RJ Mickelson

How Adam Yauch helped me to become a better person

Wed, 09 May 2012 02:05:00 +0400

The first cassette tape I ever purchased was the Beastie Boys’ Licensed to Ill album. At 9 years old while sitting in the back of my mom’s red station wagon, I curiously asked her what a “porna matt” was. She said she didn’t know and asked me to use it in a proper sentence (she’s a teacher of 35 years). Ok, no sweat I thought. So I sang the lyric “And my mom threw away my best porna matt!”. She furrowed her brow and said she still wasn’t sure what it meant. She then asked me where I had heard it and I told her I heard it on my new Beastie Boys tape of course! … the tape soon went missing.

In 1992 at age 14, I attended my first ever concert in San Jose, CA. It featured the Irish-American rap group House of Pain, the all-female metal rock band L7 and the Beastie Boys as the headliners. It was one of those adolescent moments you never forget - one part “first-concert” teen anxiety, one part unbridled excitement all wrapped into one emotional experience. My bedroom was adorned with Beastie Boys posters from wall to wall and in high school I drove a 1972 orange Volkswagen camper with Beastie Boys stickers lining the bumper. Many friends and acquaintances knew me as the Beastie Boy. During that time, my parents house was the after-school go-to spot in the neighborhood. My friends would come over and we’d watch a “Best of the Beastie Boys” videotape over and over and over again. We’d sit there and rap along to the lines impersonating our favorite Beastie. I actually carried the videotape around in my backpack like contraband in the hopes I could pop it into a VCR somewhere between school and home. We must have watched that tape 500 times and the stylized music videos of New York City ultimately inspired me to move there.

One weekend in high school, I drove down to Santa Barbara with some friends to see the Beastie Boys perform during their Ill Communication tour. Its a solid 6 hour drive and we showed up to the venue way early as we didn’t have tickets. We walked through security and trespassed onto the Santa Barbara Bowl property. We made our way around the empty amphitheater and suddenly I saw Adam Yauch just standing there looking as lost as me. I slowly sauntered over to him hoping to come off as ‘cool’ and I casually said ”Hey man, you know where I can get tickets for tonight’s show?” He said “Nah man, sorry I don’t.” Moments later security approached and we were subsequently escorted out the area.

In 1996, I attended the first Free Tibet concert in San Francisco. After a clumsy bout of crowd surfing I found myself unattended in the media pit below the stage. I used it as an opportunity to sneak backstage where I found myself in front of Mike D and members of Tribe Called Quest. With camera in hand, I snapped a few portraits of Mike D and once again I was quickly escorted out by security. I guess I just wanted to be around them at whatever cost. The truth is I just wanted to be one of them.

Immediately after high school I wasn’t exactly certain what I wanted to do with my life. I went to a local junior college, passively took the required classes while always remaining heavily influenced by the Beastie Boys music and their public service. I slowly began to study philosophy, sociology and read more about Buddhism and the human rights violations in Tibet that Adam Yauch so passionately discussed in the media. I got myself together, saved a boatload of money and at age 20 I travelled to Tibet to learn more about the religion, the Tibetan people and ultimately myself. On that trip I took a film camera with me and learned how to take photos for the first time in my life. It was an incredibly powerful experience on a number of levels and I doubt that it would have happened had it not been for Adam Yauch.

I came back to the US, continued my studies and pursued efforts to help other people. I moved to New York City two weeks following the events of 9/11 and accepted a position as a Counselor working with people who lost family members on 9/11. One of the many things I felt during that time was how blessed I was to be offering real help to the “New York” that Adam Yauch and the Beastie Boys so lovingly rapped about.

The Beastie Boys helped shape part of my character because they asked more of themselves and more of everyone around them. They challenged me on my own privilege and helped me check myself on my own bullshit while still having tons of fun in the process. I’ve learned so much from them - from their creative efforts and their demands for social justice to their willingness to learn from their mistakes. I’m being very sincere in saying that much of who I have become as a person is due to these guys and most notably due to Adam Yauch.

I am so very broken hearted by the loss of Adam Yauch. I hope you were as inspired by the Beastie Boys as much as I have been.

Steinhart Aquarium, San Francisco, CA. November 2011.

Tue, 01 May 2012 17:57:35 +0400

Steinhart Aquarium, San Francisco, CA. November 2011.

From the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:02:59 +0400

From the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

In Abu Dhabi, the space between buildings, the space between...

