Sure, we’re all about Japan here, but when are we going to cover something that often gets overlooked, like, oh, i don’t know. Say for instance, the Northwest bowl scene? Bailgun is a video put together by Steve Reeves. So this was submitted (Not by Steve) as a potential palate cleanser after watching the Overground Broadcasting clip. I’ve often wished cheap video cameras were available when I was a wild impetuous youth, but then after watching some of the scenes in Bailgun, I’m kind of glad I didn’t film all my, errr… escapades. Bailgun is not without charm, but it’s a bit long. Did you know the U.S. Army had a weapons program where gun howitzers were tested for firing nuclear bombs in artillery shells? You can see one in action, mushroom cloud included, in the opening credits of Bailgun. Awesome, and very disturbiing. Watch it after the jump.

Completely unrelated Bailgun news: Bailgun Magazine #7 is now available for viewing and download. Bailgun is based in Germany, and #7 is the Swedish issue.

- Thanks to Daniel Evans for the tip.

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Somehow I missed this one, so I’m posting these out of order. This is actually the mispelled issue that was the precursor to “The Correctly Spelled Issue.” So maybe I should call it “Preperation S.”

Excerpted from issue 2 “Interview: My DAD”:

AAA - When did you first not skate?
D- I’d say about June of 1977

AAA - Who didn’t get you into it?
D- A friend from work. He didn’t have a board and I didn’t try it.

AAA - What was the first board you didn’t own?
D- I think it was a ProFormer with Trackers and Road Riders

That sums up the sense of humor. Brilliantly juvenile. Also, this is the “Color issue.” The cover has about a quarter inch of blue ball point pen scribbled on it. From the collection of Sonny Robertson, check out Preparation S #2.

Preparation S #4 is a big jump from #3, which was already quite good. The main difference is that instead of packing mostly photos of his local crew, Aaaron published a bunch of submissions from people across the country who he was trading zines with. Close enough proximity to the Clown Ramp doesn’t hurt either. Preparation S#4 features a bunch of the same photos Sonny Robertson provided us of the Flux ramp - see That Time, That Place, parts one and two. Prepartion S #4 also comes from the collection of Sonny Robertson, and features pictures of the same looking like little cherub faced boy…

Don’t forget, once you get to the thumbnails of each page, you can click on them to view the whole thing.

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Issue number three of Preparation S is courtesy of the collection of Sonny Robertson of SPS fame. Preparation S is from Palestine, Texas, circa 1987. It’s all meticulously hand lettered, and almost every page is covered down to the last bit of white paper. This issue is mostly comprised of the “Staff” of Preparation S, except for a spread on Art and Steve Godoy, and a few other pics of Texas locals like future Zorlac pro Rob Mertz.

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I’ve just about exhausted the collection of John Drummond. I was looking at my collection of skate zines, trying to decide how to proceed, but the decision has been made for me thanks to the generous loan of one Sonny Robertson, whose pictures have appeared once, twice , three times (…a lady). You can look forward to such titles as Preparation S, Dirt Rag, Pad Rot, EA Zine, The Abandon Manifesto and The Page. There’s also an issue of Underbelly that dates to the year 2000 thathas some interesting items in it. Don’t get you panties in a bunch. These zines were carefully placed for the photo above. Click to enlarge.

Skate Punk #4 is another from the collection of John Drummond, and the second one of this title. June 1982 is the date on this one, and it’s got a lot more pages than #2 which came out in January. Caballero must have been busy that year.

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Another one from the collection of John Drummond, this is Go For It! - the Swindle Issue. It’s a pretty good one. Lots of decent photos and a nice glossy printed cover. The Swindle refers to the fact that the outside is glossy but the inside is photocopied. It’s printed on an odd size of paper, not any derivative of A4 or anything, The insides are all a bit smaller than the cover. It must have been custom trimmed. It’s 90% UK vert scene. A lot of names that are vaguely familiar to the colonists. Phill Burgoyne’s interview is amusing, as is the one with Gregor Rankine. I didn’t remember that he was from New Zealand. This is Steve Douglas’s zine. Some of you might remember him as a pro rider for Schmitt Stix. He was one of the founders of New Deal and Giant Distribution. Right now I believe he’s a big wig at Dwindle.

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Swank Zine #6 comes to us from the collection of John Drummond. there’s no date on it, but Swank had moved to Solona, California, if that helps any. There’s a mention about a ramp session at Lance Mountain’s called “Lock at Lances.” Typical Swank fare, though not as artsy fartsy as they would get later on. Lots of pics by J. Grant Brittain.

Swank Zine #6

Editor: Tod Swank
Art: Tod Swank
Photos: J. Grant Brittain, Tod Swank

Featuring: Chris Black, Tim Noel, Owen Nieder interview, Carlos the owner of Fogtown skates, John Gibson, Salvador Dali, Eddie Reategui, Christian Hosoi, Mike McGill, Meck (?), Adrian Demain, Billy Ruff, Jeff Tautum, Lester Kasai

Spots: Colton skatepark, Shell bowl, Lance Mountain’s ramp

Honorable Mentions: Scarecrow Sakteboard advert. In the Zines section is a zine called “Hey U Dick” proported to be by and aboutt Steve and Art Godoy. Owen Nieder’s last words in the interview are pleading for Duane Peters to start skating again.

Local Slang: Skat-gy (Skate energy)

Check out Swank Zine #6

Again, from the collection of John Drummond. This time it’s the premier issue of Germany’s Death Zone, dating back to June of 1985. It cost 1,50 dm, however much that was. Interesting to note the address inside the cover, it said Gütersloh West Germany. I never really thought about about skateboarding in a divided Germany. Sure, we all knew about Claus Grabke (…and speaking of) but seeing the word “West” made me sit back and take notice.

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Swank Zine - the Anarchy issue doesn’t have a date on it, but from the record reviews listed, it dates to early 1886. Typical Swank Zine fare, high contrast photos and arty drawings, incoherent Swankisms littered throughout. Short and sweet. Other issues of Swank zine are numbered, but this one isn’t. Thanks again to John Drummond for making this available.

By: Tod Swank
Photos: Tod Swank, J. Grant Brittain

Featuring: Dave Swift, Josh Nelson, Bill Danforth, Britt Parrott, Monty Nolder, Lance Mountain, Steve Rocco

Spots: Delking, Delmar, Upland, Oceanside

Highlights: A recounting of one of the Godoys spitting on Stan Hoffman’s face after getting kicked out of Upland (for?), Swank using his zine to pick up girls via personal full page messages (Denise, call Swank!) There’s a back page ad of Kevin Staab that’s manipulated in such a way that it makes him looks like a sulky young girl.

Check out: Swank Zine - The Anarchy Issue