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==History==
==History==
=== Early days: 1979–1983 ===
=== Early days: 1979–1983 ===
The Beastie Boys came together in 1979 as a punk band called The Young Aborigines.<ref name="Dix">{{cite web | last =Dix | first =Noel | url =http://www.exclaim.ca/index.asp?layid=22&csid=nigger1&csid1=2610 | title =Beastie Boys More Rhymes Than Grey Hairs | format = | work =www.exclaim.ca | publisher = | accessdate =2007-01-19 | accessyear =2007 }}</ref> In [[1981]] [[Adam Yauch]] (MCA) joined the group and from the suggestion of their guitarist John Berry, they changed the name to Beastie Boys. The name "Beastie" is sometimes thought to have originally stood for "Boys Entering Anarchistic States Towards Internal Excellence," and that the initials B.B. intended to mimic Washington DC punk band [[Bad Brains]],<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=XwbGK6MTjQgC&pg=RA1-PA10&ots=jbj34TFFf9&dq=%22boys+entering+anarchistic+states+towards+internal+excellence%22&sig=ZebukZMbL32RkpIniggerBXLO0FDNqk4s The Beastie Boys by Thomas Forget]</ref> however these were actually after-thoughts once the band's name was already Beastie Boys, according to Mike D and MCA on the Charlie Rose Show, [[August 28]], [[2007]]. The band's original line-up consisted of [[Adam Yauch]] on [[bass guitar|bass]], [[Kate Schellenbach]] on [[drums]], John Berry on [[guitar]], and [[Michael Diamond]] (Mike D) on vocals. Their first gig was at Berry's house on Yauch's 17th birthday. The band quickly earned support slots for [[Bad Brains]], the [[Dead Kennedys]]<ref>http://www.beastiemania.com/gigog/show.php?g=19830706</ref>, and [[Reagan Youth]] at venues such as [[CBGB]] and [[Max's Kansas City]], playing at the latter venue on its closing night. That same year, the Beastie Boys recorded the 7" [[Extended play|EP]] ''[[Pollywog Stew]]'' at 171A studios, an early recorded example of [[New York hardcore]].
The Beastie Boys came together in 1979 as a punk band called The Young Aborigines.<ref name="Dix">{{cite web | last =Dix | first =Noel | url =http://www.exclaim.ca/index.asp?layid=22&csid=nigger1&csid1=2610 | title =Beastie Boys More Rhymes Than Grey Hairs | format = | work =www.exclaim.ca | publisher = | accessdate =2007-01-19 | accessyear =2007 }}</ref> In 1981 [[Adam Yauch]] (MCA) joined the group and from the suggestion of their guitarist John Berry, they changed the name to Beastie Boys. The name "Beastie" is sometimes thought to have originally stood for "Boys Entering Anarchistic States Towards Internal Excellence," and that the initials B.B. intended to mimic Washington DC punk band [[Bad Brains]],<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=XwbGK6MTjQgC&pg=RA1-PA10&ots=jbj34TFFf9&dq=%22boys+entering+anarchistic+states+towards+internal+excellence%22&sig=ZebukZMbL32RkpIniggerBXLO0FDNqk4s The Beastie Boys by Thomas Forget]</ref> however these were actually after-thoughts once the band's name was already Beastie Boys, according to Mike D and MCA on the Charlie Rose Show, [[August 28]], [[2007]]. The band's original line-up consisted of [[Adam Yauch]] on [[bass guitar|bass]], [[Kate Schellenbach]] on [[drums]], John Berry on [[guitar]], and [[Michael Diamond]] (Mike D) on vocals. Their first gig was at Berry's house on Yauch's 17th birthday. The band quickly earned support slots for [[Bad Brains]], the [[Dead Kennedys]]<ref>http://www.beastiemania.com/gigog/show.php?g=19830706</ref>, and [[Reagan Youth]] at venues such as [[CBGB]] and [[Max's Kansas City]], playing at the latter venue on its closing night. That same year, the Beastie Boys recorded the 7" [[Extended play|EP]] ''[[Pollywog Stew]]'' at 171A studios, an early recorded example of [[New York hardcore]].


