SKATE NEWS

Ever since he disappeared from Stereo, nearly eight years ago after his appearance in the Gnarcotica video, I thought Keegan was one of those down-for-life Antihero flow dudes who travelled around on trains and yielded switchblades erratically around a campfire. Turns out he's much more benign: he figure skated as a child; he's got these little boy shorts that are so ridiculous, they remind you of one of your childhood buddies; he knows a lot of electricians; he reads books and he's on somebody's Rolodex in Canadian Hollywood. Above all, he's a good friend and up there for the most quotable dude I know. But, christ man, every once and a while, it couldn't hurt to bring out the guns in knives, get him a beer sponsor and convince him to leave all that Canadian gradualism behind in order to cultivate a reactionary American attitude. Or, I suppose, I could just let him do his own thing. It seems that's what he's excelled at for most of his life. I have a feeling it will work out.—Josh Brooks

New And Used

3131 Gallery

Original Art For John Cardiel's Anti-Hero "Flesh Eating Bacteria" Board Graphic, 1997
If call yourself a skateboarder and have ridden an actual skateboard sometime over the past 15 years or so, then you are without a doubt familiar with the artwork of Todd Francis. Still don't think you know Todd's work? Every see the infamous Anti-Hero Eagle logo? Well, Todd drew that. And aside from doing a sh*tload of graphics over the years for Anti-Hero, Todd's designed a slew of board graphics for a bunch of other brands including Stereo, Real, Spitfire, New Deal and Element.

Right now, up until the 30th of October, Todd's solo exhibition will be on display at the 3131 Gallery in San Francisco. Occupying gallery space are select decks and original drawings from the man's extensive career as a skateboard artist. The best part about this entire thing is that tons of original drawings that instantly became board graphics are available for sale, and you don't have to be even remotely near SF to buy'em. There's some seriously amazing drawings for sale online at the 3131 store, that you will without a doubt remember. And though I'm not in the position to be throwing around money for original artwork, I'm pretty sure that these here prices are reasonable as hell. And I'm a very reasonable man. If you can't afford an original Francis, they've got a limited to 50, signed and numbered skate deck commemorating the show for only $60 bucks. Can you say stocking stuffer? For more on Todd go to his official website, www.toddfrancis.com.

PLAN B

Jereme Rogers "Switch Concave" Boards
It's hard for me to get psyched. Especially in the morning. I need to be at least three large latte's deep in the caffeine game before any form of enthusiasm makes its way through my body. However, this morning I was only on my second latte when a surge of excitement blasted me fiercely, with the speed of a softball line-drive to the groin. It all came from what I was seeing in the new Plan B catalog. They've got a few unique things going on in there that got me going the way few non-caffinated things can. Here's what daddy saw.

Ok, so when the double kick was first introduced to skateboarding, only one company took a literal approach to symmetrical kick and concave. That was the Vision "Double Tail." It looked crazy and made the front of your board as heavy as a walk-in closet door. The Vallelly "Barnyard" board and New Deal's "Siamese" board both fell into the double-kick category but really weren't literal double kicks, which was a good thing. Times have certainly changed in board technology and clunky, kicks and disproportionate nose and tail lengths are a thing of the past. It's been a while since anyone did a perfectly symmetrical board and it looks like Plan B has stepped up to the not so challenging challenge. Apparently Jereme Rogers designed the new "Switch Concave" board which is available in both 7.5 and 7.75 widths, to improve his skating switch. It has the same concave throughout and an identical nose and tail. Make sure to bust out your Colt Cannon grip stripe, paint marker or colored bolts...things are about to get tricky.

Plan B

Danny Way Mega Complete

Now, this thing is just f*&king off the hook. Plan B has made a very Limited 100, of these Danny Way Mega Completes. This thing is an exact replica of the set-up Danny uses everytime he steps up to the infamous Mega Ramp. This war tank of a board features D. Way Board Construction, D. Way Pro 60 MM Wheels, Swiss Bearings (hell yeah), Independent 215's (what??!!!) and ships fully assembled! Will that thing fit in a regular board box? Pack this b*tch up in a g'damned refrigerator box, son! I'm not sure that many kids are gonna be picking up this one to actually put the test on an actual Mega Ramp, but regardless, using this thing primarily as a cruiser can't be a bad thing. 215's? You can lock into fallen marble pillars with those things.

