MCA of Beastie Boys Passes Away...

"If you can feel what I'm feeling then it's a musical masterpiece"

Sad news in the music industry today, Rapper Adam "MCA" Yauch is dead at 47.  Yauch was a founding member of the Beastie Boys.  The trio is a pioneer group in the rap industry.

Yauch was diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland, or parotid,  in 2009. The Beastie Boys released Hot Sauce Committee Part Two in 2011. The boys from Brooklyn were also inducted into the Rock And Roll Music Hall of Fame this year.  Yauch did not attend the event, but wrote a letter to fans that the Beastie Boys read.

About a half hour ago, The Beastie Boys publicity firm sent out an official press release.  Read the entire release below:

"It is with great sadness that we confirm that musician, rapper, activist and director Adam "MCA" Yauch, founding member of Beastie Boys and also of the Milarepa Foundation that produced the Tibetan Freedom Concert benefits, and film production and distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories, passed away in his native New York City this morning after a near-three-year battle with cancer. He was 47 years old.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Yauch taught himself to play bass in high school, forming a band for his 17th birthday party that would later become known the world over as Beastie Boys.

With fellow members Michael "Mike D" Diamond and Adam "Adrock" Horovitz, Beastie Boys would go on to sell over 40 million records, release four #1 albums--including the first hip hop album ever to top the Billboard 200, the band's 1986 debut full length, Licensed To Ill--win three Grammys, and the MTV Video Vanguard Lifetime Achievement award. Last month Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, with Diamond and Horovitz reading an acceptance speech on behalf of Yauch, who was unable to attend.

In addition to his hand in creating such historic Beastie Boys albums as Paul's Boutique, Check Your Head, Ill Communication, Hello Nasty and more, Yauch was a founder of the Milarepa Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness and  activism regarding the injustices perpetrated on native Tibetans by Chinese occupational government and military forces.  In 1996, Milarepa produced the first Tibetan Freedom Concert in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, which was attended by 100,000 people, making it the biggest benefit concert on U.S. soil since 1985's Live Aid. The Tibetan Freedom Concert series would continue to stage some of the most significant benefit shows in the world for nearly a decade following in New York City, Washington DC, Tokyo, Sydney, Amsterdam, Taipei and other cities.

In the wake of September 11, 2001, Milarepa organized New Yorkers Against Violence, a benefit headlined by Beastie Boys at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom, with net proceeds  disbursed to the New York Women's Foundation Disaster Relief Fund and the New York Association for New Americans (NYANA) September 11th Fund for New Americans--each chosen for their efforts on behalf of 9/11 victims least likely to receive help from other sources.

Under the alias of Nathanial Hörnblowér, Yauch directed iconic Beastie Boys videos including  "So Whatcha Want," "Intergalactic," "Body Movin" and "Ch-Check It Out." Under his own name, Yauch directed last year's Fight For Your Right Revisited, an extended video for "Make Some Noise" from Beastie Boys' Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, starring Elijah Wood, Danny McBride and Seth Rogen as the 1986 Beastie Boys, making their way through a half hour of cameo-studded misadventures before squaring off against Jack Black, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly as Beastie Boys of the future.

Yauch's passion and talent for filmmaking led to his founding of Oscilloscope Laboratories, which in 2008 released his directorial film debut, the basketball documentary Gunnin' For That #1 Spot and has since become a major force in independent video distribution, amassing a catalogue of such acclaimed titles as Kelly Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy,  Oren Moverman's The Messenger,  Banksy's Exit Through The Gift Shop, Lance Bangs and Spike Jonze's Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait Of Maurice Sendak, and many more.

Yauch is survived by his wife Dechen and his daughter Tenzin Losel, as well as his parents Frances and Noel Yauch."

The Menzingers,ADTR, and Rise Against Live...

At the end of January, I had the pleasure of taking my three cousins to a concert at the Mid Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie NY.  They were going for A Day to Remember, I was going for Rise Against.  The concert was split between fans just like us for the two major acts.  The opening act, The Menzingers, were a pleasant surprise for me.  I know listen to them quite often because of that show.  A Day To Remember have die hard fans.  These kids went nuts from the minute the lights went down till the last balloon hit the floor.  A guilty pleasure of mine, they are a band you should check out live at least once-the boys from Florida can put on a show.  Rise Against has always been one of my favorite bands.  They have a style that has grown with their fan base.  Their show that night is one that made me remember why I started going to concerts and listening to music like this in the first place.  Its hard to make me stop being in "work" mode and be a fan, and Rise Against did that night.

Jeremy McKinnon, lead singer of A Day To Remember

Foster the People Live in Vegas...

In February, I had the lucky pleasure of seeing Foster the People live in Las Vegas.  Thanks to a very gracious friend, I was her guest to the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino for literally 24 hours.  We also got to see the band live from the Marquee Night Club inside the hotel.  Foster the People were just coming off of a career high, the night before they performed with the legendary Beach Boys at the Grammy Awards.  This was one hell of a show and I am very lucky for being able to see it!