John Berry left the group (later forming Thwig) and was replaced by [[Adam Horovitz]] (Ad-rock)—who had previously played in the punk band, [[The Young and the Useless]] in 1983. The band also performed its first rap track, "[[Cooky Puss]]", based on a prank call by the group to [[Carvel|Carvel Ice Cream]].It became a hit in [[New York]] underground [[dance club]]s upon its release.
John Berry left the group (later forming Thwig) and was replaced by [[Adam Horovitz]] (Ad-rock)—who had previously played in the punk band, [[The Young and the Useless]] in 1983. The band also performed its first rap track, "[[Cooky Puss]]", based on a prank call by the group to [[Carvel|Carvel Ice Cream]].It became a hit in [[New York]] underground [[dance club]]s upon its release.
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The band recorded ''[[Licensed to Ill]]'' in 1986 and released the album at the end of the year. It was a smash success, becoming the best selling rap album of the 1980s and the first rap album to go #1 on the Billboard album chart, where it stayed for five weeks. It also reached #2 on the Urban album charts. It was [[Def Jam's]]' fastest selling debut record to date and sold over five million copies. The first single from the album, "[[Fight for Your Right]]," ({{audio|Fight for Your Right by the Beastie Boys.ogg|sample}}) reached #7 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]], and the video (directed by Ric Menello) became an MTV staple.
The band recorded ''[[Licensed to Ill]]'' in 1986 and released the album at the end of the year. It was a smash success, becoming the best selling rap album of the 1980s and the first rap album to go #1 on the Billboard album chart, where it stayed for five weeks. It also reached #2 on the Urban album charts. It was [[Def Jam's]]' fastest selling debut record to date and sold over five million copies. The first single from the album, "[[Fight for Your Right]]," ({{audio|Fight for Your Right by the Beastie Boys.ogg|sample}}) reached #7 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]], and the video (directed by Ric Menello) became an MTV staple.


The band took the ''Licensed to Ill'' tour around the world the following year. Opening acts, at least in Dayton Ohio's Hara Arena, included Fishbone and Murphy's Law. It was a tour clouded in controversy featuring female members of the crowd dancing in cages and a giant motorized inflatable [[penis]] similar to one used by [[The Rolling Stones]] in the [[1970s]]. The tour was troubled by lawsuits and arrests, with the band accused of provoking the crowd.
The band took the ''Licensed to Ill'' tour around the world the following year. Opening acts, at least in Dayton Ohio's Hara Arena, included Fishbone and Murphy's Law. It was a tour clouded in controversy featuring female members of the crowd dancing in cages and a giant motorized inflatable [[penis]] similar to one used by [[The Rolling Stones]] in the 1970s. The tour was troubled by lawsuits and arrests, with the band accused of provoking the crowd.


After the success of ''Licensed to Ill'', the Beasties parted ways with Def Jam and ended their relationship with Rick Rubin to sign with [[Capitol Records]].
After the success of ''Licensed to Ill'', the Beasties parted ways with Def Jam and ended their relationship with Rick Rubin to sign with [[Capitol Records]].
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===''Paul's Boutique''/''Check Your Head'': 1988–1992===
===''Paul's Boutique''/''Check Your Head'': 1988–1992===


The group matured with their second album, ''[[Paul's Boutique]]'', produced by the [[Dust Brothers]] and Matt Dike. Recorded in [[1988]], this extremely [[sampling (music)|sample]]-heavy opus is still considered one of the strongest works by the Beasties. It is also considered a landmark in hip hop recordings due to its intricate use of multi-layering<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/paul-s-boutique</ref> and large array of samples.
The group matured with their second album, ''[[Paul's Boutique]]'', produced by the [[Dust Brothers]] and Matt Dike. Recorded in 1988, this extremely [[sampling (music)|sample]]-heavy opus is still considered one of the strongest works by the Beasties. It is also considered a landmark in hip hop recordings due to its intricate use of multi-layering<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/paul-s-boutique</ref> and large array of samples.


