The internet is magic. How esle would I be able to buy some obscure 7″ single from a guy nobody’s ever heard of, or at least remembers. Skateboard Rider was released in 1977 on a German label called Metronome Muzik. Check out the cool Van Halen style lettering. This came out a year before Van Halen’s first album, which sounds like it came from a different planet compared to this. The B-side is called Sunshine in Your Face, and although the view from the awesome cover calls to mind something else on your face, the b-side is absolutely horrible without any skateboard kitsch to fall back on. Skateboard Rider was about $15 delivered, from Deutschland.

Majorette die cast cars are like the red headed step child of die cast cars compared to Hot Wheels and especially Johnny Lightning. Even Matchbox cars are kind of crappy, but at least they roll better than Racing Champions. Is Corgi even around anymore? Those things were insanely expensive. Majorette has some less common car models compared to the majors, maybe that’s because they’re from France. The shells are sometimes cool, but they’ve always been kind of chintzy, and now that they’re made in Thailand they’re pretty much relegated to the pile s of overpriced junk destined for the short toy ailses of Walgreens. I have no idea when this Majorette Skate Board van was made, but it looks very 80’s to me. The bottom has no information on it other than some manufacturing nonsense like “ECH 1/65” and “FOURGON 279/234,” whatever that means. The whole thing cost me a little over $5 with shipping, and it came all the way form the U.K.. The guy who sold it had to have lost money by the time he posted it, especially if you take the time into account. Maybe he’s got a trained monkey doing his eBay listings.

There are re-issues, and there are, well I’m not sure what to call this. First up, there was the Tony Hawk board with fake scuffs printed as part of the graphic. And not too long ago someone (Antihero?) released board graphics with fake rails on the botom of the deck. This Hosoi hammerhead reissue mates a photograph of one of Christian’ old boards with the bottom of some brand spanking new Canadian maple. I’ve heard mixed reviews about the concept but I like it. When I first saw it in an email from Big Block, I thought it was just an illustration to compare the reissue to. Strange thing is, it’s not on the Hosoi web site. Stranger still, it’s here on S&A.

Die Skateboard-Welle war schon eine Weile in Deutschland angekommen, als man dem Thema einen deutschen Song gab. In the 70’s there was a German teeny bopper who had some sort of hit song called Skateboard, Uh ah ah. At some point recently he tried to mount a comeback which involved rereleasing the song with new, updated mixes. There’s not much info out there that’s easy to find on this Benny character. For example, iTunes seems to have him confused with a Mexican perfomer of the same name. – Thanks to Spencer Montgomery for the tip. [Source: Skate in the Ramp]

Magic Rolling Board dates back to 1976, and includes everything you’d think it would, like 360’s, gorilla grips, high jumps over sports cars, slalom, long jumps, downhill and even Ed Nadalin, star of the Jeans West commercial. I don’t know that this has ever been rereleased on video, much less DVD. Anyone? Make sure you pay attention at the 3:05 mark for some of the fanciest footwork you’ve ever seen. GOLDEN! – Thanks to Simon Liver for the tip.

“Skateboard over and check out the lemonade stand. There is the puppy!” Words of wisdom from the box of the 1995 edition of Clue Jr: The Case of the Missing Toys. The rules fittingly state if you roll the dice and the skateboard comes up, you get to go anywhere on the board you want to. Unfortunately, none of the game pieces were skateboards. – Thanks to Curtis for the pictures.

Sa Ka Roule has some cool pictures of what must be the French equivalent of a Hobie, Makaha, or G&S. There are some old ads, pictures of a vintage board with a possible crazy looking truck modification, and the inevitable nostalgia revival. Check it out.

True Skateboard Magazine has a short but interesting interview with old Bones Brigade member Frankie Hill. He’s got a model coming out on Unity skateboards, who have also welcomed Ron Allen to the team. Then again, it looks like he’s got a model with Diabolical [via Skatebook] as well. I’ve never heard of True before, not sure if they put out print issues, but it appears to be based in Florida. – Thanks to Boy Ipoh for the tip.

There is going to be a photography exhibit and release party for the new book ‘Full Bleed’ this Saturday, October 2nd, at BAR, formerly PS 14. a book documenting the past 30 years of New York City skateboarding through they eyes of a camera lens of the best photographers in the skateboarding world, including Giovanni Reda, Jessica Bard, Ivory Serra, Tobin Yelland, Miki Vuckovich, Thomas Campbell, Larry Clark, Ed Templeton, Jerry Hsu, Atiba Jefferson, Bryce Knights, Angela Boatwright, Athena Currey, Kenneth Cappello, Charlie Samuels, Andy Kessler, Mike O’Meally, Sammy Glucksman, and Allen Ying. If you want to get the book now, get it the best place for New York City skateboarding, Shut.

This insipid marketing manufactured cartoon and toy line was created by the American Greeting company in 1983. According to Wikipedia, the cartoon’s creators were trying to appease television watchdog agencies crusade against cartoon violence by attempting to “reinforce the importance of group harmony over individualism.” The end result is, well.. as with any compromise of this nature, mediocrity at it’s finest.