by Andy Bowyer
One Industries Rev Up: Flood
Thursday, February 2, 2012 | 2:20 PM
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Hello, everyone and welcome to the Rev Up. Time for a grand weekend, folks. Ho, ho. Everyone knows what “Sunday” this is but I’m here to bring a noise from a different angle, under a different light. As we go through this week’s column I ask you to close your eyes and go there, and I’ll meet you on the other side. My close friends and the few defenders of the Rev Up faith will know that I’m quoting the Reverend James Maynard Keenan. You see, not only is this Super Bowl Sunday and the return to the Anaheim Supercross, yours truly will be going to church this weekend. My favorite band and one of the most positive muses, Tool, is coming to my town to perform.
It is at a time like this that the day-to-day choas of modern times make a little more sense to me. Weekends like this should make a man realize how special this mudball is, and appreciate the things we can do by just thinking differently, with an open mind. Life is a cruel irony, but the awe-inspiring power of what “we” can do will be on display for the Super Bowl. Two tribes of animals will beat the hell out of each other to see who can move a football the furthest. I think this reality kind of sums us up as a species. Sunday will be the most watched television event in human history. Hey, I’m no hypocrite, I’m going to watch it. But my heart and soul will be with my favorite band and the boys on the starting line in Anaheim this Saturday night.
Stewart looks to make it back to back wins this weekend at Anaheim.
Photo: Garth Milan
What a storm the 2012 Monster Energy Supercross Series has manifested herself to become. Holy rusted metal Batman, we’ve had four winners in four weeks. Ryan Villopoto had us thinking he was going to dominate, then Ryan Dungey reminded us to be vulnerable in our thinking, after which came Reed’s sobering victory, and now James Stewart has completed the flood. “Flood” is one of the most underrated Tool songs they’ve ever produced, I’ll have you know. (Listen to it now if you have the means!)
Who is ready for more supercross? No matter your disposition with any of the title favorites, this familiar parable has become vicarious to say it in the slightest. What is the terrafirma going to be like this weekend? If it’s hard pan, which it is likely to be, I’m going to go with RV Park and The Dunge. If it’s soft you can expect to see The Thunder and Bubba take it to the front. Take heed, this grudge is no reflection of anything we’ve ever witnessed. We’ve never seen four riders with so much intolerance for losing.
Such a heavy burden now to claim the distinction as the first repeat winner. To write it down in the history book for all the world to see. Who is going to forget their pen and crap the bed? For the aforementioned heroes anything but victory from here to Vegas is a mere eulogy of a main event.
I’m sure I’ve left most of you pondering where all of this is going this week, but that is kind of the point. The best thing about our passion for our sport is that it is our own and it is different. Please come embrace my desire to feel the rhythm and feel connected, just enough to step outside. Push the envelope and watch it bend. Like the boys will do this weekend. I mean, seriously, who is ready to see the show again? It’s on, son.
Will Reed leave Anaheim in sole possession of the points lead?
Photo: Garth Milan
In closing, I can only say that I’m so happy to be a part of everything that is going on this weekend. We all are. I’ve had a great week that saw me enjoy meals with my whole family, and it’s the little things that matter the most. When you allow yourself to simply become vulnerable and let yourself go, the noise from the crowd becomes all the more heartfelt. Who is ready to hear the crowd roar again? Who is ready for this weekend in all facets? I can say with a glad heart that I am prepared in full.
We’re so lucky to have this diminutive moment to enjoy. Life and racing isn’t just about being alive and racing, but rather using the most of both beautiful gifts to their fullest. Every rider on the starting line this weekend in Southern California is ready to expound on that claim. I can’t wait to scream and hear others scream for them.
Anaheim 2 is on the board. And so much more.
Thanks for reading, see you next week
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Wow, that was strange ....
I agree that was strange alright! Andy must be stuck in a moment, with a personal message to deliever. but for him it must be the on coming storm of Tool, Superbowl, and Supercross all at the same time this weekend which may be more than he can handle. So Andy sit back, enjoy, and let it all happen.
Learn to swim
Yah,wow.That came from left field.Glad I was not the only one who thought it was strange.
Man I wish PANTERA was still around....As Andy knows, FLOODS is one hell of a jam from the Cowboys From Hell.......
For us, we get a Superbowl every week......I have been asked several times " what are you doing for the game"....well, I may tune in to see what is happening, but if I missed it entirely, I wouldnt care one bit....Missing the SX on CBS would suck, even though LIVE ON SPEED would be better!!!
You said it KilloMoto! If I a miss a football game no lost there, but missing a race its something else. But you are spot on with us having Superbowl every week.
Wow. I think Andy may have dropped acid a little bit before sitting down at his key board? Regardless he does have a unique writing style that I find informative, entertaining and a little creepy...
Hi, guys. I knew this one would strike a few of you oddly, but czmark nailed it. Plus, there's a lot of underlying stuff in this week's Rev that I just wanted to put down for something different.
It'll be 100% moto, next week and I'll step it up. But, this was fun to write.
Thanks for reading!
-andy
Dude..., that was so..., philosophical..., but that's cool ! A2, baby... A2.
