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Friday, July 20, 2007

An ode to Mike D

So am I the only one excited about this Scott Baio Is 45 & Single show?

*crickets chirp*

OK, well so maybe I am. But I think his life and mine share several parallels. We're both single. Neither of us have landed a prominent acting role in the past fifteen years. And while we're at it, whatever happened to Buddy Limbeck?


The first time I remember hearing the Beastie Boys, I was in eighth grade. And while "You Gotta Fight For Your Right" was about as rebellious as I was to get, it was their other songs that got me hooked on the Beastie's catchy rhymes and def beats.

Lyrics like "we went to White Castle and we got thrown out" or "he recognized my girlie from the back of her head" seemed to speak directly to my 13-year-old soul.

I recall sitting in my eighth grade English class rapping back and forth to "Paul Revere" with Axl, as Tabitha Aldridge, a cute cheerleader in our class, listened intently. She was smiling and obviously amazed by the sheer magniture of our Beastie-ness. When I got to the wiffle ball bat line, I knew by the look on her face that girls loved rappers.

Thus began my phase of composing three-part color-coded rap lyrics for Axl, Hollywood, and myself. I used the classic four-color blue-barrelled Bic pen to compose my def jams. Most were written during Home Economics, in between knitting Jam shorts and baking peanut butter cookies. I was hardcore.

The words juice, jammy, and girlie dominated my vocabulary in 1987 and 1988. But as time passed, the Beasties changed, and so did I. Cargo shorts and flip-flops have replaced my Jams and British Knights. And I now prefer the single-colored Bic Cristal Classic ball point pen, or the charcoal-barrelled black felt tip pen with the yellow-ended cap.

The Beasties became involved with various causes and charities. They organized and performed at the New Yorkers Against Violence Concert in October 2001. Their music has continued to evolve as well, yet the one constant remains their fresh, clever rhymes. After all these years, the Beastie Boys have managed to remain chill.

So here's to Mike D, MCA, King Ad-Rock, and doing whatever it takes to impress the girlies. Some things never go out of style.


"Well, now, don't you tell me to smile. You stick around I'll make it worth your while. Got numbers beyond what you can dial. Maybe it's because I'm so versatile..."

25 comments:

  1. I've got the Beasties on my iPod. They got the jams. And a little Brass Monkey never hurt anyone.

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  2. Most were written during Home Economics, in between knitting Jam shorts and baking peanut butter cookies.

    I don't suppose there is proof in a Bone photo album of this knitting of which you speak?

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  3. If nothing else, being a Beastie Boy helped King Ad-Rock get Ione Skye (at least for 8 years) (and if you don't know who she is, you must go out and rent Say Anything. I know I tell you to go rent a lot of films that are "must see"s but Say Anything really is).


    "Buddy Lembeck" went on to become Bibleman and then he went on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club and went batshit crazy.

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  4. Suddenly, I think you have made me develop a hankering for a little White Castle burger....Off to go get one.

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  5. Lass: They're on my 'pod, too :)

    TC: Well, there aren't any photos that I'm aware of. But I'm 86% sure that I still have the shorts somewhere :)

    Xinher: Wow, she left AdRock for a lesbian?? How come there are no Beastie Boys songs about that? :)

    Ooo, I should totally do a Charles In Charge: Where Are They Now post!

    GirlFPS: Have one for me. I think the nearest White Castle to me is in Nashville, which is nearly two hours away :-/

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  6. Everybody would get thrown out of White Castle at least once

    I don't think that you even have to do anything bad--just be young

    And yes I do think you're the only person excited about Scott Baio is 45 & single

    I do see amazing parallels between the two of you, though I can't think of any at the moment

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  7. 45 and single... Was he married to Pam Anderson?

    Yah I love some White Castle... we should hit up the one in Nashville next time we go. Speaking of which, S&M are in town and we're going to Hville after filming that wedding today to try on tuxes for my wedding. Let me know if you are free, and you and S can get fitted together. We are heading over around 6 PM to MSM on Univ Dr.

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  8. what is this about you not acting in 15 years.. did you act before that? do tell.

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  9. Are you all speaking English? You have, sadly, totally lost me on today's post.

    I recently had translated for me what "mos def" meant, but I haven't a clue what "def jam" is... and I think I missed the Beastie Boys. Must have been while I was in hibernation doing my medical residency, cause I'm reasonably up on my music now (thanks to teenaged daughter who educates me)... hope that will continue after she leaves for college, though.

