White Castle Will Miss The Beastie Boys And So Will I

On May 4th, Beatie Boy Adam Yauch lost his battle with cancer at the tragically young age of 47.  We lost one of musics modern day innovators.  A game changer.  It took me a few days to put together this post because I was sad, but also because I wanted to pay homage to the band in a different and clever way.  After all, they were different and clever.  And I say, were because without Adam, I don't think there is a band anymore. 

 Adam Yauch

Photo: Mick Hutson/Redferns

To me, the Beastie Boys will go down as a funky, fearless band with surprisingly widespread mass appeal.  The boys started out in their early days in Brooklyn as a hard core band, but by the time they released "License to Ill" in 1986, they had developed their groovy, rappy, rhymin' sound for which they became known.  While the mainstream high school kids were identifying with the Beastie's single, "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)," I was a die hard new wave girl, but completely embraced "Slow and Low."  Even my little brother, who was just starting to develop his own taste in music, danced his twelve year old booty off to "Brass Monkey" in his preteen bedroom -- I dared not enter!  I can still picture him to this day every time I hear, "that funky monkey!"

I noticed a strange thing (and I'm not the only one) about many of the Beastie Boy's songs.  It occurred to me that they talk about the fast food chain, White Castle an awful lot.  I decided to try to count one time, but never really wrote anything down.  So, I recently did some research.  Let me know if I've missed anything...

HOLD IT NOW - HIT IT!

Dow with Mike D. and it ain't no hassle
Got the ladies of the eighties from here to White Castle

THE NEW STYLE

I chill at White Castle 'cause it's the best
But I'm fly at Fat Burger when I way out west

POSSE IN EFFECT

I got a girl in the Castle and one in the pagoda

You know I got rhymes like Abe Vigoda

SLOW AND LOW

We got determination - bass and highs

White Castle fries only come in one size

SLOW RIDE

Because being bad news is what we're all about
We went to White Castle and we got thrown out

BRASS MONKEY

Drink Brass Monkey and I rock well

I got a Castle in Brooklyn - that's where I dwell

GIRLS

And I can always make them smile

From White Castle to the Nile

 *I played "Girls" in my Spinning class at New York Sports Club -- it's a great song for a full out two minute sprint, FYI.  

The Boys went on to release several albums: Paul's Boutique, 1989 (which some consider to be their best work); Check Your Head, 1992; Ill Communication, 1994; Hello Nasty, 1998; To the 5 Boroughs, 2004 and The Mix-Up, 2007.  In 1994, the single, "Sabotage" was nominated for 4 MTV Video Music Awards and in 1999, the single, "Intergalactic" won for Best Hip-Hop Video.  I also played that when I taught Spinning!  The Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14, 2012.  Sadly, Adam, "MCA" was too sick to attend the ceremony, but he wrote a speech for band mates Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz to read when they accepted the award.

Though Adam is gone, the Beastie Boys' music will live on.  I'll leave you with this video because as I type this post, "Time For Livin" just started playing on my Pandora radio which I have set to shuffle.  Spooky :-)

Not Your Typical Nunn...

As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of the music of the late 70’s and the 80’s – not the top forty crap, of course! So many interesting bands emerged during that era like; Talking Heads, Ramones, The Clash, Bauhaus, Roxy Music, The Stranglers, The Smiths, etc. MTV hit the airwaves in 1981 and The Buggles, “Video Killed the Radio Star” made history as the first music video shown.

Berlin lead singer, Terri Nunn with her signature hairstyle

Videos changed everything. Image became as important as the music (today it’s even more so) and people started to adopt the styles of their favorite artists. Women were extremely influential with performers like Debbie Harry, Chrissie Hynde, Joan Jett, Siouxsie Sioux, Dale Bozzio (aka “the original Lady Gaga”), The Go Go’s and, of course, Madonna leading the way.

Terri Nunn, 1984

Back in the day, Terri Nunn was the coolest of cool in my book. The gorgeous Nunn is the lead singer of the band “Berlin,” known to most for their hit single “Take My Breath Away” in the film Top Gun. Ironically, this happens to be my LEAST favorite song! Why is it that bands I like only gain mainstream popularity when they release an average and uninspired tune? Anyway, the band hail from Orange County, CA and formed in 1979. They released their first single, “A Matter of Time” in 1980, and then in 1982, their controversial song “Sex (I’m A…)” was actually banned by some radio stations. I’m sure it would be considered quite tame by today’s standards!

The band in 1986 (Terri Nunn, Rob Brill & John Crawford)

In 1986, my awesome sister took me to see Berlin for my birthday. Because they were not well known, they were playing at a gym in a little college near our town in Pennsylvania. It was incredible. We were sitting on the bleachers watching the opening act when I noticed a very attractive man with cool hair over my right shoulder. I would know that spiky hairdo anywhere! It was John Crawford, the bassist for Berlin – just sitting there watching the warm up band! Unfortunately, I couldn’t muster up the courage to say hello to him before he slipped away out the side door to go get ready. That would never happen today! I’m not exactly the shy young kid I used to be.

one of my all time favorites!

Terri and the boys took the stage and she looked and sounded amazing. That’s what is so great about Berlin -- they have super style and talent. Ms. Nunn has pipes beyond belief. Just listen for yourself…

very cool "Bonnie & Clyde" style video