Episode 69: The Beastie Boys’ “Check Your Head” (1992) part two

Summary

Accelerated Culture Podcast: Episode 69 Summary

Title:
Accelerated Culture: The Beastie Boys’ “Check Your Head” (1992) Part Two

Release Date:
July 5, 2025

Hosts:
Lori and Scott Free

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Introduction

In Episode 69 of Accelerated Culture, Lori and Scott Free delve deeper into the Beastie Boys' seminal 1992 album, "Check Your Head." Celebrated as a 2024 Webby Honoree for Best Indie Podcast, Accelerated Culture takes listeners on an engaging exploration of alternative music's rise, particularly focusing on influential albums like "Check Your Head."

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Revisiting "Check Your Head"

After a brief hiatus, hosts Lori and Scott Free return to continue their in-depth analysis of the Beastie Boys' "Check Your Head." This two-part episode aims to unpack the album's complexity, its standout tracks, and its enduring legacy.

Scott Free (00:43): "We're back for 'Check Your Head Part 2,' Beastie Boys' landmark 1992 album. So many good tracks that we could not pack them all into one episode."

---

Track-by-Track Analysis

Blue Nun (03:32)

The hosts discuss "Blue Nun," a brief but impactful track inspired by Peter Sichell, the namesake of the famous Blue Nun wine. They reveal an intriguing backstory about Sichell being a covert CIA agent, adding depth to the song's context.

Lori (04:12): "Peter Sichell actually passed away three months ago. He was more than just the Blue Nun wine guy; he was a covert CIA agent."

Scott highlights Mike D's humorous take on the track, emphasizing the Beastie Boys' knack for blending serious themes with humor.

Scott Free (05:45): "Mike D says, 'It's fine, so long as please tell me I don't ever have to listen to it again.' It's hilarious in the middle of this record."

Stand Together (05:44)

"Stand Together" is lauded for its quirky saxophone intro, sampled from the jazz trio Back Door. Lori and Scott share their amusement over the unconventional sound, which defies typical musical norms.

Lori (07:36): "That sax line at the beginning is just so goddamn funny. It's so out of tune. It's like, what the hell?"

Scott appreciates the experimental nature of the track, noting the creative sampling techniques used by the Beastie Boys.

Scott Free (08:02): "It's so groovy. The groove with that hilarious squawk just kills me in check."

Powder Sam (09:42)

Though predominantly instrumental, "Powder Sam" is recognized for its funk-inspired vibes reminiscent of 70s blaxploitation films. The hosts discuss its connection to the Maestro pedal effects and its groovy bass lines.

Scott Free (11:22): "The track is so groovy. It goes through some big changes, making it a full-on jazz odyssey hippie jam."

The Maestro (12:43)

This track features a distinctive fuzzy bass sound, achieved through the Maestro pedal. The story behind the sample—a genuine interaction with a fan named Al—adds a personal touch to the album's narrative.

Lori (13:41): "The Maestro is just about attitude. The phone message from someone named Al is included on the album."

Groove Holmes (19:00)

An homage to jazz keyboardist Groove Holmes, this track showcases Money Mark's influence and the Beastie Boys' versatility. The serene, loungey vibe contrasts sharply with their earlier hip-hop tracks.

Money Mark (19:55): "We were really into Richard Groove Holmes. It became an homage to him after he passed away."

Live at PJ's (22:05)

"Live at PJ's" captures the essence of a live performance, blending authentic audience sounds with the band's vibrant energy. Recorded initially at Adrock's apartment, the track reflects the collaborative spirit of the Beastie Boys.

Money Mark (22:34): "This one's for you. And you and you."

Professor Booty (27:14)

A playful track filled with pop culture references, "Professor Booty" intertwines humor with funky grooves. The hosts explore its sampling from Willie Henderson's "Loose Booty" and its nod to 70s nostalgia.

Scott Free (28:42): "It's from Willie Henderson and the Soul Explosion, a track called 'Loose Booty.'"

In Threes (35:34)

Despite its misleading title, "In Threes" is discussed for its complex rhythm and engaging groove, drawing comparisons to Parliament Funkadelic. The track exemplifies the band's experimental approach.

Scott Free (36:17): "It's actually called 'In Threes,' but it's in four. Super groovy, though, right?"

Namaste (37:57)

As the album's closing track, "Namaste" offers a reflective and mellow finish. Lori and Scott appreciate its serene ambiance and the philosophical lyrics, highlighting the Beastie Boys' growth as artists.

Scott Free (38:31): "It's a great chill-out closer for the album."

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Personal Reflections and Legacy

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the personal impact of Adam Yauch's (MCA) passing. Scott shares a poignant story of how MCA's death profoundly affected him, drawing parallels to the loss of Kurt Cobain but underscored by a deeper, more personal connection.

Scott Free (50:34): "Adam Yauch's death hit me hard. It felt like losing a family member."

Lori and Scott discuss the Beastie Boys' transformation post-"Check Your Head," highlighting their evolution from white boy hip-hop pioneers to versatile musicians exploring various genres. They emphasize the album's role in shaping their future works, from "Ill Communication" to "Hello Nasty."

Scott Free (44:56): "Check Your Head marked a huge shift for the Beastie Boys. They became a full-on band and influential musicians capable of doing whatever they wanted."

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Post-Beastie Boys Endeavors

The hosts provide an update on the individual members' activities following the Beastie Boys' era:

• Ad Rock (Adam Horovitz):
  Engages in remixing under the name 41 Small Stars, plays bass for Bridget Everett's cabaret band, and explores acting.

• Mike D (Michael Diamond):
  Continues producing music, remixes, hosted the Apple Music podcast "The Echo Chamber," and collaborated on a Beastie Boys book and documentary.

Scott Free (57:01): "Ad Rock remixes tracks for other artists under the name 41 Small Stars... Mike D similarly produces music and does remixes."

