When We Was Rad: Skateboard History from UK Vintage Magazine

Little did he know I’ve got somewhere I want to be — be it a curb, wall, handrail, ramp, or a flight of steps. But I wasn’t going to tell him; he could never understand. Instead I just went back to my comic, amused and content to let him and his comrades convince themselves they had got the better of me. But I knew better.
Once the train had pulled up at Victoria I knew this was where the shit really hit the fan: the pushing, the shoving and briefcase swinging. What a rat race — and that’s just getting off the train. I still had to travel from Victoria to Waterloo by tube, not a easy task during rush hour. About 10 minutes into my journey I found myself feeling uneasy, almost paranoid for some reason, and then it clicks: there they are everywhere with their trench-coats, black suits, pink papers and blank faces. Everywhere. These people were really beginning to bug me. By the time I got to Waterloo I had really begun to resent everything about them, and once I had got to South Bank to meet Warren I was ready to lash out at the owner of the next briefcase to nail me in the shin.
After I had met Warren we were back on the subject of where to skate today. Warren wanted to go to Uxbridge, but I just couldn’t handle another trip on the tube, so we decided to go street skating. We started at Shell Centre, then headed east down the river Thames to the yellow blocks. After a healthy session there, we crossed Blackfriar’s Bridge to Bank of America, then up Chancery Lane to session the various sets of banks along the way. We were having the raddest time, sessioning old and new spots, old and new tricks.

And at that point the text on the disk stops, even though the article continued…

Femi at the South Bank. By coincidence, somebody mentioned seeing him there again just the other day. Sequence by Vernon. It’s a shame that our black and white reproduction always meant that these things looked much weaker than the colour.

Nice. Full page picture of classic McCann style. I was never one to make comments about skate style and I still see it from a photographer’s point of view, not a skaters’ — but even I could appreciate that the way Curtis skated marked him out.

No words from Curtis on this page, just more pictures of the time from Vernon. No captions to say who they were, which seems slightly unlike us. At the back of my mind is the thought that maybe Curtis asked for it to be this way?
If you recognise the skaters, please let us know in the comments below.

Every once in while this project unearths something to make me stop and smile. This is such an occasion. I’d forgotten that Curtis wrote this for us…

“For passengers on platform three, I regret to announce that your straight-through srevice to Victoria will be running approximately 15 minutes late” was the message crackling from the waiting-room Tannoy. It was greeted with the usual grunts and predictable wise-cracks about the West Indian announcer’s accent. Everybody within listening range laughed and looked around at each other for what looked like comfort and what looked to me like a distant form of camaradery. Not me, though: I just delivered a quick glance to all involved and settled back down to my weekly edition of 2000AD.
From this moment on I could feel piercing stares coming at me from all directions. If we were ten years younger they would probably have told me that I wasn’t in their gang any more, but I already knew that — and that was the way I liked it. Continue Reading »

M Zone, heavy into Carnaby Street and Stussy by this time, but also trying to sell as well, by the look of it. Curious how I’ve completely forgotten these price-based adverts. Only the earlier styley muthas stick in the mind.

Steve Douglas kept the news flowing from America, including the latest gossip, tricks, team changes and equipment.

First off I’d like to thank Bod for his guest appearance on my page last month.

 

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tim Payne has been busy again, he just got back from Hamburg, West Germany where he built a 6.5′ high bowl connecting via a spine to a mini and a big ramp. Apparently there’s no charge to get in. Also Tim just flew out to Cal to build an outdoor park: bowl, mini, vert etc. It should be finished soon.

The YMCA Skate Camp is going to happen again this year. Dates are 13th July to August 22nd — a total of five sessions. The camp is up in Sequoia National Park, a totally beautiful place near Fresno, about half way between SF and LA and slightly east. Great ramps… if you plan to go to the States this year I would think about a week there. It’s well worth it.

Gator’s now on G & S! Vision now making Bunjie Clothing Wear! Josh Windle off Vision… John Schultes now on Poor House… LSD to hook up with BBC??? Christian Hosoi’s SK8 Culture boards out now… Rick Ibaseta and Neil Hendrix boards on New Deal soon…

Eastern Vert in North Carolina are going to build a wooden vert bowl and a full-on street course, all indoors. Their facility will be twice what it is now.

