Beastie Boys Square
September 9th, 2023 could not have been more different than that cold April morning 34 years ago, when I crouched under my tripod, called “Action!” and began shooting the cover of Paul’s Boutique. This time around, NYC was under a cloak of extreme humidity that didn’t let up even when night fell. But still I had to be in the crowd at the intersection of Ludlow and Rivington Streets to see Beastie Boys Square become a reality. And that crowd was bigger and tighter than anyone expected, in a great show of love for the Beasties that surprised both Mike D. and Ad-Rock.
This part of the story had begun over a decade ago, when LeRoy McCarthy, a hip hop historian and cultural advocate, reached out to me to write a letter in support of naming the Paul’s Boutique location for the Beastie Boys. He was turned down and, in a move that seemed almost biblical, told not to return for at least five years. But he stuck with it and applied twice more before being accepted in 2022. I always figured it would happen eventually and the fact that it took another year to organize the dedication was actually perfect, putting it smack in the middle of hip hop’s 50th anniversary year.
As the event was commemorating the Beastie Boys as a whole and not the album cover itself, I had no official role in the proceedings. However, by the time I snaked my way through the dense crowd and took up a post just off the stage, I had shaken a few hands of those who recognized me and then, while we waited - and waited - I was able to answer a few questions about how the cover was made. One of the FAQs that related directly to the events of the day is why we made the photo in that particular spot. The Beasties had picked the location so I don’t have a definitive answer, but I always assumed it was just a very “New Yorky” spot that reflected their roots in the city as well as being near to the Chrystie Street space they lived in for a while. It may also be that the owners of Lee’s Sportswear were the only ones who agreed to the way we used their storefront in the shot. From such random occurrences are legends often born.
I’d like to think I made some people happy with those tales of long ago, giving a few an extra thrill by signing their copy of Paul’s Boutique. While I was surprised at the size and tightness of the crowd - which reminded me of that (likely oversold) Specials show at the Hotel Diplomat in 1980, although no one peed on my foot this time - I was not surprised by the chill vibes, especially under the circumstances. Having been to a few MCA Day events I’ve found Beastie Boys fans to be a generally nice bunch who are just happy to connect with other members of the tribe. It didn’t hurt that the DJ kept the classics pumping, mostly 80s and 90s hip hop, putting smiles on peoples’ faces as their favorite songs played.
Next to where I was standing was a line stretching down the block to get into Pretty Ricky’s, the bar on the corner, where a variety of merch was on display. While I had hoped to pick up some stuff for a couple of folks who couldn’t be there, I didn’t want to give up my spot to wait in the line. But, after the passionate advocacy of those around me, especially Shannon Saks, who wondered why I didn’t have a lanyard and told me to just go in there, I mentioned to the security guard that, yes, I had shot the cover of Paul’s Boutique and could I just step inside for a few minutes. He obliged and I was able to fulfill those orders and get a couple of the well-designed shirts myself. I also chatted with another Jeremy, the owner of the excellent A-1 Records, who was selling Beastie Boys vinyl as well as his own merch, cleverly based on the graphic from Ramp’s disco-jazz-funk classic, Come Into Knowledge.
For better or worse, the AC in the bar was not strong enough to compel me to hang out much longer, and I soon stepped back into the crucible of the corner. Finally, after at least two people had fainted from the heat, a black Suburban under police escort managed to part the crowd and deliver Ad-Rock and Mike D. to the service entrance of the bar. The excitement began building, the crowd tightened even more, and I soon found myself behind a thick blue line of police officers acting as a bulwark between the mob and the path to the stage.
Then, the speechifying began, with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine joined by three members of the City Council. Everyone spoke eloquently (if a bit long-windedly) about the role of the Beastie Boys in hip hop and the cultural life of New York City. In a post-mortem held over bagels and lox with Mike and several members of his family, we all noted with amusement how the male speakers managed to make it mostly about themselves, with the women taking a more genuinely universal approach.
Watching it all from a fire escape above was McCarthy, who looked as happy as a person could be. He soaked up the shoutouts from the stage and the cheers from the crowd with the grace of someone living their dream.
