RiffRaf

5 Amazing Autumnal Tracks

Autumn in New York. Ahhhh!!!! My season of choice. Spring may be the season of rebirth, but for me autumn is the season of possibility.

Okay, so it's not quite fall - it officially arrives September 22nd - but can't you just feel the crisp autumn air on the back of your neck and smell the smoldering fireplace in your nose? Can't you?

Here are five amazing songs that celebrate my favorite three months. 

"Harvest Moon" by Neil Young

Mr. Young's quiet song is a lullaby of sorts. He sings with gentle ease, while the lush acoustic guitars and the harmonica solo contribute nuance to such a wistful number.

 

"Autumn Sweater" by Yo La Tengo

Great album. Great song. It makes you feel warm and fuzzy like that ratty old cardigan you own. The one with the moth holes in the sleeves. Yeah, that one:

"When I heard the knock on the door, I couldn't catch my breath. Is it too late to call this off? We could slip away. Wouldn't that be better? Me with nothing to say and you in your autumn sweater."

 

"Moondance" by Van Morrison

Van The Man makes use of the not-so-brilliant portmanteau "fantabulous" in his brilliant song "Moondance" on his brilliant third album, Moondance:

"A fantabulous night to make romance / 'Neath the cover of October skies / And all the leaves on the trees are falling / To the sound of the breezes that blow." 

 

"Ramble On" by Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin were never one to shy away from their influences. In "Ramble On," Robert Plant borrows from his muse, J.R.R. Tolkien's poem "Namarie" from The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's poem was certainly the inspiration for the song's entire first verse:

"Leaves are falling all around, It's time I was on my way/ Thanks to you, I'm much obliged for such a pleasant stay / But now it's time for me to go / The autumn moon lights my way / For now I smell the rain, and with it pain, and it's headed my way."

 

"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" by The White Stripes

"Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" is the raunchy opening track to the White Stripes' 2001 album White Blood Cells. Judging by the song's title, we can surmise that autumn isn't Jack White's favorite time of year. Perhaps winter is.  

"Dead leaves and the dirty ground / when I know you're not around / shiny tops and soda pops / when I hear your lips make a sound."

Best of Riffraf: 5 Awesome Music Videos

                                      

I'm old enough to remember when MTV took to the airwaves - August 1, 1981. It didn't take long before the music channel assaulted all of us with its slogan, "I want my MTV." I remember the cheesy promotional photos of the Apollo 11 moon landing, with the flag featuring MTV's logo. I even remember the original five VJ's - Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, J.J. Jackson and Martha Quinn - and thinking none of them had an ounce of talent, but I didn't mind Martha Quinn because at least she was pretty cute.

                               

I'm old enough to remember when MTV played music, but I didn't see the first two videos that were aired, The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" and Pat Benatar's "You Better Run," because we didn't have cable. Both videos are merely mediocre, but here are five killer videos that I have had the opportunity to view. 

Song: "Hurt"

Artist: Johnny Cash

Director: Mark Romanek

Romanek's video captures a beleaguered Cash at the end of his tumultuous life. The video accomplishes what every great video should accomplish - it enhances the singer's performance.

 

 

Song: "Buddy Holly"

Band: Weezer

Director: Spike Jonze

Who's the coolest fictional character of all time? That's right, Fonzie. Well, The Fonz is the star of Spike Jonze's video, so that makes Weezer's video the coolest of all time.

  

 

Song: "Once in a Lifetime"

Band: Talking Heads

Director: Toni Basil

Remember Toni Basil? She had one that annoying hit in the 80s, "Mickey." "Mickey" wasn't so fine, but the Talking Heads video she directed certainly is. Basil directed and helped choreograph the "Once in a Lifetime" video that managed to capture David Byrne's bizarre brilliance. Even though "Once in a Lifetime" didn't receive much radio play, it was in heavy rotation on MTV.

