expressed disappointment with the New York Thrash cassette:

Adam [Yauch]: I would like to clear something else up...we got really screwed over on that "N.Y. Thrash" tape. Tim Sommers wrote cold things about us because we didn't thank him on the record, Dave Hahn didn't pay us because he doesn't like us that much, they fucked up our sound, they wrote the name of our song wrong, it's not "Beastie" it's "Beastie Boys".

Kate [Shellenbach]: And they didn't give us any liner notes.

Michael [Diamond]: I think the entire "N.Y. Thrash" compilation was a complete ripoff, a complete scam put together by Tim Sommers, who generally masturbates with Dave Hahn....and by ROIR Cassettes.

How the Beastie Boys feel about the compilation today is something only they know. The re-release of New York Thrash is available to purchase at ROIR's web site, CD Baby, Amazon, eMusic, and iTunes.

Tracklist
Undead - Nightmare / Social Reason
Bad Brains - Regulator / Big Take Over
Beastie Boys - Beastie [Boys] / Riot Fight
Heart Attack - God Is Dead / Shotgun
Even Worse - Emptying the Mad House / Illusion Won Again
Adrenalin O.D. - Paul's Not Home / New Years' Eve
Kraut - Last Chance / Getaway
The Mad - I Hate Music / The Hell
The Fiends - Asian White / Cry Now
False Prophets - Taxidermist / Scorched Earth
The Nihilistics - Love and Kisses / Here and Now

Bonus Tracks
The Stimulators - Loud, Fast Rules!
The Stimulators - M.A.C.H.I.N.E.

Mix Master Mike in sampling documentary

2010-02-03T20:18:00.002-05:00

Mix Master Mike appears in a new documentary about musical sampling, titled Copyright Criminals. The film examines sampling's artistic value and presents the debate on copyright infringement and sound ownership. The film originally aired on PBS in January and is now available to download at iTunes and Amazon. The film includes interviews with Chuck D, De La Soul, and Pete Rock, among other hip-hop artists.

Beastie Boys talk about Native Tongues

2010-01-30T08:43:00.008-05:00

In this video interview for a film about A Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys talk about the hip-hop collective Native Tongues (i.e., Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, and A Tribe Called Quest) and their connection to Afrika Bambaataa.

Update: A second video has been posted.

Mic to Mic's new address

2010-01-28T13:25:00.010-05:00

Mic to Mic is currently switching to a custom domain address at www.mictomic.com. You may experience some funkiness when trying to access site content over the next few days. It should resolve by Monday.

Thanks to the readers of this site for convincing me that Mic to Mic is valued by the fan community and encouraging me to continue writing about the Beastie Boys.

Adam Yauch attends film awards gala

2010-01-19T21:00:00.005-05:00

On January 12, Adam Yauch attended the National Board of Review Awards Gala in New York City. The event, which was held at Cipriani's, honored the best in film for 2009. Two of Oscilloscope's films, Oren Moverman's The Messenger and Anders Østergaard's Burma VJ, earned awards at the ceremony.

See photos of Yauch on the red carpet HERE and HERE.

Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris

Adam Horovitz joins another group

2010-01-19T17:51:00.021-05:00

Adam Horovitz will be performing in a "super vocal-group" at the January 27th performance of "Our Hit Parade" at Joe's Pub in New York City. "Our Hit Parade" is a semi-regular cabaret show in which local NYC performers present their own renditions of current popular songs, almost always in a comedic manner. Horovitz and wife Kathleen Hanna are big fans of the show. Although the couple have informally performed at past shows, this upcoming performance is the first time that their names have appeared on the bill.

A ticket for the show costs $20 and may be purchased online at Joespub.com. Call 212-539-8778 for a table reservation, which is recommended.

