popturf

city: new york

mohamed’s falafel star

from ween posted in music by pete_nice

While preparing to shoot the video for "I Can't Put My Finger On It" off Chocolate and Cheese, Ween approached director Chris Applebaum (video director for Rihanna, Britney Spears, and other pop stars) and asked him, "Have you ever seen a succulent lamb shank skewered and spinning on a rotisserie while lit by a beautiful amber light?"

Applebaum replied that there was a falafel shop down the street from his apartment, at the corner of Avenue A and E. 8th st. Applebaum negotiated for six hours of shooting ($125 location fee), and sent a picture of the owners to Ween. They loved the look of the brothers who owned the shop, so Gene asked them to be in the video to look like his rap posse.

While shooting at the location, Mohamed brought out a collection of knives that he stored in the backroom where he and his brother slept. They are featured (along with the brothers' friends) waving them at the end of the video.

Deaner's introspective solos were shot at Coney Island (also Ween's idea).

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hammerstein ballroom

from beastie boys, the strokes posted in music by crabapple

Soul singer Patti LaBelle, rock group Korn, and pop-punk band and All Time Low had live performances that were released as DVDs recorded at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

The jam band O.A.R. recorded their live album, 34th and 8th, at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

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hammerstein ballroom

from beastie boys, the strokes posted in music by crabapple

Located in the Manhattan Center Studios building on West 34th Street, the Hammerstein Ballroom was originally constructed in 1906 by Oscar Hammerstein as the Manhattan Opera House. Oscar wanted to create an alternative to the more expensive Metropolitan Opera, and his plan was evidently successful (he was paid $1.2 million by the Metropolitan Opera to stop producing operas for ten years). This opened the door for vaudeville performers to use the ballroom.

From October 28-29, 2001, the Beastie Boys hosted a New Yorkers Against Violence concert. The fundraiser was created in response to the events of September 11, and the it was the first time the Beastie Boys had performed live since the Tibetan Freedom Concert of 1999. The B-Boys shared the stage with the Strokes, the B-52's, Afrika Bambaataa, Mos Def and the Roots, as well as the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion over the two days. The proceeds were donated to the New York Women's Foundation Disaster Relief Fund and the NY Association for New Americans.

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oscilloscope laboratories

from beastie boys posted in music by crabapple

Located in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan, Oscilloscope Laboratories is the office and studio space for the Beastie Boys. Also included at the location are the film production/distribution offices of Oscilloscope Laboratories, which has released (and re-released) a number of films under the direction of MCA (Adam Yauch).

The Beastie Boy albums To the 5 Boroughs, The Mix-Up, and Hot Sauce Committee Part Two were all recorded at Oscilloscope Laboratories.

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gee, the kids need clothes store

from beastie boys, ad-rock posted in music by crabapple

Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock)'s mother, Doris Keefe Horovitz, owned and operated the Gee, The Kids Need Clothes Store at this location in the West Village. Unique in that there were not many stores that sold children's clothes, let alone affordable and second-hand clothes, Doris was well-loved in the neighborhood. Parents and kids could walk out of the store with armloads of clothes for practically nothing, and runaways were helped with no questions asked.

As a neighborhood writer recalls, "...the interior was painted a bright yellow, and there was probably a mural or at least stencils of some sort decorating the walls. It had that happy sunny kid-friendly feel, and how I loved going in to try on clothes."

Doris attended all of Adam's shows, and the album Licensed to Ill is dedicated to her memory.

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