Congratulations to Tony Hawk, who Continue Reading »

Ben Stephens cheers up Gavin, as does news from Prague. But where did we get the translation from? Tym Goldie chips in…

HOI VILLAINS!

I’m an 18 years old human being and I’m actually very angry at you. First of all I meant to write to you about Czechkoslovakia where I come from ’cause I thought it would be interesting for you, but I gave up this idea when I read your idiotic commentry on a letter from a Yugoslavian boy

Why are you Englishmen such puffed up people? (I blame the cooking) I hope you won’t kill me or declare war on Chechkoslovakia for this sentence. You should appreciate the anxiety of people who are trying to learn English rather than critisise them. Do you think that you’ll ever be able to speak Czech or Yugoslavian without making a mistake?

I have another question: Why do you think that girls don’t skate? Maybye they’re not as cool agressive and ugly as some boys are? I guess all I’m trying to say is I’d be thankfull for a reply , but don’t say something wrong about my poor English!

With love,

Zora,

Prague

Mockrát dekuji za Tvuj dupis. Je nam lito, ze jsme te urazih, ale zároven si myslime, ze doslo k nedorozumeni. Nenarázeli jsme na tvou anglictinu, opak je pravdou; vetsina cizincii, kterí písí do naseho casopisu mají lepsi anglictinu nez my!

Vzdycky nás potesí do naseho casopisu mají lepsi anglictinu divek.

Doutam, ze moje nylepsi o cestina jenom podporuje miy argument a se budes pokracouat v ctem naseho casopisu.

Deyuji jeste jednou za Tviuj dopis, ne prestan skejtouat a ja se pokusim zlepsit svou cestinu alespon na uroven tve anglictiny.

Mnoho pozdravi,

Gavin

PS Nemyslim si, ze Anglie planuje invazi Ceskoslovenska — George Bush by to msei udelatr pruni. Sorry, enough said!

 

BORED AT WORK

What the hell do you think you’re doing? How could you posssibly concieve having a "Style" article without including me? Re-do it and put me down under "Complete Crap"

T. Goldie

Rabbit Hutch

Thank-you to all those who wrote in drawing our attention to the glaring ommission of Timmy Mallett as well. We apologise.

 

DEAD DEAD GOOD

Life is good!!! Skating is good!!! Weather is good!!! Sex is good!!! Attitudes are good!!! Radio’s good!!! Why can’t every day be this good?

Ben Stephens

High Wycombe

P.S. Yo Trev, Steve

At bloody last. Can I tell you something? As I sit here I’m wading through a pile of letters, a lot of which seem to be full of things like "Please print that this guy we know called Alfie is a complete tosser…." or "There’s this guy in a shell suit at our local ramp who every one rates but is in fact a load of crap, can you print that I am better than him…" etc. It brings a little refreshment to tired eyes to know that for some people skating isn’t about slagging but about dead, dead good things. Life is sweet.

 

A good letters page this month, complete with contribtions from Tym Goldie (Ceramic Rabbit) and Nick Phillips (of the Bath brothers and not the Anarchic Adjustment one). Gavin was in charge at this point.

A word about the photos: we have problems printing pictures which are dark and gloomy, so please only send bright clear ones. If you include a stamped addressed envelope we’ll do our best to send them back to you (write your name and address on the back too), but that always takes time. Thanks.

BRIGHTON ON THE ROCK N ROLL

Once upon a time Brighton had a skate scene, a shop, and a team, and the skaters on the mighty ramp had dreams in which their amazing skill was known throughout the land…

“Stop,” I hear you cry, “We didn’t even know there was a scene in Brighton.” Well there certainly was, and still is for those lucky enough to discover its almost subterranean movements. So what has happened to the once quite prolific number of known skaters in Brighton? The closure of the infamous “Pig City” shop and subsequent split of the team was, I suppose, partly to blame, but did the skaters involved just evaporate? True, some moved to pastures green, and for a while there was a shot of hope in the excellent Luke McKirdy, but he was last seen limping into the casino.

