Beastie Boys, Hardcore, Music, Record collecting

Aglio e Olio

Aglio Olio Beasties 02

Form following content (or vice versa) here’s a short quick one about a short quick record, Beastie Boys Aglio e Olio.  Released quickly as the Beastie Boys realised they’d written too many hardcore tunes for their next LP*, as a cheap EP and boasting 8 tracks in 11 minutes this was their first full-on hardcore release since 82’s Polly Wog Stew.

Just like Beasties offshoot band DFL** the brand of hardcore on show here is pretty much a sped up version of Minor Threat, with a bit of added slowed down mosh-it-up type other bits; I appreciate that after a description that detailed and technical you don’t actually need to hear the music, but here it is anyway, because I’m a bit of a traditionalist:

Best track by far is ‘Square Wave in Unison’ which is all about Léon Theremin and his wonderous invention (For all of his brilliant innovation / Sent off to a Siberian reservation), but it’s all of a similar bent.  If you like highly over-caffeinated hardcore chances are you’ll like this, if not then don’t worry you’ve only wasted 11 minutes.  To be honest I was that much of a fan that I’d have bought it even if it was just 11 minutes of the various Beasties farting into a microphone and banging frying pans together whilst reciting the alphabet, hmm… anyone fancy forming a band?

I like the way this one turned out.
I like the way this one turned out.

For reasons best known to the Beasties the Australian version was, I think, released on a 7″ single and featured two additional tracks, ‘Soba Violence’ with its really high scratchy guitar sound and a brilliant lounge jazz cover of the Doors ‘Light My Fire’ featuring Ciba Matto’s Miho Hatori on vocals, which pretty much invented Nouvelle Vague seven years early.

Curse you Australians! With your fantastic climate, marsupials and your bonus tracks!!

289 Down.

Aglio Olio Beasties 03

P.S:  The Youtube version above is the full Aussie version, pls do check out the last track, at least.

*1998’s really disappointing, to me anyway, Hello Nasty – which could badly have done with some proper hardcore tunes.

**Dead Fucking Last (just in case you missed that week in hardcore high school).

Published by

Jat Storey

A man with too much vinyl and an itch in his typing finger.

18 thoughts on “Aglio e Olio”

  2. I only own one Beasties album — Check Your Head in deluxe edition form. But now I was Aglio E Olio in Australian form. Bonus tracks for me are like crack for the mayor of Toronto.

    I’ve heard this one in the record store days, and it’s pretty cool.

    Also, forwarded your article to the local DJ who is the biggest Beastie fan on the planet.

    Also, very nice photo of the album AND all the ingredients you need to make aglio e olio (my favourite pasta dish).

    Reply

    1. I think that’s what the mayor said wasn’t it ? That crack cocaine was just like bonus tracks to him!

      Thanks, I’m actually proud of that picture.

      Reply

      3. Just curious, have you made it?

        My Italian Aunt makes the best one. She says the secrets are to use a generous amount of olive oil (only olive oil) and cut each piece of garlic in half. Let them brown but don’t burn or they’ll turn bitter. Add some salt.

        I’ve been making it for about 20 years, and I still can’t do it the way she does.

        But since this is a music blog, Beasties rule, YEAH!

      4. Beasties rule indeed!

        (I add a little bit of chilli chopped with the garlic, just a little for some bite but not too much so it overpowers anything)

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