That was awesome, Andy. Good stuff. So jealous you're seeing Tool this weekend, can't wait til they come back through the midwest. See you down in Arizona Bay!
what RANCID didnt want any part of this post ?
Only thing more "unique" than Andy's column is that One Industries helmet Brayton is wearing (look to the right).
'... forget their pen and crap in the bed'? WTF? Anyway... just have to add that I'm an older guy, and for several different reasons, I couldn't care less about the NFL any more. I'm way more into SX/MX than that these days.
Supercross, the Super Bowl, and TOOL. Sounds like a pretty good weekend to me!
codjh9..thats a lyric to a song (Rosetta Stoned). Probably 30% of the column is lyrics and song titles. Kinda hoped more would catch it.
I'm more of a Led Zeppelin fan but it sounds like a great weekend,enjoy it.
So is it raining saturday or not ?
Haha don't worry some of us got them all!!
Although I was waiting for a paragraph on how results can Spiral out of control or whether the rookies will learn to swim before the season is over!
Lots of Tool references in this one. Probably why people think it was so strange... but seriously, one of the only bands in my library that consistantly raise the bar over the last album.
Stewy has some fire... Villo has some fire... Reed has some fire... we'll see about Dunge... but this should be a good weekend for racing if CBS decides to play it. I'm actually getting ready not to see it because its so close to Superbowl, and my luck CBS will replay old Superbowl moments for new racing.
It's Maynard James Keenan, Shankopotamus. Now don't get all pissy like Ping did when I corrected him. I'm joking- great article, Andy.
@jdoug,If it is not on your local schedule it is the local station not CBS.Go down and politely ask them why they are not showing SX.or tell the to show it for you in their lobby.They have access to it.My cable gets CBS from another city or I would be SOL too.
Showing any sign of intelligence, musing about life, the universe and perceptions of reality has the yahoos here scratching their heads in bewilderment.
Tool sucks, every one of their songs sounds exactly alike, and they are all about 5 minutes too long!! Now, Pantera is a totally different story, they would be worth quoting for an an entire Rev-Up...
Great read--Have fun at the TOOL concert Andy, those guys kick as$, and cant wait for A2, should be a great show there also..
Loved all the references from Tool songs...especially the one from "Rosetta Stoned" on the 10,000 Days album.
On to A2!!
Great article Andt, Ya I gottta agree with some of the above posts. Me? I too am a Zep fan and also Uriah heep and a few others as known at the time.
Gonna be a rough weekend for me cause the races wont be over till midnight here central time. Going to church the next morning then will go to the American Legion Post for the Stuper Bowl - Ya I call it the Stupor Bowl cause it lasts "for so long it aint true" a few lyrics from Zepplin and Dazed and Confused. Might be the way we feel about the Supercross this Sat? Then when it all over we will wodering what happened? How did Hannah do that, whoops that was the acid kicking in,just joking folks.
@CZmark good post also and no I cant get the MD at the Legion? So it wil be Scotch and water for me.
Dood luck to all and mostly to the racers, Win,Crash or Break, no really good luck and be safe. That used to be my motto at the races found out the crash stuff is worse than losing!
Anyhooooooo LETS RACE!!!!!
PS: if my fingers would do what I tell them to do I would not have so many typos?
Good read Andy, I'm 53 and got every lyric clue in there. Maynard's the man. Prison Sex... aaahhh. Sx, Superbowl and I'll pop in some "Undertow" just for the effect. Everyone have a great weekend and hope your local CBS will "Do the right thing"
@Welker- that sucks big time! As the sands of time quickly flow through the hour glass of our lives, quicky filling the memories of our past. All screw at that, Just go get some Boone Farms or 2buck chuck, and "Ramble On". Zep was and still is a favorite of mine.
Also someone tell Alfred to pull the stick or in his case, that 40 ft redwood out of his ass. That guy never has anything good to say, but to belittle people!
@CZmark ya that is true. I can tell I think you have been around for a while. I wonder if you remember who was NBR 1 I think it was in AMA not CRC in northern CA might have been south? Anyhoo he had a blue honda 125 with a nbr 1 plate on it. He came to the Midwest in 76 or 77 hey that was a while ago. We got into a couple of you ram me I ram you races. I never bothered to get his name but I did take him out big time, then the next time we both went dwn in a pile. I even wonder if he remembers that. He thought he was a big shot?
I never raced a CZ did ride a few tried the 125 and it was not so good, the Maico rotary valve 125 was fast but broke on me both times I raced it.
@Welker, I just can't remeber who that was on the blue Honda. I guessing some guy some who carried a #1 plate behind the seat of his truck, for his out of state travels, just to impress people. The 125 CZ's were down on power and heavy. But what do expect when you use the same frame for the 125's,250's and 400's. I have a 400 now and I think it weighs more than my Honda CRF250. The bike is a tank, but it looks cool.
Thanks for rubbing it in, Andy! I saw the last two Tool shows in Charlotte, but I have to be at another 'thing' Saturday night.
You do realize they have been playing 'Flood' on this tour, right?
And 'Ticks and Leaches' and 'Hooker With a P*nis'
Have fun, and post about it afterward on toolshed.down.net