What’s in a name?
We are given one when we are born and we either fight against it or except it for what it is, but it was given and not requested. It’s one of those coercive parts of life that is decided for you a long time before you are capable of cognitive reasoning.
In the past, we have touched on what the Mooseknuckler Alliance is, was or will be. I assume you all know what the M stands for…
The name actually came from a survey in Bike Magazine in 2002. Cannondale was sueing anyone who used the word Freeride in their advertising, because, you know, they invented the idea and copy righted the word. The survey in Bike Magazine was to find out what term the cycling industry would like to use as a replacement. My memory may be mistaken, but I think Mooseknuckler came in third. This was around the same time that the FroRiders were rocking around in Canadia.
When Sir Gurr and I were discussing the beginnings of what would become a cycling advocacy group in SG, the name Mooseknuckler Alliance came back up as we had tossed the name around for quite some time for use in other areas. I prefer not to divulge anything more…
We debated the name, especially seeing the conservative nature of the community in which we resided. According to my recollections, I said, “It’s a name people won’t forget.” and that pretty much sealed the deal. Within just a few months, the Mooseknuckler Cycling Alliance represented Southern Utah cyclists and our name had been published in many local magazines and newspapers. I don’t think they had an idea what they were publishing.
I changed my name in 1999.
I was born Jeffrey Luke Brinkerhoff. I have never gone by my first name. I can’t recall a time when my mother has even referred to me using Jeffrey, that’s my dad’s name. I was Luke until 1999. At that time a childhood friend came back into my life and I spent a ridiculous amount of time with him that summer. His name happened to be Luke as well. To differentiate ourselves, I began to go by Lukas. Of course, this was in honor of Lucas from Empire Records, which still happens to be one of my favorite movies.
When I ended up in Chile the name change became permanent, as Lukas was easy to say but no one could ever correctly pronounce Luke.
In 1997, I was in a band. Or at least something similar. I was the singer/lyricist (if I can use the term so broadly), my bestfriend Dustin was rocking the guitar and our bassist was this chick. Right now, I can’t remember her name, but yea we had a female bassist. How punk is that? We never actually practiced as a complete band, but we had a trumpet and drummer as well.
The bassist, may her name forever allude my memory, introduced me to a band. This was right in the midst of the Punk Revival of the 90s. You couldn’t throw a CD without hitting a punk band. Pennywise, Rancid, Offspring, Greenday, NOFX, Bad Religion, Link80, Face to Face, Pully, Ten Foot Pole, Propaghandi (my favorite band to this day), amongst only God knows how many others. Anyway, she handed me a CD and said, “Listen to this, the first song is the best song I’ve ever heard.”
I had her copy of the album for a couple of weeks and then purchased my own. I had to agree, that was one fucking good song.
Our little band never went anywhere, we never played a gig, never practiced together, never did much of anything beside pass time in my basement. We were the Paranoid IV.
Those bands, punk rock formed an important base for the way I view the world. And I still think that is one of the most amazing songs I’ve ever heard. Most people never even knew that No Use for a Name existed.
Well, now they don’t.
The idea of a name, something to be called, remembered by for the great things you have done or are doing. There is such a small percentage of the human population that will actually be remember once they are dead. A tiny piece of the world that will continue to live on and have influence after they are gone. The rest of us have no use for a name.
RIP Tony Sly.