Pontus Alv #6.

"Something I can remember that got me really furious was a kind of big fight with Jeremie Daclin, the founder/owner of Cliché, in the early 2000s. I’ve always been skating big boards: 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, around there. I was pro for Cliché, and they just didn't produce my size. They just didn't care."

The Last Resort.

The gear specific Pontus blasts over a big trash can in some classic Sal Barbier kicks during the Mad Circle days.

The quote is from a recent interview with Pontus at Village Psychic.

Thrasher - March 1997 Volume 17 Number 3

Max Schaaf #14.

"Joe Lopes did a huge frontside ollie. Fred Smith did some incredible handplants and a nice frontside air. But they were struggling, for sure. Because the thing about our ramp is that while it ruled to us, it was actually really hard for other people to skate, especially for pros who were used to skating good ramps. But then Hosoi came over not too long after that and just tee’d off on it. Oh my god, it was bonkers."

Max explains the difficulties of his old ramp.

Is Spitfire switching all their wheels over to Formula Four? I don't really fancy that urethane. It felt weirdly soft and would slide oddly on the couple sets of wheels I rode. Also the Formula Fours don't have the little grooves on the riding surface that the regular 99DU wheels have. Those grooves are the best part of new wheels. They seem to be not offering many 55 or 56 mm options either. I assume most of the changes are temporary supply chain issues caused by the post-apocalyptic world we are now living in. I'm too old to bother with finding a new type of wheel to like.

The quote is from a recent Chrome Ball Incident interview with Max.

Thrasher - February 1997 Volume 17 Number 2

Richard Angelides #2.

Forever in shell toes.

I'm surprised there was no photo or designer credit on this one.

Transworld - January 1997 Volume 15 Number 1

Jason Carney #6.

Jason went on a ten day European tour with NOFX in 1995 and got to see them play a bunch of shows on the trip.

Jason's drinking buddy Ed Dominick took the picture.

For the fun fact: Thrasher - November 1996 Volume 16 Number 11

Thrasher - January 1997 Volume 17 Number 1

Kevin Taylor #4.

Kevin does a frontside blunt during the early days of the FDR park in Philadelphia. He would have been riding for Capital and Duffs at the time. Kevin hails from Pittsburgh. His favorite skaters in 1997 included Sean Sheffey, Kenny Hughes, and Donny Barley.

The photograph is by Ryan Gee.

Slap - January 1997 Volume 6 Number 1

Josh Beagle #13.

Today, tomorrow, forever.

The latest Foundation video is a good watch. It features new riders Julian Lewis and Dylan Witkin along with the always amazing Corey Glick. Star & Moon carries on in the tradition of previous F-Troop efforts with the right mix of art, skateboarding, and appropriately fitting music.

Transworld - January 1997 Volume 15 Number 1

Jonas Wray #3.

A gallery of nostalgia.

The dearly departed Jonas Wray takes a nollie tailslide down a handrail and pumps gas in a Burger King hat.

That new Ben Kadow "Triple Backflip" part is cool. I sort of don't like how Ben skates because he does tricks that seem to be needless invitations for extra injuries. And yet somehow he makes it happen. I dug that they used a sound collage for the music. Doug Hock, the composer, is a noise jammer who works for Death By Audio effects pedals.

The photos are by Tobin Yelland.

Slap - February 1997 Volume 6 Number 2