Disco de Beastie Boys: “Some Old Bullshit (Capitol)”

Descripción (en inglés) :

The Beastie Boys: Mike D. [Michael Diamond] (vocals, cow bell); Adam Yauch (acoustic guitar, bass, background vocals); John Berry (guitar); Kate Schellenbach (drums, background vocals, washboard). Additional personnel: Dave, Dave Parsons, Id, Nick (background vocals). Producers: The Beastie Boys, Scott Jarvis, Dug Pomeroy. Engineers include: Scott Jarvis, Dug Pomeroy, Greg Cewdson. Recorded at 171A Studios, New York in Winter, 1981 and Celebration Recording, New York in March, 1983. Includes liner notes by Michael Diamond. SOME OLD BULLSHIT contains the two UK import EPs POLLYWOG STEW and COOKY PUSS. This release also includes a 16-page booklet, original cover artwork and previously unreleased demo versions of "Egg Raid On Mojo" and "Transit Cop." Long before the Beastie Boys told jocks to fight for their right to party and Adam Yauch was hanging with the Dalai Lama, an early incarnation of the band was part of the early-'80s New York City hardcore movement that also included Reagan Youth. SOME OLD BULLSHIT not only compiles sides from the Beastie (Boys Entering Anarchistic States Towards Internal Excellence) Boys when future Luscious Jackson drummer Kate Schellenbach was a member, but the eventual trio's early hip-hop attempts as well. Early hardcore nuggets such as "Egg Raid on Mojo" (which they occasionally play live to this day) and "Beastie Boys" are of questionable fidelity compared to the better-sounding but no less passionate "Riot Fight" and "Ode To." Two anomalies point to the band's musical restlessness: "Jimi," a psychedelic slice of stoner heaven and "Beastie Revolution," a rock-steady/dub reggae experiment no doubt influenced by their friends Bad Brains. Two versions of the novelty dance single "Cooky Puss" round out SAME. This prank call wrapped in a dance beat not only found the Beastie Boys focusing their attention full-time on hip-hop, but it also preceded the Jerky Boys phenomenon that came along a few years later.

Okay, if you've actually heard this CD, then you get the title.

Folks, don't expect a lot of deep meaning about the inner mysteries of life on this one or pulsating grooves with deep lyrics that will change the way you look at the world. The teenage Beasties (and galpal Kate Schillenbach) are bascially having fun and acting the fool with their intstruments and screaming into the mike punk rock style. "Egg raid on Mojo," Traffic Cop," etc. are a good background to a drunk college fratboy party or the kind of thing you want in the background while your buddies are over for beer and pizza.

"Cookie Puss" and "Beastie Revolution" are a tad different. The former, as mentioned by some other posters, is a tape of our "Heroes" (?) making crank calls to a New York ice cream parlor with some beats added to the background. (For some reason, this "tune" was very popular underground in the early 80s). Then there's "Beastie revolution" (the chorus is where I got the title of this review). The Beasties spoof on the kind of reggae rap that was to evolve into dancehall. Initially amusing, but descends into sheer silliness.

If you remember (or still have) some of the basement tapes you made with your friends as a teenager where you are acting the fool and clowning on the mike, and add some punk rock, reggae, and disco beats to it, then you'll get the idea of this Cd.

I bought this since it was relatively cheap in a shop there was and I figured, I had nothing to lose and got what I expected which was the sound of teenagers making a bit of noise and having fun. There's nothing wrong with that. Yeah, tracks like Cookie Puss are hilarious but the other tracks here are equally as incompetent yet good. Yes I'm looking at it from the " so bad it's good " catalogue but really it's pretty fun to listen to. I have more fun listening to this than the dreadful cack like The Clash or the Sex Pistols ( Heresy? Bring it on! ). The letter which the band received from a disgruntled concert attender pretty much sums it up though. They are sub-Minor Threat, Bad Brains et al but really you shouldn't expect this to mean anything. They're 16-18 year olds here. They were having fun, nothing else.

The hardcore tracks on this disc from the Polly Wog Stew EP are freakin' great. The songs are completely rambunctious, immature, high-speed hardcore punk. Before the Beasties were MTV darlings with their suburban-friendly hip hop, they were playing house parties and small clubs with GREAT bands like The Bad Brains, Minor Threat, etc, etc (they even go for a Minor Threat look on the back cover of the EP). Like I said, these songs certainly don't show any maturity or songwriting skills to speak of, but they're fun, and you have to respect the Beastie Boys roots (they were still covering Minor Threat songs and recording new hardcore tracks a few years ago...). The reason that I only gave this 3 stars is because the Cooky Puss is generally pretty boring. Sorry, but I just don't like these last 4 tracks. To each his (or her) own.