SKATE NEWS

Check out the second half of the “Hot Seat” interview with legendary skateboard artist Todd Francis. In this interview Todd delves more into the early days of Stereo and discusses some of his favorite board graphics, what it is like creating graphics for very diverse brands and more.
Also check out some photos from our recent roadtrip to San Diego to meet up with John Lupfer in his hometown.

Todd Francis has part 2 of his Hot Seat interview up at the Sound Agency. has done some of the most influential graphics of the 90s, gracing the undercarriages of Real,Stereo, Antihero, Element and New Deal. His work centered in a comic book style, but he ran the gambit between twisted toon drawings (see Antihero above), 60s beatnik-style art (Stereo graphics), vibrant print art (Element) and quirky, almost Akira-style caricatures (New Deal).

Stereo
He's back talking with the Stereo crew and they have an interesting interview getting into his work, Stereo's legacy and vision and some of the funny insider info you'd never know unless you had the history Dune and Jason Lee have had with him. Peep the interview, then check his site at www.toddfrancis.com.

Venice Skatepark

No Hurrah-ta Just Yet

RRM Design Group
Maybe Chris Roberts and Joey Brezinski are just fine with the Santa Monica ledges and Venice manny pad, but other people may be jumping for joy over the new skatepark proposed for the beach front of Venice. The project has been given to RRM Design group and the plans look pretty legit, except for the little section that says "Skate Dance Area." What is that anyway? Will there be rogue clans of oddly dressed people skate/breakdance fighting like the lunging gangsters from "Bad"? I'm waffling between excitement and indifference, since these beautifully drawn plans can so often be butchered. On one hand, Frank Hirata's not involved, so that's good (click here and scroll down to the bottom). On the other hand, the idea that there's an area called the "Skate Dance Area" makes me suspicious. Innocent until proven guilty. I hope it's nice. I'm not too far from there.