Brighton has one of the biggest ramps in the country, and some of the talent it has produced such as Nowak and the ever-styling Stav could, for my money, wreck most others on vert. But they won’t do comps. Why? If they want to stop the ramp and mini turning into a new sister for the defunct West Pier, the more they achieve comp-wise, the more money they are likely to get.

When was the last time we saw a good photo from Brighton? I noticed a good’un of Ghandi in “100% Skateboarding”, but it had been taken about three years ago! I’m not giving the Brighton lot a slagging, but they sure have a weird “skate ethic”.

Maybe someone out there could explain to me what’s happened?

A Desolate Augustus Snoop

Were those PCP days really that long ago? If the skaters I saw the other week are anything to go by, rumours of Pig City’s death are greatly exagerated.

THIRSK ON THE MAP

I think it’s about time the Thirsk skate posse got noticed. There’s about 20 of us and that’s good because Thirsk is a tiny shit place to live. The main skaters that are really good are Ash, Adrian, Nigel, Kev and Shrimp. And I’m not that bad. So please print something about the Thirsk scene as we’re kind of depressed at the moment as our nearest skate spot (Scoffs) is closing. We needed something to boost our egos. Thanks

Graham Taylor

Thirsk

When I want my ego boosted I dress up as Michael Jackson and hang around the Ape House at London Zoo. As quick as a Hickey I’m surrounded by adoring fans who throw themselves at me. I take their address and visit them with a bottle of vodka and a blow-up chimp. Then the Police usually arrive.

FLOWER POWER

There I was rainy day and dreaming of things like sponsorship and sunny streets when the boredom reached a peak. I needed revival. I slammed in the New Deal video and was inspired by a certain Andy Howell’s skating and drawing. So I put pen to paper and came up with this picture of me. Please stick it in your mag.

Dan of Team Flower

Shropshire

This month I’ll let the art speak for itself. Assuming it doesn’t speak Czech.

VERTICAL THINKING

In response to the letter slagging off vert — I don’t suppose you ever skate vert, so you are probably not aware of the vert revival that is upon us. Continue Reading »

Oh, this is one for skateboard gear fanatics. I do not know how Vernon found so much to say…
Tucked away at the end is a mention of David Slade’s first video, “Smart People in a Car Crash” which I think he made while still at college. Strangely enough, I came across my copy of that this very morning.

Shiner sent the biggest packages this page has ever seen, containing Vision, G&S, Blockhead, Powell and Santa Cruz stuff. Vision’s first — Mike Crum’s board crops up from Dallas, Texas. His board (and fellow Texan, Chris Gentry’s) come under the Vision “New Blood” label — how pleasantly patronising. Crum and Gentry are both known rippers of vert, rather than Cali street wizards snapping pro models left, right and centre, so these boards are much more of that genre in a “new age” style. Both have a good concave and ample tail and nose, with wood-stain finish and solid construction. Sizes: for Crum, 23.25″ by 10 with 6″ or 6.5″ of nose and 6.5″ of tail; for Gentry, 32.25″ by 10″, 5.5″ or 6″ of nose and 6.5″ tail.
Buck Smith has moved over from Sims to Vision and his new board has a more commercial shape. This board has V6 concave on its 14″ wheelbase, cartoon graphics and excellent finish. Overall specs: 32″ by 9.625″ with 6.125″ nose and 6.375″ tail. Don’t forget Vision rails if you’re looking to slide these boards: here we show Vision Type 2 Rails which are really chunky and good value at £3.99 — plenty of plastic for your cash. There are also Vision “Anti-vibe” rails with rubber backing to keep noise to a minimum for bust-free skating. What I like most about these rails is that they come with wood screws, but if you read the warranty that the boards carry you’ll discover you could be in breach of it: “To protect you warranty… mount all accessories with T bolts (sex-bolts) only.” If this does void the manufacturer’s warranty, you’ll see who’s really getting screwed when you also read the following advice: “Special T nuts and screws are available at your authorised Vision dealer…” But not as part of the price with these rails!!
Continue Reading »