https://www.profileracing.com/

PRINT MATTERS: Heavy – A Memoir of Wyoming, BMX, Drugs, and Heavy Fucking Music

A New book By J.J. Anselmi

29 Jun 2016

Heavy Cover Print Matters

Words by Martin Mahlert

I read this book in 3 days. That was a month ago, and I’ve been trying to find out what to write about it since then. Autobiographies can usually be classified as justification literature. Especially men of power or cultural relevance in past centuries have gone to great lengths to either declare their schemes as beneficial for everyone or to claim that certain crimes were not their fault. For some reason this has a dark and sinister attraction for me. The author of Heavy takes a different path. His approach to past actions seems so brutally honest, it blows my mind. Multiple times while reading this book I remember thinking to myself how hard it is to tell if this guy was naive and intelligent, or easily impressionable and crazy stupid.

https://shop.digbmx.com/collections/all-clothing

This is the story of a man who fought through multiple identity crises  in his youth. Many of Anselmi’s decisions reflect an all-in attitude, something that can be seen throughout BMX and also made me think about the wide range of addictive personalities I have encountered in our world. Me being one of them. At some point he decided to no longer say no to new things, and then massively overdid it. The word moderation never comes to mind. For the most part Anselmi gives recollections of episodes in his life, followed by passages in which he reflects on how he views his actions now. Coming from the same generation of riders as Anselmi I can heavily identify with the chronology of what influenced him. From seeing Chase Gouin in BMX Plus to watching Dave Young in Nowhere Fast and buying a Metal Bikes frame I can only say I fully understand where this guy is coming from. I feel a deep empathy for riders who were more attracted to Seek&Destroy, Criminal Mischief or FBM videos, than to Dave Mirra (RIP) and Ryan Nyquist X-Games runs. 

Snapshot of J.J. at spot referred to on the image file as 'BMX Hook'.

JJ Anselmi -Metal Bikes influenced abubaca in Cheyenne.

"a mix of BMX and heavy music was a path away from jockish mainstream bullshit."

This book is way more about heavy music than it is about BMX though, but the two worlds are not so far apart. Being into raw scene crowds, Anselmi at some point decides to move to Austin and pursue becoming a drummer in a band. By his own account he wasn’t very good at it, but this venture is his gateway to a multitude of experiences, from psychedelic trips to questioning his own conservative views on sexuality. The latter being inspired by visits to a very non-judgemental party crowd in a house with well known BMX pros. Escapism comes to mind, but everyone reading this knows the feeling of fearing reality. BMX, or in the case of Anselmi, a mix of BMX and heavy music was a path away from jockish mainstream bullshit. Unfortunately this lead him to overdoing it on the drugs, but who am I to judge. It’s just funny that someone who used to be straight edge went so hard on substances. Someone once told me that taking LSD opens 300.000 doors in your mind. As soon as it wears off, 280.000 doors close again. This means 20.000 chambers stay open. JJ Anselmi opened a multitude of personal chambers, almost leading to suicide. With coming of age though it seems he found the courage to face all demons of his past and come out on the other side stronger than ever before. I’m just really glad I had it easier as a child and didn’t grow up in Wyoming. Read this book, especially if you somehow still regret not getting that huge tattoo of your favorite band as a teenager. JJ Anselmi will set you straight. - MM

Heavy Cover Print Matters Square

Buy the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heavy-Memoir-Wyoming-Drugs-Fucking/dp/1940207509

JJ's website: www.jjanselmi.com 

And meantime, take a look at this video of JJ and friends from the time discussed in Heavy.

Previous

Ruben Alcantara: The Master Re-Mastered

His etnies Forward and Grounded Parts Reborn

Next

10 Things You Didn't Know About 'Dollar Bet'

Don't call it a sequel, but do call it awesome...

Related Content

metal bikes lost screen
Play Button

Metal Bikes Lost Tapes: 1999-2006

Jimmy Levan's mini DV tape organization is beyond pizza crust and bigjugs.com

27 Feb 2015
Eyeballs - Matty Lambert
Eyeballs - Matty Lambert
Eyeballs - Matty Lambert
Eyeballs - Matty Lambert

Eyeballs - Matty Lambert

Mono Outtakes In the UK's great North

9 Nov 2015
chris-crawford-bone-deth
Play Button

Bone Deth - Chris Crawford

Doing it for the Bone Babes...

5 Mar 2015
looking-up-sean-burns
Play Button

Looking Up - Sean Burns

Putting perverted notes inside the grips of girls' handlebars...

17 Apr 2015
Motorhead

Unsound: Sean Burns pays his dues to Lemmy

"I was so influenced by Motörhead's music and Lemmy's demeanor that it drove me diving off twenty sets straight to my knees..."

