John Rattray #6.

Happy Halloween!

The scariest thing about this ad is how small those boards are. The stitches deck measures 7.625" x 31.25" and the pentagram is 7.75" x 31.25". These are rather unremarkable debut graphics for John, even by Zero standards. He did have models with better art for Panic/Blueprint prior to switching to a US company. I'm unsure if he had to temporarily go back to amateur status when he got on Zero even though he had been pro for a few years in the United Kingdom.

The photograph is by Joe Brook.

Transworld - September 2002 Volume 20 Number 9

Gailea Momolu #2.

Ottawa Senator.

Gailea does a nollie heelflip to noseslide to mark being knighted into the professional ranks.

I think Todd Francis said something to the effect that there are two ways to sell skateboards. You either create a graphic that makes the skater feel tough or makes them laugh. Darkstar opted for the first choice and ran with a mysterious dark knight theme for all their graphics.

Transworld - November 2002 Volume 20 Number 11

Mike Vallely #9.

“It’s 1990, boys. Let’s get rid of the skeletons.”

I guess you can't go too far wrong with a skull on skateboard, regardless of what Neil Blender thinks. Or maybe you can. Truthfully, this has to be decided on a case by case basis.

For general accounting purposes, Mike recently plowed Street Plant under and is back on the nostalgia machine that is Powell Peralta. Again. I never knew or maybe simply forgot that Powell's Bug graphic was also a model for Mike. Vallely Skateboards was distributed by Giant after he rode for the Black Label and before he would ride for Element. The team included Steffan Attardo, Jesse Fritsch, Alysson Castro, and Bobby Stewart.

Transworld - September 2003 Volume 21 Number 9

Donny Binaco.

Jersey Metal.

Kre-per Trucks were created by the Grind King crew. They came up with a gothic design that looked like something Batman would have on his skateboard. The ads followed along with a vaguely dark and apocalyptic theme. Donny is one of Fred Gall's boys and part of the Metal squad.

Here's a sample of the trucks from Transworld:

I understand why the mags slowly phased out actual product reviews over the years, but skateboarding lost something without the occasional bit of cynical criticism.

I picked out assorted spooky ads from 2002 and 2003 for Halloween this year.

The photo is by Ryan Panis.

Trucks: Transworld - June 2004 Volume 22 Number 6

Donny: Transworld - October 2002 Volume 20 Number 10

Matt Field #11.

Wall Flower.

I've been thinking about what skateboarding was like twenty years ago lately. They built the local park and a lot of kids were rolling. Rasa Libre and the relaunched Stereo were popular among the skaters who were more creative and didn't fully relate to either the hesh or fresh camps. After doing this blog for a while, I'm fascinated by what younger generations pick up as as key influences.

I guess the Ipath reboot has been selling well, even if a few of the original heads aren't involved. I only did minimal research when I posted the Ipath scans back in August, but the company was on the sketchy side in its heyday, as per usual in the shady world of skateboard business. It turned the week into kind of a bummer because I wanted it to be a feel good type of entry about the return of a much loved departed brand. That's how it goes sometimes.

I've got the annual week of Halloween fun planned out. I'm amazed I can think of something vaguely different each year for scary season.

Thrasher - June 2004 Volume 24 Number 6

Max Schaaf #17.

Ultimate North Cal Barney.

It's a rare sighting of street Max. Mr. Schaaf goofs off in front of Mike Carroll and Paul Rodriguez during a photo shoot for Fourstar.

Jamestown Skateboard Products is having their annual King of the Ramp party this Saturday, October 26, 2024. Bad Waitress, Thee Audience, and Television Overdose will be playing some live tunes. There's also a Halloween costume contest. The event is sponsored by 4 Life Skateboards, Lowcard, Rust Belt Skateboards, Tail Devil, Goodsen, Biodome, and Snowbelt Gardens. JSP is located at 207 Pine Street in Jamestown, New York.

Thrasher - June 2004 Volume 24 Number 6

Ed Selego #4.

Hitting the bricks.

Ed's doing a wallie to backside lipslide on a steep brick planter. I picked this one out because I thought it was a different view for an uncommon trick.

Are Habitat and Alien Workshop now under distribution by Quasi?

The photograph is by Ian O'Connor.

Transworld - June 2004 Volume 22 Number 6

Ryan Gallant #3.

The new Orion.