When the public officials had had their say, Adam and Mike took the stage to huge roars from the crowd. It occurred to me that this was their first public appearance since the book tour, which had, after all, been limited by space and affordability. The grass roots vibe of this event seemed to satisfy a deep-seated need among the faithful. Adam and Mike did not disappoint, either, with their characteristic humor gaining additional heart when they paid tribute to MCA, the late Adam Yauch, whose spirit hung in the atmosphere over the street. While Yauch always had the magic touch to puncture the pretense of any occasion, Ad-Rock took on that role with aplomb, saying "Some kid on their way to school 50 years from now is gonna pass by this and look up and be like, 'What the fuck is a Beastie Boy and why the fuck do they have a square?'"
Then it was time for the ritualistic part, the pulling of the twine connected to a sleeve over the official sign - which nearly hit me in the head as it fell to earth. The crowd went berserk when they saw the sign and I have to admit it was quite a moment. I thought of how unlikely this would seem to those kids who gathered in John Berry’s loft and tried to figure out how to be in bands and make music.
Note: Put this poster on your wall…or a t-shirt, mug or tote bag!
Probably due to the heat, the crowd dispersed fairly quickly, which gave me a chance to get to where I had wanted to be since I had arrived hours earlier: the center of the intersection. Once there, I was able to take a couple of new panoramas with my iPhone. Now, the iPhone doesn’t take a full 360 (it’s more like a 270), but I thought I would take a few and then stitch them together. This turned out to be impossible as there were still too many people milling around, creating far more variables than I could correct for in an overlap between two photos. Maybe I’ll return early one April morning…
Note: Put this new panorama on your wall.
Before I left, I made the rounds to say hi to a few more people and to check out the seven-foot backdrop of the original photo and the giant boombox, two fun photo ops they had set up on Rivington Street. In a meta moment, a couple of fans handed me their phone to take a picture of them in front of the backdrop, which I did in happy anonymity. Then I walked up to Delancey Street, poured myself into a cab and met my old friends for a late lunch. I think Mike was still a bit stunned at the event and the response of the crowd. “People still really love you guys,” I told him, “maybe even more now, especially the ones who grew up with and through your music.” I also made sure to convey how proud I was of how far they had taken our little scene, turning it into a global phenomenon.
Chatting with Mike’s kids, Skyler and Davis, was also a delight. They’re carrying on the family business in fine style as Very Nice Person. Don’t miss their spacey, funky jams - I think they’re onto something great. Eventually, it came time to go our separate ways - they had an appointment with some Montauk waves and I was meeting my daughter at Rockefeller Center. While I was fairly spent, my constant quest for new music would not allow me to miss the second half of IndiePlaza, which you can read all about here.
Find a selection of photos from the day here - order prints or other items if you want to commemorate this special day.
Did you attend the unveiling at Beastie Boys Square or wish you could have? Or are you just left wondering what all the fuss was about? Either way, I’d love to hear from you.
YouTubing
In an effort to expand my skills as a talking head, I’m always willing to appear on various YouTube channels or podcasts - even in conversation with a tennis ball! Here are some recent appearances.
An animated tennis ball created by Bob Cronin talks about music.
Talking about the Paul’s Boutique cover:
Foolishly naming the Ten Best Records of all time:
Subscribe - I’ll be going live with Dennis again on October 20th to talk about when bands die.
Deep dives on albums and discographies.
I joined two Brits to rank the Radiohead studio albums - you’ll never believe what I had at #5!
Sometime in mid-October I’ll be on Songs From The Attic again, this time ranking the discography of The Wailers/Bob Marley & The Wailers. Subscribe and you’ll be among the first to know!
Conversations about music and albums with musicians and fans.
Talking about the early days of the Beastie Boys and ranking all their albums.
I’ll be on this show again in the late fall doing a deep dive on The Walkmen, covering all their albums and career. Subscribe so you don’t miss it.
If you’re looking for a deeply informed and passionate music lover to talk on your show, feel free to reach out.
From the archives:
John Berry: Wild Incandescence
Adam Yauch Remembered: A Tale Of Two Bassists