  

 

Song: "Jeremy"

Band: Pearl Jam

Director: Mark Pellington 

One of the most artistic videos ever. The final scene still gives me goose bumps. Mark Pellington has said, "I think that video tapped into something that has always been around and will always be around. You're always going to have peer pressure, you're always going to have adolescent rage, you're always going to have dysfunctional families."

 

 

Song: "Sledgehammer"

Artist: Peter Gabriel

Director: Stephen R. Johnson

In 1986, Stephen R. Johnson's video for "Sledgehammer" was considered groundbreaking for "its innovative use of claymation, pixilation and stop-motion animation." Today, it's still impressive.

 

5 Rock Stars Who've Made TV Cameos

          
                                                                                                                            By Elford Alley

With the recent passing of Davy Jones, fans and critics have been looking back at his storied career. In addition to starring in his own show, The Monkees, he had a well-known cameo as himself on The Brady Bunch, in which his biggest fan, Marcia Brady, tries to get him to sing at the school dance. 

At one point or another, the biggest rock stars in the world will eventually make a television appearance. It’s a rite of passage. Maybe it’s a late night talk show, or maybe it's as a house band on an episode of a forgettable teen drama, or maybe it’s a voice on a ridiculously long-running animated sitcom.

Here are five TV cameos from famous rock stars:

 

The Flaming Lips on Beverly Hills, 90210

 

Before becoming the award-winning and critically acclaimed band they are today, The Flaming Lips were once just a struggling alt-rock outfit from Oklahoma. But with the success of 1993’s Transmissions from the Satellite Heart and the single "She Don't Use Jelly," The Flaming Lips finally found national exposure, which led to a guest appearance on Beverly Hills, 90210. Seriously. The guys who brought you The Soft Bulletin appeared on 90210….

 

Colin Hay on Scrubs

 

Best known as a member of Men at Work, Colin Hay’s lagging career got a shot in the arm in the early 2000s as many of his songs were featured on Scrubs as well as the soundtrack to Garden State. In a 2002 episode of Scrubs, Colin Hay appeared as himself, following Zach Braff’s character around and playing an acoustic rendition of “Overkill.”

 

George Harrison on The Simpsons

 

In all honesty, I could make several lists based on musicians who’ve made appearances on The Simpsons. In the show's 23 seasons (and counting), there have been guest appearances from The Ramones, Paul McCartney, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ringo Starr, and The White Stripes. But George Harrison’s appearance in Homer’s Barbershop Quartet is one of the most memorable, as he watches Homer’s group perform on the roof of Moe’s Tavern and shrugs saying, “It's been done.”

 

Tom Petty on King of the Hill

 

What started out as a cameo quickly morphed into a main character. Tom Petty played Lucky, a man living off a cash settlement he received after slipping on urine and hurting his back at a Costco. He married Luanne and became a main character until the show ended in 2010.

 

David Bowie on Extras

 

Ricky Gervais’ 2006 series Extras was filled with genius celebrity cameos, such as Kate Winslet telling Ricky’s character Andy that she’s starring in a film about the Holocaust because it guarantees an Oscar win. (Total coincidence, she won an Oscar for The Reader in 2008, which um…deals with the Holocaust….) But one of the most memorable cameos belongs to David Bowie, who is approached by Andy in a pub and then proceeds to sing a song about what a fat loser Andy is, leading the entire pub in a rousing chorus about poor Andy having a pug-nosed face.

Everyone join in: "He sold his soul for a shot of fame. He's the little fat man with a pug-nosed face."

What's your favorite rock star cameo? Drop us a note in the comment box below.

5 Musicians Who Became Surprisingly Good Actors

         
                                                                                                                    By Elford Alley

No one expected much from Frank Sinatra when he started his film career. After all, Elvis managed one without the aid of a well-written script or acting ability. But Sinatra surprised everyone with a nuanced performance as a brainwashed veteran who aims to assassinate a presidential nominee in The Manchurian Candidate. Few musicians, however, really became top-notch thespians, but it sure is nice when they really work at the craft.

