Not at all New Wave and not really punk either so when the Beasties first hit in 1982 with the Pollywog Stew EP, as a bunch of NYC well to do street punks, they barely made a noise outside of the streets of Manhattan. It wasn't until the release of an unintentional 1983 single that they started to get a little attention. In order to perform this song live they brought in Rick Rubin to act as DJ, the song was titled "Cooky Puss" after the semi-famous Carvel ice cream cake. (please hit the RED play button now) "We went into the studio and we did the song 'Cooky Puss' as a joke. We were making fun of Malcolm McLaren and the whole downtown art scene that was exploiting hip-hop" - Adam Yauch, 1987Rick Rubin would eventually introduce the guys to Def Jam label manager Russell Simmons, brother of Run from Run-DMC. Before their first LP for Def Jam ever came out the Beasties had already been on tour with Run-DMC and Madonna. Late in 1986 after the release of a few singles, "License to Ill" would eventually hit the stores and the three white boys from the streets of Manhattan would go on to change the sound and image of rap music forever.
ketut says
Boy, that 1st video is hard to watch.
I didn't care for the Fight For Your Right... when it first came out, but the song Girls and No Sleep Till Brooklyn hooked me.
dachmo says
**Ketut** - I remember hearing "She's On It" and thinking it was the best thing since Wonder bread.
You're right about that first video they couldn't have been older than 15 and as a punk band they just really really sucked.
I am says
Back in '83 the "Boys" shared a stage with the likes of Live Skull, Toy Killers, and Swans for the 5 day White Columns Festival. The album that resulted was called Speed Trials.
The Beasties did "Egg Raid on Mojo". They had Kate Schellenbach on drums (who went on to Luscious Jackson).
their brand of punk is typical for the time and considering their age, wasn't all that great.
Still, they have come a long way since then.
brendanhalpin says
Man, I still love "Cooky Puss". Great stuff. Yeah, they were pretty bad in that first video, but I saw the Dead Milkmen several years into their career and they weren't much better than that live.
On their greatest hits compilation, they include this, which is just one of my favorite things ever. Biz Markie covering Elton John--it was meant to be!
Not at all New Wave and not really punk either so when the Beasties first hit in 1982 with the Pollywog Stew EP, as a bunch of NYC well to do street punks, they barely made a noise outside of the streets of Manhattan. It wasn't until the release of an unintentional 1983 single that they started to get a little attention. In order to perform this song live they brought in Rick Rubin to act as DJ, the song was titled "Cooky Puss" after the semi-famous Carvel ice cream cake. (please hit the RED play button now) "We went into the studio and we did the song 'Cooky Puss' as a joke. We were making fun of Malcolm McLaren and the whole downtown art scene that was exploiting hip-hop" - Adam Yauch, 1987Rick Rubin would eventually introduce the guys to Def Jam label manager Russell Simmons, brother of Run from Run-DMC. Before their first LP for Def Jam ever came out the Beasties had already been on tour with Run-DMC and Madonna. Late in 1986 after the release of a few singles, "License to Ill" would eventually hit the stores and the three white boys from the streets of Manhattan would go on to change the sound and image of rap music forever.
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