I grew up with skate videos. Or rather, skate videos and I grew up together. From the first efforts of Powell in the 80s, to the recent Adidas high production premier, it’s been an interesting trip. In the early years I was stoked to see a new video. They were watched over and over again. They inspired people to go skating. Now, skate videos are worse than a scorching case of Panda AIDS, Zika, and SARS all combined into a neat 20 minute advertisement.
Modern skate videos are a tedious bore. A tragedy to make Homer jealous. Skateboarding has become hard to watch. Golf might offer more excitement. Skate videos are no longer inspiring. They don’t make you want to go skate. They don’t spread the stoke. It’s more like watching someone doing algebra. The specific problem dovetails into two (well, maybe three) issues that make contemporary skate videos a soul-crushing nightmare.
First, is saturation. In order to maintain market relevancy, everyone is releasing 3x video clips a week. Combine that with the sheer number of companies in skateboarding right now, and we’re talking Old Testament floodwaters.
Second, is predictability. Before I even watch the newest video, I know what I am going to see. Super tech ledge tricks. Something gnarly down a handrail. A big gap. **Yawn** It’s just become so, so, fuckin’ predictable. Once you’ve seen footage of Jaws skating gaps, everything else becomes pretty mundane. How many more combos can Shane O’Neil string together on a ledge? It just all passes a point of absurdity. Maybe I am just old. Maybe I have just seen too much skateboarding. How many kickflips over an X can one man possibly be expected to endure before utter madness sets in? While I may not be able to predict the exact combo, when I see Nyjah skating towards a ledge, I know what is about to happen (it will be something like a Tre flip to nose grind to nollie flip out). I just can’t watch it anymore, and still be moved by it. Yes, Nyjah has absurd talent. Yet, he is also absurdly uninspiring to watch skate, which brings me to the last issue.
The fun factor. Watching a lot of modern stunt-man skating does not look like fun. It looks horrifying, or so tech that it’s just…goofy. Olleing down 25 stairs? I mean, like, HOLY FUCK, that is sooo gnarly, but it screams shattered bones before it even approaches something that looks like fun. Bigflip to f/s railslide to kickflip out. Yeah, crazy hard, nothing I’d ever be able to do, but it just doesn’t speak to me. Modern videos document, but they do not inspire. Sure, some may be inspired by most modern skate videos. I am just not one of those people.
Yet, not everything falls into the “unwatchable.” There are still a lot of videos out there, which simply rock the world. The only videos I can watch these days are ones where I have absolutely no fucking idea what is going to happen next. A few examples are below. What makes these special is, well, watch for yourself. I don’t need to explain it.
The Pyscho Killer / Glenn "Glenzig" Davidson video, which can be seen here.
Any video made by Fancy Lad.
The Magenta Guys have this radness going.
Jerry Gurney. This one takes a bit to get going, and then, wow. The real fun doesn't start until about 45 seconds in.
Richie Jackson. This is simply amazing stuff.
Mike V. and the crew are also putting out clips that is just pure fucking fun, and make you want to go skating more than anything else. Just how it should be.
EDIT/POST-SCRIPT: A few comments about this post were made on Facebook between a friend and I. They should probably be included.
Jose: The 1 8 makes rad videos that still inspire....when they make a video!
Me: I
debated mentioning the 1 8 in this post. I left them out because, well,
like almost everything else they do, it's in its own world. Fucktards
was so raw. Tent City to Destination Unknown, to the recent "Landfill
Contributors" clips on the AH web site...all amazing stuff.
Jose: They
never tire cause it's real skateboarding. Hanging out with your bros
capturing those moments sometimes when you're actually filming and not
just on a filming mission.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Thursday, June 9, 2016
“Man, I wish I had lived a less authentic life.”
Well, it’s June. That means gay pride events/parades around the country. For the last week or so, for some reason, I have felt compelled to write something about this subject. I am not quite sure why. Actually, compelled isn’t the right word, “obligated” is. Again, I ask why. The gay pride parade in Boston is this Saturday. I have a lot of mixed feelings about it.
The first “pride” event, in June of 1969, was a bunch of liquored-up transsexual/transgender/drag queen prostitutes who started an actual riot, in retaliation of/for/to police brutality at a local gay bar in NYC. That night they decided to vote with a brick. Three nights of riots followed (sounds a lot like modern police/race relations, actually). Today, gay pride parades are family orientated events. They are often nothing more than advertisements for corporate banks, local politicians, and churches. People march down the street in pretty rainbows, behind a nice little banner with assorted corporate logos, as if they are walking commercials. Street League for homosexuals. Is this what we fought for all these years? To walk behind a bank’s advertisement? I know I am oversimplifying the issue, but at the same time, I am absolutely not.
I suppose I feelcompelled obligated to write something about “pride” because I know how important it is to be “out.” It’s a lot harder to be a homophobic asshole when one of “those people” is someone you “know.” That, in turn, helps make the world a more livable place for everyone. Part of me wants to touch on that issue, especially in the context of skate culture, because I am indeed one of “those” people (and skateboarding could certainly use it). Or maybe I could talk about, how what I learned from skateboarding, helped me to actually “come out” some 20+ years ago (I covered this in some other posts, anyway). But, I am so over per se identity politics (even if the GOP seems pretty obsessed with us). I’ve been “out” for over 20 years. At least in my life, being queer is mostly a moot point by now. It’s just like…*yawn*. Big fucking deal. Do I need to rehash this, again? Can't we go get tacos, or skate a curb? To those who think of me, or anyone, as lesser person because of their sexual orientation, I'd be more than happy to take the claw side of a hammer to your face.
So, in terms of what to write about all this, these reservations just leave me with a void. A void that I still feel an obligation to fill. I guess the only thing I really have to say, which I learned from both being a skater, and from being “queer,” is to be who ever the fuck you are, and tell the rest of the world to go fuck themselves. One thing I know or sure, is that no one, NO ONE, on their deathbed is going say, “Man, I wish I had lived a less authentic life.” Be who ever you are, and rock that party as hard as you fuckin' can.
My gay ass, nollie backside lipslide up the block at a local DIY spot.
The first “pride” event, in June of 1969, was a bunch of liquored-up transsexual/transgender/drag queen prostitutes who started an actual riot, in retaliation of/for/to police brutality at a local gay bar in NYC. That night they decided to vote with a brick. Three nights of riots followed (sounds a lot like modern police/race relations, actually). Today, gay pride parades are family orientated events. They are often nothing more than advertisements for corporate banks, local politicians, and churches. People march down the street in pretty rainbows, behind a nice little banner with assorted corporate logos, as if they are walking commercials. Street League for homosexuals. Is this what we fought for all these years? To walk behind a bank’s advertisement? I know I am oversimplifying the issue, but at the same time, I am absolutely not.
