2/15 Ray Hammett's on the case with his main man, Curtis Mayfield

2/10 New Writer Showdown! Have you voted?

2/2 Lance F. Rockaway moves the Paris Dispatch to Munich.

1/27 Terrence, American Buddhist, reviews Fantasma by Cornelius. Enlightenment ensues.

1/22 In the latest installment of Diary of a 5th Year Senior, Reese Ellroy loves, lives, and reviews the Field Mice.

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12/13 The legendary Ric Befara reviews the live Spiritualized album.

7/12 Horace French reviews Nick Cave in concert

1/9 Terrence, American Buddhist, reviews cat power

12/17 email reviews from around the world. including PJ Harvey, Funkdoobiest, and many more...

Rockin It!  with Steve Ricks, Xtreme Sportsman

There's only one way to live: fast and hard! For me and other hard-core xtremers that means a constant search for the next challenge.  Ever since I was 6 years old, and my father pushed me out of an airplane at 10,000 feet with a parachute, I've learned that no sport is too tough to tame. I'm glad to have the opportunity to feature my monthly Q&A column in usounds, with the added element of music.  Let's get started with your letters!

Hey Steve! I've decided to take up running. This is a big step for me, but I think a necessary one. The ol' beer belly's swingin' low these days, if you know what I mean. What do you recommend I listen to when I'm poundin' the pavement in my new Nike Roadrunners?

-Novice Jogger

Hey NJ,

I personally never was much into the jogging. Maybe 'cuz when you've been takin' 200 foot ski-jumps in the Swiss Alps, jogging just doesn't get your blood boilin'. But I can imagine jogging might be a very mild version of something else I do, steep-hill rollerblading. Now that'll get you fuckin' goin'. Recently I had a friend clock me at 85 miles per hour down a steep city street here in Seattle. Shitfuckers! I'm won't lie to you, my balls were on fire at that velocity. When you reach those kind of speeds, you need some adrenaline-pumpin music. The last thing you want is for the music to outpace you. I suggest some Asian Underground, with tunes similar to this one.

Steve,

Keep up the great column. I've been readin' you in X-Edge Magazine for the last few years, and I'm glad to see you're on board with Usounds. But too the point! I've recently taken up mountain biking. My wife and I like to tackle some of the smaller hills on the outskirts of the city here in San Francisco. We recently purchased a little X-Ultra Bike CD player and we're wondering what kind of tunes would really motivate us to extend our route beyond our normal 5 mile ride? Thanks!  --Avid Bikers

ABs,

Mountain biking was good to me for a long time. But once I had completed "Hell's Valley" trail in southern Utah (a 72 mile trip that my partner couldn't complete cuz he shattered a collarbone and broke both wrists on one of the jumps), I've never been much into it. But some ol' fashioned rock n' roll used to do me just fine. Start with some U2, Joshua Tree, and work your way up to something more raw and peppy, like some ol' tunes from the Jam. And once you and your wife desire something with a bit more bite to it, try hangin' up the bikes in place of some Xtreme hang gliding. I sponsor trips down to South America, where the turbulent and high speed winds make for some great fuckin' glidin'. That kind of shit will spice up the bedroom for you guys too. When your shootin' through the air at 110 mph and 2,000 feet,  that's one hell of a load-blowin' sensation, and your standard orgasm doesn't quite measure up anymore. 

Hi Mr. Ricks,

I'm a seventh grader and have become really good at freestyle skateboarding. However, I would like to put together a performance for the upcoming local meet and need some music for my routine? What do you think?

-Toby

Hey Tobes! Glad to see you're gettin' in to the x-treme way of life -- even if it is just skateboarding! :) You need some music with a hip element but that also conveys a sense of fluidity and grace that comes with freestyle boardin.' I think we're definitely talking Goodie Mob here, in fact this is the perfect song. And Tobes, I assume you're prolly be hangin' up the board in a little while (you're getting a little old for that buddy!) and gettin' on to your next xtreme sport. I was just your age when I made my first scuba trip out to the Great Barrier Reef. That's where you go to face the beast, or the great white shark as most people call them. While a lot of people opt to stay in the cages, I want to encourage you to venture out in the open water, to feel the power and electricity those sharks emanate. Cuz let me ask you Toby, "What makes your dick harder, strolling up some skate ramp or coming face to face with the deadliest and most vicious beast in the sea?" That's what I thought! Go get 'em kid!"

And I hope all you other xtremers out there go get 'em too. Rock those cliffs and slam those rapids. And don't forget: Keep it xtreme!

Send me your xtreme sports inquiries!

 USOUNDS || 2.18.99

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