Meditating To Fight Cancer With MCA

I got this message from the Beastie Boys mailing list yesterday:

hello,

wanted to send this out to you guys in case you were into it, or wanted to give it to anyone who you think might be.

a few friends and i are meditating at the same time twice a day. 9:30am and 6:30pm eastern standard time, for about an hour and half.

we are picturing smashing apart all of the cancer cells in the world.

we are visualizing taking the energy away from the cancer, and then sending it back at the cancer as lightening bolts that will break apart the DNA and RNA of the cells. if you have the time, please join us in whipping up this lightening storm. mind over matter…...

if you prefer to sit then sit, but if you are not used to meditating, or sitting quietly doesn’t sound like fun, put on some music and dance while you do the visualization, and if you want to do it at some other time, or picture curing some other illness that’s fine too. yoko will be joining the meditation by visualizing all of us dancing with joy to celebrate the world without cancer. all variations are welcome. this is really just being done with a wish for all beings to be cured of all illnesses and to find true lasting happiness.

i’ll also be saying prayers for the earthquake victims in tibet, so join in on that if you can too.

please feel free to pass this onto anyone who you think may find it interesting.

with all my love,

adam yauch

Battlestar Galactica vs. Beastie Boys

Top Reissues Of 2009

If you don't own it or you have never heard it then it's new to you. Remixed and repackaged these are the best reissues for 2009.

Kraftwerk - The Catalogue
Available as a box set or individual albums these five classics by Kraftwerk contain some of the most influential music ever made.

The Jesus Lizard - Head, Goat, Liar and Down
Just in time for their reunion tour these reissues are a reminder of how powerful a band Jesus Lizard are.

Mulato Astatke - The Story Of Ethio Jazz
This album was a great discovery for me this year. Mixing American jazz with African rhythms this compilation is a real treat.

Jawbox - For Your Own Special Sweetheart
Lost to major label indifference this great album is back on Dischord and sounding better than ever.

Nirvana - Live At Reading
This live record captures Nirvana's power more than any of the studio album could.

Shaft - OST
John Shaft is a bad mother-shut your mouth-just talking about Shaft.

Big Star - Keep An Eye On The Sky
This box set has so much to listen to I have only cracked what is within.

The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
It's a crime that this post-punk classic was out of print

The Stone Roses - S/T
They don't make em' like this anymore.

Sunny Day Real Estate - Diary
Before Emo became a bad word.

Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson
Music to make lover to your old lady by.

Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
A hip-hop classic!

MCA Get Well Soon!!

Adam Yauch aka "MCA" has been diagnosed with throat cancer. It sounds like it is very treatable and that after surgery to remove the tumor he should be back to his regular self. In the meantime they have cancelled upcoming shows and pushed back the release of their new album. Get well sound Yauch!!

Beastie Boys Album Art And Track Listing

Judging by the track names this sounds like a classic Beastie's album.

01 Tadlock's Glasses
02 B-Boys in the Cut
03 Make Some Noise
04 Nonstop Disco Powerpack
05 OK
06 Too Many Rappers [ft. Nas]
07 Say It
08 The Bill Harper Collection
09 Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win [ft. Santigold]
10 Long Burn the Fire
11 Bundt Cake
12 Funky Donkey
13 Lee Majors Come Again
14 Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament
15 Pop Your Balloon
16 Crazy Ass Shit
17 Here's a Little Something for Ya

New Beastie Boys Featuring Nas

"Too Many Rappers"
Over the weekend the B-Boys played at Bonnaroo and brought out "Nasty" Nas for this track from their upcoming album. The sound is pretty shitty but the track sounds good and gets me excited about hearing the album.

Greatest Album Covers

A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders



Midnight Marauders was "Tribes" third album and came out on November 9, 1993. Possibly inspired by the cover to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band the cover was a whose who of in hip hop at the time. The head shots included legends like Afrika Bambaataa, all three of the Beastie Boys, Chuck D., Dr Dre, Mc Lyte and Ice-T. In total the cover features 71 hip hop artists and radio DJ's. The album was also released in three different color variations: red, black and green. Midnight Marauders was a group at the prime of their abilities giving credit to those who inspired them.

New Cornershop Video "The Roll Off Characteristics (Of History In The Making)"

I remember way back in the day this band was a big deal for a minute when they were signed to the Beastie Boys then record label Grand Royal. Who new they were still around?

New Beastie Boys!

Some random copies of the vinyl re release of Check Your Head got a little something extra in the form of new music. Random copies included a 7" which contained the songs "Lee Majors Come Again" and "B Boys in the Cut". You can here both songs over at the fan sight Mic to Mic.

ACL Lineup Announced

Well it's that time of year when we get to see who we'll be sweating it out to here in the Austin summer. As usual the headliners are a bit weak with the exception of the Beastie Boys who always bring it live. The other two headliners are "Alt Rawk" heavy weights Pearl Jam and "Jam Banders" Dave Mathews. Some good acts include: Sonic Youth, Mos Def, Arctic Monkeys, The Decemberists, Bon Iver, Phoenix, Girl Talk, The Walkmen, Blitzen Trapper, School Of Seven Bells, Robyn Hitchcock and Passion Pit. Maybe it's because I'm old but I really don't mind leaving early!

Sundays Slept On

Luscious Jackson - In Search Of Manny



The debut EP From Luscious Jackson was the first release by The Beastie Boys Grand Royal record label. This was not surprising seeing as how all of the ladies in the band were long time friends of the Beasties and Kate Schellenbach (drums) was the one time drummer during the punk days of the Beastie Boys. In Search of Manny was composed of three demo's that original members Jill Cunniff (vocals, bass)and Gabby Glaser (vocals, guitar) recorded using tip money from their restaurant jobs and four original songs. The songs on the EP are a combination of live instrumentation and old school samples much like Check Your Head era Beasties. The standout track here is Daughters of the Kaos whose mix of Spanish Guitar strumming, old school beats and siren calls make for a surprise dance floor number.

Check Your Head

Hot on the heels of the reissue of the Beastie Boys second album Paul's Boutique comes word that their third album Check Your Head will also get the reissue treatment. Check Your Head marked the Beastie's return to playing their own instruments and a more diverse sounding album of different genres of songs from punk, dub, jazz and hip hop. The band had moved to California by this time and it was somewhat of a rebirth for them. Perhaps it's my age but this is the Beastie Boys album that resonates the most with me.

Beastie Boys Get Strange On New Record

Adam Yauch told the BBC that the Beastie's new record would be taking the group in a bizarre new direction.

"It's a combination of playing and sampling stuff as we're playing, and also sampling pretty obscure records," he said of their eighth studio LP.

On past records it's been pretty easy to spot the samples if your a big fan of old school hip hop and funk. The new record has the working title of Tadlock's glasses named after a tour bus driver who was given a pair of glasses by Elvis Presley. No release date has been announced yet but the band should finish mastering the album this week.