Birdman's got an interview up on ESPN Sports Nation, which is entertaining. I know, I know what you're thinking. For years, seeped in the all-consuming high horseness that is street skating, I remember really laying intoTony Hawk. I would tell people that he was not real skating and that I was not a huge fan and go off on long diatribes about how he was ruining skateboarding. I hate to say it, but no one person can ruin skateboarding. And, sure, there's some question about how pure it can remain when there are so many alterior interests, like snack food and energy drink endorsements. I agree with that. But, it's easy to talk sh*t on these things when you're mom's still serving up Poptarts at your parent's house under the warmth of a fully paid heating system.
Pretend for a moment that you have this amazing, God-given talent (or, alternatively, you have worked to be really good) at skating and you're sleeping on your friend's couch, eye-level with a coffee table piled high with beer cans and cig-laden ashtrays. The next day, you go to a contest. Then you go to another and another. You work your ass off to get a really good video part done (nearly tearing your meniscus in the process). Then, when you've spent a year, maybe two living on a couch that stinks of cigarette smoke, an energy drink calls you up and goes, "Hey so-and-so, we want to buy you a house if you'll represent our product…wear our hat and shirt with our logo on it." Do you think you could turn that down? Think about it.
In the fickle business of skateboarding, even if you do end up snapping that little meniscus of yours in a year or so and disappear into oblivion, you still own a house. On the brighter side, you can rip as always. I mean, it's not like you're Modest Mouse. Once you get a lucrative backer, you don't have to put Johnny Marr in your band or anything (side note: Johnny Marr and Modest Mouse from Good News… on backward—great. Together. Not so much). It's not like you have to submit your creative control to some record producer that keeps trying to beat another Float On out of you.
So, years later, I think of that time I used to bash Tony Hawk and laugh. I mean, I still think some of the things he does are silly, but I don't necessarily blame him. Obviously, there are questions of just how far you can take these odd endorsements, but, dude, Bagel Bites are delicious. If I had amazing, eye-catching ability as a writer (and a company cared enough), I would most definitely accept a sponsorship from someone like, say, Monster (hint! hint!). I don't intend to unecessarily ride my high horse to a van down by the river. Sh*t.
When it comes to Tony Hawk, the dude's just getting his. It's a little known fact that most skaters, even if you think they're the most down, underground dude, are exactly the same. They might not have Club Med knocking down their door, but Reynolds clearly would do what Hawk has done (see above). And, Ellington, for example, is the principle inventor of the handboard (click on the preceding link and read the "more info" on the right to read about it), the sort of mainstream toy store Tech Deck thing you would never associate with him in any way. You know what I think about all of this? F*ck it. Get it while you can. All of these guys rip and so does Hawk. In fact, I just saw him at an 80s Quiksilver event and the dude is better than I ever imagined. He even swayed that small part of me, deep down inside, that still has the urge to talk trash. But, I don't care what you say, me, I think the Birdman's awesome.
Don't Fear The Ripper
Skate One Presents "Rip The Ripper" Art Show
Skate One
The Powell Peralta "Ripper" graphic not only helped define the legendary brand, it defined a generation. The iconic skeleton ripping through an undefined surface found its way on to countless boards, tee's, stickers, banners and tattooed body parts. Now, Skate One, the umbrella company which runs Powell alongside a bunch of other brands, has appointed a long list of skate artists (40+) to compose their interpretation of the unmistakable graphic. So far on board, are dudes like Todd Bratrud, Dennis Mcnett, Dune, Don Pendleton, Keith Meek, Bigfoot, Fos, Jason Adams, Cab, Russ Pope, Esao Andrews, Shepard Fairey, Michael Sieben, Kevin Ancell, Lance Mountain, Jimbo Phillips, OG Powell Peralta graphics man, VCJ and many, many more. It'll all happen at January's ASR in meeting room 288, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And if you can't quite make it out to ASR, don't sweat it cause a book will be made of the art sometime after the show wraps. This one's gonna be sick. Check it out any way you can.
Girl's Clandestine Beginnings
Mike Carroll's Part in One of Skateboarding's Best Companies
Now that we've gotten over all of the dirty, dirty poopy mouth bad word, gross, gross H-E double hockey stick inappropriateness, it's time to watch Carroll grow into a man as Girl Skateboards secretly peels away from Plan B and Rickk and Mike nurture their skate companies into existence.
There are some great stories about that time in the book Disposable: A History of Skateboard Art about the graphic wars everyone had, hating on all the guys who started Girl. Also, there's some interesting history of the Girl beginnings in this interview with Steve Rocco on the World Industries site (toward the bottom). Interesting stuff.
Can't blame them for starting such a sick company, though. You gotta love Girl and the whole family. I only wish I could ro-sham-bo for vice-president at my job. That would be quite a salary change.
