Beloved Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, aka MCA, passed away from cancer on Friday (May 4), and there’s been an outpouring of sadness from across the music world, including the prince of thought-rock, Thom Yorke.

The Radiohead frontman sang the praises of the fallen Beastie on his blog, recalling how Radiohead admired the Beastie Boys’ ability to maintain artistic control and “make wicked records” while on a major label. Check Yorke’s feelings below.

I was very sad to hear the news of Adam Yauch’s death yesterday.
We looked up to the Beastie Boys a lot when we were starting out and how they maintained artistic control making wicked records but still were on a major label, and the Tibetan Freedom Concerts they organized had a very big influence on me personally and the way Adam conducted himself and dealt with it all impressed me a lot. He was a mellow and v(ery) smart guy. May he rest in peace.

Musicians from across the board have celebrated Yauch’s life over the past few days. Lollapalooza guru Perry Farrell and Sonic Youth‘s Kim Gordon each offered eulogies of the departed rapper, and tweets have poured in from rockers and fans alike.

Hearing from Yorke is especially touching, as Radiohead and Beasties were so different musically, but so similar ethically. Bet Thom’s drinking a Brass Monkey right now.

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