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Looking Forward

In a teaser for the next episode, Lori and Scott hint at exploring "Hormonally Yours" by Shakespeare's Sister and Crickets, promising another deep dive into 90s music gems.

Lori (58:38): "We are going to be doing one of my favorites from '92,' 'Hormonally Yours' by Shakespeare's Sister, Crickets."

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Conclusion

Episode 69 of Accelerated Culture offers a comprehensive and heartfelt exploration of the Beastie Boys' "Check Your Head." Through detailed track analyses, personal anecdotes, and discussions on the album's lasting influence, Lori and Scott provide listeners with a rich understanding of this pivotal work in alternative music history.

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Notable Quotes:

• Scott Free (00:43): "So many good tracks that we could not pack them all into one episode."

• Lori (04:12): "Peter Sichell actually passed away three months ago. He was more than just the Blue Nun wine guy; he was a covert CIA agent."

• Scott Free (08:02): "It's so groovy. The groove with that hilarious squawk just kills me in check."

• Lori (13:41): "The Maestro is just about attitude. The phone message from someone named Al is included on the album."

• Scott Free (44:56): "Check Your Head marked a huge shift for the Beastie Boys. They became a full-on band and influential musicians capable of doing whatever they wanted."

• Scott Free (50:34): "Adam Yauch's death hit me hard. It felt like losing a family member."

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For more detailed discussions and future episodes, visit AcceleratedCulturePodcast.com.

Transcript

[Lori]

Foreign welcome to the Accelerated Culture podcast. A sonic journey through the vibrant and revolutionary sounds of the 1980s and 1990s. And now 2024 Webby Honoree for best indie podcast. I'm Lori along with my co host Scott Free and in this podcast we explore how new waves stormed the airwaves in the early 80s and gave way for the rise of alternative music in the 90s. Find us on the [e-mail].

[Scott Free]

And we're back after a two week break where we could collect our thoughts and check our heads. We're back for check Your Head Part 2, Beastie Boys landmark 1992 album. So many good tracks that we could not pack them all into one episode. Thank you for indulging us and letting us make this a two episode deep dive into this Beastie Boys masterpiece from 92. I am your co host Scott Free when I'm Lori.

[Lori]

Hi.

[Scott Free]

Bye.

[Lori]

Shall we just jump right into part two?

[Scott Free]

I have done some very important. Done and seen some very, I don't know, I have seen and done some very important things. In the meantime, let's jump into it. But you know, after the formalities and the pleasantries, getting to brag about the concerts I've seen.

[Lori]

Oh, have you seen anything in the last few days?

[Scott Free]

I will have in two weeks I will have seen OMD and back to back nights. OMD and Weird Al.

[Lori]

Nice. Omd. We saw them at Cruel World. They were fantastic.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, they gotta be good.

[Lori]

And I'm very surprised for a couple of old guys, they really move. They. Oh yeah, yeah. And then I happened to notice on my Facebook feed, Violent Femmes is coming to town.

[Scott Free]

Interesting. Yeah, so yeah, also Ryday Tomorrow guy I know on, on the Facebook and through the Burner community was talking about Northerly Island, Simple Minds and two other bands where it's like, oh wow, that would be a good show.

[Lori]

Oh, really.

[Scott Free]

Good. Triple bill, modern English and soft sell.

[Lori]

Yeah. Simple Minds is one that I wouldn't mind seeing live, but seeing as how.

[Scott Free]

It'S tomorrow, yeah, probably not. But I mean they are a legit good band. They. Oh yeah, kind of got pigeon pulled due to don't you forget about me.

[Lori]

Right.

[Scott Free]

Not the best song, but man, they're a really good band. Be a part of me.

[Lori]

So Scott, the next track is another like 32 second track.

[Scott Free]

Yeah.

[Lori]

And I apologize to our listeners in advance because I am going to talk about this one longer than it lasts. This song is called Blue Nun.

[Scott Free]

Our evening began in Peter Seychelles, comfortable study in his New York Townhouse where the candlelight was just right, the hi fi was in the background, and the wine was delicious.

[Lori]

Not even a very good representative sample. But I did think this was very timely because Peter Sichell actually passed away three months ago.

[Scott Free]

Oh, wow. That's a damn shame. Rest in peace.

[Lori]

So, again, if you turned on the television at all in like the 70s or the 80s, you probably heard of Blue Nun wine. He was the owner of the winery, but he was also at one time a covert CIA agent.

[Scott Free]

What?

[Lori]

Yes, there is an article online. It's called Blue Nun's Peter seychelles dies, age 102, by somebody named Ned Godden. And he explains his parents fled Germany and the growing influence of the Nazi party to move to France. When the Axis forces conquered France, Seychelles was imprisoned, eventually escaping to the US where he joined the Office of Strategic Services. Being multilingual no doubt helped to secure his position and embarked upon a career as a spy. Suchel ran agents in Germany, using prisoners of war to infiltrate the German Western Front. During this period, he met and worked with Jack Hemingway, the son of Ernest Hemingway, until Hemingway was captured by the Germans. And then later on, Seychelles worked for the CIA in Berlin, Washington and Hong Kong, at one point ascending to the role of head of the CIA in Berlin before leaving the agency in 1960.

[Scott Free]

Well, I'll be damned.

[Lori]

Right? I mean, I just knew him as the Blue Nun wine guy.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating. And I'll counterpoint that with the funny. And that is Mike D saying, actually, this is one of my favorite samples on the album, because I believe the quote that we got back from Peter Seychelles when he signed off on the sample was, it's fine, so long as please tell me I don't ever have to listen to it again. It's from an entire record that Peter Seychelles made about how to appreciate wine. And. Yeah, it's just hilarious in the middle of this record. All right, that brings us then to track 12, stand together. The first time I heard this song, I burst out laughing. That sax line at the beginning is just so goddamn funny.

