One of the definitive hip-hop albums of the 90s just turned remastered. Available through the Beasties' own site they've added a second disc with a lot of b-sides, remixes and odd tracks.
The old old: the first album is here in its entirety, enabling the listener to hear how the boys went great following their masterpiece, "Paul's Boutique", which the mainstream dissed apart from the single "Hey Ladies"; this follow-up isn't as sample-laden but just as experimental, and you can really hear how the guys have been playing their instruments and rolling in old records. They go from hip-hop ("So What'cha Want?") to hardcore ("Time For Livin'") and instrumental ("Pow") and it's really, really great. Playful in the extreme.
The new old: the added album is a treat, giving you stuff like "So What'cha Want?" remixed by DJ Muggs off Cypress Hill (as Soul Assassins) with rap by B-Real, to the ever-classic track "Netty's Girl" - and you've GOT to check out the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKSrTuCAFsc - to the brilliant "The Skills To Pay The Bills (Original Version)" and "Groove Holmes" with Biz Markie on lead mic. Radiant stuff. Hearing the Biz calling the b-boys his backing band the Biz-boys is like finding gold-encrusted nuggets in your cereal. Here's a sample of one of the old cuts.
If you want to get deep into some experimental hip-hop-gone-rock stuff that's evolved, yet still focused, check this out. They've battered up!
I remember listening to this stuff when I was 15 years old. The first single, "So What'cha Want?" really did my head in. I just couldn't comprehend the psychedelic effects in the video and the beats, the lyrics that made little or no sense, and the electric guitar riff with the bombastic drums just made me want to jump twice as high as Ad-Rock in the video. Damn, I wanted to be Ad-Rock at this point.
I also remember the boys turning up in Stockholm to play their first-ever gig ((Having been thwarted to play live in the entire nation of Sweden by Hem och skola, the Swedish equivalent of the American PMRC; Hem och skola also blacklisted WASP from playing here.)) and answering stupid questions in Swedish TV. The gig, however, was massive. I was kicked in the head and nearly pulverised when the Beasties entered - to "Time For Livin'" - which probably helped, but the gig was massive! They did their instrumentals with a big, red Chinese lantern hanging from each side, then switched to hardcore mode with lights flashing, did their hip-hop routine to DJ Hurricane's not-very-flashy beats. Some guy dressed all in Stüssy had all of his gear plucked off him and thrown everywhere. One of the Beasties got hold of a shoe and proclaimed "No...Stüssy equipment...on...the...stage!"
ENOUGH REMINISSIN! Here be fantastic vids from ye olde tymes:
Netty's Girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5g79zfjdts
So What'cha Want?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru3gH27Fn6E