We’ve already covered actors who have tried to be musicians ("5 Musical Actors"). We've also covered rock stars who have made random film cameos ("5 Rock Stars Who've Made Surprising Film Cameos"). And next week we'll take a look at musicians who've made surprising TV cameos (8/15), but today we'll take a look at musicians who have fully committed to being actors, and in addition to that, are actually pretty damn good at it. It makes sense, after all, many musicians essentially play a character when they’re on stage anyway. 

So, here are 5 musicians who have become surprisingly good actors:

Mos Def

Mos Def got his start in hip-hop, forming the group Black Star with Talib Kweli before moving on to his acclaimed solo albums, Black on Both Sides and The New Danger. He’s also a pretty good actor, having appeared in Michel Gondry’s Be Kind Rewind, The Woodsman, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Cadillac Records, and on Dexter as the character Brother Sam.

Dwight Yoakam

Best known for the song “Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.” (YouTube it. It will get stuck in your head. For days.) Yoakam surprised everyone with his portrayal of an abusive alcoholic in 1996’s Sling Blade. Choosing his roles carefully, he’s managed to work with David Fincher in Panic Room and star in Crank 2: High Voltage.

Justin Timberlake

We were surprised that Justin managed a successful solo career, much less winning four Emmys for his acting abilities. While not every role has been great - he was in Mike Meyer’s The Love Guru after all - he’s become the best cast member Saturday Night Live has had in ten years and put in stellar performances in The Social Network and Alpha Dog.

Mark Wahlberg

Before starring in Boogie Nights and The Fighter, Mark Wahlberg was once known as Marky Mark, and he employed a Funky Bunch. Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch even managed a few hits, such as “Good Vibrations." Side note: before that he once got high on PCP and beat a middle-aged Vietnamese man unconscious. The more you know…

Will Smith

There will be no “getting jiggy with it” jokes in this one. I just want to make that clear.  Will Smith got his start playing such brutal, no-holds barred hip-hop songs like “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and “Summertime” before breaking out with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Since then he’s become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, despite starring in 1999’s Wild Wild West. 

5 Great First Solo Albums

                 

                                                                                                                     By Elford Alley

It’s as much a part of a successful band’s story as the substance abuse and rehab stints. I'm talking about the solo album.

At some point, someone is going solo. Now, sometimes the first solo album isn't very good (Mick Jagger’s She’s The Boss) and sometimes it's downright abysmal (Peter Criss’ Peter Criss), but every now and then, someone manages to release a truly great first solo record - Sting, Stevie Nicks, Donald Fagen and Eric Clapton- that rivals the work of the artist’s own band.

Here are five great first solo albums: 

Paul Westerberg's 14 Songs

With a title referencing the J.D. Salinger collection Nine Stories, former Replacements' frontman Paul Westerberg released his first solo album in 1993. 14 Songs led to his work being featured on such early '90s TV staples as Friends and Melrose Place, catapulting his solo career that followed The Replacements’ 1990 break-up.

Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever

Following his stint in the Traveling Wilburys, Tom Petty started work on his first solo album, which contains some of his biggest hits, including “Free Fallin,” “I Won’t Back Down” and "Runnin' Down a Dream." It’s hard to consider 1989’s Full Moon Fever a solo album - every member of The Heartbreakers (except for drummer Stan Lynch) contributed to it - but despite that T.P. and producer Jeff Lynne wrote, produced and recorded what some consider to be Petty's masterpiece.

Jack White's Blunderbuss

Named after a type of muzzle loading firearm (because, why not?), Jack White's first solo album debuted earlier this year, earning the rocker his first number one. After fronting the White Stripes and The Raconteurs, working with everyone from Loretta Lynn to Tom Jones, and operating Third Man, his label and studio in Nashville, Jack White finally got around to recording a solo album.

White is touring behind the record with two backing bands, one all male and one all female. He recently said in an interview with The Guardian: "I don't like to take the easy way out on anything I do." 

