Beastie Boys’ Ill Communication Is 25 Today: Watch Their New Mini-Doc Still Ill
Back in 2014, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of Beastie Boys’ 1994 blockbuster Ill Communication. But here at Stereogum we can’t, we won’t, and we don’t stop revisiting classic albums, so we’re happy to report that Amazon has assembled a mini-documentary in honor of Ill Communication turning 25. It’s called Still Ill, and it’s viewable below.
Although Still Ill begins with a look at the spontaneous creation of “Sabotage,” it then backtracks to a review of the Paul’s Boutique and Check Your Head eras. The film explains how Beastie Boys transitioned from a traditional recording studio setup to their own space that functioned like a creative clubhouse. This is the environment that birthed Ill Communication. Surviving members Adam Horovitz and Mike Diamond sat down at SXSW this year to be interviewed for the doc, which also features separate interviews with producer Mario Caldato Jr. and keyboardist “Money Mark” Nishita. There’s footage from the era’s big concert appearances including the Tibetan Freedom Concert and Lollapalooza, too.
It’s an enjoyable 15-minute watch, so check it out below.