[Lori]

It's so out of tune. It's like, what the hell?

[Scott Free]

Yeah, I mean, it sounds like a, you know, mad chicken. And it. It's fantastic. It is actually a sample from the Back Door, which was a jazz trio, but funky with just a sax, bass and a drummer. And it's just so fucking funny, dude.

[Lori]

Yeah, and actually the bass is from Backdoor two.

[Scott Free]

Okay, great.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

The beat is actually from a track called Be Black Baby by Grady Tate. This track was recorded at the log cabin. And MCA is on the guitar. Yeah, that fuzz box just really. The track is so groovy. And that groove with that hilarious squawk and. Yeah, just kills me in check.

[Lori]

The technique. MCA explains. We were working on that song and Mark was fixing something in the other room and the sound bled through. We really liked how it sounded, so we recorded it better and put it on there. And then Mike D says somehow what Mark was doing with the screw gun just sounded perfect. And it was even on key.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. I mean, when lightning strikes, man. Or when screw guns. Screw. Yeah, yeah, go with it.

[Lori]

And then another comment from MCA with the part on there in the middle where the guitar sounds like it's being cut up. We played it and sampled the guitar into loops. I was playing the guitar on there. I think I recorded it in my house on an eight track. We ran the guitar part through the DJ mixer and then terminated the guitar. So that's why it sounds like it's a record being cut up.

[Scott Free]

So good.

[Lori]

I had trouble getting past that kind of shrieking saxophone.

[Scott Free]

Love it.

[Lori]

Other than that, I think this is a really good song. It's just. That just bugs me.

[Scott Free]

I think it's so fucking funny.

[Lori]

I mean, it is, but yeah. What else you got?

[Scott Free]

I think that's plenty.

[Lori]

Okay, so the next one is called Powder Sam. All right, so that was mostly instrumental. There's one word that I was able to pick out.

[Scott Free]

Pow.

[Lori]

Pow. Yeah, my notes. I just said that this sounds like something from a 70s blaxploitation flick.

[Scott Free]

I'm so comfortable with that.

[Lori]

Me too. I'm not saying that that is a bad thing. This is like totally like Shaft era type funk. I dig this. And again, I would put it maybe.

[Scott Free]

Closer to Santana, but yeah, no good for them having been a bit of a. One could argue hip hop novelty act or super sampler. Heavy Dust Brothers project or just a hardcore band. No offense to my hardcore fans out there, but you know, punk band, they got musical chops like this is tight. It is groovy as all get out.

[Money Mark]

And.

[Scott Free]

And it goes through some big changes. Like the sample that we played here. Okay, it's got that fast paced hard groove, but then beat drops out and then it comes back in. But later it changes tempo completely and becomes, in the words of mca, a full on jazz odyssey hippie jam. It's groovy as hell track.

[Lori]

I never would have expected this from Beast, you guys.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Part of why this album was just such a joy when it came out is because you did not know what was going to happen next. Keep in mind this is coming after that fuzzy, noisy hip hop track that is Stand Together. Yeah. The Beastie Boys are many bands all in one. And this is one of those tracks where you can really see what a huge addition to the band. Money Mark is like that organ in there really takes the song to the next level. Right?

[Lori]

Yeah, I agree, I agree.

[Scott Free]

Brings us to track 14, the Maestro.

[Money Mark]

Who is it? Who is the man coming down your team with the keep moving and you can't say nothing. I'm a keep up in your best trail, you.

[Scott Free]

Important note that really amazing fuzzy bass guitar bass sound that you hear throughout. There was a pedal effects pedal box called the Maestro pedal, a multi purpose pedal that they played guitar through on the sub bass setting to make it that huge fuzzy bass sound. And thus the Maestro conceptually was born and the lyrics followed from there.

[Lori]

Mario said in check the technique. The original concept of that song was about the Gibson Maestro effects box. But then we started applying it to people who acted like they were the shit. The Maestro is just about attitude. Like that kid on the phone message at the beginning of the song.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, I know. Funny bit about that.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

They actually tell the story of how they got that phone message.

[Lori]

So it's an answering machine message from someone named Al. That's pretty much all I know. What have you got?

[Scott Free]

Right. So on Paul's Boutique they actually put a short ad for Paul's Boutique, although the store had already closed by that point, recreated an ad and included the phone number 718-498-102423. And we're in Brooklyn. So Paul's Boutique had gone out of business. They got the phone number for Paul's Boutique and put an answering machine in MCA's parents basement in Brooklyn. And the phone wouldn't ring, it would just go straight to the answering machine. So people who were listening to Paul's Boutique would be like, I'm going to try that number. And they would call it and leave messages on the Paul's Boutique answering machine in MCA's parents basement. @ one point, this guy Al had kept calling and so the Beastie Boys started calling him back, pretending to be Paul from Paul's Boutique and eventually started getting into an argument with the guy. And eventually Al called them back to tell them off. And that is the message that they're like, okay, that's going on the album.

[Lori]

Incidentally, that is why whenever you have a phone number on a TV show or a movie, they always do 5, 5, 5 right, yeah, because people do that. They. Oh, I want to try to call it and see what happens.

[Scott Free]

Right. And so, yeah, they said he was definitely mad we had driven him to the brink. Yo, pull us down. You can kiss my asses. But I'm interested in you anyhow. I'm just interested in the B Boys, so you my man. And then they said that as they were on tour, they did actually meet Al in person. And then they actually hung out with him a couple times. And they were cool.

[Lori]

Oh, well, that's cool.

[Scott Free]

Samples aplenty. In this one, there is a shriek from Bad Brains track Super Tooth shit fit from 1982. When you hear. You got that. That is actually Cheech and Chong. There is some incomprehensible spoken word stuff from Lee Scratch Perry. And then the big yeah at the beginning at like, the 14 second mark is from 11th hour's medley. Sock it to me. It's your thing. Do what you want to do. Not a great version of that song, but it made for a great vocal sample.

