Double Dagger Masks EP

Their last record was in my car's stereo for a long time. These guys really hit
it out of the park. Missed them when the came through Boston. So I was stoked to see a new record coming out.
Limited to 500, die cut sleeve, 3 different versions. Going all out for the record collectors.This Baltimore three piece keep the line up exciting with drums/bass/vocals. They get a full melodic sound and avoid the heavy bombast overkill of a lot of other 2 piece bands. 5 songs. I got the Nixon mask looking cover. They return with their classic recipe-an upbeat, hyper, bass driven melodic take on the classic DC sound. If you like melodic too smart post punk/indie rock, this is a winner. Mission of Burma, Chino Horde, Unwound etc. (yes I realize these bands have guitars and DD don't). Regardless they are in the tradition of these bands, but not a reenactment of the past.

Thrill Jockey is still the label.

Ted Leo Brutalist Bricks

I am a pretty loyal fan. I don't love a lot, but when I do, I'm down for the long haul. I have found that with the artists in this category that manage to put out more than 4 records, I develop a pattern. Generally I love every other record. Worked with Lungfish and seems to be the pattern with Ted too. I loved Tyranny of Distance, not so hot on Hearts of Oak. Loved Shake out the Sheets, not so hot on Living for the Living. So along comes Brutalist Bricks and right according to formula I like it. No comment on the cover art. Guess there was a sale on yellow...
It has a more pop feel to me. There are some songs that echo the Damned and the Minutemen pretty heavily. Some sharp, short ones. Songs like "ativan eyes" are pop gems with a lyrical bite.
My favorite tracks are probably "bottled in cork" and "gimme the wire" which sadly is not about Baltimore.
I think on most tracks he pushes traditional Leo trademarks further and harder, but it is not as resigned/pissed/bummed as Living for the Living. I guess it is also not as upbeat as Shake out the Sheets. So maybe it is in the sweet spot?
This will be a spring/summertime road trip staple, so anyone traveling to races with me this summer better be ready to deal.
Bottled in Cork a couple odd versions from the web. Matador is the label. Keep up with Ted at his website or on twitter-where on a good day he gives Adam Myerson a run for his money in volume.
Solo Version

Live

and why not drop this for overkill

Rhonde de Rosey Recap

Where to start with the Rhonde de Rosey? How about Thanks? Thanks to Rosey for setting it up and thanks to Billy for getting the Pink Beacons on the start list. And can't leave out the Washington Tavern for hospitality.
Rolled up early and by 10 it was pretty amazing how many bikes were hanging out on the corner of Washington and Beacon. Saw this photo on a couple other sites and the Major and I got a chuckle cause it's our bikes at the bottom of the pile. There were a lot of nice rigs laying around.
We rolled out first stop Nahant park followed quickly by the out and back frenzy of Cutler Park. I was definitely nervous about what laid ahead based on this. A totally New England combo of marsh, mud, roots, and wooden bridges. Add in oncoming riders and you have a recipe for chaos and fun. After that it was onto some singletrack along the highway and some hijinxs getting lost. I don't really have an issue with confusion or being slightly lost and it was already more fun than any training ride and light years beyond a Sunday at Wells Ave. I will not be complaining about directions or marking the course! Fun is fun.
Details from here on are hazy, there were many road and trail sections that followed. Lots more getting confused. Billy gets points for navigation and demonstrated some of the benefits of the I-Phone.
I was demonstrating my lack of fitness and focused on holding wheels so the miles flew by. No mile by mile description here. It hurt and was fun. My favorites were the railbed into concord and the reformatory path which had almost a bmx rhythm section feel to it-between the mud bogs.
We somehow rode without and flats or mechanicals which is pretty hard to believe.
The mechanical misfortunes of one of the faster teams allowed us to witness the Matt Roy intertube tow. Pretty rad.
Made it back to the Washington Tavern and started in on the free bear(thanks Cisco!) Still lots of bikes outside, but a lot dirtier. The kitchen didn't open until 5 which left us plenty of time to get tipsy off a couple beers.
Pink Beacons cleaned up in the raffle. And then it was home. Happily downhill. There were too many fun things to try and capture in this post.
Dirty bike cooked in the car until lunch time the next day when I did this. Genius. Hope it happens again or motivates other people to give it a try.

