Aug 23, 2023Liked by Mitch Blum, CJ Kaplan, Ken Warshaw
You guys are brilliant and I'm thrilled to see this was a successful pitch. For this 57 year old Irishman, I prefer LTI over Paul's Boutique every time. I know every single word on LTI and it was always impressive to the ladies. Helped me get a little. (sleep you perverts) Anyhow..as always...Great work here. Now where is my Wiffle Ball bat?
This was the classic example of an album I was dismissive of when it came out as just noises from sophomoric white teenage morons who can't hold a tune, and was surprised to discover how much innovation and thoughtfulness was actually hiding behind the teen angst. In 1986 I would have rolled my eyes at adding License to EONS, but today I say bravo!
(If you objected to misogyny in 1986, the music industry had very little to offer, nor did the movie or TV industries...)
PS. for the record, at 28-3 in SB 51, I got a text from a friend saying I needed to "DO SOMETHING!," so I switched seats with my companion, and that was definitively the sole catalyst of the Patriots' comeback. Lady Gagging had nothing whatsoever to do with it.
I am from Michigan and attended the University of Michigan, where there were a surprisingly large number of people from New York. The city kids were cool (one each from Brooklyn and Queens), but the Long Islanders...they were not so cool even looking back 37 years. Maybe that is part of why I did not get into the Beastie Boys when this album came out. I would like to say that it was their homophobia and misogyny, but I think it was more that the attitude of "Fight for Your Right" made me think of my obnoxious neighbors in the dorm. In hindsight, I was too literal and took them at face value, missing the idea that they were really poking fun. I agree with Ken that their story is a redemptive arc as their career progressed.
It is great to see two guys from Boston and one from the "swamps of New Jersey" be able to put aside the natural distrust between these places and New York to recognize a very New York artist.
Not much of a Beastie Boys fan, but... I did spend some time working at Chung King, where "Licensed to Ill" was recorded... though, about 13 years after the fact.
I'm willing to bet almost everyone of an, um, "certain age" knows every line on this record. Looking at it through a 2023 lens isn't the best idea, but it was a product of the time. As previously mentioned both the band and most of us grew up and evolved from that mindset. For my money, "Check Your Head" is their finest hour, but that too, is more a testament to where I was in life than anything else. I will say that the first record my kid ever bought was Paul's Boutique, so there's that.
As for another prospective 1987 Top 20 record? My vote goes to the most illingest b-boy, Luther Vandross. "Give me the Reason" is fantastic.
P.S. Every year, the NY kids arrive here in a wave to go to school. The LI kids are the *worst.*
You guys are brilliant and I'm thrilled to see this was a successful pitch. For this 57 year old Irishman, I prefer LTI over Paul's Boutique every time. I know every single word on LTI and it was always impressive to the ladies. Helped me get a little. (sleep you perverts) Anyhow..as always...Great work here. Now where is my Wiffle Ball bat?
This was the classic example of an album I was dismissive of when it came out as just noises from sophomoric white teenage morons who can't hold a tune, and was surprised to discover how much innovation and thoughtfulness was actually hiding behind the teen angst. In 1986 I would have rolled my eyes at adding License to EONS, but today I say bravo!
(If you objected to misogyny in 1986, the music industry had very little to offer, nor did the movie or TV industries...)
PS. for the record, at 28-3 in SB 51, I got a text from a friend saying I needed to "DO SOMETHING!," so I switched seats with my companion, and that was definitively the sole catalyst of the Patriots' comeback. Lady Gagging had nothing whatsoever to do with it.
I am from Michigan and attended the University of Michigan, where there were a surprisingly large number of people from New York. The city kids were cool (one each from Brooklyn and Queens), but the Long Islanders...they were not so cool even looking back 37 years. Maybe that is part of why I did not get into the Beastie Boys when this album came out. I would like to say that it was their homophobia and misogyny, but I think it was more that the attitude of "Fight for Your Right" made me think of my obnoxious neighbors in the dorm. In hindsight, I was too literal and took them at face value, missing the idea that they were really poking fun. I agree with Ken that their story is a redemptive arc as their career progressed.
It is great to see two guys from Boston and one from the "swamps of New Jersey" be able to put aside the natural distrust between these places and New York to recognize a very New York artist.
I would add (if you haven’t yet) read the book! And then download the audio version. It’s another layer and level! GOLD!!!
Not much of a Beastie Boys fan, but... I did spend some time working at Chung King, where "Licensed to Ill" was recorded... though, about 13 years after the fact.
I'm willing to bet almost everyone of an, um, "certain age" knows every line on this record. Looking at it through a 2023 lens isn't the best idea, but it was a product of the time. As previously mentioned both the band and most of us grew up and evolved from that mindset. For my money, "Check Your Head" is their finest hour, but that too, is more a testament to where I was in life than anything else. I will say that the first record my kid ever bought was Paul's Boutique, so there's that.
As for another prospective 1987 Top 20 record? My vote goes to the most illingest b-boy, Luther Vandross. "Give me the Reason" is fantastic.
P.S. Every year, the NY kids arrive here in a wave to go to school. The LI kids are the *worst.*