[Lori]

Cool.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, it's pretty cool.

[Lori]

I appreciate some of the references in this song.

[Scott Free]

There you go.

[Lori]

Mannix, Barnaby Jones, Colombo. America's Most wanted. You know that right there, that is like growing up afternoon TV with my grandfather. I have some very fond memories. Not so much Mannix, Barnaby Jones and Colombo, though. I mean, we. We always used to watch all the old detective shows together. Oh, yeah, I still watch Colombo. I was watching Colombo this last weekend. Never get tired of Peter Falk.

[Scott Free]

Oh, yeah. My dear friends and bandmates, Nico and Terry, they have, like, a regular Columbo watching ritual to this day. Like, if it's on, they're watching it every time.

[Lori]

Oh, wow. Well, it's like on me TV every weekend.

[Scott Free]

I know they watch a lot of Columbo.

[Lori]

All right. All right. Yeah. So I appreciate all those references. I don't know what they have to do with the maestro.

[Scott Free]

I see you looking at me saying, how can he be so skinny and live so fat? Love that line. Like Rufus Thomas, the crown prince of dance. Gotta love a Rufus Thomas reference. Yeah, it's a great song. You don't have to go deep with it. But they've got the great references. And it's a funky groove. What else do you want?

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[Lori]

All right, so then the next track is is named after a famous jazz keyboardist. This is called Groove Holmes.

[Money Mark]

Sam.

[Scott Free]

Another staple of public radio interstitials. I feel like I'm listening to NPR right now.

[Lori]

I've got a quote from Money Mark here. We were really into Richard Groove Holmes. He died during the time we were making the album, so it became an homage to him. It wasn't called Groove Holmes when it was recorded, but after he passed away, we named it that. That might be my favorite track on the album if I was forced to choose.

[Scott Free]

Well, it's a total Money Mark feature, so I guess that makes some kind of sense. You know, it's a great one. MCA said of this track, I always had a special place in my heart for this song. I like this one. So we've been listening to a lot of, like, organ records, like Jimmy Smith, Groove Holmes, different people. A lot of times we would listen to music, then we would go play music. And I think this is one time that we had been listening to Groove Holmes and we were like, oh, we should go play some like that. And of course, as usual, it's nothing like really like his, but it's some kind of tribute to him.

[Lori]

I like it.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. Also prominently features the aforementioned Juanito Vasquez on the congas. And he also says the Let me listen to that part again at the end, which is very quiet, but at the very tail end, you can hear his voice.

[Lori]

You know, some of these tracks, this one and Pow in particular, I'm tempted to put these in, like a mixed CD and slip them into my dad's truck and see if he even Notices, you know, with all his 60s 70s retro music that he listens to, I'm wondering if he would even be able to pick that out and realize, wait a minute, this isn't. I don't know.

[Scott Free]

Definitely would not guess that it's the Beastie Boys.

[Lori]

No, no, I don't think you would. So it's a. It's a. It's a jam. You know, I had to wonder too, npr boy, they must pay like Boku licensing fees for all that music then, huh?

[Scott Free]

I could not tell you.

[Lori]

Huh. Okay, what's next, Scott?

[Scott Free]

What's Next is track 16 live at PJ's.

[Money Mark]

Snack. But now I got to get back. Yeah. Oh, this one's for you. And you and you.

[Scott Free]

Right. So first off, live at PJs. They were not actually performing at PJs, mind you, but there were a number of albums, including a Cool in the Gang live album, Cool and the gang live at PJs, another Eddie Kano at PJs. And they wanted to do something in that vein. So it is more of a live performance.

[Lori]

But yeah, the lyrics on this. I'm gonna bust my shoes, I'm gonna bust my socks I'm gonna spread my word from standing on this box this drive thru world it just ain't right Gonna run to Joe and Tony's and get my hair cut. Nice. I like it. It's fun. It's fun. So apparently this was the first song that they recorded for this album. The original version was recorded at Adrock's apartment and then they brought it into Jisan Studios for the final recording. The audience sounds according to money. Mark, those are not samples. That's actually the band members clapping.

[Scott Free]

Oh, nice. Ed Rock said of it, it's a fun one to play. And MCA said a lot of weird bass lines in this song.

[Lori]

Oh yeah, absolutely. I put in my notes. This is some less Claypool level bass here.

[Scott Free]

Oh yeah, Is it?

[Lori]

Adrock is the bassist.

[Scott Free]

Mca.

[Lori]

Mca. I. I get the two atoms confused. That's some pretty impressive bass playing.

[Scott Free]

Oh yeah. I mean, he'd been playing bass since high school, so yeah, they did notably play this song live on Letterman. Oh, he apparently loved it.

[Lori]

I'm gonna have to look that up and see if that's on YouTube somewhere. I want to see that. Anything else on that one?

[Scott Free]

I don't think so.

[Lori]

Okay, so then that brings us to Mark on the bus.

[Scott Free]

Good morning. Time to get up and go to work.

[Money Mark]

I ride on the bus into the city every day I sit on a Seat.

[Scott Free]

And I dream myself away.

[Lori]

All right, so that's actually Money Mark singing on that one.

[Scott Free]

This is Money Mark doing absolutely everything on this one, as it turns out.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. This song is all of a minute, five long. And the Beastie Boys talk about its origin story. And it's pretty good. So Adrock says Mark used to sleep at the studio. Let's just say it. I mean, he had a long drive and we would go until late night, four in the morning, stuff like that. And so we had left one night, came back the next night, and he had made this. He played everything on it. He sang it. The whole song, all 1 minute, 5 seconds of it is just a thing. That Moneymark dashed out by himself while the band was gone. And they're like, yep, we'll put that on the album.

