SKATE
ROCK!
PART I
Above-These guys used to session with the likes of Steve Olson in the old days. Here, T.S.OL at the On Broadway,
in San Francisco Below-Skatedazed and rock crazed, Street Scott commands a portion of stage front during T.S.O.L, he's
waiting with a THRASHER sticker.
"I WILL TELL YOU NO STORIES, TELL
YOU NO LIES. I WAS BORN TO LIVE TIL
THE DAY I DIE
The late Bon Scott sang the old AC/DC
classic "BAD BOY BOOGIE," with afflic-
tion, bent on a forward motion with the
need to question. It is the youthful fervor,
such as this, that seems to possess a
percentage of the youth today. This energy
is very easily communicated through
ROCK music.
The skateboard; a term so underground
it isn't even listed in most dictionaries
although it has been a term for more than
a quarter of a century-is a very economi-
cal transportation device commonly used
by young adults. Besides being able to use
it for going downtown or down to the corner
grocery store, one can apply it to a number
of uses. Riding for speed, traversing banked
slopes or maybe attacking the peripheries
of a backyard pool (not necessarily their
backyard.
Trespassing is in many cases required,
although it is illegal and one must endure
the consequences of apprehension). More
recently, the insurgence of wooden
halfpipe construction has stimulated the
growth of the new age of skateboarding.
The days of the skatepark have all but
ended with the remaining existence of but
a few.
Not to say that the demise of the
skatepark is bad, because there were
some memorable experiences, not to
mention the skate progress that happened
in each and every park. What was probably
the biggest and most contributing factor to
their decline (besides the economy).
was the difference between the
skateparks straightforward business-like
attitude in contrast with the aggressive
tendencies of a young man involved with
an activity as radical as skateboarding.
In order to be good, you have to be
committed. To be committed in this
medium, you had to be one radical
individual. Being committed also meant
sometimes being alienated from your
average peers. The people you know who
don't, can't, or won't skate because their
lack of physical ability and the courage to
put injury on the line. So, generally, they
call B.S. on your whole scene because in
all actuality they don't fit in, they can't
relate. Thus the skateboarder is then
alienated and is left only to his new peers,
his fellow skateboarders. A mutual sense
of camaraderie evolves after heated
sessions together and soon the skaters
obtain mutual interests, some which reflect
their rebellious attitudes as the social
outcasts they have become.
They seem to all dress alike, new
threads are not going to stop a skater who
has a good opportunity to ride, he has the
will and he'll find the way. Thus the skaters
always seem to have the slightly tattered
look
Another interest is the close quarters
action of live rock-n-roll performances
where many of the skate bros attend.
Depending upon the age bracket of the
individuals, or their geographic locale
determines whether they'll meet up at a
Dixie Dreggs, Stray Cats, Molly Hatchett,
Journey, Iron Maiden, Fleetwood Mac,
The Clash, or Squeeze gig. Or they might
if they are younger and/or of more radical
tendencies, attend some hard-core type
music, be it heavy metal, rockabilly or punk
rock styled music, with names like Black
Flag, Dead Kennedys, The Lewd, Aggres-
sion, Girischool, Motorhead, Swingin
Possums, Black Athletes, Gang Green,
The Ditch, etc., the list is endless.
The full force throttle output that bands
like these generate is ideal for these
skaters to further exhilirate themselves
with sporadic actions and frantic dances
that are sometimes so furious, veins bulge
in their foreheads and necks, seemingly
about to burst. One might first assume that
these kids are possessed, that they were
evil kids bent on self-destruction. This may
be true in some cases, nonetheless, it is
but a small percentage. A majority of these
By Joey Headbone
BENEFIT
JULY 16 7-11:00
DIE
SURF N TURF
FOUR BAN
DELIRIANTS.
DIE KREUZEN, MECHT MENSCH
and OIL TASTERS
SKATERS-55. SPECTATORS-$4.
4207 W. Loomis Rd.
Greenfield
"Die Kreuzen forms the local
rallying point for Milwaukee hardcore
followers. When Die Kreuzen perform
in Milwaukee, the hardcore crowd turns
out to push around the dance floor in
Milwaukee's version of slam dancing.
Participants ram and shove into
each other in motions fitting what one
observer called, 'a rugby scrimmage
at Vince Lombardi High School.
On July 16th, 1982, The Turf
(formerly Surfin' Turt) held a benefit
which featured five high energy
bands. The five bands took one of
their Friday nights off from the bar
scene to play in the shallow end of the
clover-leaf pool.
From 7 to 11 p.m., the park was filled
with the sounds of trucks grinding
down coping and music that could
only enhance the aforementioned
activity. (Thanks to the efforts of
Hermann from Die Kreuzen, when he
heard that the park was having
financial problems, he suggested a
benefit.)
Vantage points were perfect for
watching the bands as well as the
skating. In fact, at one point about
fifteen skaters and non-skaters were
ripping and slamming their way to the
coping in the two deep ends of the
clover, but without boards! An end
I was put to that, but not before Tim
Schwartz slammed his way in with no
pads or shoes. Now that was hot!
Todd A. Pfander
DIE KREUZEN
634 W. Wisconsin Ave. #2 Milwaukee,
WI 53203
Q: I read in the Milwaukee Urinal
about the trouble with skateboarders
on the Library Mall and on State
Street.
-They're trying to make it against
the law to ride your skateboard on the
sidewalk
They give out fines that are way
bigger fines than traffic tickets.
They want to pass one ordinance
that says you can't ride a skateboard
above 1% alcohol.
So if you swerve on your board,
they think you're drunk.
Q: Why did that come up?
'Cause It's such a liberal town
-hit a little girl once.
-Lots of old people are afraid of
skaters, they're old and feeble and
don't want to get run into.
It's not like we run them down,
they run into us.
It's like, you'll be going down
behind some one and you know
exactly where you're going, you're not
gonna run into them 'til they hear you
coming and they jump into the air and
land right on you.
-They hear the wheels and go
aaaaahhh! and BAM! right into you.
You're never gonna go straight for
someone, we're not that stupid.
No
MORE
CHAINS
MECHT
MENSCH
Mecht Mensch: Mark-singer, Jeremy-bass, Dan-guitar, vocals,
Kaes-drums. Interview excerpt from END OF THE WORLD Magazine
Milwaukee, WI. MECHT MENSCH 311 S. Few Madison, WI 53703
Alt ins and phota this page by fon Schnieder