The Beastie Boys unearthed a strange surprise when they examined the gold plaque for their 1989 album, ‘Paul’s Boutique.’
During an appearance on ‘Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend,’ Ad-Rock and Mike D recounted the peculiar incident. Ad-Rock explained, ‘We had a gold record on the wall [for] Paul’s Boutique and I was looking at it. I could see that it has like nine songs on the one side, but I was looking at the actual gold record [they include in the plaque]. It only had four songs on it and I was like, ‘Wait….’
Curiosity got the better of them, and they decided to play the gold record. To their surprise, it featured piano versions of Barry Manilow songs and other unexpected tracks. ‘Apparently, they just take any record – at least for us!’ Ad-Rock exclaimed.
The odd mix-up was just one of many stories the duo shared. Ad-Rock also revealed that their late bandmate Adam Yauch once envisioned an underwater tour. ‘He was the guy who had the craziest fucking idea that anybody would possibly have in the room, and then show up the next day with the equipment that would make it all possible,’ Mike D recalled. ‘And then you’re doing it.’
Ad-Rock continued, ‘He wanted to do a tour underwater. He really, really thought about it, had drawings and everything.’ However, the logistics of such a tour made it impossible. Mike D humorously noted, ‘There was a lost city of Atlantis fascination that went on for a while,’ but practical issues like the lack of oxygen underwater and electrical risks stood in the way.
The episode also touched on other memories, including how Adam Yauch’s battle with cancer in 2012 halted a potential collaboration between the Beastie Boys and Eminem.
The Beastie Boys’ stories on Conan’s podcast offered fans a glimpse into the quirky and imaginative world of the iconic group, filled with bizarre mix-ups and wild ideas.
