Intergalactic

I had an entirely different post planned for this morning, but tragedy struck on Friday. I'm a mom in my early 40's, and my life has played out through the music I listen to, first on my Walkman now on my iPhone.
There are a few bands that have been a constant over the last nearly 30 years- the Clash, Nirvana/Foo Fighters, the Replacements, Alison Moyet/Yaz/Erasure/Depeche Mode, the Smiths/Morrissey, U2 and the Beastie Boys.
MCA, part of the Beastie Boys, lost his battle with salivary gland cancer. It is an extremely rare cancer, according to CNN:
Two adults in 100,000 are diagnosed with salivary gland cancer per year, according to the American Cancer Society.

“Parotid cancers are fairly unusual in general but it can appear in individuals of all ages,” said Dr. Amy Chen, a head and neck cancer surgeon at Emory University in Atlanta. “It’s just in general, parotid cancer is very rare.”

As it is with less common cancers, there are fewer treatment options. He apparently had surgery and radiation, and incorporated holistic treatments to battle his disease.
Unfortunately, with cancer, sometimes you lose. :(

Prior to MCA bringing attention to it in the mid 90's, I had no idea about the political situation in Tibet. I went to the concert at Randall's Island in NYC in 1997 primarily for the music: Beasties, Sonic Youth, U2, Bjork, Foo Fighters and Chili Peppers all over two days. Interspersed were speakers, discussing the situation in Tibet. It was a consciousness awakening.
Who says music can't change the world?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgJpgp5s6o0&feature=youtube_gdata_player