[Lori]

Okay, so then I have a quotation from Money Mark. This is again from Check the technique. That was done on one of the nights that I stayed really late reviewing a DAT of stuff that we had just recorded. I found this little section that I liked, and I was delirious. And I just sang those vocals over it at about 6 in the morning. I did all of that in Studio B, the secondary one. I was really the working class guy of the budge. So I knew all about taking the bus.

[Scott Free]

That's perfect.

[Lori]

Yeah. And I was actually cracking up. Cause I was listening to this on the bus on the way to work today. And of course, you know, everybody's looking at me like, okay, what's wrong with this woman? But it. It was just. It was perfect.

[Scott Free]

Nice. Well, we've probably talked about it as long as the song lasted. So let's move on to track 18. Professor Booty. What's another word for pirate treasure? Well, I think it's booty. Booty. Booty. That's what it is.

[Money Mark]

Yes. I got more bounce in the bump. And then you want to know why? Because I'm chucking child in the pocket Just like rainy tea Got supplies of beef so you don't have to wait. Cause I'm the master blaster Picking up the Shasta My voice out sweet. Cause it has so I don't match to my ass. Cause I'm growing up. I like to thank the people for just showing up. But now I want y' all to move it. Put your point on the floor and just prove it. And I'm surfing, I'm rehearsing, getting live. You're a little puffy. So you know what I'm doing, right? Cause that's the kind of Frame of mind. I'm in.

[Lori]

Booty.

[Scott Free]

There is no professor booty without that professor. What's another word for pirate treasure? Well, I think it's booty at the beginning. I've always thought it was hilarious. Again, the first time I heard it, just dying, laughing and like, what the hell is this? And that. That's part of the reaction to this album is just the audacity that they had in being like, yeah, this works as the premise for a track. But it's so good. It's so good. But where the hell that sample came from? I had no idea until doing research for this one. And as it turns out, it is Willie Henderson and the Soul Explosion, a track called Loose Booty.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

Of course it is. And that's literally how the track starts. Is that bit of dialogue.

[Lori]

Oh, goodness.

[Scott Free]

Fantastic. The seventies were a hilarious time.

[Lori]

Couple eighties references in the song Two beverages. Shasta.

[Scott Free]

Oh, yeah.

[Lori]

Which was a off brand, I guess. Soda pop that, at least here in the Midwest, in Chicago was big. And I only recently learned that their television commercial, I want a pop, I want a Shasta.

[Scott Free]

The jingle, I wanna pop, Pop, I wanna Shasta.

[Lori]

And you know who that was written by?

[Scott Free]

Gonna go Rick Springfield.

[Lori]

Al Jorgensen of Ministry.

[Scott Free]

Oh, that's amazing.

[Lori]

Yeah, I only recently learned that. So we've got Shasta, we've got Watered Down Yugoo. We got our own studio, the Son of the G Gsun Studios, right?

[Scott Free]

Earning.

[Lori]

Okay? So in check the technique. It says here, MCA, after being asked if he is dissing 3rd Bass's MC search on the song. I'm not at liberty to comment on that.

[Scott Free]

All right. I've always wondered about the beef between the Beastie Boys and third Bass, because third Base and MC Search in particular. But both of them go off on the Beastie Boys on their Cactus lp, a track called Sons of Third Base. And it is just a Beastie Boys diss track. And like, it is scathing. Like some of the they call. Just real quick, this is worth going into Yo Search. You know about that slum I'm speaking of. Where does Bond Pete school him? You know about that Silver spoon having buckshot acne show in la. Weak ass sex sellout, non legitimate tip doggin Jethro, pseudo intellectual dust smokin pretty boy, playwright Posen Volkswagen, whining, annoying, Def Jam reject devil white bread, no money, heaven slum, Village People, cloning stepchildren. So that is what Third Base thought of the Beastie Boys, right? Adam's like, where did this animosity come from, like, what happened? And, like, it was always like, third base wasn't as big as the Beasties, so no doubt they were taking potshots at the bigger, more successful white, Jewish New York rappers. But in the check your head commentary that I've referenced multiple times here, they talk about the origin of this. Apparently MC Search had been hanging out with Mike D at his house and talking about how he should approach Russell Simmons in trying to get in with Def Jam Records. And, like, just talking professionally and getting on well. And they were having a good conversation and things were going well. And MC Search leaves, and as he's walking away, Mike D just throws a water bottle from the window above and clocks MC Search in the head. And he's like, the other guys are like, yo, man, why'd you do that? That wasn't cool. He's like, ah, I don't really know why I did it, but I did think it was funny. And that's how it started. But MCC let it go and then came back another time to talk with Mike D. Moore. And he and another one of his buddies were there and were devastatingly hungover. And so when MC Search was ringing bell, Mike D couldn't deal with having a serious conversation, so opened the window and once again threw water on MC Search. And so it's like the Beastie Boys actually started this beef, and it was just third base going off about it and Mike D just being a juvenile dick during the License to Ill era. I. I learned that today.

[Lori]

Interesting. No, I didn't know that either. That's fascinating. Although I think, yeah, I. I would be pissed off if somebody hit me in the head with a water bottle too. Right, right.

[Scott Free]

So, yes, when asked if Professor Booty was about third base, they all just sort of smiled and refused to answer the question.

[Lori]

Got it. Okay, so there's also a couple Saturday morning cartoon references.

[Scott Free]

What do you got?

[Lori]

The Smurfs?

[Scott Free]

Well, the Smurfing he's talking about is actually a hip hop dance of the era.

[Lori]

Oh, okay. Well, and then we've got. Because writing rhymes to me is like Popeye to Spinach.

[Scott Free]

Okay, that one has always baffled me. Whoever wrote that one. What is that Mike D? Yeah, Mike D. If you do the SAT style mapping of that analogy, writing rhymes to me is like Popeye to Spinach. So how does it bends my brain trying to make that one work? Okay, what else you got?

[Lori]

Well, that's it for the cartoon references. And then there was a line right after that, dancing around like, you think you're Janet Jackson.

