Mob Scene
One Man Army
TRASH
HARD TACK
HE RUMOR MILL HAS THE MUSKA
Tand his famous feet out of éS shoes and kicking
around in kicks of his own creation bankrolled by the folks
at Forum Snowboards. Also churning out of the shoe
industry's rumor cloud is a purported
deal between Eric Koston and Sole
Tech for $2 million.
Acceptance
Reynolds
Since the Mad Circle spun itself out,
Rob Welsh has relocated to Sal
Barbier's new Aesthetics line, whose
other riders include Pittsburgh power-
house Kevin Taylor and Clyde
Singleton, the latter of which claims
he's doing his job "just by standing next
to Method Man."
Scott Johnston is now on Chocolate, as well
as endorsing Brand Elwood gear. The famous
Huf is also rocking Elwood. Robby McKinley
snow riding am for Girl.
is
To the shock and dismay of the pro com-
munity, Josh Beagle has retired from pro sta-
tus but will stay with Tum Yeto to supervise.
the Pig wheels line. Daniel Shimizu now
rides for Foundation.
Driggs, Scrooge, V
WHAT A
LONG.
STRANGE
TRIPPE IT'S
BEEN.
Alan Petersen gave up his
anarchy Puma pro shoe and
now rides for Vans. Eddy
Alioto, the SoCal Crazy Eddie,
now rides for Sector 9.
Johnny "the Fons" Fonseca
rides for Republic.
Tired of the chill schedule of
Orange County, Reese Forbes
has moved to SF.
If you ask real nice, Jim
Greco might tell you whose
ass he kicked.
Unwilling to work for free, Warner
Mobster Brad Hayes has quit
Acme and is shopping his skills
around. His footage tape is rumored
to be one of the gnarliest around.
San Diego ams who skate like pros:
Neil Mims and Dayne Brummet.
Adam McNatt and Ronnie
Bertino have escaped sponsorship
limbo by signing up at ATM.
Bobby Puleo and Geo Moya both
found a home on New York-based
Infamous skateboards-Bobby on the
pro team and Geo as an am. Blue Light
Wheels, the urethane company under
the Infamous family tree, has added
Rodney Torres to its roster as an ama-
teur. On Infamous' G-Pak bearings East
Coast ripper-laden team. are Ben
Liversedge, Keith Hufnagel, Mike
Hernandez, Chris Keeffe,
and Peter Bici.
Lock up your women! Peter
Smolik finally got his own
Clairemont.
apartment-in
Ohhhhh!
COMPANY PICNIC
The recent outbreak of cor-
have inspired many riders to specu-
late that some top competitors at the
X Games may be being paid to show
up. Hawk's and Burnquist's names
may have been mentioned as possi-
bilities. The critics state that all
skaters should be paid for their par-
ticipation in these tele events as the
riders. are the basis of it all.
Understandably, those who dissent are
remaining low key, as identification as
an agitator may lead to denial of entry
or expulsion. Are these worries well.
or is it more media-produced.
founded
paranoia? What happened to Ed
Templeton following his vocal ques-
tioning of Games finances and his later.
"MTV Corporate Cheese Factory" art
piece? Promo flaks for the upcoming
Games in San Francisco have stated that
HALL OF MEAT
Even 5 and a half hours of surgery and a four inch
screw won't get Brett Broderick of Ellenwood, GA
back on board any time soon.
porate absorption has gener-
ated a continuous disgorge-
ment of facts and figures that
amaze some and alarm oth-
ers. While Steve Rocco flew
his operative nucleus and
team to his plush boy-toy
equipped survivalist com-
pound on Lanai, Hawaii to
reassure them that "nothing
had changed," several World
Industries intimates seemed hung up on
the numbers game and their relation to
same. For example, the company's
reported total working capital of 84 mil
lion dollars came up repeatedly.
Undeterred, Tod Swank took the
Foundation conglomerate to Vegas to
mourn the purported passing.
ship of the great World organization.
DIE HARD
owner-
they will bring the city revenues of
about 35 million dollars.
are
The Fall '99 X Games Style Forecast
contained this bit of acute wisdom:
"Designing for Fall/Winter '99,
letting the styles suggested in the Spring
'99 supplement evolve. This evolution.
means more serious and more refined
designs. For screen tees, we still find
photo-real designs appealing to boys to
be in the lead." So if you have managed
to forget the cultural manifesto that was
the X Games Spring '99 Style Forecast
moment"
The inspired promoters of the
Extreme Games-whoops, according to
network executives, "They are now only
to be referred to as the X Games"-Supplement, the "styles of the a
have been holding meetings with top
riders as of late. The tempo of these
conferences is said to be light on the
compensation and heavy on the author-
itarian trip. A theme which several par-
ticipants recall is that big media expo-
Casey, Rigger, Maia
Mike and Katherine
Lowboy and Blackie
any
sure is the key to an
individual's
success
and that
prospective rider
who desires to
ingratiate his or her-
self with the X
Games manage-
ment will avoid
entering Fox's
Gravity
These
Games.
meetings.