I suppose I feel
And yet another part of me just wants to unleash on everything I despise about so-called gay culture. Because of skateboarding, I grew up dirty, bruised, bleeding, in the streets, running from the police, listening to crazy-ass music, and hanging out with crazy-people, as we did crazy-ass shit. The world of high-fashion, fancy cocktails, show tunes, rainbows, some pop-diva wailing about some bullshit, and overall fabulousness makes me want to cut off my own arm, and then fist myself with my own severed limb. Ok, maybe I’m being a little bit dramatic (I am gay, after all. I mean, we’re supposed to be dramatic, or something). That said, I don’t really want this blog to be focused on negative stuff, so I am really hesitant to totally unleash. I also don’t want a skate-based blog to be focused on what I hate about gay culture. It just doesn’t fit. I mean, there is nothing inherently wrong with all of that stereotypical “gay” stuff I listed above, it’s just not a world I can relate to, at all. Glitter, rainbows, Armani, and Madonna?
Fuck that. Blood, bikes, skateboards, and punk rock.
So, in terms of what to write about all this, these reservations just leave me with a void. A void that I still feel an obligation to fill. I guess the only thing I really have to say, which I learned from both being a skater, and from being “queer,” is to be who ever the fuck you are, and tell the rest of the world to go fuck themselves. One thing I know or sure, is that no one, NO ONE, on their deathbed is going say, “Man, I wish I had lived a less authentic life.” Be who ever you are, and rock that party as hard as you fuckin' can.
My gay ass, nollie backside lipslide up the block at a local DIY spot.
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Safety Last
And…I’m out on injury. Again.
The last year I have been plagued by injury. Two bad
sprains. Tendonitis in two different spots. With physical therapy, the latter was
making good head-way. I was skating a lot more, and getting a lot of the rust
off (from being out on injury). I couldn’t skate as much, as long, or as hard, as
I wanted, but I was skating, and that
is better than nothing. This week I actually thought one afternoon, “Hmm. I haven’t been
off-the-board injured in awhile.” Spoke too soon. The very next day, I jacked
my right foot bailing a backside blunt on a Jersey barrier. Here is a small
feeble grind I did moments before the b/s blunt injury.
What I wouldn’t give at this point to just have solid 3
months of skating without injury, without having to hold back how
often/hard/long I skate for, and without being in some serious joint/tendon
pain the following day. The reality is am 42, not 22. Age is a real thing. I
have almost resigned myself to the fact that I will never again be injury/pain
free for an extended period. And isn’t that just disheartening. On the other
hand, ever time I have fallen, I have gotten back up. Every time I have been
injured, I have healed. I have no question that I will yet again. In the meantime,
there is acute frustration. Frustration that I can’t do what I love, and
frustration that I know injury is going to be more and more common and frequent
as time goes on. Lance Mountain made that one comment, “Skateboarding doesn’t
make you a skateboarder; not being able to stop skateboarding makes you a
skateboarder.” Some real truth to that, as only the injured know. And then
there is the John Lucero quote, “My knees are ruined.
My back is blown out. I have a hard time walking. I’m going to have a hard time
getting up out of this chair in a second, and it’s all because of
skateboarding. And it feels so good. It feels so good to know that you’re a
skateboarder, and that’s it.”
There is no question that I will be
back on the board again. There is also no question that, eventually, I will
again be off the board due to some unknown future injury. Both are inevitable. The
ying and yang of being a 40+ skater. "Sometimes you have to just say “fuck it” and keep doing the possibly
injurious thing, because even that fall will lift you up in the end." -Concrete Lunch. There is also this and this, great posts on essentially the same topic.
Safety last. Life first.
Safety last. Life first.
Friday, May 6, 2016
Product Review & Project Recap: Red Paint, Lacquer, Brick Rub, and a Crusty-Ass Curb
Product Review Items:
1. Rust-oleum “Professional High Performance Protective Enamel” paint (“Safety Red, K7764”), $35-$55 per gallon. You can get smaller amounts for much cheaper.
2. Clear, spray-on, Lacquer (any brand will suffice), about $5.00
3. Concrete Brick Rub (tool), about $10.00
Short Version: Take a super crusty parking block, brick rub it, give it two (or more) coats of red paint, and after the paint dries, spray it with lacquer. You will now have a kick-ass curb that will slide and grind like crazy.
Long Version: Last year we started a skate collective, as a local chapter of The Build Project (kicked off by Real, Anti-Hero, etc.). One of our smaller projects was to paint some local curbs and parking blocks. None of us had ever painted curbs before. We had no idea what the best type of paint was, how much to use, how to seal it, etc. In short, we had no fucking idea what we were doing. I solicited help from numerous “curb consultants,” and was given several different suggestions. Rustoleum “Professional High Performance Protective Enamel” paint kept coming up again and again. A friend ordered some on-line, but they wouldn’t ship it our state (MA) because it was “too volatile.” Leave it to us to inadvertently order “bomb making” material. There was an alternate version which they would ship, so that’s what we ended up with (the alternate version is what I am reviewing. Not really sure what the originally ordered version is/was). Once we had the paint, the brushes, and the brick-rub, it was time to get down to bid’ness.
First, we painted a local curb that was made of marble. When we were done, it skated great. That said, it skated well before we painted it, too. The REAL test was going to be on a few parking blocks we had our eyes on. These blocks had never been painted, even when they were first manufactured. They had been long abandoned, and were quite weathered and corroded. Crusty-as-fuck. Even with wax, they didn’t slide. Grind? Forget about it. Would painting these actually make them skateable? I had deep skepticism. Take a look for yourself. This is one the blocks before we did anything to it. These photos aren’t pretty. The curb has a face that only a true curb junkie could love.
BRICK RUB: One of the guys in our collective extolled the virtues of “concrete brick rubs.” I had never heard of these things before. They are used to smooth out edges of bricks, and hardened concrete. Essentially, they are just really gnarly pieces of sandpaper for really gnarly materials. I was told that if you, “Just smooth the edge with a brick rub, and add some wax, you can skate any ledge.” Yeah. Right. Nike really cares about skateboarding, too.