Neko Case's The Virginian

Neko Case got her start as a drummer for various bands around Vancouver but soon found fame as the singer of the indie rock group The New Pornographers. Trading in her power pop sound for country, she released her first solo album The Virginian in 1997, featuring covers of Loretta Lynn and The Everly Brothers' songs. The Virginian was the first in a series of very successful solo albums for Case.

George Harrison's All Things Must Pass

Not only is All Things Must Pass George Harrison's first solo album, but it is also the first solo album by a former Beatle. The triple album was a massive success and considered by most to be Harrison’s best work. Featuring songs like “Isn’t It A Pity,” "What is Life," and “My Sweet Lord," it rivals his songs with The Beatles and just might be the finest of all the Fab Four solo albums.

5 Bizarre Incidents in Rock

Throughout the history of rock and roll one thing has become clear: when you take an unknown musician, turn him into a musical god, and then give him a virtual blank check to engage in debauchery, things can get bizarre. Really bizarre. 

So, for your entertainment we’ve gathered five of the most bizarre incidents in rock and roll.

Ozzy Bites the Head Off a Dove

Ozzy Osbourne once bit the head off a bat (he thought it was a rubber toy and immediately got rabies shots). But he got his start with a dove. 

In a 1981 meeting with record executives, Ozzy signed a deal as a solo artist. He intended to release some doves as a gesture of good will. Instead, being severely intoxicated and apparently insane, he grabbed one and bit its head off. As he is wont to do. How's that for good will?

 

John Lennon Sees a UFO

If you look at the liner notes of John Lennon’s 1974 album Walls and Bridges, you’ll find the phrase “On 23 August 1974 I saw a UFO J. L.” While unwinding on his balcony after a day in the studio, John Lennon claimed to have seen a UFO hovering near his building: “I realized this thing was real and so close that I could almost touch it!” (Cue the music to the Twilight Zone.)

 

Phil Spector Might Have Killed Someone

In addition to being a brilliant producer and innovator of the “Wall of Sound," Phil Spector is also a crazy person. Seriously, at one point or another he has pulled a gun on The Ramones, John Lennon, Debbie Harry, and Leonard Cohen. Most people greet you with a handshake; Spector prefers a loaded gun.

But in 2003 his antics went from wacky to horrifying when actress Lana Clarkson was found shot to death in Spector's home. Spector reportedly told his driver, “I think I’ve killed someone” and in 2009 was sentenced to nineteen years to life in a California prison.

 

Keith Richards Snorts His Dad’s Ashes

Keith Richards has since denied this little anecdote (much like Ted Nugent denies how he dodged the draft by going on a multi-day meth and junk food bender to fail the physical). But in a 2007 interview, Keith Richards claimed that after his father’s passing he did a line of his dad’s ashes. He also said, “It went down pretty well." But come on, this is Keith Richards, it would have been more bizarre if he hadn’t snorted his father's ashes. Right?

 

The Gram Parsons Incident

Say what you will, but Phil Kaufman is dedicated to his friends.

Gram Parsons told Kaufman in a passing conversation that upon his death he wished to be cremated and have his ashes spread over Cap Rock in Joshua Tree, California. So when Parsons died of an overdose in September 1973, Kaufman did what any good friend would do. He stole Parsons’ corpse from the Los Angeles International Airport, loaded it up in a hearse, and drove it out to Joshua Tree. There, he poured five gallons of gasoline on the casket and set it on fire. Gram got his wish, and Phil only got a $750 fine for stealing a coffin. 

Would you like to share a bizarre rock and roll story with us? Leave a comment in the box below and we'll share it with our friends on Facebook. And thanks for reading.

(Elford Alley has had plays produced and read across the United States and his sketch comedy featured in several shows in Chicago. His articles have appeared in cracked.com. He currently resides in Dallas with his wife and daughter.)