Plan B

Sean Sheffey 1992 Re-Issue

The one Plan B item that most definitely got me more amped than anything, was this special re-issue of OG Plan B rider, Sean Sheffey's 1992 "Vivisection" board. The original graphic was drawn up by legendary World mastermind, Sean Cliver and was one of Sheffey's first few graphics after getting on the newly formed Plan B. This graphic is available in a contemporary shape that comes in 7.5 and 7.75 widths, as well as a 9 inch wide old school shape. Hell, after you wear out your D. Way Mega Ramp deck, you can mount this big-ass thing on those 215's. I should also mention that all proceeds from the sale of these boards will go directly to the wallet of the legend himself, Sean Sheffey. Pick up a couple up and give back to a living legend that gave skateboarding enormous picnic table backside 180's and one punch knock outs. —Jay Riggio

Activision Presents Stand Up For Skateparks to support youth in low-income communities.

October 24, 2008 (Vista, CA)—The Tony Hawk Foundation will host its fifth-annual benefit event, Activision Presents Stand Up For Skateparks, in Beverly Hills on Sunday, November 9, 2008. This family-centric action-sports carnival will feature a vert demo on Tony Hawk's personal ramp with an all-star cast of BMX and skate pros, including Hawk, Shaun White, Bucky Lasek, and Andy Macdonald, plus BMX icons Mat Hoffman and Kevin Robinson. As many of them are veterans of Tony Hawk's Boom Boom HuckJam tour, the riders are excited to be re-united to perform for the exclusive event's 900 attendees.

Co-chaired by Tony Hawk, Lance Armstrong, Rob Dyrdek, Christopher "Big Black" Boykin, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jamie Lee Curtis, Mia Hamm, Dana White, Jr., Jon Favreau, Mat Hoffman, Shaun White, Robert Kotick, Bob McKnight, Scott Greenstein, and Ron Burkle, the Activision Presents Stand Up For Skateparks benefit will take place at Burkle's expansive Green Acres estate. In addition to the vert demo, the event will include interactive activities, crafts, food, live and silent auctions, giveaways, plus a skate clinic and a special musical performance by Social Distortion.

Proceeds from Activision Presents Stand Up For Skateparks will help the Tony Hawk Foundation fulfill its mission of assisting low-income communities in the development of free, quality public skateparks. A focal point of the day's fundraising will be the special Pledge Drive for a skatepark in the military community of Tierrasanta in San Diego, California. Many Tierrasanta youth have parents deployed overseas, and the skatepark will be a tremendous recreational opportunity and meeting place where over 2,300 military families and local civilians will come together to enjoy the benefits that a free, public skatepark offers. The son of a Navy pilot, Tony Hawk grew up in Tierrasanta, and this special Pledge Drive at Stand Up For Skateparks will kickstart the fundraising campaign for his hometown skatepark.

For more information on Stand Up For Skateparks, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, log on to www.standupforskateparks.org.

A charitable, non-profit organization, the Tony Hawk Foundation was established in 2002 by its namesake, professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, to promote and provide funds for high-quality public skateparks throughout the United States—with an emphasis on the word "quality." Since then, the Foundation has awarded $2,400,000 to 391 communities. The Foundation focuses on working with local officials and grassroots, community-based organizations that plan to hire designers and contractors with strong experience designing and building skateparks.

The Tony Hawk Foundation was established by a gift from Tony Hawk. Its directors raise additional funds through events, industry donations, and continuing contributions from Tony and other entities. In addition to skateparks, the Foundation also makes donations to other children-related charities, as chosen by its Board Of Directors. For more information or to make a donation, visit the Foundation's Web site at www.tonyhawkfoundation.org