A Quick Q&A with
the man they call Deisel- Karl Denson on the Beasties tribute shows
B. Getz was lucky enough to get a moment with Karl Denson at Jazzfest in
New Orleans and another a few weeks later in Atlantic City. The first encounter
was after his long late-night affair at
Tipitina’s Uptown. KDTU had done an abbreviated version of the Beastie Boys
tribute; only O.G. of Slightly Stoopid made the trip. Adam Yauch (MCA) of the
Beastie Boys had succumbed to cancer and passed away a day earlier, sorrowful
news that rocked the Jazzfest ragers to their core. This palpable emotion was
not lost on Denson.
B.Getz- I know KDTU has performed this Beasties
tribute last month in Cali, but whoa, man, with MCA leaving us yesterday, the timing of these
performances is crazy. And to happen while we are at Jazzfest. Just a really heavy experience. Yauch was close to my heart. It means alot to me, to LEGOINS of us that came of age with the Beasties, that you and the Tiny Universe, and Slightly Stoopid, put this celebration together.
Karl Denson: Thanks. Yea. ( deep breath) I’ll tell you Getz, I was totally shocked, IN
SHOCK, when I heard the news. Right away I thought about how we had this thing
planned and just last month (at the Belly Up in San Diego), we threw down a
show that was just a tribute to many different “genres” of the Beasties. But we
only had O.G. with us here at Fest, so we kind of did an smaller, more humble
version of the show. Well, "Sabotage" wasn't humble! (laughs)
B.G. – Yea, that was wildin'; Tips was goin nuts. I thought the throwback, rare groove
versions of “Root Down” and “Sure Shot” were perfect ways to show reverence.
MCA’s voice was his instrument, and with that taken away… I dunno Karl, the
silence was deafening. You could really feel the void, the absence, of that
gruff, rugged MCA rapping style. So I found the more tailored version
appropriate given the fact we are still mourning. NOT hearing his verses, man that hit home. It was deep... But the flute break in "Sure Shot"?!?! Thats! what I'm talkin about my man. Bangin.
Karl Denson: (laughs and a firm hand shake) Yea man, I always loved the Beastie Boys, and
for the longest time have been diggin’ on all aspects of their many styles, and
how they incorporate so much music into their own music, from the old sample
based stuff, to the organic, jazz organ funky stuff, and the later stuff where
they made their own beats with instruments, sampling and tweaking and twisting themselves.
They are such and important band, group, and its bigger than Hip Hop. We wanted to bring that huge amount of creativity, and that
real cool Beastie Boys style, and also pay tribute by making some grooves and things our own, or
calling back to the original grooves like Jimmy Smith’s “Root Down”. This was
well before MCA passed away, obviously. His dying, only serves to add another
level, emotional element, to the performances. We’ll be working bits and
pieces, and grooves from the Beasties into our stuff for a while; its really
fun. Their music is just … crazy and fun!
But when we bring the whole show, for the dates coming up
(San Francisco, Boulder, Denver), and Stoopid gets on… MAN! When we bring
Stoopid. I’m tellin’ ya. Whole ‘nother story.
That’s when the power of the entire tribute, or homage, is in full
effect. The Stoopid guys are great, and they love & cherish the Beasties, I
mean, they are like Beasties themselves in a lot of ways (laughs). I’ve been
doing a lot of touring in their band and I knew they were the guys to call upon
for this project.
B.G.: I saw you pick up the guitar for “Sabotage”…
Karl Denson: That’s my new hobby. I’m startin’ with the punk
rock heavy stuff!
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B.Getz for The UPFUL Life & Times
5/3/2012 and 6/16/2012
