⚫SKATE AT YOUR OWN RISK
NATHAN PRATT
They call it Dogtown, a lot of other
people called it a lot of other things.
Whether it was a town, attitude, commer-
cial entity, lifestyle, street gang, self
promotion ploy or legitimate revolutionary
front is open to interpretation.
To say it changed the face of modern
skateboarding is an understatement.
'Dogtown/S.M./V.13,' whatever you want
to call it, is the basis of skateboarding.
Skating developed in the Santa Monica
region, that's historical fact, certain people
continually attempt to rewrite history in an
effort to promote their own trips, but the
truth remains the same." The man talking
is the infamous Skipperboy (AKA
Engblom). Mr. Skip knows 'em all from
Mickey Da Cat to Mad Dog; from the low.
lifer to the limousine liberals. He, along
with the ever dreaded Jeff Ho, once
founded the illustrious Zephyr team (AKA
Z Boys). If it weren't for Engblom's
involvement with S.M. Airlines we might
here describe him as a living legend, but as
you know in Thrasher land there are no
overt commercial strokes. Suffice it to say
that in a world of mass production and pop
out silkscreens here is a man whom hand
shapes and hand prints his own.
The area has a vicious edge, for
instance on a recent afternoon a street
skater encounters a speeding car down on
Main St. Words are exchanged and
eventually the driver emerges from the car
to teach the skaterider some new etiquette
techniques. Blows are exchanged. The
skater hits the driver in the reproductive
glands and rides off. Minutes later the
driver is standing in a local shop with his
45, enquiring as to the skater's identity. It
should be noted that the driver is an
ex-Marine who is well schooled in mayhem
and who also possesses over twenty years
of personal skating experience. You can
figure out the rest of this tale yourself.
Things move quickly in D.T. Reputations
are made or broken in rapidity. There is a
definite tendency towards the non-
commercial. Sessions are organized in
seconds and change location frequently.
You have to have inside information to
even witness mass skate occurances. The
in-spot of today is tomorrow's law
enforcement arrest location. There are so
many past, present and future legends of
the sport present at all times that very little
posing and other nonsense is tolerated on
the street level.
It's high noon on Main St. Terry Nail's
the one time pro skate car speed racer, is
checking out John Boy (AKA McClure), to
buy a car, Ancell and Talldog overhear the
conversation, the essence of which is that
John Boy desires a summer convertible.
Being the ultimate friends and possibly a
bit bored, they walk outside, obtain a
CALIFORNIA
1970
CALIFORNIA
SURF DOG SKATRAT
SURF N SAIL PARADISE
WASTED
DISC
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BOARD