[Scott Free]

Love it.

[Lori]

And I laughed out loud the first time I heard that, because I remember when License to Ill came out. An interview with the Beastie Boys in Rolling Stone magazine. Now, this is from memory. I haven't looked this up, but they were talking about being backstage at an award show, may have been the MTV Music Awards. And one of the Beasties said, yeah, Janet Jackson was backstage. I saw her dancing, and she gave me a boner. So to hear them then mention her in a song, it's just like, okay, think maybe a little obsessed. Well, but. But that was also dancing around like you think you're Janet Jackson. Then it was really kind of more of a diss against MC Search.

[Scott Free]

Right, I think that's true.

[Lori]

Yeah. And Mario Caldado said Search was just somebody to pick on. A dude on TV dancing around like a fool.

[Scott Free]

He was pretty good dancer, though.

[Lori]

Yeah. I have no frame of reference. I. I don't know who he is.

[Scott Free]

Oh, man. Third base.

[Lori]

I know third base.

[Scott Free]

I mean, he was the one of the two MCs from third base. And.

[Lori]

Okay, very good.

[Scott Free]

Also, more recently is probably a decade and change now ago, but MC Search did a reality competition show for the next big hip hop mc. It's pretty good, I think.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

All right.

[Lori]

All right, so next up, we have in three.

[Scott Free]

Four.

[Lori]

Shades of Parliament Funkadelic there, and I'm here for it.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. And it's called in threes. And you know that I love me some songs in 3 or 6 or 12. 8. But it's actually in 4. 4, weirdly, or others have speculated, it's actually in 8. 8. It's just the accents, particularly the bass, that are on every third, eighth note. So it's like a 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1- 2 thing. It's actually called in threes, but it's in four.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

Super groovy, though, right?

[Lori]

Oh, I love it. Yeah, I love it. It's interesting to me that the songs that I think I like best on here are the least rappy of the songs.

[Scott Free]

You know, it's why this album was so wildly popular. There was something for everybody, or maybe not everybody, but maybe even your dad, as you said. But, yeah, they were really branching out in a lot of different directions and trying much more complex music, if not strictly hip hop. And that really was its strength. They would go on to do an entire album of just instrumentals like this considerably later in their career. That may be one you want to pick up.

[Lori]

All right, Well, I guess, Scott, that brings us to the final track. Of the album. This is called Namaste.

[Scott Free]

A butterfly floats in the breeze of a sunlit day this reality gently fade away Riding on a thought to see where it's from Gliding through a memory of a time yet to come Smoke paints the air Swirling images through my.

[Lori]

Mind now is it just me, Scott, or is he channeling Jim Morrison there?

[Scott Free]

I would say there's some of that. But as much as that, there is Eric Burden and War that I referenced earlier in particular. Spill the Wine. Yeah, right.

[Lori]

Yeah.

[Scott Free]

Again, such a super chill slow groove. And another one where the addition of Money Mark to the band makes such a difference. It wouldn't be the same without that keyboard, man. And it's so good.

[Lori]

And it's a great way to end the album too. You know, we talked in other episodes about, you know, like a chill out room and stuff like that. I mean, this is like as chill as you could end an album.

[Scott Free]

Oh yeah, there were plenty of people listening to this one. In a dark dorm room with the lava lamp on and smoke in the air no comment of what particular kind? And yeah, just grooving out, man. Yeah, like, you know, it's this whole head trip that he is going through. Smoke paints the air Swirling images through my mind Like a whirlpool spin beginning to unwind but the part that I, I just love it comes in the second verse, second section. And a cold chill of fear cut through me I felt my heart contract to my mind I brought the image of light and I expanded out of it My fear was just a shadow and then a voice spoke in my head and she said, dark is not the opposite of light. It's the absence of light. And I thought to myself, she knows what she's talking about. Which, it's like on the one hand, like kind of deep. And on the other hand, she knows what she's talking about. Voicing your own head, dude, this is you. And that's just hilarious to me.

[Lori]

Yeah, no, it goes from serious to yeah, kind of undercutting it a little bit. I. I agree there.

[Scott Free]

I mean, they don't take themselves too seriously. Like, they're very good musicians, they're very good. But there is always, throughout this whole album, a wit to it. But that doesn't go so far as to make it a novelty. Right. Like, it's not a comedy album. It's just an album that can at times be really funny, but also very good at what it's doing musically. And that is a really tough balance to strike. And so many bands go over that edge and just become those goofy guys. These guys are goofballs, but they can also make seriously good music.

[Lori]

And I think that this album was the turning point where I think the general public did start to take them seriously.

[Scott Free]

Oh yeah.

[Lori]

Now, obviously some critics, you know, were early. You obviously were early to the party. But this really was a big turn, I think in their careers. Who is that singing in this one, by the way? Do you know?

[Scott Free]

I don't know if you necessarily want to call it singing. Spoken word is mca. In the Beastie Boys book, Ad Rock tells the story. Yawk was in a full on transformation. He had started learning about and practicing Buddhism. He was traveling the globe any chance he got. He would hang with anyone so long as they were fun. His demeanor had an odd, thrilling calmness. One night at the studio, he said that he had some thought that he'd written down, not lyrics and he'd like to try saying them over an instrumental track that we had waiting just for the occasion. And like most of the songs on the record, we were like, okay, if you want to take the lead, go ahead. And so this song kind of tell us where he was at and where he was headed. This as actually in song facts. Great explanation on how that one came about. And it's a great tune, man. And it is like you said, a great. Yeah, great, chill out closer for the album.

[Lori]

So Scott.

[Scott Free]

Yes.

[Lori]

What's your favorite track on this album?

