Check Your Head is the third studio album by the Beastie Boys, released by Grand Royal and Capitol Records on April 21, 1992. Three years elapsed between the releases of the band’s second studio album Paul’s Boutique and Check Your Head, which was recorded at the G-Son Studios in Atwater Village in 1991 under the guidance of producer Mario Caldato Jr., the group’s third producer in as many albums. Less sample-heavy than their previous records, the album features instrumental contributions from all three members: Adam Horovitz on guitar, Adam Yauch on bass guitar, and Mike Diamond on drums.
The album was re-released in a number of formats in 2009, with 16 b-sides and rarities, as well as a commentary track, included as bonus material. It is one of the albums profiled in the 2007 book Check the Technique, which includes a track-by-track breakdown by Diamond, Yauch, Horovitz, Caldato, and frequent Beasties collaborator Money Mark.
Tracklist:
- Jimmy James (Beastie Boys, Mario Caldato, Jr.)
- Funky Boss
- Pass the Mic (Beastie BoysCaldato)
- Gratitude (Beastie Boys, Tom Cushman)
- Lighten Up
- Finger Lickin’ Good
(Beastie Boys Caldato DJ Hurricane Tadone “Kool Tee” Hill) - So What’cha Want (Beastie Boys)
- The Biz vs. The Nuge (Biz Markie, Ted Nugent)
- Time for Livin’ (Sylvester Stewart, Frontline)
- Something’s Got to Give (Beastie Boys, Nishita Caldato)
- The Blue Nun (Beastie Boys)
- Stand Together (Beastie Boys, Caldato)
- Pow
- The Maestro (Beastie Boys)
- Groove Holmes
- Live at P.J.’s
- Mark on the Bus (Nishita)
- Professor Booty (Beastie Boys, Caldato)
- In 3’s
- Namasté
Beastie Boys
Ad-Rock: vocals, guitar
MCA: vocals, bass
Mike D: vocals, drums
Additional personnel
Money Mark: organ, synthesizer, keyboards, clavinet, Wurlitzer
James Bradley, Jr. (Tracks 2, 4, 10, 13, 16, 20): percussion
Juanito Vazquez (Tracks 5, 15): percussion (cuica, conga)
Art Oliva (Tracks 5, 19): percussion (batá, shakeree)
Drew Lawrence (Track 6): percussion (tamboura, mridungan)
Biz Markie: vocals on “The Biz Vs. The Nuge”
Alexandra “Xan” Cassavetes (credited as “Nax Setevassac”): background vocals on “The Maestro”
Technical personnel
Beastie Boys: producer
Mario Caldato, Jr.: producer, engineer
Tom Baker: mastering
Glen E. Friedman: photography
Adam Nathaniel Yauch (August 5, 1964 – May 4, 2012).
