Jeremy Wray #3.

Jeremy owned this roof ledge gap thing.

So The Smiths have been used fairly often in skateboard videos, just not the ones I watch all the time. I watched Wieger's part and most of Nothing But The Truth last night, along with the Rock Adio promo. Steve Nesser skates to the tune of "Bigmouth Strikes Again." Alex Chalmers was a beast.

Frank Galland took the picture.

Strength - December 2002 Volume 7 Number 12

Heath Kirchart #5.

Speedway.

Have The Smiths ever been used in a skateboard video? I can't think of anybody, even during the low budget days of the early 1990s. Given their popularity, this seems a little amazing that they haven't in a video. I'm guessing it must be impossible to get the rights, which is probably the reason why.

The photo is by Joe Toreno.

Transworld - April 2002 Volume 20 Number 4

The Beastie Boys.

RIP Adam "MCA" Yauch.

MCA passed away from cancer after a three year battle with the disease on Friday. I basically keep this a strictly skateboarding website because everybody's got their own opinions about music and we don't need another Jane's Addiction/Red Hot Chili Peppers comment feud, but sometimes events happen that are so relevant to skateboarding that I would feel remiss in not addressing them. Such is the case with the death of MCA.

The Beastie Boys were undeniably a huge influence on skateboarding and the culture that goes along with it, especially in the big pants/small wheels days from 1992 to 1994. Their music is something that I associate very closely with that era. They were a big influence before and after that time as well, but that's when I was listening to them the most.

Obviously, their tapes got heavy play in the car while driving from spot to spot. They were in the videos, including Mike Carroll's groundbreaking part in Plan B's Questionable. The use of "The Biz vs. The Nuge" and "Time For Livin" set the tone perfectly for the modern street skating Carroll was about to throw down. I don't know how much anybody in the band actually skated, but they came across as being down with skateboarding and that mattered because skateboarding was very small in those days.

I think the Beastie Boys, and to a slightly lesser extent Sonic Youth, were the ones who served the purpose of the internet as a means of disseminating information to the people who needed know. The Beasties seemed like older siblings who clued you into all the cool stuff out there in the world that you didn't know about. The fashion, the sneakers, obscure Japanese baseball players, hip hop, basketball, old punk rock and hardcore... the list goes on and on.

My condolences to the band, their families and friends.

The photo is by Glen E. Friedman.

Transworld - July 1992 Volume 10 Number 7

Leo Romero.

"I don’t want a kid leaving a demo and saying, “Why didn’t Leo skate?” I wanna skate like they see me in a video or a magazine, not pussyfoot it just because it’s a demo."

Everybody loves Leo.

Leo was an amateur for Foundation and turned pro for them. He switched to Baker for a few years before switching again to Toy Machine. He has been on Emerica the entire time. Leo won Thrasher's SOTY in 2010. He was sponsored by RVCA until he went with Jimmy Arrighi to ride for his new Eswic clothing venture.

The San Dieguito Handrail Challenge was a contest held at the Coup D'État in 2002. The Coup D'État was an alternative to the ASR trade show cooked up by Tod Swank. It was held across the street from the convention center at the San Diego Children's Museum. I think the contest itself involved the hand rail from the San Dieguito school that was featured in a lot of skateboard videos, including Birdhouse's The End and numerous Zero videos. Or it might have had a replica of the Rincon stair set. I did a quick search of Transworlds last night for more specifics, but didn't find anything and gave up to go skateboarding. Whatever they did the carcass toss on, Billy Marks was the overall winner.

The quote is from an interview with Rob Brink conducted in 2010.

Big Brother - December 2002 Number 91

Don Nguyen.

The Death Squad.

The Nuge's introduction to the skateboarding masses was when he straight blasted the 20 stairs of El Toro on the contents page of Thrasher in 2001. He has ridden for a variety of Tum Yeto companies - Foundation, Hollywood and Pig for both wood and wheels. Don turned pro for Hollywood. In 2009, he left Foundation for Baker. He's from Oklahoma City and still jumping down big things.

That's Richie Belton and Justin Roy in the small photo.

Transworld - April 2002 Volume 20 Number 4

Victor Fonosch.

You can maybe file this one in the head scratcher category.

According to a few of the Shorty's ads, Victor was handpicked to ride for them by Chad Muska. He was treated to the complete Muska hook up, which included all the different Shorty's gear, Ghetto Child Wheels and Circa Footwear. He was an occasional house guest at the Shorty's skatepark. I'm not exactly sure what they were going for with this marketing effort for their newest rider. Also keep in mind that this is from the waning years of Shorty's before the original team split for Element, SK8MAFIA and parts unknown.

Big Brother - November 2002 Number 90

Scott Kane.

"Whoa there!!! It don't stop! Our ams be putting the hurt on all you burned out old crybaby pros! Kick rock! The next generation of pros is here!!! Welcome to the team Scott!! Let's do this!"

The fine print.

Scott was an amateur and turned pro for Bootleg. He was also on Vans. After Baker started as a board brand out of Blitz Distribution (Birdhouse, Flip), the posse of friends was too big for one company. Jay Strickland partnered with NHS (Santa Cruz) to launch Bootleg. The team included Elissa Steamer, Alex "Trainwreck" Gall, Mike Maldonado, Anthony Mosley, Pete Eldridge and Nick Trapasso. Unfortunately for Scott, injuries forced him to retire from skateboarding. He works in the escrow business now.

For the info: Skateboarder - April/May 2012 Volume 22 Number 2

Thrasher - August 2002 Volume 22 Number 8