He sold merch for the Specials and the Clash. He was the tour manager for the Beastie Boys at the beginning of their career. He got A Tribe Called Quest a record deal. But the first I ever heard of the Captain was in a column he wrote—”In Defense of the Mullet”—in the second issue of Grand Royal magazine, published in 1995. His irreverence at the time was striking.
To me the Mullet is as American as pick-ups with rifle racks, tractor pulls, Wal-Mart, wet t-shirt contests, slapping your girl upside the head with a frying pan and living in the woods. In fact, I think it’s time the Mullet became the official cut of the U.S. Armed Forces. Fuck the crew cut. Crew cuts are soft. You won’t see no Mullet on Christopher Street. The Mullet is the white man’s jheri curl. Hell, maybe I will get me a Mullet after all. A Mullet, an El Camino with Nitros, a six of Coors, an eight ball of meth and just ride.
No surprise that his ever increasingly righteous editors at Grand Royal (the Beastie Boys) felt the need to tame his prose and censored his freeform “Beefs” column. Reading it again today, it’s kind of amazing they printed it at all, considering the shit he throws around about “Baba Yauch,” pistol whippings, “fat women in stretchy pants,” etc. Check it out and have your mind blown (click for larger, legible images).
While I hadn’t followed the Captain in the 15 years since then, it turns out he became a major contributor to 4Chan and Encyclopaedia Dramatica, and even stirred up a bunch of trouble with the Church of Scientology, who allegedly poisoned his cat and got him arrested on charges of “Criminal Threats” (which were eventually dropped). He took his own life on Saturday, October 30.
The official word from the Beasties camp: “what the fuck captain !?! we love you and miss you.”
He was 49. His birthday was November 17, 1960.
he died to soon, I miss him everyday
Sean “The Captain” Carasov was my Husband for 2 years, I always get sad around this time of year.I will never forget our wedding reception at Vida in Los Feliz,nor our outrageous Wedding in Vegas.
RIP Sean, you died to soon, and are always in my Heart.
From AKA “Fluffy” Donnett Carasov
N, you sure? Lisa Derrick said November 17, 1961.
1960
1960 I am his ex wife
I grew up with the guy in London… In fact had been meaning
to get back in touch with him… as I too hate Scientology…
he was there back in the punk days… never was there a bloke, with more passion about music…
we went to a lot of gigs…
been meaning to get to California lately… sad to think,
I can’t see him if I do get there…
oh… he always loved cats too… big head fuck for me,
as I was only talking about him last week…
RIP Vambo… he’llknow what I’m talking about…
I know as well
i found out when i saw a “never forget our /b/rother” sticker on vermont. the pic looked familiar. i realized i had seen it on his facebook page. i had the pleasure of being a neighbor and a friend. i enjoyed waiting for him to run down my block and then jumping out of the bushes and scaring the shit out of him. he was a funny motherfucker. his voice always reminded me of a cockney sammy davis jr. i don’t know… it doesn’t add up. or maybe it does. seems like there is a history of suicide with foes of the co$.
yeah. see for yourself. it won’t bring him back.
captain was a heavy dude. great taste, smart and a crystal geezer. somebody tell me wtf happened!
I worked with Sean on “Licensed To Ill” I was the Beasties Production Manager and Sean was their TM. What a huge personality! Every day for the length of that tour, no matter what the issue of the day was, Sean dealt with it with with sarcasm and grace. He could never be shaken.
The year after the tour ended I was PM for Debbie Gibson and tried to get Sean on as TM. Even had him out to the Gibson house to meet Debbie and her Mom. Needless to say he was not impressed…and they were a bit frightened. I thought it would have been perfect.
Im so sorry your gone. Please be happy where you are now. Always know you were a good man Sean.
Sean “The Captain” Carasov was my Husband for 2 years, I always get sad around this time of year.I will never forget our wedding reception at Vida in Los Feliz,nor our outrageous Wedding in Vegas.
RIP Sean, you died to soon, and are always in my Heart.
From AKA “Fluffy” Donnett Carasov
I know im late but fuck it. I didnt know about sean til a few years ago i was talking with someone who happened to be in the irc the night he died i wish id have had the chace to get to know him. Rest in peace captain hope theres mudkipz in heaven
The Captain was my Pal. We got kicked out of many a Yankee game, he was a terrible center fielder, a great friend, and always made me laugh. He just didn’t know what an amazing life he had; I always knew that about him as well. God Bless. Always. Kulu
Hahah funny. I was named Fluffer. I dated him prior to you. He was such a cool guy. He did tell me he planned on killing himself around 50. I told him I hated his gun…..UGh still bummed.
I was sadly told that too. Knew him way back in the days with the Beasties.
Why am I posting so late…..just cuz I am. When we dated it was the funniest time of my life. When we went to Cabo….we planned on finding the Cuchacabra or however the fuck it was spelled. We drunkly pretended to find it at a bar. The postcards he sent to me from India, while I watched his house and Mr. Gotti and Shorty (his cats) were so fucken funny……..I was too young and did not have big fake rack…….but we remained friends. Man still sad to this day.. I still am like why.
Bingo. You know it. Still sad.
I’m his sister – it was 1961.