Win a signed Beastie Boys album

2010-01-16T11:23:00.001-05:00

EMI is giving away a huge music package that includes a signed copy of Ill Communication on vinyl in its January Ultimate Fan Page competition. Visit www.ufp.me before January 31 for a chance to win. To qualify for the contest, you must answer a question about what city the Beastie Boys come from. We trust you can answer the question without assistance.

Beastie Boys considering Coachella performance

2009-12-04T00:45:00.002-05:00

Movieline.com has published an interview with Adam Yauch that centers on Oscilloscope's new DVD club but slightly touches on the Beastie Boys' future plans. Asked about the new album and tour dates, Yauch responds that the band are "in the process of figuring that out now." Yauch admits that the band have been discussing performing at the Coachella Music Festival in 2010.

Beastie Boys earn Grammy nomination for "Too Many Rappers"

2009-12-02T23:18:00.004-05:00

The Recording Academy announced the nominations for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards tonight. Beastie Boys are nominated in the category Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for "Too Many Rappers" featuring Nas. Other nominees in this category are Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 Cent; Fabolous and Jay-Z; Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and Common; and Kanye West and Young Jeezy. The award ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on January 31.

Hip Hop 101 with Dante Ross

2009-12-01T21:08:00.005-05:00

In this video, Dante Ross provides a short history of the Beastie Boys, describing the band before they became "the super-positive, politically correct Beasties" of today. Fans will be touched by Ross' kind wishes for Adam Yauch and appreciate his unique story-telling ability.

Listen to Beastie Boys remix of Norah Jones

2009-12-01T11:00:00.004-05:00

"That's What I Said (The NYC Remix by Adrock and Mike D)" by Norah Jones is streaming at RCRD LBL beginning today. The remix will be available to purchase digitally and on vinyl on January 12.

Have a listen:

Three is a magic number

2009-11-26T09:36:00.002-05:00

Here's something to be thankful for: Amazon has a three-for-free mp3 offer, which is good through November 30. Use THIS LINK and follow the instructions to get three mp3s for free. Although you can use the offer to get any artist's music in Amazon's mp3 library, you might want to first review the Beastie Boys mp3 catalogue HERE to determine if you're missing anything. Perhaps The Mix-Up bonus tracks? Perhaps some of the special tracks on the remastered albums? Or maybe one of Adrock's remixes? And don't forget to review Mix Master Mike's and Money Mark's catalogue.

The mp3 offer is good only for U.S. residents. The link above is not unique, so feel free to pass it on to friends and family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Beastie Boys album set for release

2009-11-25T15:46:00.002-05:00

My friend at Capital Records has confirmed that Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1 is back on the label's schedule and will be released within the first three months of 2010. An exact street date will be announced soon.

Until a new release date was in the works, I didn't want to read, or refer others to read, any of the press or reviews that came out of the Beastie Boys' European press tour in June 2009, as I felt it would be a mean tease to read about an album that had an uncertain future. Now that the album is definitely back on track for release, I'll return to regularly posting updates and information on the album.

All about the kids

2009-11-13T10:04:00.003-05:00

Beastie Boys have contributed a signed photo to the Rock for Kids Charity Auction. Rock for Kids is a non-profit organization that provides free music education to underprivileged kids and teens.

The photo will be auctioned off on December 4. Interested buyers may bid online at the Rock for Kids web site.

Beastie Boy turns DJ for a night

2009-11-12T16:09:00.010-05:00

Adam Horovitz will be DJing at the Tony Clifton and Vaginal Davis concert at Santos Party House in New York City next Monday (November 16). Horovitz will share DJ duties with wife Kathleen Hanna and Gibby Haines (Butthole Surfers). Tickets to this 18+ show cost $20 and may be purchased online at Ticketweb.

Presumably, Horovitz and Hanna were invited to DJ at Clifton's and Davis' concert when the couple attended a benefit party recently at NYC gallery Participant Inc., where Davis exhibited artwork and Clifton provided the entertainment.