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:03:14 +0400

New Souk 1, Al Markaziyah

Window repair, Al Khalidiyah

New Souk 2, Al Markaziyah

"Family" beach, Al Hosn

Vending, Marina Village

Grand Mosque, Al Maqtaa

In Abu Dhabi, the space between buildings, the space between people and the space between other areas of space is vast.

In and around Muscat, Oman. A country of surprising color and...

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:14:00 +0400

Oman Diving Centre, Qantab, Oman

Bee-eater, Oman Museum of Nat. History

Muttrah Souk, Muttrah, Oman

Mohammed in Muttrah, Oman

Thailand v Oman football, Muscat, Oman

Car covers, Muscat, Oman

Crocodile slide, Muttrah, Oman

Captains Cafe in Wadi Kabir, Oman

Fast Food & Juice Center in Muttrah,Oman

Al-Riyam Children's Park, Muttrah, Oman

In and around Muscat, Oman. A country of surprising color and warmth.

From Amman to Dead Sea, I spent a few days wandering the...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:53:08 +0400

Yasser at a meat market outside Amman

Donkey transportation in Petra, Jordan

Steel sculpture in Amman

Abumajer smokes sheesha in Safi, Jordan

Mais at the Dead Sea in Jordan

Make-up services in Petra, Jordan

Abandoned retail space in Amman, Jordan

Ali at a meat market outside Amman

Faded political poster in Downtown Amman

XuXuleo of China at the Dead Sea

From Amman to Dead Sea, I spent a few days wandering the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

1 day in Dubai

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:24:46 +0400

Up from Abu Dhab, I spent about 24 hours in Dubai visiting some news photo friends, partoning local watering holes and wandring the distinct landscape of Dubai.

Khalid Bin Al Waleed Metro Station

Dubai Heritage Village

The Dubai Creek

Dubai Marina Cafe

Dubai Marina Restaurant

SF from the archive

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:28:46 +0400

These were some the last color slide images I ever took shot. RIP Kodak.

de Young Museum. 2005

Foerster Avenue. 2005.

Sidewalk sale

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:00:05 +0400

Midtown Manhattan. November 1, 2011

Halloween 2011

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:00:06 +0400

Photo-op on Sullivan Street, New York, NY. October 31, 2011.

October octave

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:00:05 +0400

Wandering through Astor Place a few weeks ago, I came across musicians Vince “The Prince” Hunter and Gregory Stevenson. Following a brief introduction and some pleasantries, we discussed New York street music. The two men comfortably volunteered their thoughts on the power of music in their lives emphasizing the essential virtues of playing in the street “The public tells you what to play - they let you know what’s working!” Hunter humbly admitted. The two men had a familiarity with discussing their art which I find universal among street musicians. Perhaps its the fact that they must defend their work on a regular basis or that they have to possess a thoughtful response for their physical/auditory presence in public spaces. As we methodically moved along in conversation, it was clear that they were in no rush and had few expectations as to whether the images would become published or not (one did eventually) which made it more of an experience than “work”. After we said our goodbyes, I crossed East 8th Street and stood on the corner and watched them as they pushed Jazz through their wind instruments while the late afternoon shadows slowly blanketed their sidewalk studio.

7 train

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:00:05 +0400

A pensive, young strap-hanger looks out the widow while traveling on the elevated portion of the 7 train headed toward Flushing, Queens on Monday October 24, 2011.

Madison Square Park

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:25:47 +0400

Kate Hutchinson, 24 of the Upper East Side takes in the sun at Madison Square Park. October 16, 2011.

Midtown Manhattan

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:00:06 +0400

Midtown Manhattan. Summer 2011.

Fall fountain

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:00:05 +0400

A couple looks out onto the fountain at Washington Square Park. September 2011.

On an unseasonably warm afternoon Jerzee Monet, 34 of the Bronx and her 6 year-old son Sy play at Washington Square fountain in the West Village on September 5, 2011.

RePOP

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:05:06 +0400

RePOP Furniture. Brooklyn Navy Yard. October, 2011.

A view from left-center

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:45:10 +0400

Murray Bergtraum Softball Field from the Manhattan Bridge in Chinatown, New York. October 9, 2011.

Sun and shade in South Beach

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:40:00 +0400

30

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:46:05 +0400

30th birthday party. Brooklyn, NY. September 17, 2011.

Times Square

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:11:05 +0400

Work.

Play.

Sunday, September 25, 2011