Silver was a truck brand started in 2003 by Rob Dyrdek. Syndrome Distribution handled the production logistics. I figure that Orion Trucks ended in 2002 and Rob wanted to establish a new sponsor. The team had some heavy hitters of the day, including Josh Kalis, Paul Rodriguez, and Stevie Williams. Silver was around for a while and lasted until the early 2020s with the expected roster changes along the way. I never had a pair so I don't know what they were like, but I believe Silvers didn't get the best reviews ever. I do think the kids rode them at the skatepark with their plastic cored wheels.

Transworld - May 2004 Volume 22 Number 5

Anex Trucks.

Built to hardflip.

Rodney Mullen wasn't the only guy from the A-Team who was into truck design. Chet Thomas launched Anex in the spring of 2004. I'm making an educated guess that Chet started or worked with a separate distributor outside of Dwindle since the trucks are listed as available through Aparatus Inc. The team included Canadian rippers Gailea Momolu and Pierre-Luc Gagnon.

I found this in the thrift store on Saturday:

Transworld - June 2004 Volume 22 Number 6

Dan Drehobl #33.

Smoking tailslide.

I've been giving Dan's old video parts a fresh viewing recently. It's weird how you used to watch a bunch of the same videos repeatedly to pick up on every detail and nuance until you had them memorized. I imagine that still happens, but I can't picture doing that in the current information overload world. Dan had quite the run in the 1990s and 2000s. It makes me wonder why "I'd rather watch Drehobl pivot to fakie" never became a thing. Perhaps it is for the best it didn't.

The wheel gimmicks were wild twenty years ago.

Thrasher - June 2004 Volume 24 Number 6

Zered Bassett #6.

ZnZ throwing down in the Zoo York days. He had been riding for Alltimers until the company recently called it a day. Supposedly he had an offer to ride for Girl if anything went south at Zoo in the 00s, but he never took them up on it. Zered should look into whether the opportunity is still there to join the Crailtap camp.

Giovanni Reda elevated Zered's skateboard stunts to fine art status.

Transworld - October 2002 Volume 20 Number 10

Chris Lambert #3.

Inerlock.

Expedition One crafted decks with built in mounting hardware. You would need an Allen wrench or a screwdriver to set up a board, but you wouldn't need a wrench. I guess that saves some time or labor. It looks like riser pads are maybe out of the question. I'd venture a guess they sawed an Orion truck off for the product display photo. I perhaps saw one or two of these boards in real life. It was long enough ago that I honestly don't recall. I can't tell if Inerlock would be a good idea or not. It's probably better than hardware you hammer into the deck, although it might not be much of an improvement.

Note: I posted each page individually. The ad ran with Chris holding the board as page one and then the others as a two page spread, if that makes sense. I thought it worked better for the net as three single pages.

Jody Morris snapped the skateboarding photo sequence.

Transworld - November 2002 Volume 20 Number 11

Brian Anderson & Rune Glifberg.

Real Action Heroes.

Axion beefed up their squad with a pair of heavy hitters in BA and Rune at the end of the 1990s.

These shoes look like they are from the future. So why aren't we wearing kicks like this 25 years later? Is the best we can come up with a collaboration by two different brands that are owned by the same corporate entity?

Brian's photo is by Atiba Jefferson. Rune's photo is by Proodian. I am not sure on a first name for him.

Transworld - December 1999 Volume 17 Number 12

The A-Team 1999 Tour.

I wonder if they ever made it back home?

I like how Dave's thought balloon is "This is the life."

Now that I think about it, the tour was probably covered in at least one mag and 411.

I've been picking out random stuff from the turn of the millennium. It's long enough ago and the mags were thick enough that plenty of entertaining things have been forgotten.

Transworld - December 1999 Volume 17 Number 12.

Dustin Dollin #4.

Jägermeister fueled ripping.

Dustin was crushing spots in the early to mid 2000s. Vans gave him a few pro model shoes and he was getting a lot of coverage. He grown up from his earlier Demon Spawn days into a more fully formed skater, too. I think he somehow managed to survive the party lifestyle without it being the end of him, which is an impressive trick in and of itself.

There's a Piss Drunx board and clothing line. I think it's out of Baker Boys Distribution. It used to be listed on their website, but doesn't seem to be there any longer. It's possible Dustin took the distro to Europe since he lives in France. Matisse Banc appears to be the only pro on the team. He also rides for Emerica, Volcom, and Thunder, as far as I know.

All the pictures are by Andrew Mapstone.

Crooks: Transworld - March 2002 Volume 20 Number 3

Smashin': Transworld - October 2002 Volume 20 Number 10

Rune Glifberg #6.

