which debuted in 2005 and recently completed its eighth hit season. In addition to a top TV series, the UFC can also boast top pay-per-view fights and top Vegas ass-in-seat counts, and it deserves just about all the credit for making MMA one of the fastest growing sports in the world. So how does that sport fit in with the Atreyu members’ music making? Varkatzas sees a deep connection between throwing down and rocking out. “Well, I think Thai boxing is an art, and the way we play our music is real physical and emotional,” he explains. “And if fighting is honest and bullshit-free, then for sure it’s similar to what we’re doing with our music, I’d like to think.” Miguel offers another parallel: “Rehearsal and practice are to a musician what hard training is to a professional fighter. If you don’t put your time in, you’ll make yourself look like an ass when it comes time to perform—and our band knows all about that.” Of course, looking like an ass is the very least that each of the Atreyu boys is risking in taking on Liddell—though it’s hard to imagine anything too awful happening in idyllic San Luis Obispo. For those who have never been, SLO is a beach community par excellence. Which, as far as we can figure out, means no one wears any fucking shoes. And it’s got a beach community’s lazy, laidback vibe, and plopped right into the middle of it is The Pit. Although run by bearded man-mountain John Hackleman (those who’ve watched Liddell walk into the cage at any UFC event have seen Hackleman standing there whispering murderou s nothings t o him pre-fight), The Pit is a friendly
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MAYNARD: RICK HUSTEAD
THE BOYS IN ATREYU AREN’T
THE ONLY ROCKERS WHO
ARE TRAINED IN THE ART
OF KICKING ASS. HERE
ARE A FEW OF THE OTHER
MUSICIANS YOU WOULDN’T
WANT TO CROSS IN A
DARK ALLEY, DOJO,
OR ANYWHERE ELSE.
BY JON WIEDERHORN
IN HIS TEENS, Maynard James Keenan joined the high school wrestling team, but not because he was particularly fast, strong, agile, orotherwiseathletic.Ithadmoretodo with thefact his dad was the coach, and he describes his performance as being “pretty much an embarrassment” to the squad.
Understandably, Keenan had no plans to continue grappling after school. Then, in 1995, Primus drummer Tim Alexander introduced him to UFC combat. Hooked, the Tool singer began training in Los Angeles with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion Rickson Gracie and worked at it pretty rigorously until injuries took him out of the game. Good thing he still has Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer, and his Caduceus Cellarsand Merkin winevineyards to keep him busy.
REVOLVER What do you like about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu? MAYNARD JAMES KEENAN It’s like a constant battle of chess. There’s an opposing force pushing against you, and it’s an unpredictable process. It challenges everything—your emotional state, your mental state and, of course, your physical state.
What have you taken from the
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