Monday, April 25, 2011

It's [Chris] Miller Time...

So, back when I first started skating in the Summer/Fall of 1985 there weren't too many skate mags, I just skated for fun withe the kids from the neighborhood that got me started. We [friends & I] didn't have magazines, I didn't know there was a dedicated mag just for skating back then. We would of course try to ollie, one of the kids I skated with had a cousin who skated and showed him the ollie.
We'd just try to do things on mai patio block behind the house for the next year.
Not knowing waht to do we just tried railslides, but had a hard time coming out of them so I just started letting the board take its course and turn out fakie.
I began to get them really good frontside and backside.
I remember the first time I saw the above pic soemthing clicked in mai head that told me this was waht I have been waiting for. This was waht I wanted to do from now on.
All those other sports sucked to me growing up, if you fell and got a cut you were babied by adults and coaches to sanitize the cut and sit out for an inning or wahtever, that suck as a kid I wanna keep playing.
Even though skateboarding, to me, was not playing. If you fell, you have to pick yourself up... you and you alone were your own coach, adult, and goal.
After all it was just blood dripping. It'll dry, scab, and heal. Just put soem water on it, and if you didn't have that... spit.


In the spring of 1986 our Xmas boards were still pretty new (because you can't skate much in a Midwest winter at 12 yrs old) so the next thing was to try and ollie up the block. That was pretty hard even though the patio step was maybe 8 inches tall. We figured out if you tried twisting frontside you could get the board to get a lil moar height, so we tried doing 180's up the block before we could even ollie straight up it. It was then that I started getting hurricanes, not knowing it would become a late 80's staple trick, I thought I was just fucking up on succeeding at a 180. So when they later became a trick a adapted quick.

It was around this time that we got our first magazines. The August 1986 issue of Thrasher.
The "Streetplant Issue" w/the Metallica inset. 3 of us bought them on the saem dei.

It was an activity, and this picture was my proof. A whole dedicated magazine for mai new lifestyle, a whole new direction to look at music, skating, and the world.
 After seeing mai first pic of Chris I looked up to him from then on.
His style, the look on his face zoned out from life just thinking about the trick, skateboarding.
The one above mesmerized me, just staring at how he got that grind in a tube...
I had this frontside nosebone hanging on mai wall, even though he's focused crisp, he's also cut from the pic top & bottom, the composition is not on the trick or him, but moar on the shadow of the trick in the background with the photographist and his cammy boom.
Another stare pic for kid freshly in his teen years laying in bed on a rainy dei.
This cover shot is pretty much the saem shot as the first one, but the mom friendly version.
He's all safetied up with a nice gauze wrap.
Still gnarly to an 80's 12yr old, but just Mom friendly.
I always like his style and the way he skated, never saw him skate in real life only in still life, to let your imagination run wild.
Remember that?
Imagination...
(nothing was spelled out for you back then)
Your mind came up with a million different out comes. 
Stoked is the word when I go this issue, another fucking cover by one of the dudes I idolized.
If I still had it I'd scan from it, but basements and water backups are a bad mix.
If you don't know who Chris Miller is or have had any doubts as to why old fart Barney's talk about him so greatly, just watch the video clip below from the 2009 Pro-Tec Pool Party and that is waht all the fuss is about.
Dewd just PWNs that place, and has PWND for 30+ years.

As of the end of this post I am Currently listening "You're All Alone" by Picture from the album "Diamond Dreamer" released in 1982.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Today's Time Capsule, Tad...

So, I remember when I heard this for the first time, the album above of course.
Tad - "8-Way Santa" was released on Sub Pop records in 1991. I was with mai friend Sam when he bought it the dei it came out and we drove around stoked in his '79 Chevy Blazer. 

Whenever we'd drive around listening to this we'd crank the tracks "Jinx" & "Jack Pepsi" whenever they came on. I always loved the song "3-D Witch Hunt" because it was so different from the rest of the album. You would never know that it was a fatty behemoth singing with such a [pretty] voice. The whole album is great from the opening riff on "Jinx" to the last fading vibrating note on "Plague Years."
Not only did they get in trouble for the original artwork, I think they also got in trouble for using the name Pepsi in the track "Jack Pepsi" and had to change it to just jack.


I came across this album for less than $10 at a second hand store around 1994, Never played it because I have it on cassette. This is prolly the 3rd time it's been outta the package. Now they're on Discogs selling for up to $57.
Not a bad investment.


As of the end of this post I am currently listening to "Rain" by Prism from the compilation "Feed Your Head 3: Accelerating Alpha Rhythms" released in 1996.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Today's Time Capsule: A Popular History of Signs...

So, I bought this back in like 1994/95, it's the "Ladder Jack" 12" by the group A Popular History of Signs.

I have never opened it, so I have no clue waht it sounds like. It's still in the original thick plastic bag with a perforated pull top, to open it. It's an old one from the WaxTrax! library from like 1984.
So I guess there really can't be a record party in mai mind for this one since I've never heard it, but a Time Capsule nonetheless.
Prolly soem EMB, Synthpop ish.
Discogs


As of the end of this post I am currently listening to "Heart Of Glass" by Nouvelle Vague from the album "Bande A Part" released in 2006. (the original was by Blondie)
It's an album of covers TTLY redone musically, and nothing like the original. Almost romantic.

JFA, AZPX & Breast Cancer...





















