shrine to many. Rumored THE ROAD TO ATLANTA
to be in the works are New
York and Paris versions.
Skate stuff is so hot in
Japan that grey market
guys routinely shop in the
U.S., pay full retail and
then double or triple the
prices back in Japan. On a
recent afternoon, a pair of
notorious Japanese ven-
dors dropped $35,000 at
a series of surf/skate
shops, buying out virtually
all of the shops' stock.
Guys in rented trucks
hauled it all off. As odd as
it sounds, this is not an
isolated occurrence.
And from our equal
time file, those flashy
clone Stüssy-script
"Stupid" T's are the
garments of choice on
some blocks.
Talking more Japan, did
Chip Morton go there
with only twenty bucks in
his pocket, skate the Chippa
curved-radius banks with Satoshi and then
come back still with that same twenty
bucks? Was Morto's racing bike recently
stolen, causing Chip to become a born-
again advocate of public transportation?
RUMORED
Rich Metiver, the guru of offensive adver-
tising, is rumored to be affectionately
enjoying retirement. (The only question is
retirement from what, as Metiver remains
an ever-present, contral-coast fixture.)
Meanwhile, on the coast, Fishlips Perry
mysteriously says that Mark "may soon
be exonerated."
Termasky and Way, et. al., are rumored to
be going Third World.
Steve Rocco is said to be taking up em-
broidery in a big way, having purchased a
$57,000 machine to keep his stitches tight
Magnusson is said to be back on fully fol-
lowing shoulder surgery. Insiders watch
him with interest.
Rumored gone: International Snowboard
Magazine. Also rumored not to be with us:
Poweredge. Our condolences, if true.
Amidst rumors that Don Bostick is work-
ing to reunite the CASL and the NSA
programs, the much-awaited showdown in
Atlanta approaches. The hotly contested
amateur title awaits. Meanwhile, who could
ignore the San Jose Western tune-up
prelims? With knowledgable types in
attendance, recent NSA events such as
S.J. literally reek of hardcore commitment.
It was interesting to witness Guy Mariano
(a top qualifier) refusing to compete, citing
course offense.
Question One: Is top amateur placer
Colin McKay the most sought-after com-
modity on the scene? Were not a couple of
competing companies working overtime
trying to lure him away from the Powell-
Peralta crew?
Question Two: Which team manager was
sporting a .44 Magnum?
WHEEL SPINS
Seen stroking beards with ZZ Top's Billy
Gibbons and Dusty Hill... Ed Riggins.
Also on hand were Detters, Ken McGuire
and Kevin Thatcher. Tumbleweed report-
edly fell into Top's stage-sized recycling
unit. Close by was the Boyd-built Cadzilla
custom car, sparking speculation over what
sort of customized lead-sled might pop up.
next. In a perhaps related/unrelated inci-
dent, one-time Vision man Brad Fanshaw,
Stacy Peralta, Leado-Bob Kittila and
C.R. Stecyk were observed hanging down
at Boyd Cottington's Hot Rod Works
where two top contenders for this year's
highly coveted Oakland Roadster Show's
"America's Most Beautiful Roadster" award
are secretly being built. What it all means
is unclear, but Don F. Vitello has reported-
ly hauled out his chopped 3-window (car),
a one-time Oakland show class winner.
STATUS QUOTES
"Somewhere, somehow, there should be
some respect."
Beau Brown
"Just because you own it doesn't mean
you're in charge of it."
Todd Swank
"It could be worse. I could have a career
in the music business."
FOAM ZONE
Bob Denike
The latest in landlocked surf thrills is now in
prototype stage-a sheet of water pumped:
against a wall at 20 mph that creates an "end-
less" stationary tube. Flow Rider is being
developed by Thomas Lochtefeld with help from
long-time board shaper Carl Ekstrom, the
Scripps Institute and the University of California."
Lochtefeld claims inverts and airs are possible
on Flow Rider waves. (Body boards only, he
says, since fins shred the foam-padded surface
below the 3-8 of water.) Different wall shapes
would generate different waves, so the possibili
ties seem endless for the chlorinated ocean
crowd. Get ready to get in and get ugly.
FIRING LINE
with Mike Vallely
No stranger to slanger, Mike Valley yanks one
in Germany Photo: Bryce Kanights
Where and when were you born!
Edison, New Jersey, on 6/29/70
Have you ever been a part of any
religious organization?
No. I've got my own thing going
Have you ever been arrested?
Yes, trespassing for skating.
What made you want to start skating?
The whole high school alienation trip,
where there were so many freaks and
cliques. Somehow found skating,
which was something I could really
plug into,
What is your favorite type of terrain!
The streets outside my house.
If you were to use an animal as a
metaphor to describe yourself, what
would that be?
Everyone would expect me to say an
elephant, but I would say a snake.
Favorite TV show?
When the IV is on, it is usually on
hockey
Any advice for mankind?
Embrace your loved ones now because
when they are gone only then will you
realize how much you love them
Last movie you saw?
Communion. I rented it.
Mags read other than Thrasher?
Vegetarian Times
Last book read?
Majestic, by Whitle Strieber
Gutter
Talk
And from the
pages of Califor
na mane
from the skate-
phatic pen of one
JE
consider the for
lowing tale of a
led saved by
baseba
"When he turned
-the age at
which learned
to hate Dusty
Rhodes-ay son
led to skate
board. He acted
We bed learned
to hale the who
world. He forgot
about his school
work based
himself with
heavy metal
music and wove
clothes with ma
sters and dragons
and Creatures
from "
Now dad takes
boy to ballpark
where major
league manager
talks to
The "Hechi
hair the next day
Hoptail of his
beavy metal tapes
into a briskcase
He started study
ing and getting
As He canceled
subscription
to Thrasher mag-
azive. He dumped
his skateboard
into the closet
And he suddenly
started to
communicate
Sound your
Ke? Our apolo
Estas so
Tough luck, bro
Dad doesn't really
mean mese
things...be just
bas prob
le relating to
anything other
than his rather
rigid ideals. While
it off as just
another case of
mid-crisis
etnies
USA
etnies
PERFORMANCE SKATE SHOES
90 THRASHER MAGAZINE