5 Great Movie Soundtracks

Great soundtracks manage to encapsulate a film’s premise and stand on their own as a collection of great music. A film doesn’t have to be exceptional in order for it to have a compelling soundtrack. Take the mediocre comedy Friday, for example. Bootsy Collins, The Isley Brothers and Rick James are all on the soundtrack. 

There are so many incredible soundtracks - Easy Rider, Saturday Night Fever, Purple Rain, Garden State, Shaft, The Graduate, Trainspotting, Singles, Good Will Hunting, Virgin Suicides, Velvet Goldmine, Superfly, O Brother, Where Art Thou, A Hard Day's Night - but today we'll only be looking at five. (As for the others? Maybe next time.)

Goodfellas (Directed by Martin Scorsese)

Martin Scorsese always chooses the perfect song to complement a scene or flesh out a character, occasionally using the same piece of music multiple times. For instance, the Rolling Stones' “Gimme Shelter” has appeared in three Scorsese films: Casino, The Departed and Goodfellas. Each time, the song underscores the moment a major character makes the decision that will ultimately destroy him.

In Goodfellas (1990), he makes use of a wide array of songs to perfectly evoke an era, from the seemingly innocent 50s, to the excesses of the 70s, to protagonist Henry Hill's downfall in the 80s, featuring artists like Bobby Darin, Aretha Franklin, and Cream.

One of the most iconic music moments in film history is Scorsese's use of the beautiful, extended piano outro from "Layla" by Derek and the Dominos in a scene in which the aftermath of a gruesome killing spree is revealed.

 

Devil’s Rejects (Directed by Rob Zombie)

Rob Zombie surprised everyone with his 2005 film The Devil’s Rejects. The shock rocker combined his love of gore and 70s schlock to craft a damn near perfect horror film, sporting a powerful soundtrack featuring Terry Reid, Otis Rush, and Kitty Wells.

Rushmore (Directed by Wes Anderson)

Wes Anderson’s sophomore effort, Rushmore, heralded the arrival of a clever new director as well as the return of Bill Murray. Although not as novel as the soundtrack to The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, featuring Seu Jorge performing Portuguese covers of David Bowie songs, Rushmore does feature British Invasion greats like The Who and The Kinks.

 

Pump Up The Volume

The soundtrack to this 1990 cult favorite about a kid who starts his own pirate radio station is practically a mix tape of the era’s best alternative music. The soundtrack features the alternate take of the Pixies’ “Wave of Mutilation” along with songs by Leonard Cohen, Soundgarden and a cover of Robert Johnson's "Me and the Devil Bues" by Cowboy Junkies.

 

Pulp Fiction (Directed by Quentin Tarantino)

Released in 1994, Pulp Fiction catapulted director Quentin Tarantino to stardom and revived John Travolta's floundering career. It also featured a soundtrack that reached #21 on the Billboard charts and put the thirty-year old Neil Diamond song "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" back on the charts. That alone is quite an accomplishment.

Featuring legendary surf rocker Dick Dale's version of "Misirlou" along with tracks as disparate as Kool & The Gang's "Jungle Boogie" and Dusty Springfield's take on "Son Of A Preacher Man," the soundtrack is eclectic enough to perfectly complement Tarantino's non-linear black comedy.

(Elford Alley has had plays produced and read across the United States and his sketch comedy featured in several shows in Chicago. His articles have appeared in cracked.com. He currently resides in Dallas with his wife and daughter.)

5 Songs Lennon & McCartney Gave Away

       
Few songwriting duos have been as influential and insanely prolific as John Lennon and Paul McCartney. 

They wrote the bulk of The Beatles’ music, and frequently offered their songs to other musicians. Their manager, Brian Epstein, would occasionally have his other artists record Lennon-McCartney songs as a way of launching their career. Billy J. Kramer, Cilla Black, P.J. Proby and Tommy Quickly all recorded Lennon/McCartney compositions.

In 1971, EMI released a twenty song compilation with the incredibly unique title, "The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away.” It was reissued in 1979 to include the Ringo Starr track "I'm the Greatest," which was written by John Lennon.  

