Go back... the year is 1986... High School is about to begin, I'm out of school for the summer, riding my bike around town on Long Island. A few miles to the west, 3 Jewish kids have put together a new album that breaks through the walls of what hip-hop is, and I love it. The album is License to Ill and the Beasite Boys just became a household name and the heroes of NYC. I play the album until I wear it out. I sing all the lyrics, my parents hate it... so I love it all the more.
Now it is 1998, I am a sophomore in High School, boarding school to be exact, in upstate NY. I am in my dorm room, headphones on, blasting Paul's Boutique, learning the lyrics and throwing my arms in the air, mimicking the movements of the boys from Brooklyn. I love "High Plains Drifter", who samples a shot gun cocking? The Beastie Boys, that's who.
Fast forward to 1992...college, I live in Charlotte NC now, mostly known for being a yankee on campus, driving to fast and playing the stereo too loud and Check Your Head is the album that most people hear as I drive by. It's played at parties, in dorms, in the clubs,it is everywhere, it is college to so many people my age. 1994 brings Ill Communication and "Sabotage". My friends and I bang our heads, jump up and slam into each other, having our summer highlighted by the Lollapalooza tour at BlockBuster Pavillion in Charlotte and headlined by the Beastie Boys themselves!
I gaduate college and look for my place in the world, and I am listening to Hello Nasty more than anything else as I try to figure out life after school. It is a cd that I reguraly wear out, swapping it from car to house, to walkman and back again.
The twin towers, symbols of my youth, a place I went on field trips every year in grade school are removed from the landscape of lower Manhattan in 2001. My Mom passes is 2003 and my relationship with NYC comes to a close... enter To the 5 Boroughs and with it my pride of being a New Yorker returns.
This is how the Beastie Boys have been with me all these years. They are a huge part of the soundtrack of my youth, of my life. Thanks to Michelle Moog and the Moog Fondation I had a rare opportunity to hang out with the boys from Brooklyn, shoot images of them in a casual setting with about 10 other people and go to their sold out show in front of a mere 900 people at the Orange Peel. The BBoys agreed to do a ribbon cutting ceremony for the mini-Moogseum installment at the Orange Peel as they are avid Moog equipment users and all around cool guys.
I could go on about the ties I have to these guys and how their music was playing during so many monumental moments in my life...but I wil save you the details. I think you get it.
Money Mark, MCA, Ad Rock, Mike D
Ribbon cutting
The BBoys get their learn on about new Moog equipment
Ad Rock listens to all the fly sounds of the new Moog Guitar
A little style to round out the shoot!
Brooklyn in the House!
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1 comment:
Jon,
What an incredible opportunity and a dream come true! But, I have to say, you were more than the yankee with your music too loud! I would give you much more credit than that!! I have fond memories! Stayfunky
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