Richard Mulder & Mike York.

Double the chocolate.

Richard and Mike were both on Chocolate for much of the 1990s and early 2000s. Each had a stint on World Industries before switching to the Crailtap team. Richard also rode for Foundation and Mike was on Stereo in 1993. There was so much overlap between Chocolate and DVS that it's no wonder Mike Carroll and Rick Howard partnered with them when they launched Lakai in 1999. I dig the backside tailslide photo of Mike. Richard might be one of the first to explore becoming a real estate agent once the professional skateboarding ride was nearing the end. He had a clothing company called Heel Bruise, too.

Richard: Transworld - October 2000 Volume 18 Number 10

Mike: Transworld - September 2000 Volume 18 Number 9

Jeron Wilson #6.

Blue streak.

I figured after a week of Axion, DVS would be good for the next round. It's a little wild how many different shoes Axion and DVS had in the late 1990s and early 2000s when skateboarding still supported its native cobblers. These days you're a lucky pro if Nike grants you a colorway of a Dunk.

J-Dubs was on Real and Blind before settling in for the long haul at Girl. I think he's on the staff at the Nine Club interview show these days.

Transworld - August 2000 Volume 18 Number 8

Guy Mariano #9.

"Mystery is style. Our society thrives on the unknown and what exists in the shadows. The reason: that which we know little of, allows us room for modification and imagination. Enter Guy Mariano. Sponsored for nearly a decade, and not yet two decades old, he has managed to stay at the forefront of skateboarding while at the same time remaining virtually unheard of." - Joel Patterson

Guy spins a switch 360 flip across a school courtyard gap. Joel's quote is from Guy's 1995 Transworld interview. He mostly discusses how he started skateboarding, the hi-jinx of riding for World Industries, and switching to Girl. He does mention that he was working with Converse on some shoe designs. Eric Pupecki was the other rider on the team. He would be on Axion a couple of years later.

I've been breaking in some new shoes this past week. It's been going about as well as can be expected for somebody who hasn't been skating too well for the last couple of months. It's probably going to be a week of DVS up next.

The photograph is by Seu Trinh.

For the quote: Transworld - November 1995 Volume 12 Number 11

Big Brother - October 2000 Number 65

J.B. Gillet.

International man of mystery.

I don't know too much about JB. I assume he's had some interviews over the decades, but nothing turned up in a lazy search of the archives. JB has always had a fair amount of coverage in the US mags and ridden for some quality sponsors so he must be doing something right. His French connection part with Lucas Puig and JJ Rousseau in Lakai's Fully Flared video is a great showcase of Euro tech skateboarding.

Out of curiosity, what size boards are people riding these days? How long does a pair of trucks last on average?

The sequence is by Seu Trinh. JT got the product pic.

Big Brother - September 2000 Number 64

Mike Maldonado #6.

Poison venom speed.

I like how the Axion team expanded to included skaters that weren't only doing fresh ledge tech. I think the story is Brian Anderson was wearing the shoes since they happened to be making a shoe big enough to fit his feet. Obviously him being a total ripper and winning SOTY when SOTY still mattered made it an easy move to add BA to the crew. I would imagine the Toy Machine connection partially assisted in Mike getting on as well. I know Erik Ellington was running Axions a lot before he was on Emerica. It would've been cool to see him on the team, too.

The photo is by Atiba Jefferson with the shoe picture by Dia.

Big Brother - August 2000 Number 63

Caine Gayle #5.

The winner's circle.

Caine takes a noseslide to the top shelf over a handrail. He was riding for DC before switching to Axion. Caine would have had a connection to Kareem Campbell since they both rode for assorted World Industries/Dwindle companies in the 1990s. That's how he would also be sponsored by All City/City Stars when Plan B folded. I believe the rumor was a few guys split from DC because a few of the newer riders were going to be given pro model shoes before the veterans got their own custom kicks. I have no idea how much truth there was to that rumor. Caine would go on to ride for Genetic, Airwalk's spinoff brand with the gross out medical themed ads, after the Axion ended.

The photo is by Atiba Jefferson.

Big Brother - April 2000 Number 59

Kareem Campbell #8.

Action.

Axion was Kareem's shoe company in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The brand made a couple of brief returns in the years since, but unfortunately it has not stuck around. They were definitely on the fresh side of spectrum, back when we classified skateboarding as either fresh or hesh. It's all a strange jumble these days. Kareem had been pro for Duffs and went on to start Axion with Steve Rocco's backing. He would later take the company with him when he split to do All City and City Stars. I think everything came to an end around about 2002 or 2003. Axion had some slick looking shoes paired with a somewhat unusual and well rounded team.

Atiba Jefferson took the photo of Kareem and JT got the product photo. Meanwhile, Nike can't be bothered to put rider names in their videos.

Big Brother - January 2000 Number 56