42
+EO.B.
TAIWAN
by Mark Stevens
What do you do in a city of five million where the streets rain death from
kamikaze taxi drivers, THRASHER isn't sold at local 7-11's and city land is so ex-
pensive it would take a millionaire to afford a half-pipe? What do you do in a country
the size of Massachusetts and Conneticut combined, where skate harassment
comes from all sides, school uniforms and regulation haircuts are required even
in high school, the sidewalks are made of broken tile, college entrance exams are
so harsh that only 20% pass, contests don't exist, no bands play skate rock, where
only a few dozen skate out of 20 million people, and where skateable pools are
just a wet dream?
A: You skate!
死漂
The 30 members of the Nobody Skate Team of Taipei, Taiwan, get together on
Sundays and holidays to indulge in Big Mac's, mini-kegs of German beer, Marlboro
cigarettes, and, of course, skating. Most of the 30 Nobody members (including two
women) are in high school. Some work, others are doing two years mandatory ar
my time There aren't many places to skate in Taipei since the sidewalks are thrashed
and the streets are death except during the nocturnal skating hours. This leaves
only a few public parks, but it's tough to keep a skater down. The Nobody crew
has a quarter-pipe mounted on wheels that they leave stashed behind a local
McDonalds (McDonalds sounds like Madonna in Chinese). Their equipment is (you
guessed it!) made in Taiwan. These aren't the junk boards you'll find at Toys R Us,
however, but a new generation of laminated maple concave decks. The trucks are
okay, but the wheels still have a long ways to go before they're truly shredable.
Some Nobody members have tried to mail order from the States only to have their
cash disappear, but they are able to score Vans and Chuck Taylors at fashion bouti-
ques where most customers think that you should wear them to a disco. Nobody
has a taste for loud, obnoxious music and fast motorcycles. Like skate rats anywhere,
they take their environment and constantly push it to the limits.
Jimmy Sun, leader of Nobody Skate Team, is an 18-year-old high school senior
who has to study like a rabid dog for college entrance examinations. That means
propaganda at school, six days a week hitting the books and one day spent getting
his aggressions out on his deck. He's been skating for over two years on a made
in Taiwan" board that's been self- customized with a jig saw. By going directly to
the factories, he has completely outfitted his skate for just twenty US skins. Since
turning 16, Jimmy has been firmly planted by law in Taiwan until after completing
two or three years (depending on the luck of the draw) compulsory military service
where he will earn $25 a month and all the chow mein he can skarf. He dreams
nightly of building a half-pipe, opening a skate shop and slashing the ultimate grind.
Jimmy's skate education has come mainly from THRASHER, skate videos and the
cruel streets, with English lessons thrown in by a few foreign skaters he calls com-
rades. He wants to go skate in the States but can't leave the island until after he
间桩
has finished serving in the military reserves at age 30. In the meantime, Jimmy
is determined to establish skating in Taiwan.
You can contact the Nobody Skate Team care of: Jimmy Sun, Nanking E. Road,
Section 5, Lane 66, Alley 22, 5th Floor, Number 6, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
CHINESE SKATE LINGO
These words are pronounced like they sound in
the parenthesis. If there is an underline, pronounce
only the underlined part, e.g. Taco, just say the "ta"
syllable like you would if you said the word normally.
Chinese
1. Shen (shun)
2. Tun Tiao (ton, tea, ouch)
English
god-like
ollie
awesome
4. Ta Ma De (taco, mommy, doctor)
Yo momma
3. Hao Bang (how, bong)
5. Hen Li Hai (honey, lee, high)
6. Go See San (go, see, santa)
rippin'
bullshit
A Nobody Crew member soars for a S.R.O. crowd in Taipei.
43