Biker Media:
The latest examinations of our culture
from the outside…& the inside

By Bill Hayes                    

The wild lightning of “biker media” has struck again; and the latest stormfront of books, DVDs and television shows is the strongest in a long time.
 The most controversial of these is the heavyweight book, “Honor Few, Fear None: The Life & Times of a Mongol” by Ruben “Doc” Cavazos.
 At the time the book was written, “Doc” was the International President of the Mongols Motorcycle Club but in a recent newspaper article, Cavazos was referred to as the “former president.” Things sometimes change rapidly in the motorcycle club world.
 But regardless of his current office, Cavazos’ book has taken on an even more powerful impact following the recent law enforcement infiltration of the club that led to the arrests of 64 members in six states on federal racketeering charges. Beyond the initial indictments, however, was a court ruling that could have far-reaching consequences—one that extends well past the membership of just the Mongols MC. In that ruling, U.S District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper effectively prohibited the remaining Mongols from wearing their colors. By granting an injunction that “prohibits members and associates from wearing, licensing, selling or distributing the logo [the Mongol patch]…,” the judge has essentially opened the door for government seizure of symbols and images that they don’t especially care for.
 This is scary stuff.
 Obviously, lawyers for the club went right to work on getting the ruling overturned…we’ll see what the future brings.
 This event wasn’t covered in Cavazos’ book, of course, because it was so recent but Doc does address the main issues that have placed the Mongols in the public spotlight so often in the last few years.
 He openly discusses the 2002 Laughlin, Nevada shootings. He talks about the infiltration of the club by William Queen and the subsequent book that was generated by Queen’s actions. The Mongols clash with the Mexican Mafia is also detailed.
 Throughout all of this candid openness, Cavazos weaves the story of his own life and his rise to power in the Mongols.
 According to newspaper reports, Cavazos was among the members arrested in this latest law enforcement operation. Whatever the outcome of the indictments and the prohibition of the Mongols wearing of their colors may be, Doc’s book will remain as a very stark commentary on so many parts of this lifestyle—how people enter into it, how some leave, the responsibilities and the risks that accompany it…and the elite pride that one feels in being a part of the powerful brotherhoods that are the major motorcycle clubs.
 
 Another new book in the latest biker media hurricane is “A Road Without End: The Jus Brothers Motorcycle Club 1990-2007” by Michael Patrick “Irish Mike” McCusker, the former “P” of the Jus Brothers MC. This is a very cool little book—well worth picking up. While nowhere near as heavy as the Cavazos book, this one is like sitting in your favorite bar listening to a wizened old graybeard entertain with tales of the road…and beyond.
 “We’ll See the World from My Harley: Motorcycle Adventures and Human Relations” by Dennis Miner is similar to Irish Mike’s book in its casualness and ease of reading.  
One other book that is a must is the newest by Motorcycle Hall of Famer and former Easyriders magazine editor, Keith Ball. “How To Build a Bonneville Salt Flats Motorcycle” is way, way beyond just being a “how to” book. It’s the story of Ball’s building of a Bonneville bike (“the world’s fastest Panhead”), his journey to the legendary Salt Flats in Utah, and the eventual racing of the machine. This is easily one of the sweetest pure biker books to come around in a long time.
On the documentary front, “MIA: A Soldier’s Homecoming” is the incredible new DVD by master filmmaker, Randall Wilson. While not exactly a biker work like so many of Wilson’s past documentaries (“Hessians MC,” “Wheels of Soul,” etc.), this one has a great deal of biker appeal in that so many great MCs and so much of the biker culture emerged from the Vietnam War era. “MIA” documents the story of the 2006 retrieval of the remains of four US servicemen who were shot down in ‘Nam in 1971.
 Be prepared to cry, get mad and experience every other emotion as you watch this. It’s a killer…
 Another new documentary that has been aired a few times on the Biography Channel is yet another look at the history of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. It’s not horrible. The interviews with Dave Nichols, the editor of Easyriders magazine, and yours truly add some credibility to the film.
 
 Now for the main event.
OK…everyone I’ve talked to has seen one or more episodes of “Sons of Anarchy”—the new series about “a notorious outlaw motorcycle club,” who, according to the FX network, is “intent on protecting their sheltered small town against encroaching drug dealers, corporate developers and overzealous law officers. The club is equally determined to protect their ruthless and illegally thriving arms business.”
Some haven’t liked the show very much.
Some have hated it.
Some have enjoyed the hell out of it.
Some—like me—have mixed emotions.
Technically, I’m more-or-less good with it. The club’s cuts look pretty real. The members are made up of a cast of characters that are all across the board when it comes to ages, personalities, and the “being a productive member of society” component—just like any other group of club brothers (although I was a bit uncomfortable with the necrophilia references a couple of episodes ago). The bikes are ok. And—yeah, I know I’m going to get some comments about this—but I kind of like the character that is played by Katey Sagal. I like tough chicks and I’ve always thought that the work they do behind the men is invaluable.
But the other side of this media-hype coin is that the show is so often pretty damn far over the top. I know they only have an hour a week but when “all in a day’s work” includes shoot-outs, high-dollar weapons deals, wholesale murders, crazed mountain road chases, bribes to government officials and a bunch of other pulse-bursting stuff the believability factor gets stretched a bit.
I’ve seen most of the episodes and I’m finally starting to warm up to the characters. At first, they seemed distant and none of them (except maybe Katey) were very likable.
That’s changing.
But I’m still a little shaky on Kim Coates (“Tig”) and his necro-reference.
One more thing, I did have the chance to meet several members of the cast at this year’s Love Ride in Los Angeles. I’ve got to say, they seemed like a cool bunch. Emilio Rivera (who plays the head of the Mayans MC) was especially impressive in his respect for the real patch holders who were also at the event.
In my opinion, that was the best PR that they could express.

There are several more new books and other biker media projects that will be coming soon. I can’t let those particular snarling cats out of their bags yet but there are a couple of books, especially, that will be huge—one about another of the legendary MCs and one about one of the most charismatic figures that this lifestyle has ever known.
For info on any of the stuff I’ve mentioned or to let me know about any new biker media material out there, please send me an email at gotdablues@hotmail.com.