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| Q&A: Michael Brooke - Publisher, Concrete Wave Magazine (7141 Posts)
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Re: The Blame Game
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On 7/14/2006
Sumdumsurfer
wrote in from
United States
(71.107.nnn.nnn)
Bud posted:
"Sumdum, let me tell you a quick story, and you tell me what you think of it."
The story is rather interesting. I see no connection, however. I've stated my thoughts. Since you brought Blair's actions up on C.D. (read: knocking people out.), I chose to previously post as such. If C.W. magazine were mine, you'd be toast for connecting C.W. to such negativity. Had you posted what you did without claiming to work for C.W. it wouldn't be an issue. People often make fun of what they don't understand. The fact that someone took the time to create that mock magazine cover plainly states that. I took it as a very humorous joke and nothing more. C.W. is obviously in the minds of many different people. Skaters may make fun, joke about, and flatout hate C.W. At the same time, they ARE reading and watching. Keep that in mind and let that speak for itself.
But, alas... I don't own that or any other mag, so I guess it is what it is and our debate ends here... I hope.
Now, back to meaningful things like skateboarding; bring on the Soul Bowl, more ditch/skatepark/backyard pool/and slalom sessions for the summer!
SK8/SURF 4 LIFE!
Sumdumsurfer
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Pics of your trip...
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On 7/14/2006 M4RC10
wrote in from
Brazil
(201.35.nnn.nnn)
Any pics of your trip, Michael??
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Jumpin' in...
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On 7/14/2006 David V.
wrote in from
United States
(24.119.nnn.nnn)
Keep it up Bud, I like your style! BTW, I spent a fair portion of my formative years roaming the woods of my uncle's place in Barnstead, NH! I'm definitely drooling for a longboarding excursion in the fall colors now that stuck in the desert southwest!
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Don't blame the blameless guy
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On 7/14/2006
Bud
wrote in from
United States
(68.57.nnn.nnn)
Blair had nothing to do with this, insofar as I know, Sumdum. I speak for myself, and myself only.
Sumdum, let me tell you a quick story, and you tell me what you think of it. Anyone else is free to jump in as well.
I used to live in New Hampshire. For many years, New Hampshire did not recognize Martin Luther King day. For whatever reasons, I don't know. But, one of the net results of this was that, on MLK day, every year, a whole army of white supremacists would show up in our state, have their little "We're White!" rallys, and basically make a mess of our quaint little state. Like a lot of stupid people, they had no clue of how unpopular they really were with the rest of us. Whatever.
Of course, someone here accused me of rather enjoying pushing people's buttons- which, of course, I won't deny. So, MLK day was basically provided me a smorgasboard of complete morons to screw with every year. Pretty awesome, huh?
One day, I was walking down the street with a good friend of mine- a skater, too, I guess I should add. Not a very big fellow- and, again, unlike me, not much of a brawler-type of guy. Quite the opposite, actually; my buddy was the uber-pacifist of the universe. Wouldn't hurt a soul. Or, that's what he endlessly told me, at least. So, that's what I thought was the truth.
So, we're strolling along, when one of the uber-racists ran over to give us some sort of propaganda... y'know, just living in New Hampshire, I guess, was enough for them to think that, hey, we're all on their page, right? We're all racists by association! So, Mr. White Supremacist guy wasn't threatening at all, just ploddin' over to say "Hey, What's up, kindred spirits?", right? All stoked and stuff. You could pretty much say the same for that one guy I was screwing with at CD: overall, not a very threatening bloke. Just a guy, standing up and breathlessly fighting for what most dudes would consider a pretty laughable idea.
Anyway, my friend turns around, says not a single word, and straight clocks this guy. Out cold. Then, resumes walking as if nothing at all had just happened. Adam: I'm not promoting this sort of activity at all, just presenting it as it actually happened.
I should add: I was stunned by this. Obviously. Pacifists don't make a habit of beating people up, last time I checked.
"Dude! You just knocked that guy out!" Still stunned.
"I know."
Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.....
"Bu t, you're supposed to be the ever-logical pacifist in this relationship, buddy..."
"I know".
Okay...
"So, why'd you just clock that guy?!?!" This would obviously go against his own pacifist principles and all.
"Logic doesn't work on stupid people" was his answer. And, he kept right on walking, without another word about it.
