Mike D

Early life

Diamond was born in New York City to Harold Diamond, an art dealer, and Hester (née Klein) Diamond, an interior designer and art collector. He grew up on the Upper West Side surrounded by artwork, including pieces by Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, and Barnett Newman. He attended the arts-oriented Saint Ann's School and Walden School.

Career

In 1979, Diamond co-founded the band The Young Aborigines. In 1981, Adam Horowitz, (Ad-Rock), a friend and follower of the band, became their bass player, and on the suggestion of their then-guitar player, John Berry, the band changed their name to the Beastie Boys. By 1983, Adam Yauch, (known professionally as MCA) joined, and their sound began to shift away from punk to hip hop.

In 1986, the group's debut album Licensed to Ill was released on Def Jam Records and became a huge success. Though it spawned several singles, only one would reach the top twenty of the US Hot 100, the number 7 "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)". Sales of Licensed to Ill were extremely strong, going multi-platinum during the time of its run. Several years later, it would be certified diamond status. The group would release several albums, some attaining platinum or multi-platinum status.

In 1992, Diamond had founded the Beastie Boys' now-defunct record label Grand Royal Records. He is also interested in interior design, and designed Brooklyn-themed toile wallpaper; it was used in the renovation of the Marquee nightclub in the Chelsea neighborhood in New York City, which reopened in January 2013.

A year after the death of Yauch in 2012, Diamond told Rolling Stone he was "excited about making new stuff again" and released "Humberto Vs the New Reactionaries (Christine and the Queens Remix)" in July 2013. A remix of Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band's "Bad Dancer" by Diamond and Adam Horovitz was streamed online in August 2013. The pair is credited with "additional beats, programming and other curve balls". In October 2014, Diamond stated that he had been working in the studio with American rock band Portugal. The Man as a producer. He has also produced English punk duo Soft Play's (formerly Slaves) second studio album, Take Control, which was released on September 30, 2016.

He hosts the Apple Music podcast The Echo Chamber.

Personal life

In 1993, Diamond married film, television and music video director Tamra Davis; they have since legally separated. They have two children, Davis Diamond and Skyler Diamond who formed the group Very Nice Person. They lived in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.

He grew up on Central Park West. He later lived in Brooklyn and Tribeca, and as of 2016 was living in Malibu, California.

Discography

Main article: Beastie Boys discography

**with Beastie Boys **

• Licensed to Ill (1986)
• Paul's Boutique (1989)
• Check Your Head (1992)
• Ill Communication (1994)
• Hello Nasty (1998)
• To the 5 Boroughs (2004)
• The Mix-Up (2007)
• Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (2011)

References

References

1. "Beastie Boys Biography". [[Rolling Stone]].
2. "Beastie Boys MTV Bio". [[MTV]].
3. Weiner, Jonah. (2016-11-23). "Mike D's Endless Summer: How Ex-Beastie Boy Found New Peace in Malibu".
4. Pappademas, Alex. (2021-01-14). "Mike D Is Cleaning Out the Family Attic". The New York Times.
5. Grant, Sarah. (2014-05-18). "Original Beastie Boys Member John Berry Dead at 52".
6. (3 August 2010). "New York art dealer gets six years prison for fraud". Reuters.
7. "More Rhymes Than Grey Hairs". [[Exclaim!]].
8. "Beastie Boys Biography". [[Xfm London]].
9. Mulcahy, James. (January 17, 2013). "Marquee Unveils Complete Remodel on Ten-Year Anniversary". [[Zagat]].
10. Zara, Janelle. (January 17, 2013). "Beastie Boy Mike D's Designs Embellish Marquee's Bathroom Walls". [[Louise Blouin Media.
11. (July 15, 2013). "Beastie Boys' Mike D: 'I'm Excited About Making New Stuff Again'".
12. TheFutureHeart. (August 5, 2013). "Preview New Iggy Pop Plastic Ono Split 7"; Ono Songs with tUnE-yArDs, Lenny Kravitz".
13. (October 13, 2014). "A surprising home for a Beastie Boy". CNN.
14. (August 12, 2016). "Slaves announce full details of Beastie Boys produced new album Take Control".
15. (2016-07-17). "Mike D launches new Beats 1 radio show, The Echo Chamber".
16. "Mike D's Endless Summer: How Ex–Beastie Boy Found New Peace in Malibu".
17. "Tamra Davis". [[Huffington Post]].
18. Earle-Levine, Julie. (June 12, 2013). "Licensed to Grill: Mike D's Brooklyn Town House". [[The New York Times]].
19. Weiner, Jonah. (November 23, 2016). "Mike D's Endless Summer: How Former Beastie Boy Found New Peace in Malibu".