Frenchy’s Fracas

Movie: Awesome; I Fuckin’ Shot That! (Nathanial Hörnblowér (AKA Adam Yauch), USA , 2006 - 90 ‘ )

Date: Jan 28, 2007

Rating: (it’s puuuuuure beastie!)

Plot: Nope, it’s a registration of a live concert of the Beastie Boys in their home town of New York. The twist is in the way it’s been filmed: 50 fans were selected and each was given a camera and access to film the event.

Cast: skippable..

Visuals: a lot of shaky handheld filming, but that’s to be expected. Some video effects to change the pace, that’s it.

Conclusion: Great movie, if you love the Beasties, I do, so… I can imagine people can get a bit put off by the almost constant blurred filming and hectic editing, but it comes with the territory and I got used to it after about 10 minutes. Favorite scenes: their little surprise elevator scene and the bits where they were playing as a band. Mixmaster Mike is always incredible on them turntables.
I enjoyed the concert more than the registration and I will be there when they come back to Holland to perform.

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General Description
Artist/Band: Beastie Boys
Album Title: Check Your Head
Year: 1992

How I Got Into This Music
Ooooohh.. These guys dropped License To Ill back in 1986 and the world went mad!
White boys doin’ the black ‘rap’ stuff?!? Oh my goodiegoodness.. And they’re also selling sex and violence thru their music and concerts? Oh nonononono.. These people should be banned!
Which is why every (pre-)teenager fought tooth and nail to get a copy of that album: ka-ching!!
But after a while we got used to the antics or maybe the band got tired of the tediousness of being labeled.. Beastie Boys were quiet for a while and returned to the scene with the very misunderstood Paul’s Boutique in 1989 (produced by the infamous Dust Brothers), which wasn’t quite like what people expected.
Don’t think they could really care coz they kinda knew they were onto something distinctively theirs. Together with Mario Caldato Jr. on the producing front, the Beasties released Check Your Head in 1992. And that.. album.. is/was.. unbelievable!
Have a look at the Boys’ list of used samples here.
Tracks that got my attention
(well, all of them actually, but still..):

Jimmy James
Man.. Just the loops on this track can get me grooving like yo mama on way too many cheap bourbons..

Funky Boss
Nice scratch work and easy loving bass..

Pass The Mic
Song that got my attention: like “Hey, what’s this music? Waittaminit, are those the Beastie Boys?!? Wow!”

Gratitude
Took me a while to get used to the track, but it works fine now: great raging emotions

Lighten Up
Great jungle feeling; would be great music to score for a movie

Finger Lickin’ Good
Energy.. Pure Energy!

So What’cha Want
DAMN! Bass loop! Great lyrics! Crazy guitar sample! (You can tell I like this song, dontcha?)

Time For Livin’
Back to their punk roots, lovely..

Something’s Got To Give
Serious and spiritual side of the Beasties

Stand Together
Not my favorite track but it’s okay..

Pow
Great energy, should still work on a dance floor ;oP

The Maestro
Almost a return to License To Ill form: party punk - “I’m the Maestroooo!!!”

Groove Holmes
And here is where they really kicked me in the Unmentionables. An incredibly laidback instrumental that’d even get airplay on certain more conservative radio stations, well.. until they get to know who’s performing the track, heheh..

Live At P.J.’s
“Weeeeeelllll… Back to the beat, ya’ll!!!”
Oh man, that bass.. AdRock’s nasty nasal voice and that Happy Tunes keyboard mixed with rough punksoul - favorite track!
“Gonna get it together.. Everybody..”

Mark On The Bus
Another pleasant surprise, totally different style but still great.

Professor Booty
“My voice sounds sweet coz it hasta..”
Groove on! Again, fantastic loops and scratches!!
“I ride around town on my low-rider bicycle..”

In 3’s
Instrumental, nice

Namasté
Spaced out and relaxed, mental excursions

Conclusion
These guys broke a lot of rules when they came onto the scene. And instead of being some novelty act, they proved that they’re great musicians. With this album they set the tone for the “Beastie Boys Sound”: a lot of hard work to get your brain working, your feet stomping and your hips shaking!
This album really was something new and fresh and you know what? It still works for me! This stuff is text book reference for the evolution of rap/hip-hop: how you make your music without being pidgeon-holed, without selling out and with respect to your craft - fantastic!

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