Beastie Boys File Trademark Application for Live Performances But Aren’t Coming Back

Since Adam "MCA" Yauch passed away in 2012, the remaining Beastie Boys – Michael "Mike D" Diamond and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz – have confirmed multiple times that the Beastie Boys will not go on without MCA. However, it was reported today (July 2) that earlier this week, Mike D and Ad-Rock filed a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the Beastie Boys name in association with "live performances by a musical group," according to lawyer David Lizerbram.

Lizerbram suggests this means the band might reform for some sort of reunion show, but adds that "it’s possible that their attorney (who signed the application on their behalf) filed this application for some other reason that we don’t know of, or that it was filed in error."

Despite the news, a Beastie Boys reunion seems extremely unlikely: A representative of the group told Rolling Stone, "There will never be Beastie Boys live performances without Adam Yauch." This echoes what Ad-Rock told GQ in March: “We’re done. Adam Yauch started the band. It’s not like a thing where we could continue without him.”