[Scott Free]

Right, so that is not easy to answer one because it's like choosing your favorite child thing. I love this album, you know, start to finish. But also because like there are basically like three different albums that make up check your head. Like there's the hip hop record, as you said, eight tracks or so that are actually hip hop. There's the hardcore record and funky jazzy loungey thing. And so I have a favorite of each hip hop. It's past the mic, all three Beasties are on it and it rocks. Otherwise it would have been finger licking good. But that has no Ad Rock and he is to this day still my guy. So going with past the mic, hardcore record Time for living. It's easy because that's kind of the only hardcore track on check your head. But just wait until their next album, Bill Communication. Although also gratitude, one could make the argument, although that's slower so not really like hardcore punk hardcore. But whatever. What I'm still sticking with time for living. And then for the loungey groovy tracks, I would have to give it to something's gotta give.

[Lori]

Okay, yeah.

[Scott Free]

And you.

[Lori]

Oh, this is hard.

[Scott Free]

Right.

[Lori]

I'm gonna go with something's gotta give.

[Scott Free]

Right? It's so good.

[Lori]

Yeah. But ask me again tomorrow, Scott, and I'll probably have a different answer.

[Scott Free]

Honestly, that is fair. As you can see, with my refusal to pick just one, I'm pretty much on the same page.

[Lori]

Gotcha.

[Scott Free]

Right.

[Lori]

So where are they now, Scott?

[Scott Free]

Well, I mean, before we get there, I think we should talk about the legacy, the influence of this album. Right?

[Lori]

Sure. Yeah.

[Scott Free]

Right. So check your head as we've touched on throughout the episode marked a huge shift for the Beastie Boys. Like they were still the smart ass kings of white boy hip hop that they were in the beginning, or at least in the license to ill first album beginning. And to be clear, when I say that they were the kings of white boy hip hop, that's not to say that they weren't legit hip hop artistes. Right. Like they had by this point mad cred within the hip hop community. They just also had a relatively easier time crossing over and breaking through to not just hip hop success, but also breaking through to mainstream success and acceptance and critical adulation because, well, America, they were white boys and it's way easier for a white artist to make it even with traditionally black music. But they were also rock solid musicians and they predicted and set trends and as much as anything else, they were just so damn fast fun. So they weren't just the kings of white boy hip hop, but they had also re embraced their NYC hardcore punk rock roots and they were also doing the funky jazzy loungy instrumental thing and even like singing, which whoever saw that coming from the Beastie Boys.

[Lori]

Right, right.

[Scott Free]

But they're like a full on band now and legit musicians and could basically do whatever they wanted and they did as far as, you know, influence and legacy. Some will say that check your head was hugely influential and they're right. But they will also try to say that it laid the groundwork for the nu metal trend that came about in the second half of the 90s. Your limp biscuits and your corns and your Lincoln Parks to a lesser extent. And I would say don't blame the Beastie Boys for that. They simply laid groundwork and other people made a lot of choices and built on it in some questionable ways. I'm looking in your direction, Fred Durst.

[Lori]

Right.

[Scott Free]

But more than anything else, I'd say the check your head was influential for the Beasties themselves. The next five albums in their discography, they really pursue all three to four of the Directions that they did on Check your Head and went in those directions pretty hard. Right. I guess you might not even know this because if you didn't really know Check your Head before now, you probably did not get super into Ill Communication or hello Nasty or To the five Boroughs or the mix Up.

[Lori]

That's correct.

[Scott Free]

Right. Or the hot sauce committee part two, for that matter.

[Lori]

Right. I. I knew. I knew their singles, but that was about it, Scott.

[Scott Free]

And they were so good. Right. The next album, their fourth album, ill Communication feels like a continuation of Check your Head, but it's like refined and honed to razor sharpness. Whereas Check your head was like raw and felt like three to five guys sitting around a studio for three years around until cool stuff came out. Because that's exactly what was. Ill Communication takes those ideas, but like with polish and occasional guest stars like Q Tip and once again, Bismar, Ill Communication did more of the hip hop, more of the hardcore, and more of the hardcore, in particular more of the loungy, funky, groovy thing. It's a spectacular album. If you like Check your Head, you'll love Ill Communication. Their fifth album, hello Nasty was a return to old school hip hop, but with a 90s spin to it, but not following anyone else's trends, just doing their own thing. Also with the addition of Mixmaster Mike, perhaps the greatest turntableist alive at the time, and maybe still, but I haven't heard much from him lately. Anyway, to the Five Boroughs, their next album was another old school hip hop album, but a love letter to New York City in the aftermath of 9 11. And it's a really good album. Their seventh album, just to keep people on their toes, was an entirely instrumental album. So the groovy, funky, jazzy thing that they were doing, they put out an entire album of it and sort of surprise released it on the world. And it's again, as you would expect, as your favorite track on Check your head fell into that category, you would probably really dig that album. And you were saying that, you know, you might sneak a couple of those tracks mixtape for your father. Yeah. Just slip the CD into his player and see if he notices that it's the Beastie.

[Lori]

Okay, what's the name of it?

[Scott Free]

That is the mixup.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

And there's also a compilation album that came out before that that is just the funky, groovy, loungy tracks from the albums that had come up to that point as a best of that style of the Beastie Boys called the in sound from way out.

[Lori]

Fascinating.

[Scott Free]

Yeah. So if you want to cut out the hip hop stuff because it's not your jam. Either of those two albums gonna do it for you.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

Ultimately, what I'm saying is the Beastie Boys in the years that would follow, did just exactly whatever they wanted and did it in a way that pretty much nobody else on earth was capable of doing it. And huge respect to the Beastie Boys. It's basically the long and short of that. Oh, also, the music industry did give huge respect to the beastie boys. In 2012, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame, which. Who saw that coming, right? This guy. I saw that guy. But 2012 was a pretty great year for them. And then just absolutely the worst year. On May 4th of 2012, after a three year battle with cancer, cancer of the salivary gland, of all things. Adam Yock, mca died. Yeah. So this one really hit me hard. And honestly, I still feel it. Right. So for real, this was the first celebrity death that actually shook me. That, like, felt like a real deeply personal loss. Like in a previous episode, you and I, when we were talking Nirvana, right?