The album was released in 1989 by Capitol Records, after the falling out between the Boys and Def Jam. It failed to match the sales of ''Licensed to Ill,'' reaching #14 on the Billboard 200 and #10 on the Billboard R&B charts. The lead single, "[[Hey Ladies]]", reached #36 on the Billboard 100 and #10 on the R&B charts. ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' would describe the album as "the ''[[Pet Sounds]]''/''[[Dark Side of the Moon]]'' of hip hop." ''Paul's Boutique'' would eventually sell a million albums, despite the initially weak commercial reception.
The album was released in 1989 by Capitol Records, after the falling out between the Boys and Def Jam. It failed to match the sales of ''Licensed to Ill,'' reaching #14 on the Billboard 200 and #10 on the Billboard R&B charts. The lead single, "[[Hey Ladies]]", reached #36 on the Billboard 100 and #10 on the R&B charts. ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' would describe the album as "the ''[[Pet Sounds]]''/''[[Dark Side of the Moon]]'' of hip hop." ''Paul's Boutique'' would eventually sell a million albums, despite the initially weak commercial reception.
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''[[Ill Communication]]'', released in 1994, saw the Beastie Boys' return to the top of the charts when the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 & peaked at #2 on the R&B/ hip hop album chart. The single "[[Sabotage (Beastie Boys)|Sabotage]]" ({{audio|Sabotage by the Beastie Boys.ogg|sample}}) became a hit on the [[modern rock]] charts and the music video, directed by [[Spike Jonze]], received extensive play on [[MTV]]. "Get It Together" reached Top 10 of the Billboard dance charts and also became an urban hit while "Sure Shot" was a dance hit. ''[[Some Old Bullshit]]'', featuring the band's early independent material, made #50 on the Billboard independent charts.
''[[Ill Communication]]'', released in 1994, saw the Beastie Boys' return to the top of the charts when the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 & peaked at #2 on the R&B/ hip hop album chart. The single "[[Sabotage (Beastie Boys)|Sabotage]]" ({{audio|Sabotage by the Beastie Boys.ogg|sample}}) became a hit on the [[modern rock]] charts and the music video, directed by [[Spike Jonze]], received extensive play on [[MTV]]. "Get It Together" reached Top 10 of the Billboard dance charts and also became an urban hit while "Sure Shot" was a dance hit. ''[[Some Old Bullshit]]'', featuring the band's early independent material, made #50 on the Billboard independent charts.
The Beastie Boys headlined at [[Lollapalooza]]—an American travelling music festival—in [[1994]], together with [[The Smashing Pumpkins]]. In addition, the band performed three concerts (in [[Los Angeles]], [[New York City]], and [[Washington D.C.]]) to raise money for the [[Milarepa Fund]] and dedicated the [[royalties]] from "Shambala" and "Bodhisattva Vow" from the ''Ill Communication'' album to the cause. The Milarepa Fund aims to raise awareness of [[Tibet]]an [[human rights]] issues and the exile of [[Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama|the Dalai Lama]]. In [[1996]], Yauch organized the [[Tibetan Freedom Concert]], a two-day festival at [[Golden Gate Park]] in [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] that attracted 100,000 people.
The Beastie Boys headlined at [[Lollapalooza]]—an American travelling music festival—in 1994, together with [[The Smashing Pumpkins]]. In addition, the band performed three concerts (in [[Los Angeles]], [[New York City]], and [[Washington D.C.]]) to raise money for the [[Milarepa Fund]] and dedicated the [[royalties]] from "Shambala" and "Bodhisattva Vow" from the ''Ill Communication'' album to the cause. The Milarepa Fund aims to raise awareness of [[Tibet]]an [[human rights]] issues and the exile of [[Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama|the Dalai Lama]]. In 1996, Yauch organized the [[Tibetan Freedom Concert]], a two-day festival at [[Golden Gate Park]] in [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] that attracted 100,000 people.
In 1995, the popularity of the Beastie Boys was underlined when tickets for an arena tour went on sale in the U.S. and sold out within a few minutes. One dollar from each ticket sold went to local charities. The Beastie Boys toured [[South America]] and [[Southeast Asia]] for the first time. The band also released ''Aglio e Olio'', a collection of eight songs lasting for just eleven minutes harking back to their punk roots, in 1995. ''The In Sound From Way Out!'', a collection of previously released [[jazz]]/[[funk]] instrumentals, was released on Grand Royal in 1996 with the title and artwork a homage to an album by electronic pop music pioneers [[Perrey and Kingsley]].
In 1995, the popularity of the Beastie Boys was underlined when tickets for an arena tour went on sale in the U.S. and sold out within a few minutes. One dollar from each ticket sold went to local charities. The Beastie Boys toured [[South America]] and [[Southeast Asia]] for the first time. The band also released ''Aglio e Olio'', a collection of eight songs lasting for just eleven minutes harking back to their punk roots, in 1995. ''The In Sound From Way Out!'', a collection of previously released [[jazz]]/[[funk]] instrumentals, was released on Grand Royal in 1996 with the title and artwork a homage to an album by electronic pop music pioneers [[Perrey and Kingsley]].
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The Beastie Boys won two [[Grammy Awards of 1999|Grammy Awards in 1999]], receiving the [[Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album]] for ''Hello Nasty'' as well as the [[Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group]] for "Intergalactic". This was the first, and as of 2005, the only time that a band has won awards in both rap and alternative categories.
The Beastie Boys won two [[Grammy Awards of 1999|Grammy Awards in 1999]], receiving the [[Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album]] for ''Hello Nasty'' as well as the [[Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group]] for "Intergalactic". This was the first, and as of 2005, the only time that a band has won awards in both rap and alternative categories.


