Summer vacation of 1986 was my bridge between middle school and high school; it was also the summer that I got my tonsils out. I remember one of the get well gifts was Licensed to Ill on cassette. I spent most of the next month lying on the couch and constantly flipping that tape over listening to it. It was the first rap cassette that I ever owned and it opened me up to a whole new world of music.
In 1989 when Paul’s Boutique was released, I was ecstatic. I had memorized Licensed to Ill and was looking forward to new songs from the Beasties. I went out and bought my cassette as soon as it was available. My cassette was red; apparently there were different colors available. I played that thing until one of the reels came loose. I could still play it but I had to make sure the reel lined up with the hole in my cassette player.
A few years later I remember watching Yo! MTV Raps and they debuted “Pass the Mic”. That was an exciting moment knowing that another Beastie Boy album wasn’t too far away. Not only did I have a new Beastie Boy’s tape (yes, still tapes), but I had a driver’s license too and as a 19 year old I had to play that and play it loudly.
Only two years would pass before another album would come out. I bought that cassette on its release day again and jammed that in the car. There’s just something about driving around with Sabotage playing.
There was a 4 year wait before Hello Nasty would be released. 1998 was a totally different time too, the internet was really starting to become commonplace and I bought Hello Nasty on a CD. In fact after buying that on CD I went back and repurchased all of the previous releases on CD as well.
Six years passed before I heard anything new, however now with the internet an everyday use for me, I had no problems finding out when To the 5 Boroughs would be released.
The next album was a little different, all instrumentals but it was still cool and I used it a lot to just relax and sometimes to fall asleep to.
When Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 was coming out last year it was so awesome. I was a 37 year old man now excited for a new CD to come out. I felt like I was in my youth again waiting to get the CD and listen to the whole thing. The only differences between this and when I was 13 was that I was buying a CD and then I ripped it to put on my IPod.
For the past 26 years the Beastie Boys have been a part of my life. No matter what song of theres I listen to nowadays, it always takes me back in time in my mind.
It is a sad day in the music world… RIP Adam Yauch (MCA)