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  10. I've never been a HUGE Beasties fan.

    But I dooooo looooove Scott Baio! I haven't seen the show, yet... YET... BUT I WILL!

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  11. Pia: Maybe Erin Moran is excited about it, too. And yes, the parallels are amazing :)

    Java Boo Boo: Not that I'm aware of, but anything's possible I guess.

    Shelby: Um, no, I did not act before that. Unless you count a class production of Moby Dick in eleventh grade :)

    Gay: Well, these were the cool terms in 1987... I think :)

    Blondie: Aww, did you have a little crush on him? ;)

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  12. "Kick it over here Baby Pop..."

    That was my nickname in 1987...
    "Baby Pop"-
    :) Good memories- all good,
    thanks :)

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  13. Oh, and if you ever need a buddy, Nick watched the Scott Baio special too. And he thought it was good.

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  14. I've wanted to watch Scott Baio, but oddly enough when the show started airing... we lost access to VH1!!! Its fixed now... I can watch!

    didnt he get his gf preggers???

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  15. Let's see, when I was 12 and 13, we were sing A Whole Lotta Lovin' with Led Zepplin or following Alice down the rabbit hole with Jefferson Airplane... I barely know who the Beastie Boys are.

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  16. OK Bone can I trust you to say who in the Beastie Boys had a famous father without Wikipedianing it?

    Will know if you do :)

    Now that I'm in this back to high school thing, am beginning a movement to change the class song from one that makes me cringe to one that I like

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  17. Sadly, the majority of my Beastie Boys education wasn't earned until college. For some reason their brand of rap never caught on in my small town. The closest it came was when I was in 7th grade and some friends and I danced in the talent competition to Brass Monkey which Rachel's older brother had introduced us to . . . 6 years after the height of it's popularity.

    I'm proud to say that I now have them on my MP3 player and in my CD collection. Again, though, I think the most recent song in my possession is Intergalactic. :)

    I guess I'll never catch up to the times. *sigh*

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  18. Mayden: Baby Pop!!! Yes! Can I start calling you that from now on? :)

    Lass: I saw the repeat of the premiere. I liked it, too. And I'm not a big fan of reality shows at all.

    Kerry: Um, I'm not really sure. He apparently had a fling with Erin Moran and Nicole Eggert. Not at the same time, I don't think.

    Sage: I always liked Jefferson Airplane/Starship.

    Pia: I'd only be guessing, but I'd say Kind Ad-Rock, if only because of the last name, Horovitz. Which one is it?

    Avery Laine: I think I have four Beastie albums. Most of mine are of their older stuff, too.

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  19. Funny, in 1987 "juice" and "jammy" dominated my vocab too! Mainly because I was 3-4 ^_^

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  20. And what Horovitz was or is his father--OK an experimental playwriter

    I liked it better when White Castle was just in the Bronx and other boroughs. Though I have actually never eaten one--can't stand the smell

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  21. you know the other day, we were talking about illegal aliens on IM and how they are freakin' taking over our country? Well one of them hit Jawana's car in Hartselle on Saturday. I couldn't believe it... No driver's license, No insurance, and couldn't speak a word of English. Pitiful. We need to team up and start a blog about illegal aliens or something for real.

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  22. I talked about your bathroom etiquette post today - and I'm getting funny comments about it.

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  23. Funny you should mention Mike D - he's in the current issue of DRUM! magazine with a big article on his drumming, music and... fashion.

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  24. Love the Beasties, have lots of their albums, and License to Ill is probably one of the best!! I was just listening to it the other day.

    And, I too am addicted to the Scott Baio show along with the Brett Michaels show (it's like watching a train wreck). I even found myself watching The Girls Next Door the other day. I'm a reality show junkie!!!

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  25. Melanie: Haha. I must hand it to you, that was a good one.

    Pia Savage: Interesting. I'd never heard that before. Mmmm, I like White Castles. Very similar to Krystals, I think, which we have here.

    Java Boo Boo: A similar thing happened to my Mom a couple of years ago. The cop basically told her there was nothing he could do.

    Shelby: Thanks for the mention. It's one of my personal favorites. It was interesting to read the comments about it.

    J-Mo: Cool. Wonder if the article is online?

    Carnealian: License To Ill is timeless.

    I mostly despise reality shows, but I'm totally into the Scott Baio show! It's great.

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