Who the Fuck is Jim Gray?
Randy has asked me to post stuff to Skate and Annoy for a while, and I’ve always been a big fan, so I figured it was about time we get started. So, he said why not start off with an introduction. Well, who the Fuck is Jim Gray?
If you care, I’m a guy who was sitting on the deck watching when Tony Hawk and Christian Hosoi win contests and I got 29th and was stoked to get a good seat on the deck to watch the finals. I’m the guy who thought it would be really lame and confusing if skateboarding had 500 pro models instead of 50, and I think it is, maybe you think it’s awesome. I am the kook who showed up in white plaid shorts and blue shoes to the black clothing only backyard pool party. I’m loved, I’m hated, I’m everything in between, but like you I have an opinion, and for some unknown reason, Randy thought it would be fun to have me rattle mine off now and then here on S&A.
My daddy always told me opinions are like Assholes, everyone has one, some just stink more than others…… So, whether you love mine or think it stinks, life goes on, deal with it. You always have the right to tell me what I kook I am and talk shit about me, but I ask one thing, if you are gonna talk shit, use your real name like a real man. I hate when toughboy29 talks smack, but if Jack Mehoff wants to say you’re a dick Jim Gray, I say bring it.
I started riding one of these little wooden contraptions when I was around 10, and at 50 I’ve never stopped not even for a little bit so that makes about 40 years or rolling, manufacturing, competing, sponsoring, schmoozing, fighting, taking pictures, fighting to get skateparks built, judging contests, shooting video, etc…… so what you will see from me when I get to it (I do drift off quite often—so don’t wait around), is pictures and stories of things I like, hate, support, want to blow up, think you should see, want to make you see, etc……
Love me or hate me Randy gave me my own password, so Howdy People, welcome to February 23, 2013.. Jim Gray day at Skate and Annoy… haha…
Only love from me….looking forward to some stories.
Skated with Jim at a few good “spots”; Oasis, Whittier, Marine, Big O, Del Mar, Upland 1 & 2….. Saw him last time at Trollmont S.D.
Jim is always cool and one of the people that is from “my hood” (SoCal)….. Lots of respect to Jim for decades of ripping. Glad to have had all the skating fun with you, there’ll be more soon, C U there.
P.S. I kind of like the “phrasing” of the question
if you see freezine, and the labatt 50 avatar Jim, know it is Greg Baller, and nothing but positivity flows from this old skate addict!
hi Jim ! Welcome on board. l read you have already been on board for 4 decades So that is not surprising to meet you here. Glad to read from you.
Call me soon, Jimmy.
I was doing frontside lay-back grinds but grabbing my board…my buddy was telling me my Gray slides looked rad! I didn’t know that’s what I was doing. So thanks to my buddy for the info and to you Mr.Gray for the innovation!
I remember one of the most epic skateboard contests! Jim Gray and Dave Andrecht battling it out at the Big O Gold Cup series, seeing who could do the highest backside air. The “Raver” took airs to new heights that evening tweaking them in to what we call “Method Airs” and got the cover of Skateboarder, but Jim was busting out high airs and traveling 10feet across the capsule pool! That was a big deal back then! Jim you rip, alway did, still do, and I’m sorry I drove my Honda Civic Wagon away as you were trying to jump ramp over it at Sadlands. Looking forward to see what you have to add to this site!
It’s Saturday night ,I’m drunk but tomorrow I’m climbing to the top of sleeping Indian hill to launch paper airplanes with my son .
God I’m stupid . Jim grey is cool .
Welcome!
Getting 29th but being stoked to just be present and see great skating. I think that person is inside a lot of us. Welcome!
Jim Jam!
This ought to be good.
Nice call Randy. Welcome Jim, can’t wait to see what you got for us.
50 not 500 I’m with it!
Gray slides all day
Looking forward to the posts. Great idea.
I look forward to reading what you have to say weather I agree with it or not. Rant on!
Damn spelling… ***whether***
Thanks for the Love and spell check etc… I never said I was Edjumacated….. Hope everybody is having a happy Monday, and K.C. you made me blush, never thought anybody ever noticed those airs….
Let’s stir some shit up…
Nice to see you here Jim! Skaterdave is David S. Campbell in the so-called “real world”.
right on jim! …btw, i watched billy runaway do a proper jim-jam on sunday. keepin’it alive!
june, 50, 40 years on-the-roll as well. pool coping, here i come
Dear Jim. You owned and ran ACME skateboard manufacturing for many years. Can you explain to us the difference between a “Well Made” skateboard deck and a piece of Crap deck, and the pros and cons of Hand Screening as opposed to Heat Transfers? Thanx, K.C.
