NEVERTREND

Some slogans/graphics I've been mulling over, that a friend wants to produce for his board company once it gets off the ground.

Not wanting to be a negative nancy. But I am seeing weird cliques at the parks lately, and they're complete with costumes/jerseys. So why not poke fun at the fashionista's?? Might as well while the shit's popular. (IT WILL BE UNPOPULAR ONE DAY, YES, IT WILL....) Who woulda thought it'd be the crusties and not the G's? Guess we're out of the 90's.

Afterthought: It's very weird when in the midst of a paradigm shift, where essentially anything trick-wise, style-wise etc. is on the table, that there are still trends that follow in circles. But I like the fact that there is a prominent beyond-the-bullshit mentality (whether conscious or not), that can be part of the non-group, who can do 5 foot lien airs and turn right around and switch 360 flip a flat gap with equal attitude and style. Kids are gettin' ridonk!

Whatever blows your hair (not facial hair) back!

Q.

ZIP-ZINGER ZING ZING

Satisfied a powerful lust for a Zip-Zinger. A friend (thanks Jesse), knowing how broke I tend to be, suggested I make the deck myself. It worked out really well, after 7 hours of labor. Used an old Flip deck I randomly won in an online trivia contest. The hardest part is definitely the drawing of the shape. Much props to the board shapers out there.

Yes, a mess.

Stole some curve from the G&S my high school history teacher gave me. Mr. Smith is The Man.

I learned this fold-symmetry method from some footage of Rodney Mullen.

New wheelbase. I made the tail too small.

Getting a clean line was impossible for me.

The old man's orbital sander is apparently broke, so I had to sand it by hand. A good workout.

ZING!

Indy 129's and Powell All Terrain, 80 du.

I GOT SHIN SPLINTS THAT DAY*

Think demo, circa 94, Bainbridge Island. Matt Pailes, pre-Rasta cult. Backside 180 over the volcano*, a smooth move. Taken with the old trusty (yet stolen, R.I.P.) Pentax Asahi.Probably one of my first skate photos ever.

Skate Decks

Points of Contention

More to come....

BIPOLAR BEARS

BLACK PEARL

LEGALIZE IT.

Did this in 1993, high school. Seemed a cool idea at the time, because there was a lot of generic Legalize It hoopla going on to sell t-shirts and whatnot at Above The Belt, etc., and I thought this could be a counter to it. I thought it also kept me sort of separated categorically from my other straight edge friends.

The interesting thing about this is, because it got such a good overall response from people, I mailed it to myself, to budget-copy write it. I eventually forgot about it, until I saw a Think Skateboards hat with the exact same idea (it more resembled a curved one I did that looked more like a pot plant, I'll add it later if I can find it) embroidered on it. I was dumbstruck. It was so similar.How did this happen?

The copy write was buried somewhere for years.

But I wasn't alone, it didn't end there. My artist buddy Dan had also done up a very unique graphic, a half of a skateboard carved out of a tree stump. A nice drawing, which I believe Marley had done a quick-run graphic for. But, soon after, Think Skateboards came out with the exact same graphic. Dan hadn't secured a copy write. But still, even if we both had legit copy writes, I don't know if we were prepared at the time to go head to head with Greg Carroll.... 

 

 Thanks for sending it over, Dan. I can't find the Think versions so far.

It was all about the fun of making a video.

Circa 1994...

Why did we make these videos if we weren't going to show anyone? I certainly never had the intention of sending them to a company for sponsorship, let alone show my friends. I guess looking back it makes sense. But no need to keep the vaults locked just for the sake of modesty. The whole point of the blog is to open up a bit and share more. So with humility and much, much reserve, I share this old skate footage. Next one will be the big pants clown costume footy...

I have also been trying to get a hold of various other friends' footage. This is not an easy task. Sharing is caring, right? I want that footage!