When George Harrison died 11 years ago, I was very sad. I went home, put on All Things Must Pass and even played "My Sweet Lord" at a gig that night. Today, upon hearing the news that Beastie Boy Adam Yauch (MCA) had succumbed to cancer, I was broken. I immediately started playing their discography (chronologically) and sobbed for hours. I was 13 when License to Ill came out. Their impact on me as an artist (and as a music lover) was huge. Losing one of your heroes at age 47 to such an ugly thing like cancer is devastating.
My son got out of school early today. He came home to find his old man crying in front of the stereo. I told him that we had lost Adam and he immediately went into his room and put on his Beastie Boys shirt. We sat there together - sobbing and listening to side two of Paul's Boutique. I told him, "What you have to take away from this is - Adam did what he loved all the way to the end. Look at this legacy he left us." Life is short, folks, whatever your passion - do it to death.
R.I.P. Adam. We love you.