Here are five songs - three of which are on that particular record - that Lennon and McCartney gave away.

1. The Rolling Stones' “I Wanna Be Your Man”

Legend has it that in 1962 The Rolling Stones bumped into John Lennon and Paul McCartney on the street and mentioned they were desperate for a hit single. Lennon and McCartney followed the Stones into a studio and finished writing the song in the corner of the room while Mick, Keith and the boys waited.

"I Wanna be Your Man" was a hit for the Stones, but John Lennon would later admit, “It was a throwaway. The only two versions of the song were Ringo and The Rolling Stones. That shows how much importance we put on it: We weren’t going to give them anything great, right?” 

 

 

2. Tommy Quickly’s “Tip Of My Tongue”

Not every Lennon-McCartney giveaway equaled success. "Tip of My Tongue" was one of the only Lennon-McCartney compositions to never chart. It was even released during Beatlemania and still proved a dud for singer Tommy Quickly.

 

 

3. P.J. Proby's "That Means A Lot"

The Beatles recorded a version of "That Means A Lot" for the Help! sessions. Lennon and McCartney were unhappy with the way it turned out, so manager Brian Epstein offered it to one of his other clients, P.J. Proby, who had mild success with the song. 

Back in '65 Lennon said, "This song is a ballad which Paul and I wrote for the film, but we found we just couldn't sing it. In fact, we made a hash of it, so we thought we'd better give it to someone who could do it well." 

In a 1988 interview, McCartney had a different view: "There were a few songs that we were just not as keen on, or we didn't think they were quite finished. This was one of them."

In Lennon's legendary 1980 interview with Playboy, the songwriter, known for his candor, had more disparaging things to say about "That Means A Lot": "the structure sounds wrong and, at worst, seems completely arbitrary." He also claimed it was "an attempt to rewrite "Ticket to Ride." 

The Beatles' version stayed in the vault until Anthology 2 was released in 1996.

 

 

4. Badfinger’s “Come And Get It”

Badfinger was signed to Apple Records in 1968 and was offered the Paul McCartney composition “Come and Get It." While the band had their own ideas for the song, McCartney insisted they record it note for note as to how he envisioned it, assuring them it would be a hit. It was, entering the top ten in the U.S. and U.K. in 1970.  

  

 

5. Peter and Gordon’s “Woman”

Lennon and McCartney initially started writing songs for other artists as a way to improve their songwriting. But after a while they suspected it wasn’t necessarily the quality of the songs that was giving these artists their hits just the “Lennon-McCartney” credit. So, for this song they used the pseudonym "Bernard Webb," which led to a review stating: “This Bernard Webb has an amazing talent. Could even be Paul McCartney!”

  

(Elford Alley has had plays produced and read across the United States and his sketch comedy featured in several shows in Chicago. His articles have appeared in cracked.com. He currently resides in Dallas with his wife and daughter.)

5 Rock Stars Who've Made Surprising Film Cameos

We’ve seen plenty of rock stars try their hand at lead acting roles, but there are plenty out there who are happy with a simple random cameo. Maybe you spotted them right away, maybe it took another viewing, or maybe you had no idea until after you read this handy list.

Here are five surprising film cameos (plus one bonus cameo) by rock stars. Hope it comes in handy.

Chris Martin in Shaun of the Dead

In addition to being the single greatest romantic comedy featuring zombies, Shaun of the Dead featured blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos by Chris Martin of Coldplay. Martin is shown briefly on t.v. promoting a post-zombie apocalypse charity, ZombAid, and he also plays a zombie extra earlier in the film.

 

Aimee Mann in The Big Lebowski

Nihilists, man….Renowned singer-songwriter Aimee Mann appeared briefly (along side of Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers) as a member of the gang of German nihilists in the Coen Brothers 1998 film The Big Lebowski. Mann's character's little toe was cut off in a botched kidnapping scheme.