Also at the 1998 [[MTV]] [[Video Music Awards]] ([[VMA]]) they won the highly coveted Video Vanguard Award for their contribution to music videos. The following year at the [[1999]] [[MTV]] [[Video Music Awards]] they also won the award for Best [[Hip Hop]] Video for their hit song "[[Intergalactic (song)|Intergalactic]]". The Beastie Boys used both appearances at the Video Music Awards to make politically-charged speeches of considerable length to the sizable MTV audiences. At the 1998 ceremony, Yauch addressed the issue of Muslim people being stereotyped as terrorists and that most people of the Muslim faith are not terrorists. These comments were made in the wake of the U.S. Embassy bombings that had occurred in both [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] only a month earlier. At the 1999 ceremony in the wake of the horror stories that were coming out of [[Woodstock 99]], Adam Horovitz addressed the need for bands and festivals to pay much more attention to the security detail at their concerts.
Also at the 1998 [[MTV]] [[Video Music Awards]] ([[VMA]]) they won the highly coveted Video Vanguard Award for their contribution to music videos. The following year at the 1999 [[MTV]] [[Video Music Awards]] they also won the award for Best [[Hip Hop]] Video for their hit song "[[Intergalactic (song)|Intergalactic]]". The Beastie Boys used both appearances at the Video Music Awards to make politically-charged speeches of considerable length to the sizable MTV audiences. At the 1998 ceremony, Yauch addressed the issue of Muslim people being stereotyped as terrorists and that most people of the Muslim faith are not terrorists. These comments were made in the wake of the U.S. Embassy bombings that had occurred in both [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] only a month earlier. At the 1999 ceremony in the wake of the horror stories that were coming out of [[Woodstock 99]], Adam Horovitz addressed the need for bands and festivals to pay much more attention to the security detail at their concerts.


The Beastie Boys started an arena tour in 1998. Through [[Ian C. Rogers]], the band made live downloads of their performances available for their fans but were temporarily thwarted when Capitol Records removed them from its website. The Beastie Boys was one of the first bands who made mp3 downloads available on their website; they got a high level of response and public awareness as a result including a published article in [[The Wall Street Journal]] on the band's efforts.
The Beastie Boys started an arena tour in 1998. Through [[Ian C. Rogers]], the band made live downloads of their performances available for their fans but were temporarily thwarted when Capitol Records removed them from its website. The Beastie Boys was one of the first bands who made mp3 downloads available on their website; they got a high level of response and public awareness as a result including a published article in [[The Wall Street Journal]] on the band's efforts.

Revision as of 11:36, 23 December 2007

Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys are a hip hop musical group from New York City consisting of Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz. The official DJ for the group is Michael "Mix Master Mike" Schwartz.

They started out as a hardcore punk rock group in 1979 and have, since their switch to hip hop and release of their debut album Licensed to Ill (1986), enjoyed international critical acclaim and commercial success. They are well-known for their eclecticism, jocular and flippant attitude toward interviews and interviewers, obscure cultural references and kitschy lyrics, and performing in outlandish matching suits.

They are one of the longest-lived hip hop acts and continue to enjoy commercial and critical success in 2007, more than 20 years after the release of their debut album. On September 27, 2007 they were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[1]

History

Early days: 1979–1983

The Beastie Boys came together in 1979 as a punk band called The Young Aborigines.[2] In 1981 Adam Yauch (MCA) joined the group and from the suggestion of their guitarist John Berry, they changed the name to Beastie Boys. The name "Beastie" is sometimes thought to have originally stood for "Boys Entering Anarchistic States Towards Internal Excellence," and that the initials B.B. intended to mimic Washington DC punk band Bad Brains,[3] however these were actually after-thoughts once the band's name was already Beastie Boys, according to Mike D and MCA on the Charlie Rose Show, August 28, 2007. The band's original line-up consisted of Adam Yauch on bass, Kate Schellenbach on drums, John Berry on guitar, and Michael Diamond (Mike D) on vocals. Their first gig was at Berry's house on Yauch's 17th birthday. The band quickly earned support slots for Bad Brains, the Dead Kennedys[4], and Reagan Youth at venues such as CBGB and Max's Kansas City, playing at the latter venue on its closing night. That same year, the Beastie Boys recorded the 7" EP Pollywog Stew at 171A studios, an early recorded example of New York hardcore.

John Berry left the group (later forming Thwig) and was replaced by Adam Horovitz (Ad-rock)—who had previously played in the punk band, The Young and the Useless in 1983. The band also performed its first rap track, "Cooky Puss", based on a prank call by the group to Carvel Ice Cream.It became a hit in New York underground dance clubs upon its release.

Licensed to Ill: 1984–1987

It was during this period that Def Jam record producer Rick Rubin entered the picture and the Beastie Boys changed from a punk rock outfit to a three-man rap crew. The band released the 12" single, Rock Hard, in 1984—the second record released by Def Jam that credited Rubin as producer. Soon after Rubin's arrival, Schellenbach developed creative differences with the band, citing her friction with Rubin. It was believed that Rubin objected to Schellenbach's place in the band as she did not fit the hip hop image to which the band aspired. Schellenbach went on to join Luscious Jackson in 1991.