The Line.

A primary colored Rune takes a backside Smith grind around the corner at the Volcom ramp.

I like how Volcom was running a record label in addition to making clothing. I have no idea if their bands were any good, but I appreciate that they were doing it.

Skateboarding was rained out yesterday. It was the first time since September 6th that I didn't roll. I probably needed the day off. The weather appears to be shifting to a wetter and chillier fall pattern soon so I'm glad I went over to skate the Jamestown city park on Sunday morning when it was warm. It's a little hard to believe the place is two years old now. I figure I've been there about 14 times. The design isn't exactly my cup of tea, but I can have fun there now. I definitely enjoy the location more than anything. Nothing beats a giant empty skatepark next to a river early on a hot summer morning.

The photo is by Remy Stratton.

Transworld - February 2002 Volume 20 Number 2

Caswell Berry #11.

Green & Magenta Attack.

Caswell throws down for the Stone. He would've been on Toy Machine at the time of these photos. I forget that he used to ride for Circa back then, too.

Once again Andrew Mapstone took the photos.

Transworld - May 2003 Volume 21 Number 5

Darrell Stanton #4.

Darrell is originally from Long Beach, California. He moved to Texas for the middle and high school years before returning to Cali. I always thought he was a Houston native, but that's where he came into his own as a skater and was added to the Real squad. His first proper sponsor was a Texas company called Instrumental Skateboards. Peter Ramondetta was also on the team. Darrell had a heavy arsenal of switch and nollie tricks.

Andrew Mapstone was the photographer.

For the info: Thrasher - June 2004 Volume 24 Number 6

Transworld - Winter Issue 2002 Volume 20 Number 13

Mark Appleyard #5.

The first track off Unknown Pleasures.

The recent news is that Mark has embraced the chaos and signed up for a spot on Nyjah Houston's Disorder brand. This comes after a very brief return to Flip after wandering around in the wilderness that is Element since 2010. He is still on Globe. Mark put in an appearance for a Globe demo at the Food Court Skatepark back in August along with Austyn Gillette, Christian Maalouf, and Sammy Montano. (I probably should've gone to that. Oops.)

I'm making a rare for me prediction by claiming that Disorder is going to be the company to watch in 2025. It's only a matter of time before they add Cordano Russell to the team and it will be game on from then on.

The photo sequence is by Andrew Mapstone.

Transworld - July 2002 Volume 20 Number 7

Jessie Van Roechoudt #7.

Attacking that double set, yo.

Jessie had a lot of coverage in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I knew she was on Billabong, but didn't remember this advertisement. I'm not sure who her board sponsor was in 2003. Jessie was part of Rookie until that company ended in the fall of 2001. She had a slate of other sponsors at the time and was going to college, so maybe it wasn't a top priority. She currently works for Adidas.

Transworld - January 2003 Volume 21 Number

Rob Pluhowski #7.

Mony Travel.

Rob takes flight over a giant bump to bar. The move was in his part in Mosaic, the Habitat video from 2003. These type of tricks seem physically impossible to me so I'm readily impressed by them.

The photographs are by Mike O'Meally.

Transworld - Winter Issue 2002 Volume 20 Number 13

Kevin "Spanky" Long #12.

Looking for the magic.

It's a little odd seeing Spanky launch down a big flight of stairs. However, he was young and it was the style of the day in the early 2000s so it made sense. Kevin takes a more refined approach to street spots in present times, but he will occasionally jump off something taller. I think he might have been on City Stars at the time of this ad or maybe just getting ready to switch to Baker. There is a new video called Hourglass for Ace Trucks of Spanky's well crafted approach to skateboarding. He's also got a new shoe on Emerica.

There's a fresh interview with Rick Ibaseta up at the Chrome Ball Incident. I got the first issue of Plank. I'll probably give it a review at some point in the future. I want to take the time to get a feel for the mag before writing anything.

The photo is by David Broach. Probably.

Transworld - November 2002 Volume 20 Number 11

Jason Adams #23.

Triton plant.

Jason is riding a Six Gun deck. This was a Black Label side company from 2002-3. Chet Childress was the other pro.

Ruckus was a truck brand by Foundation that was started in the early 2000s and lasted longer than you might think.

I'm swamped with work and I've got one freelance photo project to do on my own time. Things are not looking great for Vert Is Dead at the moment.

Transworld - September 2002 Volume 20 Number 9