Miami skate shop owner Rene Lecour wanted to take his son to a cool destination and they began researching Cuba. After seeing footage of some of the skateboards the Cuban’s were riding Lecour realized they could seriously help the skate scene there by taking some skateboards with them when they went to visit, according to a story on CNN.com.
Lecour . . . thought his contacts in the skating community would make it easy for him to bring boards to Cuba. He was wrong. . . “I e-mailed every single skateboard company I know,” Lecour said. “The only two responses I got were unfortunately one person who said we shouldn’t be allowed to go because of the embargo. Another ‘genius’ said we shouldn’t come because all the skaters are all communist.”
Thankfully, the Miami skateboard community came through where the industry had failed and Lecour was able to hand deliver skateboards to the kids of Cuba.
One of the more amazing aspects of “the industry” is how many different doors there are to get in. Artist Drew Brophy is a classic example. As he tells Surf Expo’s Sean O’Brien, sometimes it’s just a matter of sticking around and doing your thing no matter what everyone else has to say about it.
I was trying to find someone who would let me use paint pens on surfboard for years. Kelly Richards from Perfection Surfboards let me do some, but he hated them. He was like: “Drew, these are the ugliest surfboards I’ve ever seen!” Then when I was in Hawaii I rode for Town & Country and I showed Craig Sugihara and the rest of the crew there my ideas and they weren’t into either. I got the same feedback from the guys at Local Motion and it seemed like everyone else on the North Shore. I was blown away, I was like “Wow, nobody’s going to let me do this.” . . . Matt [Biolos] was actually the last guy I wanted to talk to. He really had nothing going on at the time. They weren’t even on the map. But I needed an outlet to do the art and I wanted to meet him. That day I walked in there I was more or less looking to do something fun. I was making more money working at Stewart than I had in my whole life. Working with Matt was more of a release; it was just fun.
And to think, now Brophy is designing shirts for tradeshows. . . Click the link for the rest of the story.
Winters are cold in NorCal and Thrasher Magazine knows that the worst part about skateboarding out in the frost is slapping a hand down on frozen concrete. Apparently, that’s why they made these new new Goat Grip Gloves and and matching Blackout Beanies. These seem perfect for flying over Cuckoo’s nests if nothing else.
Just a reminder for those making the trek to Orlando for Surf Expo 2011. This Friday, January 7, 2010 Quiksilver and Surf Expo will host the All 80’s All Day Vert Challenge in the Orange County Convention Center, North Hall A, 9400 Universal Drive in Orlando, adjacent to Surf Expo. Admission is free and open to the public on a first come, first served basis. Parking at the Convention Center is $13.
SlickWraps, the purveyors of fine iPhone skins, have a new skin that turns an iPhone 4 into a nice 7-ply maple board–sort of.
We use real skateboard grip-tape to manufacture each item and each is precision cut with a laser for a perfect fit. When combined with a wood grain vinyl edge wrap this design actually gives your iPhone 4 the illusion of being a skateboard, all you need now are the wheels. The only advice we can give you is not to slide this phone against your grandma’s table because this material is very rough.
Finally, an iPhone that can do damage, rather than the other way around. Right now, it’s only $20 on Etsy.com.
Finally there is a way to learn to skateboard without leaving the house. Yes, we’re going to learn to “skate like a professional” from the comfort of our our laptop with help from one of Goskate.com’s “300 instructors.”
GoSkate.com’s owner, Rob Dunfey, says, “We get calls all the time from people who say that even though our skateboard lesson rates are very reasonable, they still don’t fall within their budget, that’s why I decided to do live skateboarding lessons over the web for free.”
The first free, live skateoarding lesson will be broadcast online Tuesday February 8, 2011 (3 PM PST, 6 PM EST) featuring the teaching stylings of Professional Skateboarding instructor Dan MacFarlane. Hey, if these skateboard lessons were featured in CVS Pharmacy, Sam’s Club, and Rite Aid, they’ve got to be great. Follow the jump for all the details. [click to continue…]
Eric Koston’s new Nike SB’s are loaded with Lunarlon. Apparently, that’s a good thing (P-Rod is reportedly getting some, too). So good that he shared it with the Twitterverse on the day after Christmas.
As it appears that we are the number one Google search result for the term: “Hot Girls Holding Skateboards.” We figure we’ll just play right into one of our strengths with the girls of Akihabara Japan’s AKB48 as seen on Skate & Annoy.
Apparently, AKB48 is some kind of Japanese “idol” group. If you know, you know.
Seems like Ryan Sheckler has lived a few more than 21 years when we add up all his past escapades. So if anyone deserves a full blowout Las Vegas 21st Birthday party it’s Sheckles. Tonight at 11 PM the festivities kick off at Moon Nightclub in the Palms Hotel. For those not familiar Moon goes a little like this:
Moon is the exclusive penthouse nightclub occupying the top floor of the Palms’ Fantasy Tower, just above Nove Italiano and Playboy Club. Moon boasts a dramatic, surreal environment unlike any other nightclub in Vegas or the world. The floor is covered in color-changing glass tiles while a curtain of glass beads hanging over the floor-to-ceiling windows plays videos. . . This sexy, sultry club gives way to the most spectacular architectural feature in Las Vegas- a massive retractable roof that opens up to provide a mind-blowing view of the stars.
And from the looks of the sponsors on the party flier there just might be some drinking going on. We can smell spilled Red Bull just typing this.
For those in Vegas there is still time. Party starts at 11 PM for more info call: (702) 942-6832.
We thought we’d take a break from all the seriously sad snowboard carnage for a little indoor Baker Boys skateboarding action from Neckface’s warehouse.
