TRASH
Yeah, skatesmen and skateswomen,
there he was. The world's most talked about
(and talkative) skate industrialist laid out on
the ground. It seems that the original "I'm
different, I'm the only manufacturer who
skates" had fallen out after a momentary
dork move on Per Welinder's cue. Was the
occasion the ever-so-secret shooting of yet
another Powell-Peralta video? Since Per,
Peralta and the others aren't talking, we can
only guess where Steve Rocco got all those
stitches. Blood on the pavement in the
South Bay seems to have dampened Mr.
Rocco's enthusiasm, at least temporarily.
Fellow manufacturer John Lucero remains
silent while eating lunch at his desk. We'd
all wish Steve a speedy recovery, but since
he has refused to admit he's hurt, we can't.
Quote One: "These aren't bandages,
they're a hat."
To prove his good health, Rocco is now
sporting two new cars and an even more
expensive plush apartment. Those days
and nights sleeping on the factory floor are
a thing of the past.
Quote Two: "I don't worry, I've got a mort-
gage to worry about."
Gregor Rankin, legendary down under
skate ace, is running his own Öztralian skate
shop.
Welinder (who still won't admit his
presence at the aforementioned blood bath)
has been running his own skate contest tour.
The contests have been held at select skate
shops in L.A. and Orange County, and Per
relates that the best rippers seem to hang
...ON SUCH A WINTER'S DAY
A snow-covered street can dampen
any skater's hopes for sane sessioning.
In an attempt to ward off the cold and
desire to shred, Brooklyn skaters con-
structed this modern interpretation of a
snowman in front of C.S. SKB's shop.
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in Hollywood. For spare change Mr. P.
recently gave the ultimate private demo at
a birthday party. The 5 lucky kids in attend-
ance were blown away. Nice present, eh?
And from the esoteric mind of the sport's
premier open ocean swimmer: Mr. Richard
Novak, aka Dickvak to his many friends, is
apparently preparing for the youth revolu-
tion. Perhaps motivated by stats which in-
dicate that there are 14 million 14-17 year
olds, 30 million 5-13 year olds and 18 million
ragers under 5, Big Dick has sequestered
himself up on the apple rancho of his
dreams. Fats MacIntyre is not in sight, hav-
ing disappeared for too obvious reasons at
a bicycle sales show. Is it true that Mr. Dick
has stocked his farm pond with trophy size
bass in anticipation of the takeover?
And for more April Foolishness, is it true
that Animal Chin underwent a sex change
operation in Stockholm in preparation for
his expanded role in the upcoming video
Animal Chin 2?
Even further changed is the line-up of the
legendary Drunk Injuns. New drummer
Rolling Thunder of Ram Jam fame
(remember "Black Betty"?) joins the con-
voluted, reduced lineup. Word has it that the
musical direction is even further bent now
than on the new album.
And from our serious jet lag space age-
less file: Henry Hester, who always
astounds and confounds, brings back the
FibreFlex slalom deck just for those who
know. And who else but Reese Simpson
shows up at Shop Street Life seeking mount-
ing assistance with the grip tape mounted
on the bottom? Ever hear of camber, boys?
Worst than that, Mofo's been seen jitterbug
gyrating artist studios at a certain San Fran-
cisco naval base on a new FibreFlex.
And, yes, it really happened. Billy Ruff,
Gatos, Bad H and the lads were up
snowboarding the other day. Gator aerialed
off by himself where he was instantly con-
fronted by an off-duty ski patrolman who
allegedly was looking for a stolen snow-
board. Apparently the guy was convinced
Gator had it, because rumor has it that he
punched Rogowski five times in the face.
More rumors have it that the cops came,
took them both in, where they discovered
that Mark was a very prominent professional
rider sponsored by a certain company
which, in fact, was involved in the creation
of the board in question. In short, profes-
sionals don't need to steal what they ride
for a living. Last word had it that Gator was
released and rumored to be looking at
lawyers' resumes. Off on another slope,
Ruff claims to have method airs, 360s and
QUOTE OF ALL TIME
"I'm the ugliest guy alive."
Mike Vallely (via Natas)
"Who you callin' ugly?!"
Mike Vallely (above)
snow rockwalks wired. Maybe that's why
they call the ski area Mountain High?
And an article in the prestigious journal
The Washington Post tells of the Salvation
Army's attempt to get the street people off
the streets and into proper shelter. The story
tells of construction of skateboard ramps as
the prime motivational factor. No word yet
as to whether skate safety equipment will
be mandatory. Wouldn't it be strange if the
laws and attitudes covering the homeless
people's ramp was looser than those con-
cerning certain city approved ramps?
The best April Fool's joke had to be U.S.A.
Today's pronouncement that skateboarding
is out and that scooters are in. Simultan-
eously, Saturday morning TV. commercials
for some vile slop called Cookie Crisps
feature an animated skater who carves
around a cereal bowl, bites, flies and
smacks right into a waiting police paddy
wagon. Nice message, eh? Skate, sell,
arrest, sell, jail and sell, sell, sell. Oddly,
Image Magazine, the Sunday supplement
to the San Francisco Chronicle and
Examiner, at the same time also wrote up
THRASHER rag, citing Eddie Riggins'
business expertise and "intense stare."