30 Dec 2015
Sean Burns Throwback Clips
Play Button

Sean Burns - Throwback Bone Deth Footage

A highlight reel of amazing throwback clips

4 Apr 2016
Albie Bennett screen-1
Play Button

Video Vault - Albie Bennett "Off the Map 2"

The whole story of that classic section as told by Sean Burns

13 Mar 2015
Print Matters Uphill Work Logan Ostrom By Mikey Almodovar

PRINT MATTERS: Uphill Work

'A Book About Street Riding'

9 Jun 2016
Sean Burns Dead Bang
Play Button

Metal Bikes 'Dead Bang' - Sean Burns

My baby does the hanky panky!

23 Oct 2014
sewer-dvd-wilson
Play Button

Jay Wilson - Sewer DVD

Brick ledge oppo hangers

13 Nov 2015
fugazi-kilkenny-ireland-RA 1

Fugazi - More than a band

Reflecting on Fugazi's impact, their legacy, and the 2014 release of their First Demo

21 Nov 2014
Permasummer  Our  Wild  Abandon

Print Matters - PERMASUMMER - Vision Kingdom

"getting sideways, grinning and getting it - all things pure and free"

10 Feb 2016
https://www.khebikes.com/

Latest Content

O YAL9 Zi LA0 Yhqdefault
Play Button

BOYD HILDER - JETLAG UNPLUGGED

Unseen Hilder

6 Oct 2025
O M9z YI0js W Mhqdefault
Play Button
0n0nssvm A Uohqdefault
Play Button

MIKI FLECK 'ELECTRIC ZUIN'

240v on those spots

3 Oct 2025
B7 Cl Ny w Dbchqdefault
Play Button

LISMORE ROAD TRIPPIN'

NOTHING BEATS A ROAD TRIP!

3 Oct 2025
K7lg 7k5yl4hqdefault
Play Button

Vans x Odyssey Anniversary Collection 2025

"In honor of their 40-Year Anniversary, Odyssey have partnered with Vans on a new limited-edition collection"

2 Oct 2025
13 J4 Ao Oc Akghqdefault
Play Button
Overtime Thumbnail Colour v2 copy
Play Button

OVERTIME

Ft. Chad Ferch, Kent Fuller, Matt Perrin & More

1 Oct 2025
NSA08 Ouah Zghqdefault
Play Button

Shred BMX - Think Different

Perspectives from the Cleveland scene

30 Sep 2025
Q dz J Ycs5b8hqdefault
Play Button

V1DA - 'NO WAY OUT' JAM

Plaza Universitat, Barcelona

30 Sep 2025
56 Pk4 X0bnv4hqdefault
Play Button

KINK BMX - DAKOTA BRATT

Original and unique style on the streets of the US West Coast

29 Sep 2025
G02 Kr RA3 V70hqdefault
Play Button
Bros lucas thumb
Play Button

BROS STORE RIPPER - LUCAS MARTINEZ

From Paris to the south of France

25 Sep 2025

DIG Partner stores

More Dig This

VANS ODYSSEY 2025 COLLECTION FF RAMP 003

"The inspiration was right in front of our eyes" The story behind the Vans X Odyssey 40 Year Collab

An interview with Nuno Oliveira (Odyssey) and Justin Villano (Vans)

25 Sep 2025
07 2025 Huffy Sledgehammer Launch Project 132

Product Drop: HUFFY Sledgehammer frame

Huffy returns to BMX...

22 Sep 2025
Team kevin peraza boh winner 2025

BATTLE OF HASTING 2025 - TEAM PERAZA TAKES THE WIN

Results, Livestream re-runs, DIG Highlights & more

27 Aug 2025
Dig book cover mock better CROP

DIG - THIS BIKE COULD BE YOUR LIFE - "DOCUMENTING OVER 30 YEARS of D.I.Y. BMX CULTURE" PRE-ORDER NOW OPEN

An all new photo book from DIG focusing on our magazine history and the rise of the mid-school

1 Aug 2025
Thumbnail 2

Product Drop - ODYSSEY '85 Splatter kit

Nord, Walsh stems and Hazard lite rims

29 Jul 2025
Shirt swell k0150m back

Product Drop - KINK 2025 APPAREL

For Fall/Winter

23 Jul 2025
Big boyd black

Product Drop - ODYSSEY BIG BOYD RIMS

Boyd Hilder signature BIG BOYD rims in Black and Coffee.

11 Jun 2025
LOW Street station Saturday Jarvis 1 copy

MONSTER ENERGY 'CASH UP' 2025 - EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Another Year - New Locations - Even More Jams!

26 May 2025
Street station graphic

STREET STATION RETURNS for 2025

"Not your average BMX jam"

26 May 2025
Vans 11 27 21 014 Bruno Gap wall

BRUNO HOFFMANN INTERVIEW - 'FOREIGN'

"I think the scene is doing good..."

21 Apr 2025
RIXIN BIG APPLE ANGLE RAW ON WHITE 2500

PRODUCTIVITY - RIXIN Big Apple Frame

Billy Perry's signature frame - Built around what he needed.

8 Apr 2025
Rad teaser

Rad Day 2025

Anniversary movie screenings and RAD documentary release.

18 Mar 2025