Beastie Boys remix Norah Jones

2009-11-01T10:13:00.002-05:00

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, singer Norah Jones revealed that the Beastie Boys have completed a remix of a song on her new album, titled The Fall.

Norah Jones and the Beastie Boys? "We decided to have people I admire do some remixes," she explained.

The title of the Beastie Boys remix and the format in which it will be released are unknown. Details about the remix should surface closer to Jones' album release date of November 17.

Beastie Boys attend NYC film events

2009-10-29T21:50:00.005-04:00

Photo by Michael Loccisano

We know what you're thinking. No, Adam Horovitz has not begun a new career as a golf caddy. And, yes, he is wearing argyle socks.

Horovitz rocked this look when he attended a screening of Schmatta, an HBO documentary about New York's garment district, at the HBO Theater in New York City on October 12. Horovitz' former brother-in-law, Donovan Leitch, was a consulting producer for the film.

See additional photos of Horovitz at the screening HERE.

Photo by Jemal Countess

Horovitz, again with hat, met up with Mike Diamond the next night to attend a party celebrating the NYC premiere of Spike Jonze's film Where the Wild Things Are at the Museum of Modern Art. Although we've heard reports that Adam Yauch also attended the party, we haven't seen any photographic evidence that he was in the company of his bandmates.

Photos of Horovitz and Diamond at the Where the Wild Things Are party are located HERE and HERE.

Follow Mix Master Mike on Twitter

2009-10-29T20:21:00.011-04:00

Mix Master Mike has jumped aboard the tweeting train. Fans may now follow the Beastie Boys' resident DJ on Twitter at http://twitter.com/serialwaxkiller.

According to a recent tweet, Mix Master Mike has just completed work on a new album, titled Napalm Rockets. We assume that it is the mix CD that he talked about in an interview with the Las Vegas Sun earlier this fall. He also has a new EP titled Plasma Rifle coming out soon. It will be packaged with his Skullcandy headphones design.

Hear rough version of new Beastie Boys song

2009-10-09T17:02:00.011-04:00

"Pop Your Balloon"

Follow the link above to listen to the Beastie Boys' new song "Pop Your Balloon," which is featured on the NBA Live 10 video game.

This is only a rough version of the song ripped from the game and not the final version as it will appear on Hot Sauce Committee. According to Adam Yauch, the band changed the song after recording "Too Many Rappers."

Update from Adam Yauch

2009-10-07T15:57:00.008-04:00

For everyone who has been anxious for another update on how Adam Yauch is doing, this was sent out in an e-mail today by the man himself. Good news! He's healthy, happy, and smiling!

hey all,

so i just got back from dharamsala, india. went over there to see some tibetan doctors, but as it worked out, the Dalai Lama was giving a 3 day teaching, so i was able to attend that as well.

i'm feeling healthy, strong and hopeful that i've beaten this thing, but of course time will tell. i'm taking tibetan medicine and at the recommendation of the tibetan doctors i've been eating a vegan/organic diet, which surprisingly enough was harder to do in india than it is now that i'm back home. here i can just shop for the right food and cook... a lot easier than depending on restaurants.

when i was in india i visited an ani gompa (a nunnery) called jamyang choling. they did a puja (religious ceremony) for me to help me get well. one nun said to me "we do prayers and then you are better." so i've got that going for me, which is nice.

i will put a link to their web site (below) but it doesn't do justice to how amazing it is to actually go there and hang out with them. i sponsor a few nuns at jamyang choling. there are about 125 nuns there now and more keep joining. when i first met them i think there were only 13 and they were living in some abandoned cow sheds. then they bought some land with some donations, and with more donations they started building rooms for housing, classrooms, a prayer hall, 2 stoopas..... they now live on a beautiful complex in this incredibly lush, peaceful patch of land in lower dharamsala. cows walking around, birds singing, they are growing mangoes and bananas, and they have a whole garden where they grow herbs and vegetables.

