Tunes, Brah.

Yeah, so where have I been?

I wrote up a fine post last week, and the red screen of death took it away from me. So I let it die, and here I am to write something that’s (hopefully) more interesting than the last time I posted.

As with most of my attempts at ‘training’ for bicycle racing, this last attempt was sidetracked…temporarily, of course, but sidetracked nonetheless. I like to think of it as a good cause. I scored tickets to see A Perfect Circle live in Phoenix. Can’t pass that up. But it sure did put a hurtin’ on my liver, and on my regular training rides. This is ironical-like, see, because APC performed their album ‘Thirteenth Step’ in its entirety, which is all about alcoholism. I’m like a goddamn poster boy.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxViGcO_HTk[/youtube]

It was a top five concert for sure. They are a regular feature on my iPod on the rare occasion I listen to one while riding. I am one of those purists who likes the sound of my freehub body singing, the slap of my chain against the chainstay, the turning of the cranks. It’s all music to me. I do, however, participate in the newer ritual of plugging in and shutting out everything else, especially on long rides in which suffering is mandatory and coherent thought is not.

This, of course, begs the question: what are your top five riding songs? You know, the shit that gets you fired up, the tune that keeps you going when your legs have long since given up, the push for that last bitter sprint…

Here are my top ten. Why ten? Because I’m writing this post, goddammit, so I make the rules.

The songs, in no particular order:

1) Tool “Aenima”

— (Feels good to get flushed out, don’t it?)

2) The Raconteurs “Steady As She Goes”

— (Great on a long climb.)

3) Led Zeppelin “Communication Breakdown” or “Rock N Roll”

— (Anything by Led Zeppelin, really. Except for the hot dog song. Ugh.)

4) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club “Six Barrel Shotgun”

— (Great fuzz, good drive. This is a sprint song.)

5) Gogol Bordello “Wanderlust King”

— (I get lost a lot, even on trails I ride all the time.)

6) Faith No More “Epic”

— (Before the word EPIC became a hipster orgasm, it was the title of one of the raddest songs ever.)

7) The Misfits “Where Eagles Dare”

— (Ugly and loud. Like a post-ride–never mind.)

8) The Dead Kennedys “California Uber Alles”

— (Also ugly. Good for mud, steep descents, and gnarly crashes)

9) Nico Vega “Burn Burn”

— (If you’ve never heard of this band out of SoCal, google-tube them right now. Bad Ass female lead singer…)

10) Chevelle “Wonder What’s Next”

— (Good for any 24 hour race. The course always seems to change at 2 in the morning, doesn’t it?)

I thought of about thirty more as I made this list, but I’ll spare you. Post a comment. Tell me your riding tunes.