Well, it was time to put this brick-rub thing to the test. I took it, and “sanded down” the edges of the parking blocks. It certainly had a dramatic impact on the way the edges LOOKED, as it smoothed out all the kinks and gnarly spots, but there was no chance that just a bit of wax was going to make these monster crust blocks skateable. To be honest, I was skeptical that the paint would have much of an impact, too. That quickly changed once I started painting the curb. The paint was thick as hell, and I painted the blocks with really thick coats. By the time the curb was ¼ way painted, it started to look like a “real” parking block. I let the first coat dry for about 18 hours, and then added a second coat. After 24 hours I added a layer of the spray-on Lacquer (that shit dries super-fast). At this point, the blocks were GLOWING with color. They were begging to be skated, almost mocking me to even try grinding them. Yet, I was still a bit skeptical as to how well all of this was actually going to work. Indys, don’t fail me now, it’s show time. Five minutes later I was hitting all kinds of board/tail/nose slides across both blocks. Grinds were almost effortless. My mind was melting. I was completely blown away. This now totally skateable curb was its own, perfect, self-contained skatepark. There were other suggestions/methods made about how to treat/paint curbs, and we may try those in the future, but for now I can say with 100% certainty, that the method described above will indeed transform an unskateable, crusty-ass curb into something you will love. I have seen the transformation with my own eyes. The magic is real.
Monday, March 14, 2016
Wisdom From the Acient Masters of Alt.Skate-Board (Part 10)
Thoai Tran wrote 14 installments of Zen and Skateboarding. Here is Part 10. See introductory comments I wrote on this post for full context of the entire series.
Part Ten: Four Elements
Shi, who has just started skating several months ago, came up to the Ch'an master and said:
" I am only a beginner. I love skating because there is so much to do on this simple board. There are so many styles, so many people who can work magic with their board. But my question to you, oh venerable one, is how I can tell who are the good skaters? What tricks must I do to be considered good? What advice can you give me, oh venerable one?
The Ch'an master pointed to the distant sea and answered:
" My young friend, you want to know how you can tell good skating? It is very simple....go to that distant sea, and count the number of grains found on that beach. Then you will truly grasp what is good in skateboarding..."
Shi bowed his head and continued:
" Do you mean to say that a tailslide is just as beautiful as an intricate flip trick? That cannot be! Something as intricate and complex must be better...I have spent days practicing on this particular one, and minutes landing a tailslide! How can that be?"
The Ch'an master pointed to the skies above and answered:
" My young friend, the universe that we find ourselves under is infinite and all-encompassing. All the things we see are manifestations of one energy, being converted from one form to another, but never created or destroyed. Both a tail slide and a more complicated flip trick are part of this infinite energy flow; each is a variation of that which is already perfect and complete...You add or remove energy; just as you cannot add or subtract beauty to that which is already perfect and constant..."
Shi bowed his head once more. So he continued..
" Oh venerable one, so what is the purpose of skating then, if beauty doesn't exist? If everything is relative, then aren't skaters just subjecting themselves to a trivial activity that has no meaning or relevance? I think that skaters must have a goal! Without one, it is illegitimate...meaningless! My goal is to become professional before I turn 20! It gives my skating meaning..."
The Ch'an master pointed to the burning sun and remarked:
" In the relentless heat of the tundra,
a lion lies on the crusted and burning dirt.
Under a shriveled tree that has lost its life
to the flames of its stark reality,
it exists where no other beasts have dared to venture
or embark through the burning desolation...
The lion has no reason to stay or not to stay. It is perfectly content with its own nature..."
Shi reflected for a moment. He continued...
" Oh venerable one, then what are the important things in skating then? How should I approach my skating then? What should I look for? "
The Ch'an master scooped a handful of dirt with his hand and answered:
" All the minerals and elements necessary for life are found in this moist soil that I have in my hand..."
He handed Shi a shovel and told him to plant a young sapling on top of the distant hill..
Part Ten: Four Elements
Shi, who has just started skating several months ago, came up to the Ch'an master and said:
" I am only a beginner. I love skating because there is so much to do on this simple board. There are so many styles, so many people who can work magic with their board. But my question to you, oh venerable one, is how I can tell who are the good skaters? What tricks must I do to be considered good? What advice can you give me, oh venerable one?
The Ch'an master pointed to the distant sea and answered:
" My young friend, you want to know how you can tell good skating? It is very simple....go to that distant sea, and count the number of grains found on that beach. Then you will truly grasp what is good in skateboarding..."
Shi bowed his head and continued:
" Do you mean to say that a tailslide is just as beautiful as an intricate flip trick? That cannot be! Something as intricate and complex must be better...I have spent days practicing on this particular one, and minutes landing a tailslide! How can that be?"
The Ch'an master pointed to the skies above and answered:
" My young friend, the universe that we find ourselves under is infinite and all-encompassing. All the things we see are manifestations of one energy, being converted from one form to another, but never created or destroyed. Both a tail slide and a more complicated flip trick are part of this infinite energy flow; each is a variation of that which is already perfect and complete...You add or remove energy; just as you cannot add or subtract beauty to that which is already perfect and constant..."
Shi bowed his head once more. So he continued..
" Oh venerable one, so what is the purpose of skating then, if beauty doesn't exist? If everything is relative, then aren't skaters just subjecting themselves to a trivial activity that has no meaning or relevance? I think that skaters must have a goal! Without one, it is illegitimate...meaningless! My goal is to become professional before I turn 20! It gives my skating meaning..."
The Ch'an master pointed to the burning sun and remarked:
a lion lies on the crusted and burning dirt.
Under a shriveled tree that has lost its life
to the flames of its stark reality,
it exists where no other beasts have dared to venture
or embark through the burning desolation...
The lion has no reason to stay or not to stay. It is perfectly content with its own nature..."
Shi reflected for a moment. He continued...
" Oh venerable one, then what are the important things in skating then? How should I approach my skating then? What should I look for? "
The Ch'an master scooped a handful of dirt with his hand and answered:
" All the minerals and elements necessary for life are found in this moist soil that I have in my hand..."
He handed Shi a shovel and told him to plant a young sapling on top of the distant hill..
Wisdom From the Acient Masters of Alt.Skate-Board (Part 9)
Thoai Tran wrote 14 installments of Zen and Skateboarding. Here is Part 9. See introductory comments I wrote on this post for full context of the entire series.
Part Nine: Clean Karma
The Ch'an master was once approached by a group of skaters. They all exclaimed: " Master, we have heard of your wisdom and have traveled long to ask you to tell us the secrets to skating well. We will wait here patiently for you. We do not mind staying here for hours listening to your infinite wisdom. Teach us..."
The Ch'an master looked at them keenly, pointed his finger at their boards, and replied: "Secret to skating well: if it rolls, then push it."
The Ch'an master was once approached by an older skater who wanted to learn about harmony. He implored: "You, oh great Master Ch'an, know the secrets of being in a peaceful state with oneself and the universe. How do I know if I am at peace with my skating? Is there something special I should feel? Is there a criterion that must be met to be in complete harmony with my skating? What are the rules that I must follow to be like you, oh great venerable master? "
The Ch'an master looked at the old skater, but did not answer. The skater was suddenly enlightened.