i asked how many nuns still need sponsorship. they said 50. it's about $350 a year to sponsor a nun if you are interested.

http://www.jamchoebuddhistdialectics.org/

we have not set a new release date for the record yet, but i'm hoping it'll be in the first half of next year. looking forward to that, but in the meantime, i'm just enjoying a little downtime in massachusetts, taking walks in the woods and hanging out with the family.... still doing a little work related to oscilloscope, watching screeners and attending some screenings, but for the most part, just laying low.

if you are interested i'll send out some little updates every now and then on the oscilloscope twitter account.

thanks again for all of the well wishes and prayers, and the letters were great too, brought a smile to my face reading them.

talk to you soon,
yauch

Yo, what's happenin'?

2009-10-03T11:00:00.003-04:00

There has been a lull in updates at Mic to Mic due to the Beastie Boys inactivity. All we can give readers today is an update about what the individual band members have been up to lately.

Adam Horovitz has been devoting his time to shared activities with his wife, Kathleen Hanna. They are both blogging (HIS and HERS) and have been spotted attending local NYC events together. This week, Horovitz made a spectacle of himself at the "Our Hit Parade" show at Joe's Pub, where he shared a front-of-stage table with Kathleen. According to one audience member, Horovitz kanyed the show, grabbing the mic from the performers to address the audience. We're awaiting video of Horovitz' shenanigans.

Horovitz was also spotted at the recent Passion Pit/Phoenix concert in Central Park. We hear he was a dancin' fool. His other activities of late have been walking his dog and playing softball.

Like Horovitz, Mike Diamond has been focusing on the family. He spent the summer with his wife Tamra Davis and their children in Malibu, where Mike was spotted surfing on a regular basis. Mike continues to support Tamra's internet cooking show, appearing more prominently in it than he has in past. (See the latest episode HERE.)

Next week Mike will be involved with "Magic, Martinis, and Mario," a fund-raising event for the Mario Batali Foundation at Del Posto in NYC. We're not exactly sure what he's doing other than attending, but his name has been bandied about in publicity for the event. Tickets for the fund-raiser are available HERE.

The person every fan wants to hear about is, of course, Adam Yauch. Although there haven't been any new updates on his health (No news is good news, right?), there have been sightings of him out and about in NYC. As all of the sightings have been at food joints, we believe the sightings to be factual. Yes, the news we have on Yauch is he's eating.

Mix Master Mike is still touring non-stop. The newest date added to his performance schedule is at Rok Vegas on October 3 (that's today!) in Las Vegas, which is an afterparty show for the Biggest Tattoo Show on Earth expo. Last month Mix Master Mike promised big things for fans in October, including his Skullcandy earphones design, a new album, and a new web site. His old web site has already been removed, and an announcement of the new site is in place. Keep yours ears and eyes open for announcements from Mix Master Mike.

Money Mark has stayed busy by collaborating with other artists and blogging on Tumblr, where he has been sharing photos and stories about his world travels and musical friends. Mark has a upcoming release to note. "Robo Dancing," a song he wrote for an appearance on the children's television show "Yo Gabba Gabba!", is on a compilation album titled Yo Gabba Gabba: Music Is Awesome. The album will be released on October 20.

Adam Horovitz and Kathleen Hanna are guests on WFMU radio

2009-09-15T23:15:00.012-04:00

Adam Horovitz and Kathleen Hanna were guests on WFMU 91.1 FM's "Beastin' The Airwaves! with Keili" show this week. You may listen to a recording of the show HERE.

Horovitz and Hanna opened the show by singing a jingle for the show and chatted with Keili about the MTV VMAs, the Beastie Boys success, youth empowerment, and other things throughout the 3-hour show.

Adam Yauch featured in awareness calendar

2009-09-15T19:47:00.009-04:00

Each year the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas (DSACT) publishes a calendar that shows celebrities and individuals with Down syndrome sharing a passion. The organization's goal is to show that people with Down syndrome have passions, hobbies, and interests like anyone else. For its 2010 calendar, the DSACT recruited Adam Yauch to participate.

