Propellerhead

To hear Adam Horovitz describe his first experiences with beat-making you'd almost think it sounds easy. "I didn't know that was something I could do," he says almost dismissively. "And I did. And I got into it" But under his moniker "Adrock" and along with the other two Beastie Boys, Mike D and MCA, Adam didn't just make beats... he helped invent a whole new style of beat collage and layered production that inspired a generation of artists that would follow them. The Beastie Boys have an uncanny ability to convey fun and experimentation - perfectly maintaining the humor from their early jams all the way to the final master. It's a feat not often duplicated for many who let the perfectionism, quantization, and over-analysis of the recording studio environment ultimately deflate the creative output.

Adam invited us over to his home studio in New York City where he produces all of his ideas. After nearly 15 years producing music on his trusty SP1200 workstation, Adam made a near instant switch to Reason after a recommendation of fellow Beastie Boy, Mike D.

For this interview, there were too many great stories to fit into a single interview so be sure to check out Adrock's deleted scenes for some gems you've probably never heard before.

Published: September 2010