It took Adam Yauch's cancer diagnosis to give the Beastie Boys a little perspective on when to be silly and when to be serious.
The group had planned a distinctly immature record to follow up their 2004 album To The 5 Boroughs, but after the musician was stricken with the disease in his salivary gland and lymph node, they re-assessed their position.
His bandmate Mike Diamond, aka Mike D, said: "Serious illness does frame fart jokes differently. But at the same time, more than ever, we want to enjoy ourselves and make people happy."
Adam is now on the road to recovery and working with the band on their Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two album, so named because the intended part one of the album are the unreleased tracks they were working on at the time of the rapper's diagnosis.
Explaining what has happened to the tracks destined for Hot Sauce Committee, Part One, Mike said he's hopeful they will find a release date, just after the second disc.
The New York-based rapper added: "I liken it to the subway train system. Let's say a train starts running late. Instead of letting it catch up, the take the train behind it and rush it through so that one stays on schedule. This is exactly how we're operating."
Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two is scheduled for release next spring.
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