The DSACT will unveil the photos that appear in the calendar at a gala event this Saturday, September 19, from 5-9 pm at the Rough Hollow Yacht Club in Lakeway, Texas. The event is free and open to the public.

The calendar costs $12 and is available for pre-order at www.dsact.com. The organization will begin mailing calendars next week.

The DSACT tells us that, for Yauch's calendar page, he and his friend Lance share their passion of the outdoors.

New music from Money Mark and friends

2009-09-08T00:05:00.008-04:00

Beastie Boys fans will have to wait a bit longer to hear Hot Sauce Committee, but there is no wait to hear new music from Money Mark.

Last winter, Mark and his friends Shawn Lee and Tommy Guerrero spent two weeks jamming and recording in Mark's L.A. studio. The results of their sessions can be heard on their self-titled release Lord Newborn & The Magic Skulls.

One song from Lord Newborn & The Magic Skulls, titled "Astro Blue," may be downloaded at LARecord.com (courtesy of the artists' label, Ubiquity Records). Additional songs from the album may be heard at Lord Newborn & The Magic Skulls' Myspace page.

The album, which is out today, is available to purchase at Amazon, iTunes, and other fine music merchants.

New Mix Master Mike album out soon

2009-09-04T09:58:00.009-04:00

Mix Master Mike talks about his new album in an interview with the Las Vegas Sun. The album, titled Plasma Rifle, will be available next month, packaged with the DJ headphones that he designed for Skullcandy.

Mix Master Mike describes the new album as "instrumental, break bass, hip-hop, dubstep, scratch music. It's aggressive, it's a sound assault in terms of weaponry--take a bazooka launcher."

In the interview, Mix Master Mike reveals that, in addition to the new album and headphones design, he has a new mix CD, web site, and iPhone application coming out this fall.

In a second interview with the Sun, Mix Master Mike says that he hopes to be touring again with the Beastie Boys as early as December. "It just depends on my man's recovery," he says, referring to Adam Yauch.

Mix Master Mike will be performing at Blush Nightclub in Las Vegas this Sunday (Sept. 6).

New Beastie Boys song on NBA Live 10

2009-08-30T11:47:00.006-04:00

With the release date of Hot Sauce Committee still in question, the next chance to hear a song from the Beastie Boys' new album may come with a video game. One of the songs on Hot Sauce Committee, titled "Pop Your Balloon," is used in EA Sports' NBA Live 10. The game, which will be released on October 6 in Playstation 3, PSP, or Xbox 360 formats, is available to pre-order now. EA Sports is offering a free NBA Live 10 soundtrack with a reservation of the game. The bonus soundtrack is available if you reserve through the EA Sports online shop or from Gamestop (online and in-store).

View the full tracklist for the bonus soundtrack HERE.

Update: Due to licensing issues, the bonus soundtrack was downgraded to a sampler with 13 songs. The Beastie Boys song is NOT on the bonus CD.

Hello Nasty Remastered Edition now available as digital download

2009-08-30T00:15:00.015-04:00

The Hello Nasty Remastered Edition digital album is now available to download at Amazon almost a full month in advance of the scheduled release date of September 22.

The remastered edition includes 10 new songs and several skits. The titles of the new songs are "Auntie Jackie Poom Poom Delicious," "The Biz Grasshopper Experiment," "Creepin'," "Dirty Dog," "The Drone," "Learning Remote Control," "Piano Jam," "Stink Bug," "Switched On,"and "20 Questions Version."

All of the new songs, with the exception of "The Biz Grasshopper Experiment," are instrumentals. "Learning Remote Control" is not really a song nor a skit. It's literally what the title says--the band learning to play "Remote Control."

A cursory listen reveals that some of the songs on the remastered edition have different lyrics and vocalizations than on the original album.

