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American rapper, musician and Beastie Boys founding member Mike D is the latest guest on the hit nature podcast Outsiding, hosted by Caitlin Moran and Adam Frost.<\/p>\n
During the episode, Mike discusses life on tour, growing up in New York, his love of Central Park, surfing, gardening, fatherhood and how spending time outdoors has transformed his outlook.<\/p>\n
Talking about the band\u2019s latest tour, Mike said: \u201cWe\u2019ve been on tour. We started out here in the UK and then all around Europe\u2026 making a joyous ruckus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reflecting on his childhood in Manhattan, he described Central Park as his \u201cgarden\u201d and a place of refuge, despite admitting he was \u201ca young punk rocker in the park\u201d who wasn\u2019t always popular.<\/p>\n
He also shared memories of the park coming to life each spring after New York\u2019s harsh winters.<\/p>\n
Mike also opened up about his relationship with nature through surfing, explaining that moving closer to the California coast changed the way he experienced the outdoors.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI didn\u2019t really understand how profound it was going to be\u2026 that\u2019s when I really started to feel the effects of nature on my nervous system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Describing the experience of sitting on a surfboard in the ocean, he added that it makes you realise you\u2019re \u201cjust this little visitor speck in this amazing, vast ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n
The musician also spoke candidly about gardening, saying his family tries to conserve water because of California\u2019s climate, while maintaining a small football pitch at home for himself and his children.<\/p>\n
On his role as a father, Mike joked that he tries not to bring his \u201cdad persona\u201d into the band, although he admitted there are occasional crossover moments as a leader, including jokingly threatening band members with push-ups or financial penalties for mistakes.<\/p>\n
He also revealed he enjoys carefully chosen wind chimes in his garden \u2013 provided they are \u201cvery gentle\u201d rather than \u201cclackety\u201d \u2013 and said he now loves waking up at sunrise, a complete contrast to the years when he regularly stayed awake until 5am!<\/p>\n
The episode also features stories about growing up in New York, his early experiences with cannabis and how spending time in nature has become an important part of his life away from music.<\/p>\n \n