So, Rick Zuccarello and James Boyle, of the band JFA, are
in benefit for a very special person, Tara Locker, who is
stricken with Stage 3 Breast Cancer.
All proceeds go directly to Tara.
You can read about her here:



The deck is an AZPX Skateboards 2011 Richard Zuccarello
Signature Model, with artwork by Rob Locker.
The deck measures 8.5" x 32.0" with a 14.63" w/b.
Made in the USA.
Not only did Rich autograph this deck, all the current members
of skaterock pioneers JFA also signed it.
Rich is an original member of the JFA skate team and has a
deep connection to early skateboarding in Arizona.

Full Zuke interview and photo archive here:
http://www.azpx.com/wordpress/?page_id=1579 



As of the end of this post I am currently listening to "Future Primitive" by Monster Trux from the album "Grind" released in 2001.
A chicago skate rock band.

RALPH MACCHIO R.I.P....


So, todei I just got soem sad news... from mai friends over at GOCHTV.
He was just a kid, prolly died a Virgin.
He was such a great role model, that kid had it all.

As of the end of this post I am currently watching Southpark, the one with the shenanigans carnival and the sacred cow clock.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Do Bongs...

So, ever just have one of those daze?
I ain't got no car it broke, it's raining, can't skate 'cuz I left mai board in mai friends truck (he lives in Gurnee, IL), no GF, can't post stuff on eBay 'cuz I left mai bag with camera in it at another friends house in Chicago.

As of the end of this post I am currently listening to "Graceless" by Dirtbag from the "Fresh Goth Mess" compilation released in 2009.
I think it's a Louisville, KY goth scene comp.

Cool Easter iPhone Apps...

So, I know a lot of you are prolly doing soem of your Easter prepping at the last minute because this week has been so hectic.
Well, dont' stress or worry, mai friend has written this article for Time.com for all you tech savvy "peeps" out there. (har har har)

Czech out the Five Easter iPhone Apps That Are Actually Pretty Cool and fun for the whole family. The Martha Stewart app really tests your artisticality.
So, "hop" to it and get a "jump" on the fun.

As of the end of this post I am currently listening to "Magic Horse" by Rick Bain & The Genius Position" from the album "Crooked Autumn Sun" released in 2000.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Skateboard Art...


So, I draw.
One of the things I drew was the graphic for this skateboard ➞ Astrolab life sized skateboards from Zazzle.com.
The skateboard image is part of a larger piece that I drew dedicated to mai dog Gisela. (seen above)
I had to put her to sleep in January 2010, she was 14 yeærs old. (that's 98 in dog yeærs)

As of the end of this post I am currently listening to "Everybody Ball" by Beaurgarde from the album "Beaurgarde" released in 1971.
It features a 17 yeær old Greg Sage on guitar. If you didn't know, Greg was the man behind the PDX punk band the Wipers. He has since re-released this album on his own Zeno Records, you should go buy it from him.
Top notch sound quality.


In association with Zazzle.com

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Runteldat...


So, I was just sitting around todei and decided to watch soem TV, turn it on and Martin was on.
I love that show still, they just don't make shows like this anymoar. Almost KNDA wish they gave Bruh-Man his own spinoff.

I almost spin off mai seat because they still make me laugh now just as much as when I saw them the first time. I used to watch this all the time waaaay B in the D from like 1992-95, the regular show and almost every rerun that aired.
If you've never watched or just forgot about it you shoul really watch a few clips on YouTube or go get the DVD Seasons from like Best Buy or soemthing.
That is, unless you hate black people so much you can't laugh at a funny joke or skit.

As of the end of this post I am currently listening to "Running Free (live)" by Iron Maiden from the "Running Free" 3 song cassette single, released in 1987
℗1985 Original Sound Recordings made by EMI Records Ltd.
©1987 Iron Maiden (Holdings) Ltd..
(recorded live at Long Beach Arena, USA, March 1985)

Today's Time Capsule, Suicidal Tendencies...


So, I grew up skating in the 80's (started in 1985) and I remember getting this album [Join the Army] when it came out in 1987. I would listen to it on the bus on mai walkman, staring at the cover art getting lost in its complexity, memorizing every word, riff, hook, and solo. Getting psyched to get home, grab mai board, go thrash the streets, and grind everything in sight with mai Stage V Indy 169's and Powell/Peralta Cross Bones. (mine were Blue & 95a)
Sure, I was listening to other punk & skate rock bands or albums at the time like Dead Kennedys, Agent Orange, Circle Jerks, Gang Green, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Exploited, and Dinosaur (jr), but none of them sang or had a song about actually skating. Nothing spoke to me like that song.
To me, this is waht skating is all about, just the vibe of the video makes me feel 13 again, skating junk and having the time of your life. Throw your friends in the mix and it's instant mayhem.

The mix of this track might be different than the "Join the Army" version, it may be the single version. I dunno, I'd have to go play the 12" to find out. I own the single on vinyl, so I haven't played it in years. It had the track "Human Guniea Pig" on it.
The sleeve says it's previously unreleased, but I think they've since released it. (obviously)
I forgot mai cammy in the city at a friends house or else I'd take a pic of the single also. Maybe when I get it back I'll do a pic update on this for y'all. Cool?
Cool...
Oh Yeah, BTW I just realized that Timothy Leary plays the Dad in this video. I can find all sorts of info saying that he played the part, but no info on how it came to be.
Did he like the band? Did the band do lots of Acid? Was it his house they filmed in? Or was it the fact that he was so hip and down with underground counter culture that he could identify with the skate lifestyle, that he may have Dropped In, Turned On, and Tuned Out?

As of the end of this post I am currently listening to "My Melody" by Eric B. and Rakim from the album "Paid In Full" released in 1987.
"ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-check out my melody"

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