K.C. I will post something on that shortly..
Nice Scott, I’ve got a couple awesome youngsters who’ve added the Jim Jam to their trick bag like Greyson Fletcher and Robbie Russo, so hopefully it won’t die the forgotten trick of the late 70’s, early 80
s….. and, K.C. I will post something on that shortly..
Is the Jim Jam a backside Sweeper?
I think lil Billy does ’em…
Jim, I never met you, but you (Acme) sold to me when I ran a little shop out of my house in Columbia, South Carolina at age 15. The economy was in the shitter, and shops and skate companies were closing down left and right, but you let me open an account with Acme when nobody else wanted anything to do with me. Always wanted to say thanks for that. Thanks.
Well, Bill Danforth’s dear old mom, a JimJam is not a sweeper, but a Jim Jam led to what people called sweeper if that makes any sense. I learned the JimJam (named by Neil Blender) by doing Tail Taps in Big O’s clover bowl (1978ish). My back foot would always come off and I’d stand on the coping so I started just jumping back in. So eventually I’d sweep if you wanna call it that the deck and just launch in, never putting the tail down (biggest difference between frontside sweepers as most people think of them).. I like to roll my wheels and use the coping as sort of a jump ramp to launch off of while going back in.. Shortly after I did these, Duane starting doing something similar going frontside but putting his tail down. So, some people think it’s a backside sweeper but making a frontside sweeper is really a JimJam putting your tail down.. haha.. Hope that makes sense….
And miles, you are more than welcome, skaters supporting skaters is what make skateboarding a rad industry, skaters selling out to anyone and everyone did the opposite, so I am happy to have been mostly on the good side and people like you helped me have a good, fun, and thriving business for a long time. I owe you the thanks..
Thanks Jim. I’ve unknowingly done a few Jim Jams in the same accidental tail tap manner. Stoked to hear the history.
Did Rodney Mullen and steve Rocco sell out World Industries? How many know Rodney was in on that?
Uh, Jim my Jim gray from Poolside gets quite a few comments and is getting worn out. Who’s making your board these days? I’m looking for similar shape and graphics. Maybe those guys from clod war can commission a Jim Gray? Clodwar? I think I’m funny.
Ok, Cold War. Skate, annoy and censor me.
Hey Dick Cancer, yes Rodney and Steve sold world industries, and if you want to call it selling out, I guess you could, they did make millions.
Rodney is just someone nobody wants to ever put down because he is an amazing skater, and it’s hard to put that down. People would prefer he doesn’t or didn’t have anything to do with damage caused to people, companies, or skateboarding as a whole while he was profiting from it, and when it’s you profiting, it’s always hard to see any damage done because it’s “just business” as Donald Trump would say. Of course I personally say “business” is personal because you effect people, hurt people, or help people and how you choose to do it in your business is your “personal” choice so anything done by your company or in your companies name that you profit from means you’ve got the same blood on your hands… that’s reality, but Rodney is cool because he’s quirky, and smart, and does amazing tricks, etc…. so I will just keep loving him too. If I killed everyone who deserved it, it would be a pretty small skateboard industry.. hahaaha
And that Poolside shape was epic and is my personal shape I made in my personal mold, but maybe those Cold War Fuckers could make a Guest Model… which is funny cause I was thinking that I should go out and try and do like 20 guest models… I mean it doesn’t mean anything anymore anyway, and I’ve got lots of friends in the small side of the skateboard world, so maybe I should do a Guest Model on all of them… hahaha… If you can’t laugh, you can’t live, so everybody have a good laugh today, at me, Rodney Mullen or who ever the hell else you choose to laugh at……
Where’s Jim Now? Did he quit already? Kilwag, you must be a horrible boss!
Howzit Jim , (Hello, South African style)
Positively love the stuff you post and image you project. I am a 54 year old skater. Thank you for services rendered to skate and great love that you have shown.
Please come to South Africa one day and skate with us.
I would love to skate some of your parks in U.S.A. but exchange rate of 10 to 1 makes it unlikely.
Keep on rocking for us active old timers who’s every session could be their last.
“I
its all about money. skating is a niche and there is always some fuck to take advantage. fucking skate , surf , die. oh yeah….drink too. PS fuck you Nike. President never flew in to Vans HQ. suck it. dfend posers
Nothing but stoke here…
Looking forward to skating with you again at the 2nd annual WLSC bash in Cleveland!!
I’ll check out a few of these article things here too. Rad!
Jim- I would love to get my hands on a old G&S Jim Gray Skateboard deck. Blacka nd Gray with JI Gay in yellow triangles.