The Ch'an master was visited by an angry skater who cried out agitatedly: " I have this board! I can land tricks so easily one day. But now, I can't land anything! " He threw his board twenty feet away. It landed with a thump.
The Ch'an master answered: " Light too consists of both particles and waves. When one takes either away, one ceases to see. " The blind skater suddenly saw.
The Ch'an master visited a skatespot where a girl was skating by herself. She told Master Ch'an her problem: " I don't know of too many girls that pursue this art as fervently as I have. But I find myself alone. The guys look at me differently, as though my art is a joke to them. I am so frustrated!"
The Ch'an master calmly taught: " A single ripple that emanates from a point in the middle of a pond always start small. But with time, it becomes bigger and bigger, as it reaches for the edge of the pond; and ultimately, it will encompass everything along its path. You who find yourself alone at skatespots, reflect on this..."
An angry skate items distributor accosted the Ch'an master and shouted: "Who the hell you think you are telling all the kids not to worry about the clothes? Fashion gives the kids a sense of identity, of belonging, of being accepted by their peers. It is impossible for a kid to be a complete skater if he isn't sporting the latest wear!"
The Ch'an master thus spoke: "Your shoelace is untied. An untied shoelace prevents you from walking properly and speedily. One trips over one's ignorance, so it is better to take it off and walk barefooted. " The Ch'an master walked away...the owner tripped.
Two skaters approached the Ch'an master and asked him to judge which of the two is better. The first skater ollied a garbage can. The second fronside 180 the same garbage can. The first 360 flip it. The second switch 360 flip it. so on and so on and so on. The skaters nervously asked: "Master Ch'an, which of us is the better skater."
The Ch'an master threw some wrappings in the garbage and said: "Winners always put unnecessary trash in the garbage. " Both skaters were losers.
So said the Ch'an Master...
One day, the Ch'an master came to the town...
The first skater, a weary veteran of many years, approached him and said: " Oh venerable sage, I have skated for many years, and have exhausted all the tricks found in magazines and videos. I did all the styles: vert, street, free. I have gone through the cycle of sponsorship and traveled around the workd to give demos. I don't know what to do now..."
So the Ch'an master advised: "Now it is time to go skating."
The next skater, dressed in the latest style, came up to the master and asked: " Oh enlightened one, what kind of shoes do you recommend for skating? When I go to the skateshop, what kind of things should I look for in a skateshoe?"
So the Ch'an master answered: "When looking for skate shoes, ask yourself the following question: what kind of shoes does the hawk wear while it is soaring gracefully in the air? Then the perfect shoe shall be manifested immediately."
Another skater spoke about girls. He said: "I notice that a lot of girls have been interested in me ever since I started skating, which is cool and all, but sometimes it's kinda annoying. What advice can you give me about this?"
The Ch'an master replied: " My young friend, it has always been known that crossing a horse with a donkey gives a mule - an animal that is not capable of being productive."
Next, a woman came up and shouted: " I think skaters are a bunch of degenerates! All they do is skate, skate, and skate! Those baggy clothes they wear are disgusting! Tell your friends they are all losers and I hope they break their bones!"
The compassionate one directed to the audience of skaters: " My skating friend, a great boulder on top of that mountain cannot be moved by powerful earthly winds. Likewise, a mind in complete harmony with one's skating is unmoved by words that blow out of other's mouths. Indeed, you are all losers." Nobody argued...
A young skater spoke rather sincerely: " I know this old guy who skates by me. Often, he tried to give me advices about skating, which is kinda lame because his old school style is completely different from mine. I just laugh and skate away because it's like comparing apples to oranges, am I right oh venerable sage?"
The Ch'an master answered with patience: " An elderly man who uses medicinal practices to help others is often called "doctor." A sick man who refuses his prescribed medicine is often called "stupid.""
So taught the Ch'an master.
Part Nine: Clean Karma
The Ch'an master was once approached by a group of skaters. They all exclaimed: " Master, we have heard of your wisdom and have traveled long to ask you to tell us the secrets to skating well. We will wait here patiently for you. We do not mind staying here for hours listening to your infinite wisdom. Teach us..."
The Ch'an master looked at them keenly, pointed his finger at their boards, and replied: "Secret to skating well: if it rolls, then push it."
The Ch'an master was once approached by an older skater who wanted to learn about harmony. He implored: "You, oh great Master Ch'an, know the secrets of being in a peaceful state with oneself and the universe. How do I know if I am at peace with my skating? Is there something special I should feel? Is there a criterion that must be met to be in complete harmony with my skating? What are the rules that I must follow to be like you, oh great venerable master? "
The Ch'an master looked at the old skater, but did not answer. The skater was suddenly enlightened.
The Ch'an master was visited by an angry skater who cried out agitatedly: " I have this board! I can land tricks so easily one day. But now, I can't land anything! " He threw his board twenty feet away. It landed with a thump.
The Ch'an master answered: " Light too consists of both particles and waves. When one takes either away, one ceases to see. " The blind skater suddenly saw.
The Ch'an master visited a skatespot where a girl was skating by herself. She told Master Ch'an her problem: " I don't know of too many girls that pursue this art as fervently as I have. But I find myself alone. The guys look at me differently, as though my art is a joke to them. I am so frustrated!"
The Ch'an master calmly taught: " A single ripple that emanates from a point in the middle of a pond always start small. But with time, it becomes bigger and bigger, as it reaches for the edge of the pond; and ultimately, it will encompass everything along its path. You who find yourself alone at skatespots, reflect on this..."
An angry skate items distributor accosted the Ch'an master and shouted: "Who the hell you think you are telling all the kids not to worry about the clothes? Fashion gives the kids a sense of identity, of belonging, of being accepted by their peers. It is impossible for a kid to be a complete skater if he isn't sporting the latest wear!"
The Ch'an master thus spoke: "Your shoelace is untied. An untied shoelace prevents you from walking properly and speedily. One trips over one's ignorance, so it is better to take it off and walk barefooted. " The Ch'an master walked away...the owner tripped.
Two skaters approached the Ch'an master and asked him to judge which of the two is better. The first skater ollied a garbage can. The second fronside 180 the same garbage can. The first 360 flip it. The second switch 360 flip it. so on and so on and so on. The skaters nervously asked: "Master Ch'an, which of us is the better skater."
The Ch'an master threw some wrappings in the garbage and said: "Winners always put unnecessary trash in the garbage. " Both skaters were losers.
So said the Ch'an Master...
One day, the Ch'an master came to the town...
The first skater, a weary veteran of many years, approached him and said: " Oh venerable sage, I have skated for many years, and have exhausted all the tricks found in magazines and videos. I did all the styles: vert, street, free. I have gone through the cycle of sponsorship and traveled around the workd to give demos. I don't know what to do now..."
