Black Flag is more cryptic. "The origins of these things are rela-
tively organic," he says, and declines further comment.
It's the audience who creates the pit, not the band. And the
audience is changing. "The walls have come down between
metal and punk," observed Ron Coleman, of SST Records. "You
can see it at shows and conventions; the audience is not afraid
of music that is loud or aggressive or has an edge to it."
The running crowd is young, few over 25. There is no dress
code, and these days, the size of the pit is growing. It's all
meant in good fun, but it can get crazy.
lea hates to see violence and stupidity in the pit,
but he admits that sometimes it does exist. "You
don't elbow somebody in the ribs or kick someone
in the stomach," he says. "I don't like it when there
are assholes out there who don't know what's going on.
It's a shame when you get kids who think it's all about
hurting one another. They should just stay home and be frus-
trated third-string jocks. It's about having a good time and
flowing together."
Mark "Psycho" Abramson of Road Racer Records says the
violence began as metal started getting more popular. "When
Metallica hit super star status, a lot of jocks got into it. A true
pit is not a violent thing with people fighting - but they go in
there and they fight."
Of course, there is no way to be completely invulnerable when
you participate, says longtime fanatic Rick Rotsaert, but that's
part of what it's all about.
The universal gesture of the Pit.
"You gotta have lots of energy to do it," he says. "Whoever's
the most aggressive survives. Southern California thrash in the
early 80s was really violent. People came out bloody. But peo-
ple thrash different ways in different areas. It's unpredictable."
"As far as a safe and sane method of thrashing - there ain't no
such thing," he said. "You gotta go all out to have any fun at it.
There's no percent of nothing."
"Sometimes you gotta hit the hardwoods, face the floor," said
Mike Niggli, 22, who has taken the leap many times. He once
saw a guy do the Red Sea headfirst. "He dove over the people
in the front row, like an arrow-hands behind his back-the
crowd parted and he landed right on his face. He broke his
cheek bone. That's a good example of what you want to avoid."
"Flips are where it's at," Niggli adds with a grin. "It's exhilarat-
ing. That really shows spirit."
"I've gone away sore for a week," Rotsaert admitted, "but I
know I rocked out, had a good time. Some of the raddest bang-
ing I've seen was at a Metallica concert at the Cow Palace (in
San Francisco) where there was a huge pit, maybe 300 people."
One anonymous pit monger said, "It's like a war. There have
been many battles, but nobody ever wins. In the end, the beaten
and battered move from the front lines to the bar, like the good
soldiers that they are."
Care to dance?
72 THRASHER MAGAZINE
nuckles flail and
bodies sail
through the
air in the
swirling
whirlpool of the pit.
The revved-up youths in
this teeming chaos of sweat
and fury have distinct meth-
ods to their madness. The
style of slam is a matter of
preference, but some involve more
pain than others.
Doubles: Known in grade school
as chicken fighting, one dancer
rides on another's shoulder against
onslaughts of attack by human bat-
tering rams until
the walls come
tumbling down.
Chicken
Scratch:
Head tucked
down and feet
scratching the
ground, the
wild animals
do the barn-
yard shuffle.
Wall of Death:
Arms locked tight
in an iron chain, a
formidable line of
burly dudes mows
down any poor
pedestrians
standing in its
path.
Fists
of Fury: Take
cover when the fists fly. Against
such a blur of bruising, even the
Tasmanian Devil ducks.
Whether it's the Double Trouble Strut or the
Wave Your Arm Around In A Circle While
Stomping Your Feet Up & Down Dance, slam
ming is an excellent way to release pent-up
frustrations and shed those extra pounds. For
some skankers it's the Turboprop Panie, others
smash to the music by doing Fullback Elbow
Poppers. Block that kick
Worm: Squirm like a worm on the
beer-soaked floor, just don't get
stomped by steel-toe boots.
Salmon: Slamming upstream
against the current, the Salmon
defies the torrential circle.
Eye of the Storm: The center of
the vortex is sometimes the safest
place in the venue, just don't get
sucked back out and into the ruckus.
Ring Around the Posies: Skipping
in a merry circle around the floor, every-
one does the happy dance.
HB Strut: The original pit move:
stylish, protective, effective. Swing
those arms and legs high.
Nobody could list all the methods of mosh. Some of the best
don't even have names. In the end, those that work the best
hurt the least. Doing the slam definitely...
ain't no lambada.
OF
skateboards
You know who it is...
photo: Yobin Yelland
(619) 695-0663