When We Was Rad:
Skateboard History from UK Vintage Magazine

Florian Bohm and Anders Puplanek, Madrid


Florian Bohm and Anders Pulpanek, Madrid 1989“Not another boring European Competion report” says the fictional reader in the opening of this article on the Madrid skateboard content. We suspected that we were keener on the rest of Europe than most of our readers, and sometimes it showed.

EL TORRO GRANDE

by Jamon Bocadillos “Oh, no”snarled the reader as he/she flicked over the page, “Not another boring European Competition report!” His/her once cheerful facial expression changed to one of someone who had just found doggie-doo splashed all over their board after a night-time street session. But wait, oh faithful reader, before rushing on to the next article: give me a break, eh? I’m just trying to make a living off of skating, so in a shameless attempt to keep your interest and my job, I’ll give you the write up YOU want. Truth or lies, crail or crap… you choose!

First up what do I do next?

  • Get a clue
  • Get a proper job
  • Get on with it


Yeah, well, I met Neil Danns at the airport and after an uneventful flight and an entertaining ride in a taxi equipped with a hyperspace button on his meter which the driver pressed every time he thought we weren’t looking, we found ourselves in the middle of Madrid with heavy bags but lighter wallets. Two hours later, after being sent up and down hills, round in circles and rejected from six hotels we got a bed, (one each mum) and decided we had been given such a hard time because:

  • We were black
  • Neil hadn’t washed his pads for 3 months
  • There was a big fashion show in town that weekend

“HOLD IT, Jamon!” shouted the reader “I don’t want another long funny(?) write-up about you and your mates having a good time paid for by my quid. And just because you’re too lazy to do your own write-up don’t think I’m gonna buy this multiple choice shit! Just give us the facts and no bull!”

OK you want facts, you got ’em: the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me Bod. The following is true — strange but true.


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