In 1985, the band opened for John Lydon's post-Sex Pistols band Public Image Ltd. [5], as well as supporting Madonna on her North American Virgin tour. Later in the year, the group was on the Raising Hell tour with Run DMC, Whodini, LL Cool J, and the Timex Social Club. With their exposure on this tour, the track "Hold It Now, Hit It" made Billboard's national R&B and Dance charts. The track "She's on It" from the Krush Groove soundtrack continued in a rap/metal vein while a double A-side 12", "Paul Revere/The New Style," was released at the end of the year.

The band recorded Licensed to Ill in 1986 and released the album at the end of the year. It was a smash success, becoming the best selling rap album of the 1980s and the first rap album to go #1 on the Billboard album chart, where it stayed for five weeks. It also reached #2 on the Urban album charts. It was Def Jam's' fastest selling debut record to date and sold over five million copies. The first single from the album, "Fight for Your Right," (Audio file "Fight for Your Right by the Beastie Boys.ogg" not found) reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the video (directed by Ric Menello) became an MTV staple.

The band took the Licensed to Ill tour around the world the following year. Opening acts, at least in Dayton Ohio's Hara Arena, included Fishbone and Murphy's Law. It was a tour clouded in controversy featuring female members of the crowd dancing in cages and a giant motorized inflatable penis similar to one used by The Rolling Stones in the 1970s. The tour was troubled by lawsuits and arrests, with the band accused of provoking the crowd.

After the success of Licensed to Ill, the Beasties parted ways with Def Jam and ended their relationship with Rick Rubin to sign with Capitol Records.

A bootleg album featuring original demos of all the tracks from the final version of Licensed to Ill plus removed track "The Scenario" was released entitled "Original Ill" (also known as licensed to ill def jam master demos) in 1998.

Paul's Boutique/Check Your Head: 1988–1992

The group matured with their second album, Paul's Boutique, produced by the Dust Brothers and Matt Dike. Recorded in 1988, this extremely sample-heavy opus is still considered one of the strongest works by the Beasties. It is also considered a landmark in hip hop recordings due to its intricate use of multi-layering[6] and large array of samples.

The album was released in 1989 by Capitol Records, after the falling out between the Boys and Def Jam. It failed to match the sales of Licensed to Ill, reaching #14 on the Billboard 200 and #10 on the Billboard R&B charts. The lead single, "Hey Ladies", reached #36 on the Billboard 100 and #10 on the R&B charts. Rolling Stone would describe the album as "the Pet Sounds/Dark Side of the Moon of hip hop." Paul's Boutique would eventually sell a million albums, despite the initially weak commercial reception.

The follow-up album, Check Your Head, was recorded in the band's own "G-Son" studio in Atwater Village, California and released on its Grand Royal record label. The band played the instruments on this album, with Mike D on drums, Yauch on bass, Horovitz on guitar and Mark Ramos Nishita ("Keyboard Money Mark") on keyboards. Mario Caldato Jr. ("Mario C") engineered the record and would become a longtime collaborator.

Check Your Head was released in 1992 and went double platinum in the U.S., reaching a peak of #10 on the Billboard 200. The single "So What'cha Want" reached #93 on the Billboard 100 and made both the urban and modern rock charts while the album's first single "Pass the Mic" became a hit in dance clubs. The album also introduced a more experimental direction, with funk and jazz inspired songs including "Lighten Up" and "Something's Got To Give". Hardcore punk even made its reappearance with "Time For Livin'".

The Beastie Boys signed an eclectic roster of artists to the Grand Royal label including Luscious Jackson, Sean Lennon and promising Australian artist Ben Lee. The Beastie Boys owned Grand Royal Records until 2001 when it was then sold for financial reasons. Grand Royal's first independent release was Luscious Jackson's album In Search of Manny in 1993.

The Beastie Boys also published Grand Royal Magazine, with the first edition in 1993 featuring a cover story on Bruce Lee, artwork by George Clinton, and interviews with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and A Tribe Called Quest MC Q-Tip. The 1995 issue of the magazine contained a memorable piece on the "mullet." The Oxford English Dictionary cites this as the first published use of the term, along with the lyrics from the Beasties' 1994 song "Mullet Head". The OED says that the term was "apparently coined, and certainly popularized, by U.S. hip-hop group the Beastie Boys."[1] Grand Royal Magazine is also responsible for giving British band Sneaker Pimps their name.

Ill Communication: 1993–1996

Ill Communication, released in 1994, saw the Beastie Boys' return to the top of the charts when the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 & peaked at #2 on the R&B/ hip hop album chart. The single "Sabotage" (Audio file "Sabotage by the Beastie Boys.ogg" not found) became a hit on the modern rock charts and the music video, directed by Spike Jonze, received extensive play on MTV. "Get It Together" reached Top 10 of the Billboard dance charts and also became an urban hit while "Sure Shot" was a dance hit. Some Old Bullshit, featuring the band's early independent material, made #50 on the Billboard independent charts.