Nico, Jen, Gina
and X Tribe. Best be advised that the
include: Japanarama, XY2K, Bronx Grit
preceding information is "confidential
and to be disseminated on a need to
know basis only. Remember as you
struggle to incorporate this deep think-
ing into your art and life that the net-
work demands that you "be sure the
official X Games brand is part of the
overall look."
MADISON AVE
Snappy new X Games skateboards and
other youth-branded artifacts have been
circulating around New York headquar-
ters. The X decks are graphically remi-
niscent of the work of Brooke Raasch,
who is well known for his early Oakley
design exercises and for his current
Media skate stuff, à la the flagrant-
ly exploitive Saigon Execution,
JFK assassination, Manson Picnic
and Dave Drum models.
Other conglomerates are said to
be looking to "spread their brand."
Products being developmentally.
disabled by the marketing geniuses
that may clog your future include
Vans intimates are allegedly consid- Victoria Morris, and Skipperboy
ering further parkplexes and Engblom were exceptions to the rule
Europe, Florida and the Midwest of Tinseltown, as each has a known
are possible sites.
life outside of the movie industry. The
Bryan Ridgeway has been debonair Lee meanwhile spouted
observed riding Indys.
Scientological spirituality to many
eager potential converts. Engblom
was his elusive self, retiring early to go
have a confab with director Quentin
Tarantino, and Bebe Newirth. Were
Kelly Slater secured his latest
world surfing championship at the
Pipe Masters. He was celebrated later
at the world titles award banquet
POSER, OF
Killer Loop Snowboards, Ralph Lauren
RLX Polo Sport Skateboards, Cartoon
Network Skateboards, Fox Gravity Games
boards and the reborn Nike Aquasock,
which could eme
emerge as the "multiboard-
sport" footwear of choice. Those who
might question the wisdom of a 9.2 billion
dollar a year megacorp such as Nike recy-
cling their nearly decade old surfing shoe as
a surf-sail-skate-snow-wake tread may yet
be in for a few more
laughs. Not since the
early Steve Mills days.
at Nike have there been
so many denials about
the company's market
share acquisition agen-
da. Who could doubt
the good intentions of a
company that allegedly
employs thousands in
sweat shops, endows
YMCA skate ramps and
promotes the PLAY
program (Participate in
the Lives of America's
Youth)?
TOLD SCHOOL
THE MONTH)
The said-to-be five
million buck Vans
Skatepark in Orange,
California's Block the-
matic shopping com-
plex continues to
attract an eclectic mix
of all-timers, short-
timers and two-timers. A succession of
informal presentation events has drawn a
long list of personalities, many of whom
I have returned repeatedly. Evident atten-
dees include Koston, Jeff Grosso, the
Poser: Brad Beech
Violation: Balance-beam 5-0
Punishment: A 10-hour gymnast
plant session with Steve Schneer.
Mountains, Salman Agah, Willy
Santos, Rick Howard, Steve Caballero,
John Lucero, the Albas, Tony Alva, New
Steve Olson, Old Steve Olson, Omar
Hassan, Joel Tudor, Erik Grisham and
Jason Jessee. Mike Smith, Eddie.
Elguera, David Hackett and Little Al
Losi rounded out the missing man forma-
tion and attracted much attention in so
doing. Even George Orton was weaned
from celebrity luge riding at least for a time.
1998
SKATER OF
THE YEAR
MAS PARTY
along with new long
board champ Joel
Tudor. Tudor was
verbally harassed by
his many fans from
the audience at the
coronation proceed-
ings. The overall
championships by
Slater and Tudor
mark the first time
that two skateboard
signature model
endorsers have cap-
tured the professional
surfing titles. Perhaps
this occurrence will
end once and for all
of the incipid whin-
ing about "skating's
unfortunate influence
upon surfing." In
another instance,
Joel was seemingly
denied access to a
Pipeline
alive plans
they discussing the again alive
for Dogtown The Movie? This peren-
nial contender has been supported for
eons by major manager Alan
Sommers, who has also been known
to represent such looming skate nota-
bles as Stacy Douglas Peralta. And
who did SMA Skip have breakfast with
the morning after? None other than
Peralta. In another blatant coinci-
dence, Jay Adams flew in from the
Sandwich Islands to be fitted for some
Jeff Ho shaped surfboards that
allegedly will be done in conjunction
with the Red Dog. As previously noted
throughout all of these convulsions
the Bob Guccione Jr rag gear and
ex-rag Spin both worked intensively in
an attempt to beat the other to the
press with the "real" story of DT. The
latest scoop is said to be fallen Dog
Goddess Cleo's erotic interview for
Spin in which she reveals once and for
eternity just who the well-hyped ken-
nel's biggest studs were/are? Cleo
from
masters disappeared forever
the
Engblom-Ho managed Zephyr shop
shortly after meeting Warren Beatty
and Jack Nicholson, who once were
filming a movie in the venerable
skate shop's parking lot.
