Paul’s Boutique: A Quarter Century Later

When the Beastie Boys made Paul’s Boutique, little did they know twenty five years later that they would be leaving a mark on the music industry that no one could even come close to touching. We’ve written about the significance and importance of this record, the sheer brilliance behind it, and how in today’s music climate it would never be able to be made. While Dan LeRoy’s first book in the 33 1/3 series about Paul’s Boutique was unfuckable with, his second book on the subject For Whom The Cowbell Tolls goes even deeper on the subject. LeRoy and writer Peter Relic talk to key players, speak on a lost Beastie single, and even breaks down a Mike D mix tape side by side. Great inside information whether you’re a Beastie Boys fan or not. It’s an informative and entertaining look on how the trio went from putting out beer drinking, girl chasing party music and Def Jam drama to moving to the West Coast and Capitol records (with even more drama) and making the best sample based record of all time. This book fills in lots of blanks and gives some inside perspective on what went into getting this project done. Interwoven with these great stories are 36 photos and 3 illustrations from artist Jim Mahfood’s Beastie Boys graphic novel Ask For Janice from 2007. This book gives us more reasons that Paul’s Boutique is one of the most important records ever made.

Along with the book, we bring you a few other things that have been floating around to go around with the record for a while. Just like DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist recreated Double Dee & Stienski’s “The Lesson”, three DJs from the UK set about to do the same with Paul’s Boutique. DJ Food, DJ Moneyshot, and DJ Cheeba did just that on the Solid Steel Radio show in 2012. Their “Standing In The Middle Of A Three Way Mix” did their best to recreate the record through samples, interviews and the like. Just like PB, it’s a stone cold classic. If you do anything today and haven’t heard this, listen to this expertly crafted mix. Mind blowing to say the least.

Our last piece of goodness we leave you today is a visual companion to the record itself. Put together by SM & A Productions, it’s again, pure genius. Splicing the real videos from the record itself with backstage and other Beastie footage, plus films, animation, and video of actual samples used on the record, if you have 53 extra minutes, watch it. It’s a dope concept and something that just adds to the greatness of this whole record project and its legacy.