The Beastie Boys headlined at Lollapalooza—an American travelling music festival—in 1994, together with The Smashing Pumpkins. In addition, the band performed three concerts (in Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington D.C.) to raise money for the Milarepa Fund and dedicated the royalties from "Shambala" and "Bodhisattva Vow" from the Ill Communication album to the cause. The Milarepa Fund aims to raise awareness of Tibetan human rights issues and the exile of the Dalai Lama. In 1996, Yauch organized the Tibetan Freedom Concert, a two-day festival at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco that attracted 100,000 people.

In 1995, the popularity of the Beastie Boys was underlined when tickets for an arena tour went on sale in the U.S. and sold out within a few minutes. One dollar from each ticket sold went to local charities. The Beastie Boys toured South America and Southeast Asia for the first time. The band also released Aglio e Olio, a collection of eight songs lasting for just eleven minutes harking back to their punk roots, in 1995. The In Sound From Way Out!, a collection of previously released jazz/funk instrumentals, was released on Grand Royal in 1996 with the title and artwork a homage to an album by electronic pop music pioneers Perrey and Kingsley.

Hello Nasty: 1998–2001

The Beastie Boys returned to New York City in 1997 to produce and record the album Hello Nasty. The album displayed a substantial shift in musical feel, with the departure of DJ Hurricane. He was replaced by Mix Master Mike, who added to the Beasties' sound with his kinetic DJ style. Released July 14, 1998, Hello Nasty clocked first week sales of 698,527 in the U.S. and went straight to #1 in the U.S., the UK, Germany, Australia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden. The album achieved #2 rank in the charts in Canada and Japan, and was in the Top Ten in Austria, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, Finland, France, and Israel.

During 1998, rumors, seemingly generated by comments from the band, pointed to a possibility that they were to release a country album. Both Michael Diamond and Adam Yauch are credited with interview comments that piqued interest in whether or not an album would be released. Since they had long been notorious for pranking the media it was difficult for anyone to take these comments seriously until tracks became available, most notably on The Sounds of Science anthology album. Adam Yauch published the following in the liner notes; "At some point after Ill Communication came out, Mike got hit in the head by a large foreign object and lost all of his memory. As it started coming back he believed he was a country singer named Country Mike. The psychologists told us that if we didn't play along with Mike's fantasy, he would be in grave danger. Finally he came back to his senses. These songs are just a few of many we made during that tragic period of time". How much is fact or fiction is difficult to determine, but when the album surfaced on eBay fans scrambled to get their hands on what had proven to be a rare album.

The Beastie Boys won two Grammy Awards in 1999, receiving the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album for Hello Nasty as well as the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Intergalactic". This was the first, and as of 2005, the only time that a band has won awards in both rap and alternative categories.

Also at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) they won the highly coveted Video Vanguard Award for their contribution to music videos. The following year at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards they also won the award for Best Hip Hop Video for their hit song "Intergalactic". The Beastie Boys used both appearances at the Video Music Awards to make politically-charged speeches of considerable length to the sizable MTV audiences. At the 1998 ceremony, Yauch addressed the issue of Muslim people being stereotyped as terrorists and that most people of the Muslim faith are not terrorists. These comments were made in the wake of the U.S. Embassy bombings that had occurred in both Kenya and Tanzania only a month earlier. At the 1999 ceremony in the wake of the horror stories that were coming out of Woodstock 99, Adam Horovitz addressed the need for bands and festivals to pay much more attention to the security detail at their concerts.

The Beastie Boys started an arena tour in 1998. Through Ian C. Rogers, the band made live downloads of their performances available for their fans but were temporarily thwarted when Capitol Records removed them from its website. The Beastie Boys was one of the first bands who made mp3 downloads available on their website; they got a high level of response and public awareness as a result including a published article in The Wall Street Journal on the band's efforts.

The 1999 Tibetan Freedom Concerts featured shows in East Troy, Wisconsin, Sydney, Tokyo, and Amsterdam. On 28 September 1999, the Beastie Boys joined Elvis Costello to play "Radio, Radio" on the 25th anniversary of Saturday Night Live.

The Beastie Boys released The Sounds of Science, a two-CD anthology of their works in 1999. This album reached #19 on the Billboard 200, #18 in Canada, #6 on the Internet sales charts, and #14 on the R&B/Hip Hop charts. The one new song, the single "Alive", reached #11 on the Billboard's Modern Rock chart.

In the years following the release of Hello Nasty the group launched their official website which underwent several transformations eventually culminating in one of the most popular recording artist related websites on the internet.