Check for some good photos here.

Milan San Remo

Milan San Remo is an epic race. Looonnnngggg. Once the climbs and dive bomb descents down narrow streets begin, it is an interesting race, but it's usually a long time to wait for a sprint finish. Not my favorite classic, but gotta respect the winner for you need the team to get you to the climbs, the legs to get over the climbs, and the watts to finish it off. That narrows the list considerably and pushes up the odds of a repeat from a previous winner (Repeat winners include Freire,Zabel-4 times!,Kelly, DeVlaeminck, and Merckx). Tough race for a longshot to win. Pozzatto's win came arguably cause everyone was markingBoonen.
So as far as strong teams. Quickstep,Saxobank, Rabobank make the cut. Cervelo as well, but with Haussler out it's one less card to play. Sky should be able to put together a strong team, but I don't think B-H is ready yet(maybe he pulls a Cav). Garmin have a stronger team, but Farrar is longshot
I want Bennati to win (nothing better than an Italian wining MSR!), but I think the winner will come from the quickstep/saxobank/rabobank/cervelo camp.

Hushovd,Bennati, and Boonen are my picks. Wild cards include Allan Davis, Gilbert, Flecha,and Kroon. Haven't really been nailing the predicitions this year, but maybe I will get it right soon.

and don't forget, something this can always happen

a day obsessed with Tim Kerr

I guess I never looked hard enough, but besides TimKerr.net there is a ton of coverage of the still very active Tim Kerr. This man is real inspiration. As long as I have known about punk or skateboarding, Tim Kerr was there blazing the path. Thanks!


lord high fixers

poison 13

Big Boys

wonder what tim kerr and mike watt are up to?

No Age, Mike Watt & Tim Kerr jam from Steven Andrew Garcia on Vimeo.

Awesome moment documented. If only jam bands were like this

A couple of old photos.

This photo is from a trip I took to the Worlds in 2003. Hamilton Ontario. Pretty rad. Stayed in the same hotel as the Italians. Saw them out training when i was heading into the city from the airport.
Not a great year for the drug free end of the sport Astorloa beat Bettini, Valverde, and PVP. Either way Igor's last minute attack was impressive to bad the WC title seemed to end his career faster than you can say Roman Vainsteins.... ITT was won by David Millar. I remember standing on the same corner where I took this picture of Boogerd and thinking that Millar was a lock of the TT. He rode by looking skinnier and faster and more fluid than any of the competition. About an hour later as I was walking to my hotel, I saw Millar pedal up to his hotel all alone. Still on his TT bike with a union jack draped over him. Pretty surreal. Especially considering where he ended up and how he describes this time in interviews. For a world champ, he looked pretty lost and alone.
But about this photo, Boogerd was not my favorite Dutchman. I was always more of a Dekker man. Dekker fit the hard working puncher mold of a Jalabert or a Zabel. Boogerd was a great bike racer, but he seemed to crumble after the TDF potential winner label got pined on him.
Regardless, this photo was taken on a corner before the 1st climb, about one K after the start. I saw Didi-the devil dude chilling here a lot. Points to anyone who can ID any other riders. I thought the German rider was Hondo, but it isn't. In retrospect, this was a dopers paradise.
I had a chance to take a picture of Riis talking on his phone,but was too scared. That dude does not look super friendly.... And I wasn't feeling to confident with my paper box camera.
If you take the time to check the results for juniors and U23 you will see a lot of yoru present day favorites...

This photo was taken the year before in NYC. 2002 NY City Championship. Post Tour so Lance was the main attraction. Went down to check this out. ">Results let you know it was a fast crit. My lasting contirbution to cycling lore, is this blurry picture of Lance.
So that wraps up a rainy Saturday night. Good thing I cleaned out my desk and found these.....