Four Year Strong Concert Video...

I've had the pleasure of attending at least one great show every month since November.  Due to my hectic life as of late, I never had the chance to write up reviews for them.  Instead of going back all the way to December and writing them up, I'm just going to post the videos.

This is Four Year Strong performing "One Step at a Time".  The show was the Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie NY in December.  Other bands on the bill were Set Your Goals, Transit, and Balance and Composure.

Sound City Newest Grohl Project...

Dave Grohl can do it all-singing, acting, drumming.  Now Grohl can add directing and producing to the list.  The Foo Fighters front man announced today he will be directing and producing the documentary Sound City, a film about the legendary recording studio in Van Nuys, California.  Grohl came up with the idea for the documentary after he purchased the Neve 2028 recording console from the studio.  The console is considered the apex of analog recording equipment, and was built in 1972.  The machine has been used to record some of the biggest artists of the last 20 years: Fleetwood Mac, Guns and Roses, Metallica, Tom Petty, Nirvana, and Rage against the Machine to name a few. A statement from Grohl can be read below:

Grohl has many ideas for the film.  The documentary will showcase the history behind the infamous studio. Performances from artists who used the recording studio will also be in the film. It will also focus on albums that were recorded there and went on to change not only music, but that made an impact on history.  Grohl's personal history with the studio knows that impact very well.  His first time in Sound City was in 1991 to record the album Nevermind with nirvana. 

Head over to Sound City's Official Website to check out a trailer for the film!

The Tangled Web of Craig Owens and Chiodos...

*I just want to say that I know this is "old" news by now.  However, I waited to report on this because I knew that when the story broke, there would be updates for several days.  I wanted to wait to express my opinion and views after the major announcements had been made.*

Late last week, the teenage scene girl in me jumped for joy for hours after watching this:

Craig Owens has reunited with Chiodos! 

So after the fan girl in me calmed down, the reporter side kicked in.  I, along with millions of others, have a ton of questions.  Some initially have been answered, but now have left new ones in their place.  So I'm going to do this in three parts: the summary, the questions, the opinion.  so let us begin!

Chiodos "let go" of Owens back in September of 2009.  The split was not an amicable one.  Fans were heartbroken and upset even though the band said the split was "necessary".  Brandon Bolmer joined Chiodos and they put out one album together(Illuminaudio) in 2010.  After a few tours and the album release, Chiodos became almost non-existent.  In March of this year, Bolmer and drummer Tanner Wayne officially announced their departure.  This is where the rumors of an Owens/Chiodos reunion began.
Craig was definitely not off the radar after being fired.  After spending some time to find himself, Owens came back to form the band Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows.  The band was a super band of sorts, all members were from other bands in the scene.  A full length, D.R.U.G.S, was put out in 2011 with much success.  Craig also has been very successful with a solo career, his mini tours sell out at almost every venue. He also has started an acting career.  When the reunion rumors were brought to the attention of the other members of D.R.U.G.S, the fellas laughed them off
.Craig Owens and Chiodos officially reunited on April 26th.  The story spread like wild fire, and was easily one of the biggest pieces of news in the genre for a week.  Many musicians took to social networking to give their opinion, including Bolmer.  The former lead singer was kind, wishing both parties the best of luck and gave them his support.  The opinions of the members of D.R.U.G.S. however, is not so cut and dry.   A day after the official announcement, Matt Good, Aaron Stern, and Nick Martin put out a statement of their own.  The trio told fans that they would be leaving Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows.  The three did say they have "no regrets" about their music or who it was made with.  Several days later, Owens finally made a statement.  Due to the "unexpected events" that have occurred, he told fans he is uncertain about the future of D.R.U.G.S.  The last piece of major news to come out of this story seems to be that the former members of D.R.U.G.S. are not allowed to start a band together, due to a clause in a contract that was signed.

Did ya get all that? I know it's a lot.  So after hearing all of the initial reports and follow up stories, there are still some questions that are left to be answered:

• What exactly are the two reuniting for? A reunion tour? New music? 
• What will Craig do with D.R.U.G.S?
• How will this effect Owens' solo career?
• Who is drumming in Chiodos?
• What is the status of Nick Martin and Craig's relationship?
• What does this mean for possible new material from Isles and Glaciers or Cinematic Sunrise?

Chiodos was a band that I listened to every day of my earlier years.   In taking every opportunity to see them live, I have met Craig several times over the past few years.  Besides being quite the little fan girl for him, I find him to be an amazingly humble, gracious, and genuinely good-hearted person.  I was upset when the two parted in 2009.  Not because I was a close minded fan and thought the band would go nowhere, I actually enjoy Bolmer's work.  I was upset to hear the way the split went down.  It was disheartening to hear about friendships going horribly wrong.  That is why I hope Owens didn't leave his band mates in Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows out of the loop when making all of these decisions.  If Chiodos reuniting to this line up makes great music that touches someone like their older albums did me, then this was all for the best.  Time will only tell though, if this was about rekindling and making great music, or something else.