In 2000, the Beastie Boys had planned to headline the "Rhyme and Reason" tour with Rage Against the Machine and Busta Rhymes, but the tour was canceled when drummer Mike D suffered a serious injury due to a bicycle accident. The official diagnosis was fifth degree acromioclavicular joint dislocation; he needed surgery and extensive rehabilitation. By the time he recovered, Rage Against the Machine had disbanded.

Under the name "Country Mike," Mike D recorded an album, Country Mike's Greatest Hits, and gave it to friends and family for Christmas 2000. Adam "Ad-rock" Horovitz's side project BS 2000 released Simply Mortified in 2001.

To the 5 Boroughs: 2002–2006

Beastie Boys, Big Day Out Melbourne Australia 2005. From left to right: Mix Master Mike, Alfredo Ortiz, MCA, Mike D, Ad-Rock, Keyboard Money Mark (out of frame).

The band increased its level of political activism after the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001, organizing and headlining the New Yorkers Against Violence Concert in October 2001. Funds from the concert went towards the New York Women's Foundation Disaster Relief Fund and the New York Association for New Americans (NYANA).

In 2002, the Beastie Boys started building a new studio facility, Oscilloscope, in downtown Manhattan, New York and started work on a new album. The band released a protest song, "In A World Gone Mad", against the 2003 Iraq war as a free download on several websites, including the Milarepa website, the MTV website, MoveOn.org, and Win Without War. It became the most downloaded track during April 2003. The 19th and 20th Tibetan Freedom Concerts were held in Tokyo and Taipei, the Beastie Boys' first Taiwan appearance. Beastie Boys also headlined the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Their single, "Ch-Check It Out," debuted on The O.C. in "The Vegas" episode from Season 1 which aired April 28, 2004.

To The 5 Boroughs was released worldwide on June 15, 2004. It was the first album the Beastie Boys produced themselves and reached #1 on the Billboard album charts, #2 in the UK and Australia, and #3 in Germany. The first single from the album, "Ch-Check It Out", reached #1 in Canada and the US Modern Rock Tracks, #2 on the world internet download charts, and #3 on a composite world modern rock chart.

The album was the cause of some controversy with allegations that it installed spyware when inserted into the CD drive of a computer.[7] The band has denied this allegation, defending that there is no copy protection software on the albums sold in the U.S. and UK. While there is Macrovision CDS-200 copy protection software installed on European copies of the album, this is standard practice for all European releases on EMI/Capitol Records released in Europe, and it does not install spyware or any form of permanent software.

The band stated in mid-2006 that they were writing material for their next album and would be producing it themselves.[8][9]

The Mix-Up: 2007–present

Speaking to British music weekly NME (April 26, 2007),[10] Diamond revealed that the new album was to be called The Mix-Up. Despite initial confusion regarding whether the album would have lyrics as opposed to being purely instrumental, the Mic-To-Mic blog reported that Capitol Records had confirmed it will be instrumental only and erroneously reported a release date scheduled for July 10, 2007[11] (The album was eventually released June 26th as originally reported). On May 1, 2007, this was further cemented by an e-mail[12] sent to those on the Beastie Boys' mailing list - explicitly stating that the album will be all instrumental:

"OK, here's our blurb about our new album -- it spits hot fire! -- hot shit! it's official... it's named The Mix-Up. g'wan. all instrumental record. "see i knew they were gonna do that!" that's a quote from you. check the track listing and cover below. you love us. don't you?"

The band subsequently confirmed this in public, playing several tracks from the album at the 2007 Virgin Festival at Pimlico Racetrack outside of Baltimore, Maryland.

To support the release, a string of live dates have been announced[13] that focus on festivals as opposed to a traditional tour, including the likes of Sónar[14] (Spain), Roskilde (Denmark), Southside[15] (Germany), Bestival[16] (Isle Of Wight), Electric Picnic[17] (Ireland) and Open'er Festival[18] (Poland). The Beastie Boys performed at the UK leg of Live Earth July 7, 2007 at Wembley Stadium, London with Sabotage, So What'cha Want, Intergalactic, and Sure Shot.[19]

They are working with Reverb, a non-profit environmental organization, for their 2007 summer tour.[20]

As a band

Ever since their early days as a hardcore band, the Beastie Boys have continued creating instrumental music in addition to the hip hop music for which they are best known. Songs have been interspersed among the hip hop tracks on some of their major albums and have also been released in such collections as Aglio e Olio and The In Sound From Way Out!. The most common band setup features Mike D playing drums, Ad-Rock on guitar, and MCA on bass. According to the band, listening to funk music from the 70's that served as samples for Paul's Boutique (particularly The Meters) inspired them to start playing instruments again for Check Your Head.