Fault me for whatever you want, Sumdum- and, to a lesser extent, Adam- but, at least I gave arguing a fair shake this time around.
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back to my old computer
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On 7/14/2006
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.95.nnn.nnn)
Whew
just a blown power supply
$65 later and I am happy camper
the trip was just great...9 full days with my son...not one fight...or argument...that's a nice feeling.
where to even begin?
all I can ask is...what DO YOU have planned skatewise for this summer?
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Recent events
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On 7/14/2006
Sumdumsurfer
wrote in from
United States
(71.107.nnn.nnn)
"i'm not quite as bad as Bud and Blair at needing to prod people and push their buttons."
Now THAT'S an understatement. I don't think anyone goes out of their way, more. Anyone that's on a magazine staff doesn't need/have to go to another website to keep a feckless debate fueled. VERY bad form and doesn't do the magazine any good, whatsoever. Nor is any good going to result from it. LET IT GO. Threatening to "knock them on their a$$es" is NOT too bright. I've always supported anything having to do with skateboarding... not sniveling.
On a more positive note, I respect Michael for seeing everything the same way that most normal/sane people did... as a joke. He dismissed it and moved on... rightly so. Speaking of Michael, sounds like your trip went well and welcome back home. Also, the Soul Bowl event is on the horizon. Looking forward to that, as much as I have for the last several years.
SK8/SURF 4 LIFE!
Sumdumsurfer
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I'm back...but the computer is FRIED!
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On 7/14/2006
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.95.nnn.nnn)
So, I arrive back to find computer SHOT!
AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH
I stole this from the kid's room!
It will take me some time to get things righted.
Wait til you see the new evolutions dvd...crazy!
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200 longboarders/playing the card
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On 7/14/2006
buddy rawls
wrote in from
United States
(64.12.nnn.nnn)
they assembled 200 longboarders!! not 200 skaters, but 200 longboarders. With longboards being a niche market, that would mean if they could get all the skaters onboard, it would be a pretty hefty number. Way more than around my locale. true, you cant compete with California, but regardless the vacouver scene pretty strong to me.
as far as the gay CW thing, all I can say is I have opinions on the skate generations (as I coined the definitions a while back) and the comments fit it to 'tee'.
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200 Longboarders
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On 7/13/2006
Slob-Air
wrote in from
Canada
(70.72.nnn.nnn)
Slim - Those 200 longboarders are just the core of Coastal BC crew. They have about 1,000 members. At any given time you can find swarms of them bombing through Vancouver dodging traffic or out on the island rocketing down crazy steep long hills (hi-ways)—even in the rain— in mass. We're talking the kind of hills most humans would dream of bombing, let alone in a huge crew, in the rain. Seriously hardcore cats.
Check out the last Evolutions DVD for an glimpse.
Now go put away your button before someone kicks you in it, hippy. ;)
Cadillac - I don't get it. Was that supposed to be funny?
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drama
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On 7/13/2006
cad
wrote in from
United States
(206.135.nnn.nnn)
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playing the card
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On 7/13/2006
slim
wrote in from
(71.146.nnn.nnn)
yeah, i played the california card. i'm not quite as bad as Bud and Blair at needing to prod people and push their buttons, but every once in a while I'll let something rip, ha! besides, speaking up for your 'local' scene has also always been a part of skateboarding.
as for the scene in vancouver...sorry but 200 longboarders aren't really my idea of a "hotbed". now Oregon...that place has great skaters and great terrain. I haven't skated up there since Burnside in '91, but I'll be hitting the southern Oregon parks next week. Can't wait!
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Quite An Enlightening Experience
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On 7/13/2006
WT
wrote in from
United States
(64.12.nnn.nnn)
That Concrete Disciple thread is incredibly informative. As an old school skater I've often wondered what pukish little groms thought about when standing in one place trying to do the same trick over and over and never nailing it -
They are obviously obsessed with homosexuality and male performance.
Funny. When I was skating in the '70s and '80s, we always talked about chicks and urethane. Times do change.
Oh, one question. Which is more gay: spending time reading a magazine about skateboarding or reading a magazine and wondering about what kind of fashion statement different shoes make when standing around posing and talking s#@! about other skaters?
I guess the next thing will be color coordinated man purses that will glitter in different colors when jumping up and down doing a kickflip ONE MORE TIME!
