Matt Mumford #6.

Caveman.

Skateboarding is often a reaction to what is going on at a given time. Skull graphics were basically abandoned once Neil Blender said they weren't cool in 1990. It took until the middle of the 1990s when Creature and Zero started using them again for art because both figured there might be an audience for such things. Riding with the status quo is also a plenty acceptable option, but if ledge tech isn't cutting it for you, why not see what you can do on handrails or big gaps. An occasional back to basics headcleaning reboot every now and again is a worthy undertaking, too. If none of these approaches are working, you can always make fun of things, which is why enjoi registered so well in an era of Osiris and Zero. The key is coming up with good ideas and using them in moderation, which are both practices skateboarding has a hard time doing.

The photograph sequence is by Dave Swift.

Transworld - September 1997 Volume 15 Number 9