Peter Bici.

The King Of Queens.

Before becoming a firefighter, Peter rode for Think and turned pro for Zoo York. He's even done some professional fashion modeling. He has a good part in Zoo York's Mixtape video. Peter does UXA with Jefferson Pang and Peter Huynh.

Thanks to Skate Daily for making Vert Is Dead the website of the week for the third time.

The action shot is by Mike O'Meally and the chilling shots are Giovanni Reda.

Slap - October 1998 Volume 7 Number 10

Mike Daher.

The much loved former Stereo rider from Florida.

Mike rode for Powell Peralta before he got on Stereo.

He's wearing the first DC Rick Howard model for all you footwear enthusiasts out there.

I didn't realize that Far East was a board company. I thought they only did clothing, but I think I simply got them confused with Half Life. Was Far East done by the Skate Park of Tampa? It's the same address.

The photo is by Josh Stewart.

Slap - September 1998 Volume 7 Number 9

Rob Gonzalez.

When I saw Ricky Oyola on Chrome Ball, I figured to go with a little more New Deal. After having a well established pro team in the first half of the 1990s, changes were made at the New Deal in the later part of the decade. The pro team was cut and a new group of amateurs were sponsored. Of course when you have a team of all ams, eventually some of them are going to get to the skill level of being professional and they are turned pro. Rob was part of the second wave of the New Deal, which also included Oyola, Chad Bartie, Lincoln Ueda, Ryan Johnson and Kenny Reed.

After the Deal was really dead, Rob rode for Popwar and Listen. Listen recently turned into BLVD Skateboards. He's also on LRG and has a part in the Give Me Money Chico video from last year.

Transworld - February 1998 Volume 16 Number 2

Guy Mariano.

Guy Mariano finally makes an appearance on Vert Is Dead.

Is it blasphemy to say that I don't like the song he skated to in Mouse?

Apparently I'm part of the skateboard media world now since Sarah at Turner PR sends me press releases on upcoming events that I won't ever make it to because they are happening in LA and I live in NY. She seems like a nice person and I said I would mention the stuff she sends.

Girl Skateboards is having a premiere of "Unbeleafable" next Sunday, June 12th at the Downtown Independent Theater in Los Angeles. The project is a 3D skate film made in conjunction with Levi's Film Workshop. Ty Evans directed the video and it features a lot of the Girl team. There will also be a question and answer session with Ty and the skaters, plus an after party. The film will be available at some point down the road in case you didn't make it to the premiere.

Atiba Jefferson took the photo.

Slap - December 1998 Volume 7 Number 12

Julien Stanger #12.

Unlike 97% of the comments left on the internet, this was one I saw and thought was worth saving. It was posted somewhere on the Thrasher website on February 22, 2008 by a user named Milk Toast Redux:

I have never ridden an Anti-Hero board, and never will. Those planks intimidate me just hanging on the wall of a skateshop.

I am not worthy. Just can't justify using one of their boards to do slappys on curbs and little speed ollies off of cracks in the sidewalk.

Those bitches demand large doses of gnar and a pint of blood. I would feel like such a pussy and a phony rocking their shit.

I've seen hardcore mofo's like Stranger and Cardiel in person, and it is like they are from another planet. PRESENCE. People with that kind of commitment have an aura of authenticity that makes me sadly aware of my timid middling existence.

This presence thing doesn't come through when watching these dudes in a video. When you are in their general vicinity, all that you are aware of is them. Can't really articulate it in words, but some of y'all might know what I'm talking about.

These guys scare the fuck out of me, the same way wild predatory animals do, and that is what I cherish about them.

Thrasher - January 1998 Volume 18 Number 1

Ben Krahn.

Another Vert Is Dead favorite.

Ben currently rides for Blood Wizard, Emerica, Satori and Indy.

Thrasher - January 1998 Volume 18 Number 1

Royce Nelson.

Salba says this about Royce:

Quote: "Go big and fast and hope you all survive."

Royce is the quiet, good natured school boy on the outside, but a little ol' devil on the inside. Mr. Nelson has been known on occasion to internally combust into a demon possessed when assaulting coping. Riding padless (at least every time I've seen him), he scrapes the metal off his trucks for long periods of time (five to six block stand up grinds), blasts big (three to four feet) backside airs and Jack-Be-Nimble ollies to tailslides on command. Tall, mean and lean, Royce always boasts of walking and talking softly buy carrying a big stick. Like John Swope, Royce is fearless.

Earthquakes have been very, very good to Royce as well as big fires. Loads of road trips have provided Royce with valuable concrete commando tactics and tips, which have led me to believe that Mr. Nelson is part leopard. He has this spring and prowess that is not seen in most of his contemporaries, plus he always lands on his feet. He also has this pump that only about twelve people I know of have. And Royce knows - it's all in the pump. For those who know, you too can attest that Mr. Nelson is one crazy son-uv-a-beech...

Tools of the trade: Think Big Boy Board, Indys, Spitfires.

Weaponry and Tactics: Fat airs, ollies to front truck grinds, fast speed lines with tricks thrown here and there make Royce a pick for the pool all-star team.

For the quote: Thrasher - June 1996 Volume 16 Number 6

Thrasher - February 1998 Volume 18 Number 2