Speed Freaks – Santa Cruz – 1989

Speed Freaks from Santa Cruz Speed Wheels, circa 1989. This was the first video ever made by a wheel company. It gave Santa Cruz the ability to bring skateboarders from different board companies, and put them on their videos. This makes the video that much better, with a great mix of street and vert skating. Santa Cruz also put out Streets On Fire in 1989, which featured some of the best skating to date, especially Natas Kaupas’ groundbreaking part. More about the 80s and skateboarding after the jump.

In the early 1980s three skateboard manufacturers handled most of the skate market, Santa Cruz, Powell Peralta, and Vision/Sims. By 1983, Santa Cruz was feeling the upsurge of skateboarding’s popularity. Santa Cruz picked up large accounts such as Madrid Skateboards, who had been making skateboards since the late 60s. Santa Cruz even made decks for Skip Engblom’s Santa Monica Airlines.

The early 80s were not the best years for America. There was a recession, unemployment was reaching an all-time high, the Cold War was reaching a fever pitch, and we had Ronald Reagan in office. Skateboarding and Punk Rock were slowly becoming more intermixed with the help of people like Steve Olson, Steve Alba, and Duane Peters. These guys were all rippers on their own accord, and had the true Punk Rock ethic so few hold.

Featured Skaters: Jimmy Acosta, Steve Alba, Ron Allen, Neil Blender, Brian Brannon, Eric Dressen, Don Fisher, John Gibson, Jeff Grosso, Jeff Hedges, Christian Hosoi, Jason Jessee, Natas Kaupas, Jeff Kendall, Tom Knox, Tony Magnusson, Ken McGuire, Arron Murray, David Neilsen, Monte Nolder, Corey O’Brien, Scott Oster, Bryan Pennington, Jeff Phillips, Anders Pulpanek, Rob Roskopp, Reese Simpson, Butch Sterbins, Jim Thiebaud, Mike Vallely, Danny Way, Art Godoy, Steve Godoy, Claus Grabke, Rob Mertz, and Tod Swank

run time: 1 hour 12 min 45 sec – Check it out