[Lori]

Yes. Yeah.

[Scott Free]

We talked about the passing of Kurt Cobain. Tragic, for sure. And we felt it because he was older than us, but not that much older than us. So it was relatable in a way that you really didn't see much in our generation. But, like, I had only known about Nirvana a few years at that point. Right. And Kurt Cobain with them. And so while it was a huge loss for rock music, for me at least it was like a damn, well, that sucks sort of situation. And then life pretty quickly went on. Not to be flippant about it, but, you know, it. It didn't hit me that hard. The death of Adam Yawk was something else entirely. So I talked at the beginning of the episode about how J Dog, the recurring J Dog and I, were very into the Beastie Boys. From high school on, we emulated them, like, literally. You will recall, we were in a lip sync competition where we were performing as the Beastie Boys. Like, we literally wanted to be them. That was during our high school juvenile delinquent phase. But like, with check your head, you saw them grow up a bit and they started to chart their own course in life. And as we were in our 20s, we started to do the same. In 1996, it should be noted, the Beasties renounced the misogyny and smack, talking of women from earlier in their career, and sort of challenged hip hop to just be better. And, you know, they walked that walk their Lyrics in the years that followed in the albums that followed were no less sharp and witty, but they didn't indulge in the worst of hip hop. Right. Okay, that was laudable. But anyways, I know it sounds ridiculous, but for me and many guys my age, the Beastie Boys were like role models. It sounds insane, but as artists and eventually as just guys in general, MCA became a pretty devout practicing Buddhist and an activist for Tibetan independence. And he was just like, a really good guy. So when he died, it was like. And again, this sounds crazy, but it was like losing a family member. Mca, he had been a presence in my life for, like, 26 years. I remember I heard the news that he had died that day, and that evening I had to go and do a sailboat delivery. I've been a competitive sailor for, like, 17 years now at that point. I've been a sailor for four years, something like that. And we were sailing overnight on Lake Michigan from the top of Michigan, the Lower Peninsula, Charlevoix, down to Chicago. And I had a whole night of sitting on the deck of this boat in the deep darkness that you can only get way out at sea. Although there was an almost full moon at the time, but still the quiet overnight at sea, staring off into the blackness and at the stars, and had the whole night just to think about his death and about death in general and about my own inevitable death. And like, yeah, damn, it was a.

[Lori]

Long night, the dark night of the soul.

[Scott Free]

But it was the kind of night that you come out of with the knowledge that while you will die one day, that you're lucky to be alive, and that life is weird and hilarious and full of limitless potential, and that you'd really better do something with the time you have. And that is a lesson that I am still trying to learn. And it sucks that it had to be the death of a hero like MCA to get me started learning it.

[Lori]

I think his death hit you the way Sinead o' Connor's death hit me.

[Scott Free]

I would get one.

[Lori]

Yeah. And I don't know if you ever listened to that episode that Trey and I did about Sinead o', Connor, but I did get really emotional in a few places, so I do understand.

[Scott Free]

Anyway, so what did the other Beastie Boys do in the post Beastie Boy world? You might be asking.

[Lori]

What did the other Beastie Boys do in the post Beastie Boy world, Scott?

[Scott Free]

Well, whatever they wanted, really. Adam Horovitz, AD Rock remixes tracks for other artists under the name 41 Small Stars. He played bass in Tender Moments, the backing band of a cabaret artist named Bridget Everett based out of nyc. I recall having seen them perform on a late night talk show some years ago and it was just this woman singing and Ad Rock and another guy who were just doing backup singer and dancing like it was a 70s variety show and it was freaking hilarious. He's also acted in films and does really whatever he wants. Mike D similarly produces music and does remixes. And he hosted an Apple music podcast, the Echo Chamber, that he did 120 episodes of up until, I believe, 20, 23, I want to say. Then Mike D and Ad Rock, Michael diamond and Adam Horovitz collaborated on a book and a documentary film about the Beastie Boys. And check them out. I say.

[Lori]

All right. All right, Scott, that leads us to our next episode in two weeks.

[Scott Free]

What are we going to be doing that next episode on in two weeks, Laurie? He asked Anticipation.

[Lori]

We are going to be doing one of my favorites from 92.

[Scott Free]

All right.

[Lori]

Hormonally yours by Shakespeare's sister, Crickets.

[Scott Free]

Crickets?

[Lori]

Yeah. Like, what's with the face?

[Scott Free]

Okay, here is what I'm going to admit.

[Lori]

Okay.

[Scott Free]

I definitely never heard that album and I may never have gotten straight in my head. Trip Shakespeare and Shakespeare's sister. Okay, so this is Shakespeare's sister.

[Lori]

Shakespeare's sister. Right. It's Siobhan Fahey, formerly of Banana Rama.

[Scott Free]

Oh, really?

[Lori]

And Marcella Detroit, the backup vocalist from Lay Down Sally.

[Scott Free]

Really? Yes, Lay Down Sally, the Eric Clapton song.

[Lori]

Correct. You know, the, the female backup voice. That's Marcella. That's Marcella Detroit.

[Scott Free]

Those two artists are like separated by at least a decade and genres of music and throwing. Fascinating.

[Lori]

Yeah. So. So I'm very curious to get your opinion when we come back in two weeks.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, I'm excited to see how that went.

[Lori]

Okay, well, thank you. Thanks for listening, everybody. Thanks for taking this journey with us. Checking your head.

[Scott Free]

Yeah, thanks for listening to me gush and ramble about the Beastie Boys. You won't have to hear me do that again until 1996.

[Lori]

Oh, boy. All right, on that note, this is Lori signing off.

[Scott Free]

It's a goodbye from me and from me Scott free. We'll see you back here in two weeks.