Judging by all this untreated middle man's
media sewage, the best news we've heard
all year is that skating's dead. Maybe they'll
all finally go back to media heaven and
leave skating to skaters.
Real riders in real life. No more colored
dots on a page. No more electronic lies.
And from our humanitarian file: Is it true
that Skipper Boy, Little Stevie, Natas and
the Fly have begun doing Skid Row demos
and product giveaways? Do our modern day
types offer outcall skate service to bums?
Is Kevino Ancello promoting a classified
ads section in THRASHER for personal
gain? Are obits in skate literature the wave
of the future? Are fake trick tips iconograph-
ically more correct than reality? Are all the
items in the column merely more April Fool's
stuff? Could any sane skater tell anyway?
Is Rick Blackhart allegedly giving up
motor racing and seriously contemplating
going public with an Elvis impersonator
act? Was the tune-up performance at a low
life Vegas lounge only the beginning?
Is Mr. Gnit now so long gone on the get
even with Mr. T. syndrome that he's created
his own go-kart engine building room where
he spends all of his time massaging blue-
printed Yamaha racing blocks? Why does
Tracker Larry smile so much and remain
so silent? Does Balma have a Lamborghini
in a garage that even he hasn't seen in 10
years? What about the secret Joe Bowers
go-kart club? Is the talked about 10-year-old
As if the prospect of slamming onto solid
concrete isn't enough, Mission Beach
skater Todd McPhee has decided to take
grudge match finally coming down?
ON BOARD
Did Bryce Kanights' tattoo actually fade
away overnight? Was a certain unscrup-
ulous Chinese needle man serious when
he said for $100 more he could make the
tat last 100 years?
Are Mitch and the Tunnel Rock Boys
now building blimps in San Rafael? Has
Mike Rector ordered one that looks like a
very specific stripper (sans clothing)? Will
he fly it over Santa Rosa as an indication
of his undying love? Did she appear in a
recent Rector ad? Does Psycho have a
sense of humor or does he think Mike is
really serious?
And talk about crime, punishment and
foolish pleasure. While extremely large
waves pounded the shore and multi-million
dollar movie stars' homes washed away, TV
news persons were talking in the 25 to 30
foot range. Meanwhile, out at Topanga Point,
top international surf stars like Vince Klyne
and Shaun Tomson rode large and hard.
Into the melee floated two original affiliates
of Team Makaha circa '64. The pair named
Jimmy Fitzpatrick and C.R. Stecyk,
according to witnesses, were acting a "bit
strangely." Both were observed riding set
waves, yet oddly both later denied being
there at all. Pictures were taken, yet the pair
steadfastly deny any knowledge. Can it be
that the mysterious break-in to a Topanga
millionaire's beachfront pleasure palace
was the source of the pair's old equipment?
(According to reports, Fitz had a black/red
longboard and C.R. had a suspicious red
Style
LAS
7:30PM
PRO-BOX PROMOTIONS PRESENTS
LIVE
BOXING
THURSDAY JAN. 21. 1988
MAIN EVENT
VS
TERRY ROMAN
NORRIS
FEATURING
JESSE ISLAND
NUÑEZ
ROBERT KINCHEN
TODD McFEE
RING CARD GIRL CONTEST
for info call 470-7300
EL CORTEZ CONVENTION CENTER
730 Beech St. SanDiego Century BallRoom
it one step further and try to make it as
a professional boxer. Best of luck to you,
Todd. Don't forget to wear your safety gear.
Is Jimmy Ganzer building a tree-
shrouded skate run for his mid-Malibu
canyon land? Does Ganzer really play
semi-pro golf under a different name? Is
Z-man not hustling up a new art-
designed studio complex complete with
driving range?
and blue inflatable surf raft.) Did the
unknown robbers enjoy a post surf oysters
Rockefeller, steak and champagne repast
courtesy of the millionaire host? Are Daddy
Surfbucks, John Merrick and local police.
not laughing? Are our two skate heros of
some yesteryear now both permanently.
"out of town?"
Did reknowned artist Spain Rodriguez
create a poster for Vancouver's mini ramp
contest? Are Spain's sketches to be
included in the long rumored THRASHER
Skate Comic?
Has Lester Kasai been offered a leading
part in an in-production NBC situation
comedy? Will Ernie Kovacks also star? Is
D. David Morrin involved as well?
Did Don Hoffman of Unreel Productions
receive an Emmy from the Academy of
Television Arts and Sciences for his out-
standing camera work on the Savannah
Slamma video?
Is Chris Miller turning pro surfer?
Did a group of skate industry notables
finally manage to get evicted from the host
hotel at the recent Florida trade show? Were
Shawn Stussy and wife Vicki present at the
eighth-floor slide 'n roll festival or were they
really in New York? Did George Powell
rewire the steam room for better pressure
drops? Was Frank Sinatra Jr. observed ▸
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