So the Ch'an master advised: "Now it is time to go skating."
The next skater, dressed in the latest style, came up to the master and asked: " Oh enlightened one, what kind of shoes do you recommend for skating? When I go to the skateshop, what kind of things should I look for in a skateshoe?"
So the Ch'an master answered: "When looking for skate shoes, ask yourself the following question: what kind of shoes does the hawk wear while it is soaring gracefully in the air? Then the perfect shoe shall be manifested immediately."
Another skater spoke about girls. He said: "I notice that a lot of girls have been interested in me ever since I started skating, which is cool and all, but sometimes it's kinda annoying. What advice can you give me about this?"
The Ch'an master replied: " My young friend, it has always been known that crossing a horse with a donkey gives a mule - an animal that is not capable of being productive."
Next, a woman came up and shouted: " I think skaters are a bunch of degenerates! All they do is skate, skate, and skate! Those baggy clothes they wear are disgusting! Tell your friends they are all losers and I hope they break their bones!"
The compassionate one directed to the audience of skaters: " My skating friend, a great boulder on top of that mountain cannot be moved by powerful earthly winds. Likewise, a mind in complete harmony with one's skating is unmoved by words that blow out of other's mouths. Indeed, you are all losers." Nobody argued...
A young skater spoke rather sincerely: " I know this old guy who skates by me. Often, he tried to give me advices about skating, which is kinda lame because his old school style is completely different from mine. I just laugh and skate away because it's like comparing apples to oranges, am I right oh venerable sage?"
The Ch'an master answered with patience: " An elderly man who uses medicinal practices to help others is often called "doctor." A sick man who refuses his prescribed medicine is often called "stupid.""
So taught the Ch'an master.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Brands and Being: We Are What We Have Been Becoming
A recurring theme of this blog is “What does it mean to be a skateboarder?” and/or, “How does involvement in skateboarding, and skate culture, transform one’s Being, identity, and self-understanding?” This post is another dive into those questions, with an eye towards skateboard brands. Throughout my 31-year relationship with skateboarding, there have always been companies, brands, decks, imagery, etc. that I identified with, and others that I avoided like the plague. This is true with most skaters. These associations, and dis-associations, are extensions of our own self-understanding and being. We are who we have been becoming.
“It [skateboarding] is as much the act of skating, as it is the discovery of what you are all about.” -Julien Stranger, Tent City, at 1min 5sec (2004)
“There exists a longstanding argument that graphics don’t really matter. Those who harbor this glib opinion are shortsighted at best, because the importance of graphics runs deeper than inconsequential kiddy trappings—perhaps even more so now that corporate America has seized upon skateboarding and conveniently categorized, packaged and produced it for the masses under the Madison Avenue-approved banner of “extreme sports.”
In the past, one of the most integral functions of art in skateboarding was its ability to create an underground camaraderie with global reach. Such cryptic icons was the Dogtown Cross and Vato Rat managed to sum up the rebellious allure of skateboarding in but a few simple strokes…Graphics came to signify an unspoken bond between skateboarders everywhere. Best of all, to anyone not directly involved with the subculture these images were meaningless, sometimes even threatening…Strip boards of their silk-screened soul and they become no better than any other performance-based sporting goods.” -Sean Cliver, Disposable: A History of Skateboard Art, p. 103. (2007)
Cliver speaks to images, and the significance and power they have. While he mostly speaks of individual deck graphics, this post seeks to bump things up a level, to the graphics and brands of the skate industry as a whole.
Brands. Branding. Brand identity. Brand loyalty. The cult of Independent trucks. The Nike SB backlash. The Bones Brigade. World Industries co-opting every image of pop culture. Spitfire logo tattoos. And so on. Skateboarding, more so than almost any other “sport” has a long, involved, and complex relationship to imagery, and concepts of brand identity. What exactly is a “brand identity,” and how does it impact the world of skateboarding, and the lives of skateboarders? Why do I even care?
“As kids we get skateboards. After falling in love with the act of skating, we brand ourselves skateboarders. We find our niche within this culture, and it inspires and influences us to become the people we become. I look at skateboarding culture right now and see much brand diversity…Each brand has a distinct fashion sense to brand, and each brand offers a starting place to develop [in] taste and personal preference for art and music.” [Ed. Note: I would add, world view, politics, self-understanding, and even social theory to that list.]. -David Thornton, Luchaskate, Issue 10, p. 9. (2016)
With that observation, Thornton bridges the gap between Julien’s comment on self-discovery, and Cliver’s missive on the significance of imagery. The two can feed into each other. Moreover, that quote opens the door to the heart of this post; “finding a niche,” and “becoming the people we become,” and how branding factors in our own self-understanding.
Identity, and the way in which we exist in the world, and relate to the others around us have deep implications to our own sense of Being, and to the things that provide meaning in our lives. Identity, and group affiliation, can have profound impacts. It may mean the difference between being left in peace, or being heckled by jocks that view skaters as 3rd class citizens. It may mean life or death depending on what ethnic/religious/gender/sexual orientation/etc. group one belongs to. Turn on the news, and you will see the ramifications of identity (politics) across the globe. People die, and are slaughtered, over identity. Nothing runs deeper. The micro-politics of daily social interactions to the Holocaust are all rooted in concepts of identity. Skateboarders, and skateboarding, have always had a unique relationship to the world of identity, both to the world at large, and amongst themselves. Ask any life-long skater “who they are,” and most will likely answer, “I am a skateboarder.” It is very rare that, beyond high school, many adults would answer the same question with something like, “I am a football player.” Identity holds a unique place for skateboarders. It always has. It always will. Skateboarding permeates one’s sense of Being unlike anything else.
Brand identity. It is what separates Nike from Consolidated, and Zumies from your local “core” skate shop. Branding is nothing without some type of message, be it told by text, graphics, or images. Without a larger brand identity, almost all skate company products are basically the same (“Strip boards of their silk-screened soul and they become no better than any other performance-based sporting goods.” –Sean Cliver). Branding is everything non-tangible. Branding is an assertion of identity, meaning, values, philosophy, and world view. It is a factor in who you decided to give your money to. It is something that resonates or repels. It is community involvement and support (or lack thereof). It is images of culture or counter-culture. It is a way to show proxy endorsement, and affiliation with a given concept, idea, or group; it is your “gang colors.” Branding is communication about what a company/person “stands” for, looks like, and acts like. It is an alignment of an emotional connection with life experiences, and a state of mind. It is identity attached to an inanimate object. It is the act of storytelling, and making yourself a part of that story. Of course, this is true of all brands, not just the ones in skateboarding. That said, there is a much greater sense of brand identity and development within skateboarding than almost anywhere else in the word. People just don’t have the passion for Kraft, Hormel, Oscar Meyer, Exxon, Samsung, etc. as they do for Santa Cruz, Girl, Spitfire, or Independent. Harley-Davidson may be one of the few comparative examples in the non-skateboard world (Well, there is that whole GMC v. Ford truck controversy. Out of fear for my own well-being, I take no side in the pick-up wars.).
