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Sandwich's Diego Castillo recounts his Beastie Boys story

Sandwich's Diego Castillo recounts his Beastie Boys story

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There wouldn't be the Diego Castillo we know and love without the power of The Beastie Boys.

The Sandwich guitar player honors the iconic New York hiphop trio for not only inspiring him to pursue music, but also for teaching him to be a curious human being. His love for the group pushed him to learn more about the world. "They were like your cool older brother or uncle giving nuggets of cool pop culture," he writes in an Instagram post, where he shares a series of pictures from when he and bassist Myrene Academia met The Beastie Boys in their NU 107 days. "They influenced me to no end."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“Check the cool wax!” I’ve posted this more then a few times, but in honor of the release of Spike Jones’ The Beastie Boys story, I just had to again. Here’s my #thebeastieboysstory - Visionary is a term that gets tossed around so easily these days. Overused and somewhat hackneyed to denote every supposed original thing. The Beastie Boys were game changers. True visionaries that helped usher in a musical style that combined hip-hop, sampling and rock, with elements of jazz, funk, soul and hardcore. You could say that there were plenty of bands that were incorporating these elements, but for my money The Beasties not only wrote the book, but also broke all the rules. They obviously were not just three MCs and one DJ. But that wasn’t even their true power for me. They had this carefree, “fuck all of y’all” attitude that felt so genuine and was truly inspiring. That unique and unabashed approach to tell us how much fun they were having, not only with the music but also with each other. Line after line, which might feel to the uninitiated, like a series of Da Vinci code musings. I never felt alienated by all the references they threw out, quite the opposite, it drove me to research every single person and place they were mentioning. Who the fuck is Rod Carew, K-Rob and Rammzelle? Why is Dick Hyman electric? Should I be afraid that Russell Simmons might take my money? Is Ione really boney? And of course, is this the party where I should stick my dick in the mashed potatoes? 🤣 They were like your cool older brother or uncle giving nuggets of cool pop culture. They influnced me to no end. By the time Ill Communication came out, I was already knee deep and well-versed in the world they inhabited. Looking back, I realized they got me into other things and ideas that are still with me today. Crate diggin’, sampling, bizarre musical and cultural references. Hell! I even dressed up like them! It got so nutty that when I 1st got to NYC my guidebook wasn’t from The Lonely Planet, but from them and their albums. I also believe that it was Raims and my shared love for them that made Sandwich happen.Thanks Beasties! I always keep it on and on, on and on!

A post shared by Diego Castillo (@dayglo1) on

In his post, Castillo reveals that it was thanks to The Beastie Boys that he got into "crate diggin,' 'sampling, bizarre musical and cultural references" and even got Sandwich started with vocalist Raymund Marasigan. "Thanks Beasties! I always keep it on and on, on and on!"

The Beastie Boys Story, directed by Spike Jonze, is now available for streaming on Apple TV. Get a sneak peek of the new documentary below.

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