Beasties' Yauch Heals In India, Album On The Horizon

10/07/09 4:32pm

by Jason MacNeil (CHARTattack)

Beastie Boys vocalist Adam "MCA" Yauch posted an update on the band's mailing list Wednesday afternoon concerning his current well-being after being diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.

He seems to be taking it easy for the time being, relaxing in Massachusetts with family and friends after a trip to India.

"I'm feeling healthy, strong and hopeful I've beat this thing, but of course time will tell," Yauch said in a message after having returned from seeing Tibetan doctors in Dharamsala, India.

"I'm taking Tibetan medicine and at the recommendation of the Tibetan doctors I've been eating a vegan/organic diet, which surprisingly enough was harder to do in India than it is now that I'm back home. Here I can shop for the right food and cook... a lot easier than depending on restaurants."

Yauch also said he attended a three-day teaching by the Dalai Lama while in India and had a puja (religious ceremony) done in his honour to "help me get well." (The Beastie Boys have been outspoken supporters of Tibet, having organized the Tibetan Freedom Concert in support of Tibetan independence from 1996 to 2001.)

As for new Beastie Boys material, Yauch says the band haven't set a release date yet for Hot Sauce Committee, Part 1, which was postponed because of his condition, but says he hopes "it'll be in the first half of next year."

In July, doctors found a cancerous, but treatable tumor in Yauch's salivary gland. The diagnosis forced the cancellation of some summer shows the Beastie Boys had scheduled, including an appearance at Montreal's Osheaga Music & Arts Festival.

The band reissued Hello Nasty, Check Your Head and Ill Communication this year, with B-sides and previously unreleased tracks.