But, so what? Brand identity is a “thing” that is out there. A lot of what I am saying is common sense and obvious to anyone who puts any thought into it. So, what of it? Why does it matter? For a blog that is primarily based on the “existential and metaphysical interrelation of skateboarding and life,” this is about as deep as it gets. How does the ether around skateboarding impact identity? How does identity shape skateboarding? Skateboarding, and the culture around it, impact great portions of our lives, at least it did to mine. Almost any life-long skater will say the same. Much of the “shaping” comes not only from the life-lessons that the pure act of skateboarding provides, but also from the ethos, mores, and “storytelling” advanced by various skateboard companies, self-branding pros, and skate culture itself. It is a culture we are immersed in. To say we are not affected by that, is, as Cliver says, short sighted at best.
It is not as if we only ascertain these ideas about our own identity. We also seem to have them about others. How many expressed confusion when Chris Cole join the ranks of Plan B? People often said he just didn’t seemed to “fit” on Plan B (coming off Zero). Could anyone see Jeff Grosso riding for DGK? Caballero on Chocolate? Scheckler on Creature? The problem with all of these fictional match-ups is a clash of identity and brand. Nyjah’s flashy diamonds and cars just don’t quite seem to mesh with the virtual freelance vagrancy of Anti Hero’s “Tent City.” It’s almost laughable to think of these pairings. But why? A skateboard is a skateboard, right? Would Nyjah really be unable to skate if a Black Label deck was under his feet? Would Birdo be unable to walk in a pair of Nike SB shoes? It is laughable because the identity of these people/companies are so vastly different from each other. With time, we develop an intuitive sense of our personal identity, and that of others, and the ontological “places” those identities do, and do not, coincide with. We find our niche. We gravitate toward that which resonates, and avoid that which does not. We build a picture of the world, and ascertain where, and how, we fit into that picture. The picture is not entirely of our own making. We use the tools/influences around us to contextualize ourselves within it.
While we could certainly take a look at larger trends, and examine the lasting influence of people like Gonz, Neil Blender, Eric Kosten, P.Rod, or companies like Powell, World Industries, Alien Workshop, etc., but, such an analysis misses the mark. Another common theme of this blog is the focus on individual, common, everyday-experience. Ultimately, experience is always an individual, and personal one. There is more truth in the 24-hours of a man’s life than there is in all of philosophy (or skateboard trends, for that matter). Larger trends are not important. The personal experience is. The lives of others are not our own. It is only in, and through, our own being that we can work out the ways in which we are Be-ing in the world, and ways we become the people that we are. Larger trends will always be subordinate to individual, actualized, experience. By way of example, I will forgo a meta-look at skateboard trends, and larger-than-life personalities. Instead, I will look at how various brands impacted my world view, and sense of identity…an expedition into personal archeology, if you will. Skateboarding, or parts of it, made me who I am today. Skateboarding leaves an existential residue. What resonates becomes ingrained in our sense of selfhood. What we internalize, and project out, becomes who we “are.” Skateboarding teaches things about life, and skateboard brands play a role in that. We all have our own story. The brands mentioned below were all players in my story. They taught me something about the world, about myself, and they way the two are interwoven. I leave these descriptions short, and somewhat vague, as my experience is ultimately insignificant to how others relate to the world around them. I could cite countless other brands, these are just some of the ones the provided me with lasting impact.
Powell: As a young kid, they first taught me the power of (underground) symbolism, and non-verbal communication. If I saw Powell imagery, I knew someone was part of the “tribe.”
Santa Cruz: After Powell, came Santa Cruz. They were crass. Punk. In your face. Screaming Hands. Slime Balls. Gruesome imagery that was not far from shock value. I learned merit in being bold.
World Industries/Blind/Etc.: Extreme sarcasm. Humor. Laugh at yourself. Laugh at others. Nothing off limits.
Anti-Hero: Dark. Nihilistic, with a subtle humanism. Came out in/as backlash to the early 90s. No glitz/glam, rather, an out-right rejection of it. Just pure skateboarding and raw, gritty, existence. To this day, no “brand identity” has ever resonated with me more than AH.
Fancy Lad: Pure fun. Creativity. Avant-gnar. There is so much more than the traditional approach, to anything. Art is how you exist, and existence is itself an art.
DGK/Menace/Etc.: I was/am a “white suburban punk” (Repo Man). These brands were things I just couldn’t relate to. They helped me learn what I was not.
Girl: Sanitized. Safe. Boring. Again, help in understanding of what does not resonate.
Nike, Adidas, Monster, etc.: When I hear, or think of these companies, I will always think of team sports, large box stores, and the “gang colors” worn by the people most likely to harass skaters (aside from cops). Nike and Adidas have been involved in skating for a long time now, but I will never lose that gut reaction. In my world, they symbolize is everything that skating is not. This helped me grasp my own ideals of what it means to do something “for the right reasons.”
Yet, there also plain truth in the assertion that nothing could matter less than a given brand when it comes to actual skateboarding. I could walk into a skate shop blindfolded, stand on all the decks, and find something that “feels right” under my feet, and have a great time with that deck. Brands are meaningless when it comes to the pure act of skateboarding. Yet, with this dismissal of their role, we enter into the “short sighted” land that Cliver speaks of. More is going on, if we choose to look. I often hark on what I view as the two utmost extremes in modern skateboarding, Street League and the Barrier Kult. I often cite these two because they represent two totally different, polar opposite, takes on skateboarding (and thus life), and personal choice. Skateboarding provides extremes in life choices, or possible identities, which is not found anywhere else. Traditional sports do not provide such differing life views. Sure, a coach/players can set the “tone” of a team, and make it very different from all the others (thus providing different vantage points on life). But for the most part, the choices of what to identify with between different team sports is often little more than what color uniform you like. Is there really much difference in the mores and core values between the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the SF Giants (aside from a contrived geographical conflict)? Yes, you can join a competitive, or recreational, softball league, but the “rules” are almost exactly the same (and I’ve played outfield on both type of teams). The main point here is that skateboarding, it seems to me, provides vastly more existential doors to choose from. A Barrier Kult or Street League philosophy? Somewhere in between? That type, and extent, of variety just doesn’t exist outside of skateboarding (Maybe in motorcycle culture… in that there is everything from casual riders, to international racing, and outlaw gangs). Once you are exposed to the openness, and possibilities of seeing, and existing, in a multitude of different ways, the world is forever changed. This, I think, is one of the core reasons that once you are a skater, you are skater for life; it fundamentally changes the way you see yourself, and your environment. Some lines can’t be re-crossed over. There are some places you can’t come back from (a future blog post will zero-in on this exact topic).
