Photo: Von Holden/Getty
Beastie Boys‘ Adam “MCA” Yauch confirmed he’s making a quick recovery from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in his parotid gland — and thanked artists who have paid tribute to him onstage — in an e-mail message to fans dated today. In the personal missive, Yauch reveals his surgery was completed a week and a half ago, and that he spent only one post-op night in the hospital before heading home to recuperate, “have home cooked food and hang out with the family.” Yauch told fans about his cancer directly in a video message on July 20th.

“I haven’t taken any of the pain meds, which supposedly speeds along the healing process, or should I say, taking them slows it down,” he writes, noting that it took several days to get the anesthesia from the operation out of his system. Yauch reveals he’s experiencing stiffness in his neck and jaw, but his condition is improving with each day. Radiation treatments, a “torture,” MCA says, which will involve “blasting you with some kind of beam for a few minutes a day, 5 days a week, for about 7 weeks” begin in several weeks.

But Yauch still has his mind on music, despite his medical setback. He writes that he saw all the All Points West tributes to the Beasties, who had to pull out of the festival at the eleventh hour due to his diagnosis. Shouting out Jay-Z for his cover of “No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn” and Coldplay’s Chris Martin’s solo piano take on “Fight for Your Right” with “good shit,” MCA also thanked Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O for wearing a “Get Well MCA” armband and Q-Tip for his good vibes. Check out photos and full reports from all All Points West — where Jay-Z made his first U.S. festival appearance in place of the Beasties — at our APW hub.

“I do think that all of the well wishes have contributed to the fact that my treatment and recovery are going well,” Yauch concludes. “Much love back at all of you!”

As Rock Daily reported, Yauch’s cancer led the Beasties to push back the release of new album Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 1, which was originally planned for a September 15th release.

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