LAUGH LINES
demo heat at a contest sponsored
by one of his own sponsors. Even
fellow goofyfoot (and demo heat.
rider) Gerry Lopez seemed sur-
prised at Tudor's non-partaking.
Andy Howell has emerged from his
seeming exile in the lush realm of cor-
porate art direction. In the last month
he signed off on the Casio "perform
ance under pressure" ad series and
debuted a new art show at Space
1026 in Philadelphia. He also pro-
cured an '81 VW bus to go surfing
with Chris Miller. Recently Howell
has been riding the Zepp bank with
Vuco and has been dropping in at the
Van Doren amusement center.
HOLLY WOULD
Hollywood heartthrob Leonardo Di
Caprio's birthday party in Hollywood
attracted the storied assortment of
aspiring Y2K rollover casualties.
Jason Lee. Jack Nicholson,
What: Thrasher Christmas Party and Skater of the Year Award Ceremony
When: Saturday, December 12, 1998
Where: Bottom of the Hill nightclub, San Francisco, CA
Who (not in any particular order): Driggs, Andy Roy, Jay Adams, Lowboy, Ffej,
Stranger, Bob Denike, Bod Boyle, Ricky Oyola, Ali Boulala, Ali Cairns,
Jay Strickland, Team Pierre, Jim Thiebaud, Tommy Guerrero, Nik Freitas,
Brian Uyeda, the Jaks, Cooksie, BK, Jerks, Fong, Blackhart, Carroll, Cycle,
Sick Mafia, Arco, Frank Gerwer, Tony Trujillo, Cairo Foster, Mike Burnett,
Which notorious SF area manager
recently assessed a non-loyalty tax
on a defecting team rider and in the
process earned himself both a bro-
ken hand and a municipal court
restraining order?
Which skate truck company
actually. describes their
International Sales Manager by
stating, "She actually has never
skated but has been in this
industry for almost 13 years"?
Was Tony Hawk ever paid the
long outstanding royalty payments
owed to him by a former sponsor?
Has Hawk's overt loyalty and
morality made him a marked man
near Oceanside?
Max Schaaf, Coco Santiago, Karma Tsocheff, Elisabeth Shue, Mofo, and even Huf.
Highlights: Andrew Reynolds passed out before 9 PM and his acceptance speech,
the drunken antics of the underage Pissdrunx, Jay Adams' appearance,
Mic-E Reyes as Lucky the Leprechaun, broken bottles, chairs, lights, and hearts.
Lowlights: It ended.
Which quadruple dealing photog
now has burned all extant publica-
tions at least once? Where can
such photographer find future
employment? Will it be TWSurf?
What do Karma Tsocheff,
Greg Carroll and Don Fisher
all have in common? All are
reputedly being treated to free
cars by Daewoo.
reluctant to discuss specific
Lights out
seem
details but each vouches for the fine.
points of the pristinely basic import auto.
Is this an elaborate pyramid scheme
hatched by Karma or is this another
instance of crossover marketing?
Which international sponsor of high
profile skate-surf-snow events recent-
ly discovered that the daughter of the
chairman of the
the board appeared in a
porno film? Is a skater of renown sus-
pected of being the guy who turned
out Daddy Bigbucks little nymphet?
Are Mr Big's henchmen involved with
buying up copies of the offending
cine anatomy lesson?
LIP SERVICE
"Come on guys, show us some loyalty;
don't do Fox."
-X-Bureaucrat
"Don't talk about my Lexus in Trash. I
don't want people to get the wrong idea."
-Greg Carroll
"Skateboarding just isn't an alterna-
tive activity anymore. I don't know
what is going to happen; it already is
too mainstream."
"I've got so much
fuckin'
money
that I could buy
the whole rail-
road and the right
of way."
-Fausto Vitello
"If you get cut
from my pro-.
gram, you get cut
from my life."
-Mic-E Reyes
-Andy Howell
Spawn
lay Boy and Roy Dog
Sadie, Dom, Maia, Cuse.
BANCI
AR
Strat and Pat