Yet, interpretation of these, or any, brands, and their “identity” does not fall into “correct” categories. Life and existence just isn’t that simple. One person may see Nike as a great “legitimizer” of skateboarding as a sport. Others may see Nike as parasitic outsider. Neither is “correct.” We are beyond right and wrong, good and evil. I could cite equally contrasting viewpoints for any of the companies/brands mentioned above.
The truth is there are no right answers. There aren’t even any answers. There never has been. There never will be. That is the answer. There is only experience, and the choices of association we make. Those choices, and our interpretation of those choices, often help define us, to ourselves, and to others. Those choices provide a window to our passions, to our self-interpretation, and they are what allows us to differentiate ourselves in our surroundings. To come full circle, and end with metaphor, “Strip boards of their [silk-screened] soul and they become no better than any other [performance-based sporting goods].”
“It [skateboarding] is as much the act of skating, as it is the discovery of what you are all about.” -Julien Stranger, Tent City, at 1min 5sec (2004)
“There exists a longstanding argument that graphics don’t really matter. Those who harbor this glib opinion are shortsighted at best, because the importance of graphics runs deeper than inconsequential kiddy trappings—perhaps even more so now that corporate America has seized upon skateboarding and conveniently categorized, packaged and produced it for the masses under the Madison Avenue-approved banner of “extreme sports.”
In the past, one of the most integral functions of art in skateboarding was its ability to create an underground camaraderie with global reach. Such cryptic icons was the Dogtown Cross and Vato Rat managed to sum up the rebellious allure of skateboarding in but a few simple strokes…Graphics came to signify an unspoken bond between skateboarders everywhere. Best of all, to anyone not directly involved with the subculture these images were meaningless, sometimes even threatening…Strip boards of their silk-screened soul and they become no better than any other performance-based sporting goods.” -Sean Cliver, Disposable: A History of Skateboard Art, p. 103. (2007)
Cliver speaks to images, and the significance and power they have. While he mostly speaks of individual deck graphics, this post seeks to bump things up a level, to the graphics and brands of the skate industry as a whole.
Brands. Branding. Brand identity. Brand loyalty. The cult of Independent trucks. The Nike SB backlash. The Bones Brigade. World Industries co-opting every image of pop culture. Spitfire logo tattoos. And so on. Skateboarding, more so than almost any other “sport” has a long, involved, and complex relationship to imagery, and concepts of brand identity. What exactly is a “brand identity,” and how does it impact the world of skateboarding, and the lives of skateboarders? Why do I even care?
“As kids we get skateboards. After falling in love with the act of skating, we brand ourselves skateboarders. We find our niche within this culture, and it inspires and influences us to become the people we become. I look at skateboarding culture right now and see much brand diversity…Each brand has a distinct fashion sense to brand, and each brand offers a starting place to develop [in] taste and personal preference for art and music.” [Ed. Note: I would add, world view, politics, self-understanding, and even social theory to that list.]. -David Thornton, Luchaskate, Issue 10, p. 9. (2016)
With that observation, Thornton bridges the gap between Julien’s comment on self-discovery, and Cliver’s missive on the significance of imagery. The two can feed into each other. Moreover, that quote opens the door to the heart of this post; “finding a niche,” and “becoming the people we become,” and how branding factors in our own self-understanding.
Identity, and the way in which we exist in the world, and relate to the others around us have deep implications to our own sense of Being, and to the things that provide meaning in our lives. Identity, and group affiliation, can have profound impacts. It may mean the difference between being left in peace, or being heckled by jocks that view skaters as 3rd class citizens. It may mean life or death depending on what ethnic/religious/gender/sexual orientation/etc. group one belongs to. Turn on the news, and you will see the ramifications of identity (politics) across the globe. People die, and are slaughtered, over identity. Nothing runs deeper. The micro-politics of daily social interactions to the Holocaust are all rooted in concepts of identity. Skateboarders, and skateboarding, have always had a unique relationship to the world of identity, both to the world at large, and amongst themselves. Ask any life-long skater “who they are,” and most will likely answer, “I am a skateboarder.” It is very rare that, beyond high school, many adults would answer the same question with something like, “I am a football player.” Identity holds a unique place for skateboarders. It always has. It always will. Skateboarding permeates one’s sense of Being unlike anything else.
Brand identity. It is what separates Nike from Consolidated, and Zumies from your local “core” skate shop. Branding is nothing without some type of message, be it told by text, graphics, or images. Without a larger brand identity, almost all skate company products are basically the same (“Strip boards of their silk-screened soul and they become no better than any other performance-based sporting goods.” –Sean Cliver). Branding is everything non-tangible. Branding is an assertion of identity, meaning, values, philosophy, and world view. It is a factor in who you decided to give your money to. It is something that resonates or repels. It is community involvement and support (or lack thereof). It is images of culture or counter-culture. It is a way to show proxy endorsement, and affiliation with a given concept, idea, or group; it is your “gang colors.” Branding is communication about what a company/person “stands” for, looks like, and acts like. It is an alignment of an emotional connection with life experiences, and a state of mind. It is identity attached to an inanimate object. It is the act of storytelling, and making yourself a part of that story. Of course, this is true of all brands, not just the ones in skateboarding. That said, there is a much greater sense of brand identity and development within skateboarding than almost anywhere else in the word. People just don’t have the passion for Kraft, Hormel, Oscar Meyer, Exxon, Samsung, etc. as they do for Santa Cruz, Girl, Spitfire, or Independent. Harley-Davidson may be one of the few comparative examples in the non-skateboard world (Well, there is that whole GMC v. Ford truck controversy. Out of fear for my own well-being, I take no side in the pick-up wars.).
But, so what? Brand identity is a “thing” that is out there. A lot of what I am saying is common sense and obvious to anyone who puts any thought into it. So, what of it? Why does it matter? For a blog that is primarily based on the “existential and metaphysical interrelation of skateboarding and life,” this is about as deep as it gets. How does the ether around skateboarding impact identity? How does identity shape skateboarding? Skateboarding, and the culture around it, impact great portions of our lives, at least it did to mine. Almost any life-long skater will say the same. Much of the “shaping” comes not only from the life-lessons that the pure act of skateboarding provides, but also from the ethos, mores, and “storytelling” advanced by various skateboard companies, self-branding pros, and skate culture itself. It is a culture we are immersed in. To say we are not affected by that, is, as Cliver says, short sighted at best.
