Normally I’m against using your local skatepark to film an RC car commercial, hold a nerf battle, drop off your scooter kids like it’s a daycare, or basically any non-skateboarding related usage of skatepark. However, in this case, I’m happy to make an exception, albeit ultimately sad that it has come to this… again. Welcome to the Derek Chauvin murder trial. These pics come from BennyCruz via Public Enemy. Fight the power.
Read more
Impulse buys, some are good, but this one? VERY NICE!!! I bought his Soviet era skateboard from a seller in the Ukraine. Sure, I paid more in shipping than I did for the actual item but I couldn’t pass this up. That’s Leonid Brezhnev in the upper left, he was the leader in the USSR from 1977-1982, which is the period I’m guessing this skateboard was produced. ( Seller could only add 80’s ) It’s cast aluminum! I LIKE! The text translates to “Rolling.”
Read more
Teen Vogue has a short bio on Navajo Nation skateboarder Naiomi Glasses, who skates in traditional dress, sometimes on not-so-traditional terrain. She’s blowing up on what the kids call Tik-Tok, which has nothing to do with Vine….
One of my favorite old skateboarding magazines in my Posession is Skateboarding Industry News, a magazine aimed at skateshops and movers and shakers in the skateboarding industry. There’s a lot of interesting morsel to digest like forecasts, reports on injury liability coverage and trademark lawsuits. At some point I may put some of that stuff online, but the reason I bought this was for the adverts. I just added 45 ads to Vintage Skatemag Advert Gallery, which brings the gallery total to 350 (!) adverts. The latest additions include Sims, Banzai, Duke, Rector, Tarwheels, Lazer Trucks, Blazer Trucks, California Free Former, IDI Urethane, Duraflex, California hardwoods, Cooper, Donel, NHS, Starflex, IKS Bearings, Skateboarder Magazine, Excellerator Wheels, Belair Boards, Pavlan Industries, Powell, Composite Materials Inc, Sanjon, Mr B’s, Skyhooks, Pro Class, Bahne, Megatron, Poni-Cones, I.S.A., Sea Breeze, the Stick, Panther Wheels, Eagle, Gull Wing, Vans and more. 45 down and 25 left to go, check out the additions from Volume 1, No 4 of Skateboard Industry News.
When a plain old skateboard isn’t enough and you need to add a motorized sound to get the kids excited, the Irwin corporation has you covered. The advert is most likely from a 1965-66 Playthings Magazine, an industry publication for toy retailers. A suggested retail of $1.98 ( Under $17 according to the US Inflation Calculator) would have gotten you a noisy plastic sled that didn’t really turn. Fun! Time to “cash in on this surfboarding business.” Order your Whoom-m Jr. Sidewalk Surfer now!
Thanks to Darren Haugen for the pics.
Read more
It’s been a long time since I’ve added new zines to the 80’s skate zine gallery. Chipping away at the backlog, here are Skate Edge #2 from New Jersey, circa 1983, and Raw Zine #8 from Connecticut, circa 1988. That’s 32 ages of photocopied nostalgia from the collection of Kevin Johnson.
While we were out, Playmobil launched an action set featuring Chad Muska as the skateboard bandit and George Michael as the cop… Or maybe that’s not really true. However they currently have 2 sets featuring skateboarded typecast as the bad guys. There not just run of the mill skateboarding-where-they-aren’t-suposed-to-be bad guys either, they are involved in high stakes robbery and… it’s hard to say what that stick is for… illegal water divining?
– Thanks to Josef for the tip.
Read more
I must have sent away for a catalog from Action Sports in 1984. I just found the postmarked envelope with full color one sheet and photocopied price list. I think that tagline is supposed to read “The 1 Ultimate High.” Aside from the vaguely Celtic typeface, it’s an interesting choice for a time when any given correspondence with a smaller skate brand seemed to have about a 50% chance of including a short handwritten a religious message. I’m not sure why I sent any for this catalog in 1984, since I never really rated the Action Sports brand. I think it might have been because the Invader had a sly look to it.
Read more
Thanks again to Nathan Kipnis we’ve got even more pictures of the fiberglass Skate-Ball ramps at the Rainbo Skatepark in Chicago, Illinois circa 78-79. Includes a bonus shot of Jay Adams and Dave Hackett.
Read more
