This hit me in the gut. He was my age, which meant not only was I in highschool/college when the Beasties were first becoming a thing and getting played all over MTV, but we literally grew up together- I saw him (and the others) growing up, learning to understand the world, going from being hilariously obnoxious youngsters to actually fairly wise, kind, middle-aged dudes. And doing good music the whole time- they started going a long time between albums because they were never going to make a BAD album, and they never did.

The Beastie Boys were always the very DEFINITION of the term "full of life." They were crazy, funny, hyper, sometimes rude, and always just going, going going. I can't believe Yauch was almost 50 (anymore than I can believe *I* am almost 50) because all three of the Beastie Boys were still so obviously rushing ahead, seeing and hearing and feeling as much as they possibly could. They were still young, that way.

Here's one of my favorite, very early BB songs, which was unavailable anywhere for like 15 years because they sampled "Back In Black" without asking permission. Something must have been worked out because it finally came out on the best-of CD in 2005: Rock Hard (Building a song over "Back In Black" seems almost passe now thanks to all the mashups out there, but in 1985 this blew everybody's minds. And it's why those mashups exist.)

I was saddened about this too. I had heard he was sick when they cancelled their last tour. I first heard the boys on a road trip passing thru Seattle, listening to the late, great KCMU (possibly the best radio station I have ever had the pleasure to listen to). I remember cranking up Fight For Your Right TO PARRRRRRRRRRRRRRTY as we headed on to Oregon while the radio signal slowly broke up as we sped southward. I also remember being blown away by the depth of the samples they chose. Paul's Boutique, what an album !

It is a sad loss indeed

Listening to pretty much the whole Beasties catalog tonight. They were a force for good in the world, even when they were young and silly. Mike D and Ad-Rock must be wondering where the hell to go from here- they were an inseparable unit from day one. I actually hope they'll keep making music and I wouldn't mind it if they kept doing it as the Beastie Boys, even though it'll be such a different era.