Originally released 30 years ago today on May 31, 1994,Ā Ill CommunicationĀ was much more than the record that returned Beastie Boys to #1 on the Billboard 200. In short order, the fourth album from Michael āMike Dā Diamond, Adam āAdrockā Horovitz and Adam āMCAā Yauch would become a multi-platinum juggernaut that pervaded every aspect of pop culture.Ā Ill Communication‘s charge to global domination was led by āSabotageā and its unforgettable Spike Jonze/Nathanial Hornblower-directed tribute to ā70s cop shows, as Rolling Stone dubbed the album 1994ās āsoundtrack for summer.ā Fans and critics alike were equally and instantly floored by hip hop highlights like the opening āSure Shot,ā the classic Jimmy Smith homage āRoot Downā and the Q-Tip collaboration āGet It Together,ā while a Vibe cover story hailed Beastie Boys as “perhaps the most consistently innovative musicians to emerge out of hip hop.ā It was a claim thatĀ Ill CommunicationĀ continues to back up, as the albumās infectious sprawl enthralls multiple generations of listeners. From household name hits to sublime instrumentals (āSabrosa,ā āRickyās Themeā) to hardcore punk workouts (āTough Guy,” āHeart Attack Manā) and realms beyond (āBodhisattva Vow,ā āShambalaā),Ā Ill CommunicationĀ has never stopped growing in stature and impact.
Grand Royal, Capitol Records and UMe are proud to commemorate the 30th anniversary ofĀ Ill CommunicationĀ with the July 26 release of two limited edition versions of this Beastie Boys opus:
* A 3LP Deluxe Edition that resurrects a rare version of the album originally released as a limited run in 2009. Long out-of-print and sought after by fans and collectors, theĀ Ill CommunicationĀ 30th anniversary vinyl edition features lenticular cover art and includes a third LP with 12 bonus tracks (featuring rarities including a live version of āThe Maestroā from 1992āsĀ Check Your Head, āMullet Head,ā and ten more remixes, B-sides and assorted oddities), all housed in a rigid slipcase and pressed on 180g vinyl.
* A limited edition cassette of the original album, marking the first time in decadesĀ Ill CommunicationĀ will be available in the format.
So fire up the turntable and dust off that Walkman, and join in the celebration of 30 years ofĀ Ill CommunicationĀ with Beastie Boys and the albumās supporting cast of Mario Caldato Jr. (who co-produced the record with the band), Money Mark, Eric Bobo, Amery āAWOLā Smith, Eugene Gore, Q-Tip and Biz Markie. Because you canāt, you wonāt and you donāt stopā¦
BEASTIE BOYS
ILL COMMUNICATION
30th Anniversary Tracklists
3LP Deluxe
Disc 1
⢠Sure Shot (Side A)
⢠Tough Guy (Side A)
⢠B-Boys Makin’ With The Freak Freak (Side A)
⢠Bobo On The Corner (Side A)
⢠Root Down (Side A)
⢠Sabotage (Side B)
⢠Get It Together (Side B)
⢠Sabrosa (Side B)
⢠The Update (Side B)
⢠Futterman’s Rule (Side B)
Disc 2
⢠Alright Hear This (Side C)
⢠Eugene’s Lament (Side C)
⢠Flute Loop (Side C)
⢠Do It (Side C)
⢠Ricky’s Theme (Side C)
⢠Heart Attack Man (Side D)
⢠The Scoop (Side D)
⢠Shambala (Side D)
⢠Bodhisattva Vow (Side D)
⢠Transitions (Side D)
Disc 3
⢠Root Down (Free Zone Mix) (Side E)
⢠Resolution Time (Side E)
⢠Get It Together (Buck-Wild Remix) (Side E)
⢠Dope Little Song (Side E)
⢠Sure Shot (European B-Boy Mix) (Side E)
⢠Heart Attack Man (Unplugged) (Side E)
⢠The Vibes (Side F)
⢠Atwater Basketball Association File No. 172-C (Side F)
⢠Heart Attack Man (Live) (Side F)
⢠The Maestro (Live) (Side F)
⢠Mullet Head (Side F)
⢠Sure Shot (European B-Boy Instrumental) (Side F)
Cassette
⢠Sure Shot (Side A)
⢠Tough Guy (Side A)
⢠B-Boys Makin’ With The Freak Freak (Side A)
⢠Bobo On The Corner (Side A)
⢠Root Down (Side A)
⢠Sabotage (Side A)
⢠Get It Together (Side A)
⢠Sabrosa (Side A)
⢠The Update (Side A)
⢠Futterman’s Rule (Side A)
⢠Alright Hear This (Side B)
⢠Eugene’s Lament (Side B)
⢠Flute Loop (Side B)
⢠Do It (Side B)
⢠Ricky’s Theme (Side B)
⢠Heart Attack Man (Side B)
⢠The Scoop (Side B)
⢠Shambala (Side B)
⢠Bodhisattva Vow (Side B)
⢠Transitions (Side B)