Influence

The Beastie Boys are equally influential in rock and hip hop music history. Their blending of hip hop and punk rock genres could be seen as a precursor to the rapcore and nu metal genres of the late 1990s which included bands such as Limp Bizkit and Korn. However, in their 1999 single Alive (taken from The Sounds of Science) Ad Rock distances the group from this genre through the line; "Created a monster with these rhymes I write, goatee metal rap please say goodnight".

The band was a leader in the use of sampling techniques, with Paul's Boutique being notable for its effective use of samples. The Dust Brothers in turn sampled "So What'cha Want" on the song "E-Pro" from Beck's 2005 Guero album.

Furthermore, although rarely credited, the Beastie Boys were one of the first groups to identify themselves as "gangsters", and one of the first popular rap groups to talk about violence, drug and alcohol use. According to "Rolling Stone" magazine,[citation needed] their 1986 album "Licensed to Ill is filled with enough references to guns, drugs, and empty sex (including the pornographic deployment of a Whiffle-ball bat in "Paul Revere") to qualify as a gangsta-rap cornerstone." In their early underground days, the seminal gangsta rap group N.W.A. rapped over Beastie Boy tracks for songs such as "My Posse" and "Ill-Legal", and the Beastie Boys' influence can be seen significantly in all of N.W.A's early albums. Their 1989 album Paul's Boutique included the similarly-themed tracks "Car Thief," "Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun," and "High-Plains Drifter."

The Beastie Boys have had four albums reach the top of the Billboard album charts (Licensed to Ill, Ill Communication, Hello Nasty and To The 5 Boroughs) since 1986. In their November 2004 issue, Rolling Stone Magazine named "Sabotage" the 475th song on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.[21] In their April 2005 Rolling Stone Magazine ranked them #77 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[22] On September 27, 2007, it was announced that the Beastie Boys were one of the nine nominees for the 2008 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions.[2]

A controversial concert in Columbus, Georgia in 1987 led to the passage of a lewdness ordinance in that city.[23]

Sal Governale, a comedian on the staff of the Howard Stern Show, indicated on air on July 25, 2007, that he was the president of the Beastie Boys fan club in the 1980s on the Prodigy computer network.[24]

Sampling lawsuit

In 2003, Beastie Boys were involved in the landmark sampling decision, Newton v. Diamond. In that case, a federal judge ruled that the band was not liable for sampling James Newton's "Choir" in their track, "Pass the Mic". The sample used is the six-second flute stab. In short, the Beasties cleared the sample but only obtained the rights to use the sound recording and not the composition rights to the song "Choir". In the decision, the judge found that "when viewed in relation to Newton's composition as a whole, the sampled portion is neither quantitatively nor qualitatively significant... Because Beastie Boys' use of the sound recording was authorized, the sole basis of Newton's infringement action is his remaining copyright interest in the 'Choir' composition. We hold today that Beastie Boys' use of a brief segment of that composition, consisting of three notes separated by a half-step over a background C note, is not sufficient to sustain a claim for copyright infringement."[25]

Band members

Regular members (as of 2005):

Other contributing members:

Discography

References

  1. ^ "The Honorees" (Biography). www.vh1.com. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2007-01-19. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Dix, Noel. "Beastie Boys More Rhymes Than Grey Hairs". www.exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2007-01-19. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ The Beastie Boys by Thomas Forget
  4. ^ http://www.beastiemania.com/gigog/show.php?g=19830706
  5. ^ http://www.flickr.com/photos/beastie_boys/1875933653/in/set-72157600129157602/
  6. ^ http://www.answers.com/topic/paul-s-boutique
  7. ^ Beastie Boys CD Virus
  8. ^ http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/2006/08/01/1713379-ca.html
  9. ^ http://www.albumvote.co.uk/news/news.php?id=1585
  10. ^ http://www.nme.com/news/beastie-boys/27933
  11. ^ http://mic-to-mic.blogspot.com/2007/04/beastie-boys-mix-up-due-july-10.html
  12. ^ http://www.beastieboys.com/news.php?NewsID=78
  13. ^ http://www.beastieboys.com/news.php?NewsID=72
  14. ^ http://www.sonar.es/portal/eng/home.cfm
  15. ^ Southside Festival
  16. ^ http://www.bestival.net/
  17. ^ Electric Picnic
  18. ^ http://www.opener.pl/index2_en.html
  19. ^ http://liveearth.msn.com/artists/beastieboys
  20. ^ http://www.reverbrock.org/site/
  21. ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone.
  22. ^ "The Immortals". Rolling Stone Issue 946. Rolling Stone.
  23. ^ http://www.beastieboys.com/bbs/archive/index.php/t-63552.html
  24. ^ http://www.howardstern.com/rundown.hs.
  25. ^ http://samplinglaw.blogspot.com/2006/11/newton-v-diamond-2003.html

External links

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