Bob Burnquist.

Bob is from Brazil and started wrecking havoc on vert ramps in the mid 1990s due to his huge bag of switch tricks.

Thrasher - May 1996 Volume 16 Number 5

Pat Smith.

Pat is a one time Black Label rider from Maryland. It looks like he is doing Coda Skateboards these days in New York City.

The photos are credited to a David B.

Slap - May 1996 Volume 5 Number 5

Tommy Guerrero & Jim Thiebaud.

Happy Thanksgiving.

This was a Real ad from the 15th anniversary issue of Thrasher. The photos at that point were ten and eleven years old. That was almost fifteen years ago now. Both guys are still rolling to this day.*

* I follow Thiebaud on Twitter and know that technically as of this moment he isn't skating due to an injury, but he will be again shortly. Get well soon.

Vert Is Dead will be back on Monday.

Thrasher - January 1996 Volume 16 Number 1

Jason Guthrie & Thomas Taylor.

Torque was a company out of Atlanta run by Thomas Taylor. Taylor was an am for Schmitt Stix back in the day. He runs Stratosphere skateboard shop, too. His son, Grant, is pro for Alien Workshop and has to be one of the most well rounded skaters out there today.

The photos are credited to Alf Elder.

Slap - April 1996 Volume 5 Number 4

Julien Stranger #10.

Upwardly mobile vagrant.

It's a little weird seeing Julien wearing shoes that aren't Vans.

The ad for Fucktards.

Thrasher - February 1996 Volume 16 Number 2

Ronnie Creager.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Transworld - August 1996 Volume 14 Number 8

Laban Pheidias #3.

There are a few rumors floating around the internet that Sheep Shoes might be back in business. This is an ad from when they were just getting started. The company was done by Sole Tech and featured vegan friendly footwear in addition to dead cows for your feet. Their designs were nice and simple. I liked the brand and wore the shoes in the 1990s, but I'm not sure I could wear them today. Something about the name Sheep made sense at that point in the culture of skateboarding, whereas it doesn't necessarily do the same today. Somethings are better left as a memory.

Transworld - July 1996 Volume 14 Number 7