It is not as if we only ascertain these ideas about our own identity. We also seem to have them about others. How many expressed confusion when Chris Cole join the ranks of Plan B? People often said he just didn’t seemed to “fit” on Plan B (coming off Zero). Could anyone see Jeff Grosso riding for DGK? Caballero on Chocolate? Scheckler on Creature? The problem with all of these fictional match-ups is a clash of identity and brand. Nyjah’s flashy diamonds and cars just don’t quite seem to mesh with the virtual freelance vagrancy of Anti Hero’s “Tent City.” It’s almost laughable to think of these pairings. But why? A skateboard is a skateboard, right? Would Nyjah really be unable to skate if a Black Label deck was under his feet? Would Birdo be unable to walk in a pair of Nike SB shoes? It is laughable because the identity of these people/companies are so vastly different from each other. With time, we develop an intuitive sense of our personal identity, and that of others, and the ontological “places” those identities do, and do not, coincide with. We find our niche. We gravitate toward that which resonates, and avoid that which does not. We build a picture of the world, and ascertain where, and how, we fit into that picture. The picture is not entirely of our own making. We use the tools/influences around us to contextualize ourselves within it.
While we could certainly take a look at larger trends, and examine the lasting influence of people like Gonz, Neil Blender, Eric Kosten, P.Rod, or companies like Powell, World Industries, Alien Workshop, etc., but, such an analysis misses the mark. Another common theme of this blog is the focus on individual, common, everyday-experience. Ultimately, experience is always an individual, and personal one. There is more truth in the 24-hours of a man’s life than there is in all of philosophy (or skateboard trends, for that matter). Larger trends are not important. The personal experience is. The lives of others are not our own. It is only in, and through, our own being that we can work out the ways in which we are Be-ing in the world, and ways we become the people that we are. Larger trends will always be subordinate to individual, actualized, experience. By way of example, I will forgo a meta-look at skateboard trends, and larger-than-life personalities. Instead, I will look at how various brands impacted my world view, and sense of identity…an expedition into personal archeology, if you will. Skateboarding, or parts of it, made me who I am today. Skateboarding leaves an existential residue. What resonates becomes ingrained in our sense of selfhood. What we internalize, and project out, becomes who we “are.” Skateboarding teaches things about life, and skateboard brands play a role in that. We all have our own story. The brands mentioned below were all players in my story. They taught me something about the world, about myself, and they way the two are interwoven. I leave these descriptions short, and somewhat vague, as my experience is ultimately insignificant to how others relate to the world around them. I could cite countless other brands, these are just some of the ones the provided me with lasting impact.
Powell: As a young kid, they first taught me the power of (underground) symbolism, and non-verbal communication. If I saw Powell imagery, I knew someone was part of the “tribe.”
Santa Cruz: After Powell, came Santa Cruz. They were crass. Punk. In your face. Screaming Hands. Slime Balls. Gruesome imagery that was not far from shock value. I learned merit in being bold.
World Industries/Blind/Etc.: Extreme sarcasm. Humor. Laugh at yourself. Laugh at others. Nothing off limits.
Anti-Hero: Dark. Nihilistic, with a subtle humanism. Came out in/as backlash to the early 90s. No glitz/glam, rather, an out-right rejection of it. Just pure skateboarding and raw, gritty, existence. To this day, no “brand identity” has ever resonated with me more than AH.
Fancy Lad: Pure fun. Creativity. Avant-gnar. There is so much more than the traditional approach, to anything. Art is how you exist, and existence is itself an art.
DGK/Menace/Etc.: I was/am a “white suburban punk” (Repo Man). These brands were things I just couldn’t relate to. They helped me learn what I was not.
Girl: Sanitized. Safe. Boring. Again, help in understanding of what does not resonate.
Nike, Adidas, Monster, etc.: When I hear, or think of these companies, I will always think of team sports, large box stores, and the “gang colors” worn by the people most likely to harass skaters (aside from cops). Nike and Adidas have been involved in skating for a long time now, but I will never lose that gut reaction. In my world, they symbolize is everything that skating is not. This helped me grasp my own ideals of what it means to do something “for the right reasons.”
Yet, there also plain truth in the assertion that nothing could matter less than a given brand when it comes to actual skateboarding. I could walk into a skate shop blindfolded, stand on all the decks, and find something that “feels right” under my feet, and have a great time with that deck. Brands are meaningless when it comes to the pure act of skateboarding. Yet, with this dismissal of their role, we enter into the “short sighted” land that Cliver speaks of. More is going on, if we choose to look. I often hark on what I view as the two utmost extremes in modern skateboarding, Street League and the Barrier Kult. I often cite these two because they represent two totally different, polar opposite, takes on skateboarding (and thus life), and personal choice. Skateboarding provides extremes in life choices, or possible identities, which is not found anywhere else. Traditional sports do not provide such differing life views. Sure, a coach/players can set the “tone” of a team, and make it very different from all the others (thus providing different vantage points on life). But for the most part, the choices of what to identify with between different team sports is often little more than what color uniform you like. Is there really much difference in the mores and core values between the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the SF Giants (aside from a contrived geographical conflict)? Yes, you can join a competitive, or recreational, softball league, but the “rules” are almost exactly the same (and I’ve played outfield on both type of teams). The main point here is that skateboarding, it seems to me, provides vastly more existential doors to choose from. A Barrier Kult or Street League philosophy? Somewhere in between? That type, and extent, of variety just doesn’t exist outside of skateboarding (Maybe in motorcycle culture… in that there is everything from casual riders, to international racing, and outlaw gangs). Once you are exposed to the openness, and possibilities of seeing, and existing, in a multitude of different ways, the world is forever changed. This, I think, is one of the core reasons that once you are a skater, you are skater for life; it fundamentally changes the way you see yourself, and your environment. Some lines can’t be re-crossed over. There are some places you can’t come back from (a future blog post will zero-in on this exact topic).
Yet, interpretation of these, or any, brands, and their “identity” does not fall into “correct” categories. Life and existence just isn’t that simple. One person may see Nike as a great “legitimizer” of skateboarding as a sport. Others may see Nike as parasitic outsider. Neither is “correct.” We are beyond right and wrong, good and evil. I could cite equally contrasting viewpoints for any of the companies/brands mentioned above.
The truth is there are no right answers. There aren’t even any answers. There never has been. There never will be. That is the answer. There is only experience, and the choices of association we make. Those choices, and our interpretation of those choices, often help define us, to ourselves, and to others. Those choices provide a window to our passions, to our self-interpretation, and they are what allows us to differentiate ourselves in our surroundings. To come full circle, and end with metaphor, “Strip boards of their [silk-screened] soul and they become no better than any other [performance-based sporting goods].”
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