Photo by Phil Andelman
When I saw the Beastie Boys inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame a few weeks ago, it felt strange to see Mike D and Ad-Rock there without Adam “MCA” Yauch. Even though the pair read a speech from their missing comrade–a touching, warm speech at that–things felt off balance. The Beastie Boys were so very much a balanced trio, a group which kept each other on an even keel, in artistic harmony–and, dare I say, in check. Their extracurricular interests never eroded the essence of the band; they were always the three musketeers who evolved from rowdy kids into thoughtful, self-aware adults.
I never interviewed Yauch, who died yesterday at the age of 47 after a valiant struggle with cancer. However, I did interview Ad-Rock once, in 2004; I was beyond nervous. We ended up having a fun, lighthearted conversation–a suitably Beastie Boys-esque chat.
(Printed in the Boston Herald in advance of the Beastie Boys/Talib Kweli show in Worcester, Massachusetts, October 12, 2004)
Adam Horovitz would like to clear up a misconception people might have about the Beastie Boys.
“We’re not male models,” the 36-year-old says. “A lot of people ask that about us. So, we just wanted to clear up that that’s not true.”