MCA

I'm not one for public out-pouring of grief. Or affection, for that matter (just ask my wife, she's lucky if I hold her hand in public...)

I hate the even-more-public hand-wringing at the untimely passing away of public figures... Diana, Michael Jackson (there, I said the two of them in one breath)... Whitney Houston. Barbara Windsor... oh, wait a minute... anyway, I digress. I hate it. What's the point? You don't know that person. They probably wouldn't want to know you.

But today, that changed a wee bit. With the passing of Beastie Boy MCA - Adam Yauch . 47 years old. After a fight with cancer.

I've had a wide and, shall I say eclectic musical taste over the years. It's morphed and changed. From the cool to ridiculous (I even found myself recently walking around the supermarket humming along to the music!!). But one group has always stayed at the top of my "Like" list. The Beastie Boys.

I remember buying my first Beasties tape. My dad gave me a lift home from town in the car. He said to put it on. I tried to decline, but he insisted. So I put it on. After 2 minutes he told me to take it out again. Rhythm and Stealing on Licence to Ill... We didn't even last the first song. Maybe that's why I liked it so much... But it stuck. I loved them. While I never once stole a VW badge, I did (later on) take their style guide to heart too...

I have every album they released. Or I've had them at least. Tonight I couldnt find them all... Most of them, but not all.

Funnily enough, the only tape (not CD or MP3 file) that I still own is Check Your Head. Controversial, I know, but still my favourite Beasties album.

Much like my musical tastes, they too matured over the years. MCA was always my favourite though. Tonight I was genuinely quite sad. Take it easy.

An Open Letter to NYC