Update: The album is no longer available to download. Apparently, Amazon made a mistake posting the files. At one point, the Amazon listing said the digital album had a revised release date of August 25. Now it's back to being available on September 22.

Noodles

2009-08-22T00:57:00.005-04:00

[VIDEO REMOVED]

This video interview was filmed in June when the Beastie Boys received the Street Icon Award at the MTV Japan Awards in Tokyo. It includes some talk about food (of course) and a brief comment about Hot Sauce Committee.

"What kind of album is it?" the interviewer asks.
"The really good kind," replies Adam Horovitz.

Money Mark's robot friends

2009-08-11T08:43:00.004-04:00

Three emcees or three robots...Money Mark performs well with others.

For a behind-the-scenes look at Money Mark's appearance on the live-action children's television show "Yo Gabba Gabba!", watch THIS VIDEO.

Adam Yauch updates fans on his health

2009-08-05T07:26:00.005-04:00

It's his birthday, but fans received the present -- of good news.

Adam Yauch has updated fans of his health status in an official fan e-newsletter. He writes:

i'm about a week and a half out of surgery now and rapidly recovering from it [...] my neck and jaw are still pretty stiff from the surgery, but it gets better everyday. had the stitches out this past monday... so things are moving along [...] the next line of treatment will be radiation. that involves blasting you with some kind of beam for a few minutes a day, 5 days a week, for about 7 weeks. that will start in a few weeks.

In the email, Yauch also acknowledged the tributes by artists at All Points West and thanked fans for sending positive thoughts his way.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Beastie Boys nominated for MTV Video Award

2009-08-04T15:22:00.004-04:00

Beastie Boys have been nominated for an MTV Video Music Award in the unusual category of "Best Video (That Should Have Won a Moonman)" for their video of "Sabotage" (which should have won in 1994). U2, Radiohead, and Bjork, among others, are nominated in the same category.

The award will be given based on viewer votes. You can vote for the Beastie Boys HERE (registration required). Voting is open until September 13.

Beastie Boys don't like hippies

2009-08-03T18:11:00.010-04:00

In honor of the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, French entertainment site Fluctuat.net asked the Beastie Boys and several other artists their opinion on the legendary music festival. Instead of discussing anything about the festival, Beastie Boys (sans Adam Yauch) chose to discuss their feelings on hippies, define what a hippie is, and decide if Mike D is a hippie or not.

For those who don't understand French: Adam Horovitz' response at the end of the video is to the question, "Would you being willing to participate in a new Woodstock festival?"

Free Mix Master Mike show in Chicago

2009-08-03T08:13:00.004-04:00

Here's some good news for Beastie Boys fans who are attending Lollapalooza. Mix Master Mike will be performing at Belmont Army, a vintage clothes store in Chicago, on August 6 from 6-8 pm. This is a Lollapalooza FREE show, sponsored by Adidas.

Update: According to the schedule at his management's site, MMM will also be playing the RiNo in Chicago on August 6 and the Manor, also in Chicago, on August 7. Both places are "guest list nightclubs"--not really the kind of place the average MMM/Beastie Boys fan would want or could even get into.

Three, two, one: Instrumental version of 'Too Many Rappers'

2009-08-01T10:34:00.004-04:00

"Too Many Rappers (Instrumental Version)"

You've heard the full song and the a cappella. Now listen to the instrumental version of "Too Many Rappers," which is on the 12" vinyl single.

Thanks to Mike for ripping the audio from vinyl.

Rumor: Adrock and Mike D to appear at All Points West

2009-07-29T21:52:00.005-04:00

Word on the street is Adam Horovitz and Mike Diamond will be making an appearance at All Points West before Jay-Z's set on Friday night. At this point, we cannot substantiate this rumor with any facts. It is, however, in line with their personalities to want to address the audience and say something about Yauch and their having to back out of the festival.