|
|
|
|
|
|
Information:
Interview with Cjhood38
[Conducted in August 2002]
For those who stumbled into the alt.music.beastie-boys newsgroup from time to time, the name CJ Hood should be relatively familiar. His opinions on everything from the 9thbeastie to the state of hip hop have been splashed across the Beastie Boys newsgroup since 1996. In this candid interview, CJ Hood cuts to the chase and tells it like it is from his perspective.
Thinking back to the mid 1990s, when the internet wasn't in everyone's homes like it is now, how has the online beastie community changed in your opinion?
I got hooked up to the net and the Beastie Boys newsgroup in 1996. I met a lot of people through the (alt.music.beastie-boys) news group whom I still keep in contact with today. I used that medium to trade bboy materials and distribute my own music. The topics and interests of that group mirror the times. For instance, the other day I asked the "beastie freak" a question about a track on Hello Nasty. She honestly had no idea what I asking (her about) and said, "I haven't listened to them (the Beastie Boys) in years." It’s kind of sad that due to the fact that they've been inactive for so long it has become challenging to find Beastie Boys news on their own newsgroup. Once in a while, I'll check out their official website, but that hasn't changed since October 2001.......who's in charge of that???
At one time you hyped the fact that you had an unreleased Beastie Boys recording on the newsgroup and then it turned out you didn't have it. Would you elaborate on that whole debacle?
As we patiently wait for something new from the boys it reminds me of the four long years between Ill Communication and Hello Nasty. During that time, as I previously said, I got hooked up to the internet and Beastie Boys newsgroup. As time went on, Beastie related topics on the newsgroup slowly faded away along with the hype of Ill Communication. So out of frustration (for both a new Beastie Boys album and for myself to get signed) and arrogance, I started to tell people in newsgroup postings that I secretly had a copy of the new Beastie Boys record called the Next Episode. The idea wasn't as far fetched as it might sound, since I was able to get an advance copy of Ill Communication months before it dropped publicly. Anyway to prove I had the new bboy joint, I posted the track listing and even some lyrics to the songs. I even told the fans that there were guest mcs on the record, people like Rakim and the Human Beat Box. I pulled this charade for about two months. A few people knew I was faking it, but most people bought into it. This I credit to my my lyrical skills, because I was writing them from a Beastie Boys perspective. Even though Mike D told the newsgroup (through Ian Rogers) that I was lying towards the end, I told the group I'd give away copies to the first 100 people that e-mailed me. The next day I had close to 200 e-mails. When I felt I took the Next Episode as far as I could, I admitted I was lying in a long rant which I called the “Hood manifesto.” In it I basically ranted on about the deplorable state of hip -hop, the newsgroup, and how we were all pissed at how long it was taking the Beastie Boys to make and release Hello Nasty.
What is your opinion on trading vs. selling live and rare recordings to fellow fans?
I feel all is fair in love and war. I've been a bboy fan since the get go and in 2002 nothing satisfies me more than finding a live or rare recording that I haven't heard before. So with that in mind, I feel selling, buying, and trading are all fine as long as both parties agree. If two fans have something each other wants and can come to an agreement without spending money…then great. But for a fan who is just starting out or doesn't have a large collection then I don't see a problem with buying a bootleg video or cd. The Beasties, as well as their grandkids, are financially set for life. So if I spend a lot of cash on a bootleg, I feel no remorse in dubbing it and selling copies to make my money back. I got to put food on the table. Or, if someone goes through the trouble of putting rare beastie materials on a certain medium like VCDs or DVDs and sells them more power to you. You did the work, therefore you deserve the green. You ain't gonna make Mike D poor.
You've been an active participant at the alt.music.beastie-boys newsgroup forever. Why has it declined in size recently whereas the www.beastieboys.com message board has thrived?
I guess the alt.bboy group is made up of the original fans. Most of the people on that set, like myself, are in their late 20's early 30's. We can all relate to buying our first copy of Licensed to Ill in '86, as well as all the other cool things that were happening in hip hop around that time. I've only visited the message board on the bboy site a few times. That site is made up of the younger fans, kids that came in during the “Sabotage” era and think Check Your Head is old school...and thats good for them. However like I said at the start, these sites mirror the real world. At 29 years old I'd rather hang out socially with other guys in their 20's rather than people in their teens. Nevertheless, that message board is set up better and is definitely more bboy related. But until there is a new beastie cd or new beastie related news, I'll just stay where I am.
Many Beastie Boys fans become incredibly frustrated with the long wait we all go through between official album releases. How do you cope with waiting?
I guess I already answered this question. My frustration doesn't entirely focus on the time it takes in between albums more than it does with the Beastie Boys themselves. Again, I'm a huge fan for almost 20 years, but what frustrates me the most is how their outside projects are taking presidence over their music. Adam Yauch has done a lot of great things for Tibet and I respect his religious beliefs, but it totally offends me when they avoid certain songs in concert and change the lyrics when performing live. To me that's dirt. The years between albums combined with their ages and outside beliefs only tells me that this group is slowly retiring. This makes me sad. Look at Anthony Kiedas and the rest of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who are all in their 40's and are still jumping around like they're in their 20's. Then look at the Beasties, especially Mike D and Adam Yauch. For example take a look at Yauch in the live version of “Shadrach” off of the Skills to Pay the Bills Home Video, compare that to his most recent performance at the New Yorkers Against Violence benefit concerts. Sure the mood was different, but to me it looks like they're just going through the motions. I've talked to other fans and they seem to agree with me. I've always said the bboy fans should thank Ione Skye for Hello Nasty, because Adrock was the backbone of that record. I think that was partly because of his break up with Ione. Although Adrock has also "slowed down" somewhat, I believe he is the only one that could motivate the group and put them back in the studio. For that matter, he could also put them back on the stage with the same vengeance that they had 10 years ago. Now to answer your question, how do I cope?...I watch, listen, and feel the old stuff. The Beasties in the late 80s/early 90s could kick anyone's ass yesterday, today and tomorrow. No one could take that away from them, so "bring it back, that old New York rap."
What rare or unique Beastie Boys item or items do you have which you are extraordinarily proud of?
I have collected a lot of Beastie Boys items over the years. Just recently, I started to pick up a few 12"s which I didn't own off of eBay. If I had to pick my favorite tangible item it would have to be anything from the Paul's Boutique era …posters, demo's, articles, & etc. That is when they were the most hip-hop. They listened to it, they lived it, and they played it. However, the Beastie item that I am extraordinary proud of is the memories I have listening to them from when I was 12 years old to where I'm at today.
I remember calling my mom up at work in 1986 to remind her to pick me up Licensed to Ill on her way home from work. Or, I can recall borrowing Paul’s Boutique from a guy at school and listening to it while I read the lyrics. Or, getting an advanced copy of Ill Communication and listening to it in my car right before I had to go into work. And lastly, picking up Hello Nasty after work and going home to study it in my room. Then there are the memories encircling the Next Episode, seeing them live 10 times, meeting Adam Yauch at a BS2000 show, and reading old articles or watching old videos. Those are the Beastie Boys memories that mean the most to me. I feel I've grown up with the boys. Even though some of things I say might seem negative, I always have the thought in the back of my head that "I hope I'm wrong." If it was up to me, the Beastie Boys would put out another 10 records and do world tours to support those records guiding me into my twighlight years. A bboy can dream, can't he?
Relevant Links:
(Use Google Groups for those unfamiliar with usenet)
 |
BACK |
