MAIL
DROP
Send all Info, Compliments and Criticisms
to: Mail Drop, THRASHER Magazine,
P.O. Box 24592, San Francisco, CA 94124.
FOR THOSE ABOUT TO SKATE...
I've been skating a long time and I'm
glad there's a mag still around. Over the
past months I was kinda gettin' out of
skating but keeping up with THRASHER
made me want to keep riding. I'm visiting
Orange County at the moment and I went
down to Big "O" Skatepark. I rode there
last summer, half the park is still there but
you can't ride it. If anyone is familiar with
the park, the clover has only a little dirt in
it, the key hole is half filled, the capsule is
gone. Some of the park is plowed, some
filled with dirt. I asked one of the guys
(construction) why it closed. He said,
"because skating is dead, kid," and I said,
just because Big "O" closed doesn't mean
it took skating with it. The guy was a jerk.
I have one suggestion, review more
albums. Not just punk, but heavy metal
too. Bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest,
Saxon, Motorhead, Scorpions, UFO, etc.
Now these bands know how to rock.
Great pictures at Upland, I hope to see
more next month at Whittier. Till later,
John Stoik
Simi Valley, CA
AGE OLD QUESTION
While standing atop a gnarly grinder the
other day, I pondered aloud the age old
question: WHY?
WHY scare yourself shitless going
down hills so fast your eyes blur?
WHY stay up till 2:00 in the morning
every night to skate that awesome pool
down the street?
WHY break your shins trying those
Rodney Mullen freestyle tricks on your
10"-wide pool stick?
WHY be considered a social deviant by
the populace (what's so radical about a
bright green mohawk)?
WHY did I thrash my brains out at the
FARTZ gig last night?
WHY am I nervously awaiting BLACK
FLAG, soon to play at the Showbox?
WHY do I study THRASHER magazine
like it's a textbook?
Q: Why did the skateboarder cross the
road?
A: Because that's what skateboarders do,
dumbf--k!
EDDYBOY, WHERE ARE YOU?
I am a Midwest skateboarder and I
think your mag is excellent. I get it every
month (at Tom Thumb). I skate at the Turf
Skateboard Park; in fact, I just got back
from there. I had a great time doing
backside airs and footplants. Thanks a lot
for the coverage of the Turf in your May/
June issue. Those were great pics. Also, I
liked the article in your April mag on
parking garage skating. I was really glad
to see that other skaters were involved in
the same type of skating that I enjoy. I've
been skating a nearby multi-level parking
garage for a few years. It's a hell of a lot
of fun. A friend and I race there at night
and on Sundays (when there's no cars
and no one to kick us out). One more
thing, why don't you have "Wild Riders of
Boardz stories anymore? I really liked
those. Anyway, keep thrashing.
VALLEY SKATERS
Miles Horton
Evanston, IL
Livermore is pretty hot on the skateboard
scene and it's pretty cool to know that
skateboarding is catching up to BMX,
there is about five ramps in Livermore and
about 10 in Pleasanton. Me and Tony
Matulich and Billy Opsal basically street
skate and freestyle though. There is about
three decent ditches that I know of. I have
a rad home-made deck and Tony has a
Rodriguez and Billy has a Hosoi. You
guys ought to do an article on Tri-Valley
skaters (Livermore, Pleasanton and
Dublin); if you don't, I will, pics and all.
(So if I send an article in, will you publish
it?) I'm going to put together a little local
mag one of these days so I'm putting my
full address at the end of this letter so if
anybody wants a copy of it, just send 50c.
Sorry I have no pics but I will send some
later. Write or call me if THRASHER
wants me to write that article.
Shawn Brown
Livermore, CA
THE RIGHT IDEA
A lot of skaters around here have quit
but that's their problem. There are still
some skaters in Norman for whom skating
will never die. We've got a ramp and an
excellent pool (non-vertical surf-style type
banks), Nonetheless, our search for skate
spots is unending.
I am heavily into hardcore, fast music
as most THRASHER readers seems to
be. However, I feel that a non-progressive
"be a punker or don't skate" attitude
prevails among lots of people. It's another
conform or die situation. I thought that's
what we were against. Skating and music
are two different things. Sure, they're
great to combine in the form of a "Thrasher"
mentality, but you don't have to be a
Thrasher to be a skateboarder. Anyway,
keep up the good mag.
Gringo
Norman, OK
P.S. Keep an ear open for local bands,
Menluks and Contro-lo-fax.
THE MIDWEST IS ALIVE
Even though rumors have been heard
about the Turf Skatepark closing, we (the
locals) are still gonna rip until the "final
day." Many Midwest parks have closed
but that still doesn't stop street shredding
out here. We hope the Turf doesn't close
soon, but places like the Spot, the Bevel
and the Ditch will still keep Wisconsin
skaters ripping. There just isn't enough
coverage of the Midwest for the support of
skaters and parks, but we should send in
pics of these banks and our park soon for
some coverage. The Turf had a
benefit with local bands like Die Kreuzen,
the Delieriants, and Mecht Mench, to
promote the sport and help the park out.
Hope to see coverage soon. Anti-Authority
Rips.
Bill Sorenson (SOAR)
Milwaukee, Wi
K.T. puts his life on the coping, guillotine style, as Duane P. lofts a backside and makes it.
Alve
OAK
GROVE
Bad
AGENT
ORANGE
BRAINS
LAMEL
BERT
Chris Hanson.
T
J.
Olympia, WA
DEAL
Photo: Bryce Kanights.
P.S. I've got a ramp that's looking for
some mean and gnarly SKATERZ.
AAS
G&S
We Have Style.
THRASHER
So You Have Style
MARK GATOR ROGOWSKI
Team G&S
Team Nike
Team Gullwing
For More Information.
About GATOR And G&S Products...
Write to:
Gordon Smith Skateboards
5111 Santa Fe Street
San Diego, Ca. 92109
(714) 483-3230
photo Grant Brit