OMMA Catalogue Number

OMMA-0013

Artist

Beastie Boys

Title

Polly Wog Stew EP

Release Details

7-inch vinyl EP issued by Rat Cage Records (catalogue number MOTR 21). Released in the United States as a commercial retail pressing. This record constitutes the Beastie Boys’ first issued recording and documents the group’s early incarnation within the New York hardcore punk scene prior to their later stylistic shift.

Edition & Variant Identification

First commercial pressing. Issued with a printed picture sleeve and distributed through independent retail channels associated with the Rat Cage / Modern Records ecosystem. No alternate variants are noted for this pressing.

Matrix & Pressing Data

Side A (etched): MOTR 21-A-1 MT I

Side B (etched): MOTR 21-B-1 MT I

Physical Description

7-inch black vinyl record housed in its original picture sleeve. No inserts are present. The sleeve design and format are consistent with early-1980s independent hardcore releases, emphasizing utilitarian production and small-run distribution.

Factory-Origin Characteristics

No factory-origin anomalies are observed. Pressing and packaging conform to standard independent manufacturing practices of the period for small-label punk releases.

Condition Report

The vinyl is preserved in Near Mint condition, retaining strong original gloss with only the faintest spindle evidence visible under close inspection. Labels are clean and unworn, free of writing, stickers, or discoloration.

The picture sleeve is graded VG+, exhibiting light creasing and minor but visible wear along the opening edge consistent with moderate handling. Imagery remains clear and intact.

Provenance

Purchased from Discogs seller touchingtowns on 15 May 2025.

Photomatching & Verification

Photographic documentation of the present copy is maintained in the OMMA visual archive, confirming sleeve artwork, label layout, matrix inscriptions, and overall condition consistent with authenticated first-press copies of Polly Wog Stew EP.

Market Context & Historical Notes

Polly Wog Stew EP documents the Beastie Boys at their point of entry into the New York hardcore punk ecosystem, emerging from a tightly networked, mostly informal environment of independent labels, rehearsal spaces, and record shops that sustained the city’s early-1980s underground scene. The record was issued by Rat Cage Records, a small, scene-embedded label run out of a basement record shop that functioned less as a commercial enterprise than as an extension of the local underground musical infrastructure.

Canonical Status in OMMA

This release is recognized by the Origins of Modern Music Archive as the canonical debut recording of the Beastie Boys.

Bibliography / References

Discogs. Beastie Boys – Polly Wog Stew EP (Rat Cage Records, MOTR 21).
https://www.discogs.com/release/903787-Beastie-Boys-Polly-Wog-Stew-EP

Light, Alan. The Skills to Pay the Bills: The Story of the Beastie Boys. Villard Books, 2006.
https://www.amazon.com/Skills-Pay-Bills-Story-Beastie/dp/0609604783