Agnostic Front - 1986 Cable Access show

Too funny

Best Cyling Tips

Open any cycling magazine or book and you will be confronted with tips and opinions on how to do better. Bicyling seemed to devolve into a series of lists for a coupl years. These are all things I have either read or seen, but tested for myself and they have all paid off.

1.Wrap a foot or so of electrical tape around a tire lever. Takes up no space and is a big help in a pinch. A variation is to wrap extra tape over the end of your bar tape in case you need it.
2. Carry a presta/shraeder adaptor in your bag. Not a recommended way to inflate a bike tire, but good to have when all else fails and all that is around is a gas station.
3. Keep a photo copy of your race license inside your handlebars. 5 bucks doesn't hurt either.
4. Keep an old pair of shoes and an old helmet in your trunk in case your memory fails. Works as long as you haven't switched pedals. A gallon of water in the trunk is never a bad idea either. When you need it, you won't care how warm it is....
5. If you are wearing booties over you shoes and you start to overheat. Reach down and flip the toe piece up and over the front of your shoe. Looks like the Iron Sheik's boots, but you don't have to stop to cool off and you don't have to stuff the booties somewhere if you take them off.

Best tip of the Classics season was to put griptape on the inside of your bottle cage to keep the bottle in place.

Cycling News

Much better time riding the bike lately than writing about bikes. 10 days or so to got til the TDF. Outside of the National Championships not much going to down.
Astana's "MIB" took a hit with Kessler getting a positive and getting suspended-test dates back to Fleche Wallone with rumours of more to come......

Last year's TDF top twenty and some predictions.....

1 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak 89.39.30 (40.784 km/h)
2 Oscar Pereiro (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 0.57
3 Andreas Klöden (Ger) T-Mobile 1.29
4 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Team CSC 3.13
5 Cadel Evans (Aus) Davitamon-Lotto 5.08
6 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 7.06
7 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R-Prevoyance 8.41
8 Christophe Moreau (Fra) AG2R-Prevoyance 9.37
9 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 12.05
10 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile 15.07
11 Frank Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 17.46
12 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 19.19
13 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 19.22
14 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 19.46
15 Marcus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 19.57
16 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) Crédit Agricole 21.12
17 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Lampre-Fondital 26.25
18 Michael Rasmussen (Den) Rabobank 28.33
19 José Azevedo (Por) Discovery Channel 38.08
20 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 43.05

Sastre,Evans,Moreuau,Leiphemer, Rogers, and Schleck seem like they could improve on last years success's
Periero is doubtful-he lucked into the right break last year and will probably have to ride for Valverde til he cracks or crashes. Kloden will probably have his hands tied by riding for Vino.
Menchov has been low key, I can't even remember where he has raced this year??
Tadej Valjavec has the best name in the top twenty and has been riding well. Impressive that Lampre had 3 riders in the top twenty last year.
As far as names that aren't on this list Vino,Valverde, and Brajovic come to mind.
I will drop my final predictions once the final team rosters are selected.

One last observations, microphones need to be kept away from Bruyneel. In the last 2 weeks he has constantly put his foot in his mouth regarding doping, he has given the most back handed compliments to Leiphemer's chances, and finally taken jabs at Telekom and CSC(check comments here). Is he trying to blame Basso on CSC?? Get serious. He is a fucking clown and maybe he is a primary reason people aren't stepping up to be a new title sponsor?

Fix Speed of Twisted Thought CD

The first wave of regional US Hardcore stands as one of the greatest oeuvres of American music. The Fix raged in a no frills fast and furious fashion that recalls more of the No-Core scene of NC. Michigan was a shithole long before Michel Moore brought it to your attention and all the rage of living in a failing nightmare that people are trying to sell you as the American Dream gets distilled into the Fix's go for the throat attack. Only 2 songs clock in at more than 2 minutes. The epic is Signals at 3:37 which starts slower and hints at some Michigan/Midwest moves that Die Kreuzen and Husker would flesh out later. Classic 80s hardcore production gives the guitars a harsh trebly edge. Vocals are somewhere between Dez era Flag and
Releasing only 2 singles and a comp track, Touch and Go have managed to cobble together 24 tracks for this CD. 12 live. 12 studio with 3 outtakes. More music for your money than if you try and track down the 7"S(200 pressed on the 1st. 1000 pressed on the second.)
Liner notes have some crucial nostalgia and observations from Byron Coley,Rollins,Tesco,Thurston,etc. Plus lyrics. Well done. Not super over the top like the Big Boys CDs, but a good read.
I have often said to kids younger than me to grab the Minor Threat and Negative Approach CDs and save the rest of your money cause most of the core that followed was just footnotes on those two bands, but if I gave a top ten this would be in it. The fact that they came, conquered and broke up well before you were born is an added bonus. Essential Fury

Burial Chamber Trio LP

Maybe O'Malley and Anderson have a conflicted musical vision hidden under Sunn's umbrella because they both felt the need to record records with the duo of Attila Csihar and Oren Ambarchi under different names and without each other??? I guess technically one has drums and the other doesn't but what gives? Don't want to be like SSD, but "How much drone/Can you take?"
Burial Chamber Trio's LP earns the "none more black award" for it's black on black screened cover, black jacket, and black on the inside cover print job. Even with that much black they manage to intrigue with only the record labels.... Masked men, costumed men, etc. Is this some Death in June triubte?? It's nice to see a band dropping hints rather than beating you over the head with what they are into(not a surprising attitude from a dude whose blog is called "What we do is Secret") Top it off with emerald vinyl and record nerds are freaking. Slow feedback drone with tortured vocals. If you know the players involved and you know Sunn there are no surprises here. Guitar, Bass, and Vocals. Attila does most of the work to keep you interested. I find this way more intense and listenable than SUNN. Killer platter of twisted doom. Get it while you can.

Bone Awl Undying Glare 3 song 7"

This one sided 45 kicks off with a burst of trebly feedback that makes you think Unsane more than Burzum. Do you remember dropping the needle on Vandal-X and being knocked the fuck over trying to figure out what was happening? Once the cacophony of drums and vocals kick in you can decipher the atypical Bone Awl pummeling. Hands down one of the best US Black Metal bands. 2nd track straddles the punk/metal line a la most Northern Heritage bands. Production is unique and insane and adds to the chaos. Too odd to be 4-track kult style.
This one sided 7" originally came with the "Not for our Feet" LP from Nuclear War Now Productions and is available again from Klaxon. Get it. LP review to follow. Get stoked.
Graphics are a new twist for BA but fit with their unique motif. I am sure some research would give an excellent background to what appears to be some Nazi-Eskimo.
I love these guys.

Jens Voigt - Tour of California Stage 4

Ruth Copeland Hara Krishna Krsna Rock part 20

Ruth Copeland was a Detroit area singer that dropped 2 albums with some help from George Clinton. The Clinton connection is totally unexpected and intriguing. This Invictus 45 is "hara krsna" b/w "no commitment"
"Hara Krishna" is credited to Copeland-Clinton. So even the Mothership has a connection to his Divine Grace! This 45 is from her Self-Portrait LP
Both tracks have a slightly harder than Joni Mitchell feel. Not jazzy, but closer to a heavier country rock. A tougher lady from the canyon perhaps? She was a red hot mama from the few photos I have seen on line(check the"I am What I am" cover photo!) and you can bet I'm looking for those 2 solo albums.