The site of the cover photograph of Paul’s Boutique taken from Google Maps in modern times.
Possibly my favourite musical act, Beastie Boys are about to release a digitally remastered version of one of my favourite albums of all time. Here I recount my first connections with the band. An embedded version of Paul’s Boutique (with five videos) is available after the jump as well as some links to some other goodies. Paul’s Boutique was a new plateau in music for me. If you’ve never heard it, you’re missing out. This article first appeared in State, Issue 8.
One evening after school, I rifled through a grey plastic container of recorded cassette tapes belonging to my elder sister. As a music-hungry 13-year-old, I was looking for a copy of Nirvana’s Nevermind. My grubby young hands thumbed cassettes from Temple Of The Dog, The Breeders, Babes In Toyland, Rage Against The Machine and a myriad of forgotten grunge acts. One cassette’s contents, written in my sister’s neat handwriting, appealed more than the others, however, primarily because of titles like ‘Heart Attack Man’, ‘Tough Guy’, and ‘B-Boys Making With The Freak Freak’. That album was Ill Communication. The Beasties’ 1994 album was easily the most mind-blowing thing I’d heard up to that point. It starts with a dog whimpering before ‘Sure Shot’ hits in with its crackled flute sample, funky percussion and the distinctive timbres of MCA, Mike D and Adrock. The rest of the album’s 19 songs live up to that initial promise: high grade reference-heavy rap, short thrashy hardcore punk, infinitely quotable interludes, sheep samples, funk-based instrumentals, one of the best songs ever to combine punk riffs and scratching in ‘Sabotage’, Q-Tip and Tibetan monk chants. The remainder of my school years could basically be pinpointed by the Beasties’ back catalogue, as myself and my fellow fanatic Ciaran walked to school rapping lines at each other, copied the ‘Intergalactic’ dance, and shared issues of the short-lived cult Beastie mag, Grand Royal. We even started a Beastie Boys fansite called Alright Hear This.
I always loved the way the Beasties approached things, whether it was their consistently playful interviews, their fondness for alter-egos and wigs, or the care and attention given to their music videos. I love the way they recorded hours of live band material and then sampled and cut up the fruits of their labour into hip-hop tracks for Hello Nasty. I love the drug-induced polychromatic sample mecca of Paul’s Boutique, the puerile but entertaining Licensed To Ill, the eclectic brilliance of Check Your Head, the instrumental albums, the pisstake country songs and the ephemeral punk tunes. They are three guys from New York who took me on a multi-faceted journey through music and continue to inspire me to listen. To paraphrase ‘Sure Shot’, I strap on those ear goggles and I’m ready to go.
Album commentary from the band on the album.
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Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
I was 13 the Summer when ‘Intergalactic’ came out. I too learned the dance to it and the entire rap to impress the lad round the corner who I fancied.
I also learned ‘Shame on a Nigga’ by Wu Tang Clan which I still remember word for word!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCkoqKPXNzM&eurl=http://www.robertpopper.com/?p=569&feature=player_embedded
Nice article!
Still while listening to music to this day, I hear a bar or a lick and go “Thats where they got it from” – Paul’s Boutique eptiomises good sampling. Eclectic, inventive and humorous. The depth and breath of music that the Beasties and DJ Hurricane drew from to stitch the record together still astounds me. PB was one of the first hip-hop records that I got into – It’s still my favorite. Few hip-hop records (especially these days) have anywhere near the depth that you can listen back to in 5 years and still sound fresh… and more importantly still get something new from.
I heard Mike D saying in an interview that after Licence to Ill, they had put Paul’s Boutique to bed and released it. They were all sure they had made their best record yet and following the groundwork done with Licence to Ill were waiting for it to “explode” – but apparently it flopped on initial release. Well flopped in comparison to License to Ill which sold an astronomical amount.
Still though, quality shines through and today it has it’s rightful place in the pantheon of great records.
unteresting. i just listened to pauls boutique yesterday mornin. we should totally mindlink
Yeah, an under-rated group for sure. Was never a huge fan, but found them to be one of those acts that I’d hear a track by, and think that’s cool, I wonder who that is. And I agree with you on the sense of humour thing, they always seemed to be having fun, and have a respect for the origins of the scene (which they should being from New York).
Loved the track “Root Down” off Ill Communication, especially the instrumental breaks.
nice article. Will have to see if i can dig up a copy of Paul’s Boutique for a listen.
Fraid you’re at the right crossroads but you got the wrong corner Byrno!
http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbumBig.jsp?MemberId=2773329363&PhotoNbr=1&PhotoAlbumId=2781518146
Stu ya got me. But surely this is on the GATEFOLD??
True, close enough!Haven’t heard this yet, have they sorted out the start of Hey ladies, where the sample just suddenly jumps into stereo?Or was that always the intention!?Think I’ll stick to my import edition, it’s got all the lyrics in japanese!
“after the jump” you blog whore
yeah man you are right..