 

Alanis Morissette in Dogma

In Kevin Smith’s meditation on the wackiness of religion, he cast Alanis Morissette as God. While only on screen for a brief moment, Morissette seizes the spotlight as she makes a character’s head explode with her voice. She reprised her role as God for the sequel of sorts, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

 

Jack White in Walk Hard

Walk Hard tried to be what no other film has successfully accomplished since Naked Gun: a parody that’s actually funny. The jury is out on whether it succeeded, but you have to love Jack White’s portrayal of Elvis as a mumbling, karate-obsessed train wreck.

 

Tom Jones in Mars Attacks

In Mars Attacks, director Tim Burton’s criminally underrated ode to 50s schlock, he used most of his surprisingly huge budget to jam as many stars into the film as possible. The result is an array of cameos that feature Tom Jones, playing himself as he tries to spirit his friends away from the Martian invasion of Las Vegas.

 

Tom Petty in The Postman

Look, nobody is going to pretend this was a good movie, but damn it, Kevin Costner sure tried. In a post-apocalyptic America, society has ultimately broken down. Citizens live in isolated villages, and Tom Petty is the mayor of one of them. He isn’t playing a character, apparently when western civilization finally crumbles Tom Petty hangs up the guitar and becomes a small town mayor.

(Elford Alley has had plays produced and read across the United States and his sketch comedy featured in several shows in Chicago. He also writes for cracked.com. He currently resides in Dallas with his wife and daughter.)

5 Things That Make Adam Yauch Great

   
On May 4, 2012 Adam Yauch, aka MCA, aka Nathanial Hornblower, succumbed to cancer at 47. A great musician, accomplished director, and philanthropist, today we'd like to pay tribute to the late rapper by highlighting five of the many things that make him great.

5. He Wrote an Amazing Letter to the New York Times

In 2004, a New York Times critic wrote a negative review to the Beastie Boys’ music video “Ch-Check It Out." Borrowing the same pseudonym he directs under, Nathanial Hornblower, Yauch responded with a bizarre letter proclaiming his genius and reminding the critic that she owes him a goat after his died en route to deliver his letter from the high cliffs of his remote homeland. It’s definitely worth checking out: (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/20/arts/20MAIL.html).

4. He was a Director

Yauch directed some of the Beastie Boys’ best videos, including “Intergalactic,” “Make Some Noise” and the epic thirty-minute, star-filled "Fight For Your Right (revisited)." Yauch also directed the 2006 Beastie Boys' film “Awesome; I Fucking Shot That” and the 2008 documentary “Gunnin’ For That #1 Spot.”

3. He was a Philanthropist

Yauch was a supporter of the Free Tibet movement. In addition to creating the Milarepa Fund, a non-profit dedicated to Tibetan independence, he organized the Tibetan Freedom Concert in 1996, which drew over a 100,000 people. In the wake of 9/11, Yauch helped organize the benefit concert New Yorkers Against violence along with his Beastie Boys cohorts.

2. He Founded Oscilloscope Laboratories

Started in 2002 as a record label, Yauch’s Oscilloscope Laboratories quickly branched out into film. Adam had a vision for his company, selecting a wide variety of films including the Banksy documentary “Exit Through The Gift Shop” and the school shooting drama “We Need To Talk About Kevin.” Yauch was a big fan of both films: “I’d say the common thread is really just films that I and other people at the company like…You have to feel like the film has some redeeming quality, feel moved by it for some reason.”

1. He Gave Us The Beastie Boys

You love the Beastie Boys. I love the Beastie Boys. We love the Beastie Boys. Who doesn’t? Adam Yauch co-founded the group when he was just seventeen. They started out as a hardcore punk group before embracing hip-hop and becoming the band that gave the world “No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn” and “Sabotage."

             

(Elford Alley has written plays, sketch comedy, and short stories. He currently lives in Dallas with his wife and daughter. Follow Elford on Twitter.)