They all had dark hair and, what with the VW gold chains and sunglasses and baseball caps and hats and all, they weren’t that distinguishable. They were named either “Mike” or “Adam”, so take your pick. Quite honestly, I couldn’t really tell Beastie Boys apart. I did see the Beastie Boys once, when they toured with Madonna in 1985 on the Virgin Tour, but that was purely by accident since I was going for Madonna and didn’t even know who was opening. For me, they symbolized New York and the urban, East Coast, post-racial America that I had yet to experience. Geils Band (with Hall & Oates!), I found the Beastie Boys to be something of a breath of fresh air. As girl from the suburbs of a small Southern city, whose first album was REO Speedwagon’s Hi Infidelity and first concert was the J. (That would be The Police.) They had an impact on my generation (X), however, that is worth acknowledging. Only a few years older than me, the Beasties burst onto the national scene when I was still in high school.

The Beastie Boys were not my favorite band growing up.

So, while I was not surprised, I was saddened to learn of his death from cancer at the age of 47. I had a bad feeling when Adam Yauch was a no-show for the Beastie Boys ‘ induction into the Rock n’ Roll Hall o’ Fame in April.

Beastie boys shambala