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Two-upmanship
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On 7/13/2006 Bud
wrote in from
United States
(68.57.nnn.nnn)
Hasn't skateboarding everywhere always been like that...? It sure as hell was when I was growing up in New England, that's fersure. Tough bastards up there, whew.
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in the spirit of one-upsmanship...
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On 7/13/2006
derek
wrote in from
United States
(67.170.nnn.nnn)
hey slim-
you lose 5 points for shamelessly playing the california card ;)
"I mean, I don't know how it is in that hotbed of skateboarding culture that is Canada, but in California skateboarding has been that way ever since I can remember."
check out michael's story on silverfish.com about riding in vancouver last week with 200 longboarders. maybe you could hit that event next year and see that hotbed for yourself...
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One Upping vs. Progression
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On 7/13/2006
Bud
wrote in from
United States
(68.57.nnn.nnn)
Slim, I kinda see your point; having someone nudge you along, or push you hard to try something new is always a pretty good motivating force. It is for me, at least. Of course, I can't , nor will I, speak for anyone else on this.
I consider "one-upping" to be a little different. That's more of an ego-fluffing exercise on the part of the one-upper, generally designed to make the one-uppee feel like poop.
I can't say that everyone at that site is a tool. I answered a few random questions here and there from guys looking for equipment advice and whatnot, and they seemed pretty cool to me. But, like anywhere else, there's also a couple of dudes that think that they are the end-all and be-all of what skateboarding is, and should be. I love to screw with these types of guys every chance I get, 'cuz they're so ridiculous. It's just skateboarding, it's not supposed to be a f*n facist regime hell-bent on world domination.
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last night before returning home
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On 7/12/2006
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(24.207.nnn.nnn)
Well gang, it's the last night of my trip and while we're sad to be leaving, I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the family and getting down to CW biz.
It's been a helluva trip. I am staying with a good buddy here just outside of Vancouver. We got up to Whistler only to find rain...lots and lots of rain.
Coming up is the new DVD evolutions and of course the next issue...July will quickly whip by and I'll be going crazy in August. The new Jay Adams book is almost completed.
So, a great working holiday, by all accounts....
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cool people to skate with
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On 7/12/2006
slim
wrote in from
(71.146.nnn.nnn)
Those are EXACTLY the people who SUCK to skate with.....constantly have to one-up everyone they ride with.
For the record...I've met at least a dozen of the Concrete Disciples regulars. Maybe two dozen. And they are great to skate with. BTW, what's wrong with "one-up"ing while skating? Isn't that how we progress, how we push each other to try new things in skateboarding? I mean, I don't know how it is in that hotbed of skateboarding culture that is Canada, but in California skateboarding has been that way ever since I can remember....
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Well, I'm still gay.
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On 7/12/2006
Bud
wrote in from
United States
(68.57.nnn.nnn)
Welp, I spent a little bit of my afternoon screwing with the More Core Than Gay 'Ol Me crowd at Concrete Disciples today. I managed to piss off a couple of folks that think- pshaw!- that I don't have A SENSE OF HUMOUR!!! Oh, get off your little bitch ship, guys, and learn to take it as well as you can dish it out. Pansies....
It's amazing how un-funny thier little pranks become when they get 'em slung back at 'em. I think they were sorta pissed that someone actually waded in, and played their game. They probably didn't take that into consideration, as we typically don't answer a whole lotta criticism over here. Maybe they just need to take themselves less seriously over there... I dunno. Basically, I had fun, and they didn't. Works for me.
The anonymity of the internet does do a huge disservice to humanity, though- that's my reaction to the whole thing. I'm about the only guy over there that left my name and e-mail- so, in my book, I'm just about the only real person involved in the discussion. Everyone else is some sort of foggy entity, hiding behind an anonymous screen name. It's hard to clobber foggy entities, which does not appeal to the bully in me one bit. Adam, insinuating that I might be inclined to clobber a cloud of gaseous water vapor isn't too offensive, is it? If so, I'm all apologies, buddy. It's not against the law, though- so, I'm assuming I'm in the all clear, here.
Anyway, the disservice is, all semblance of tact is lost on the internet. In person, people are politely in disagreement... or, maybe not-so-politely in disagreement.... or, maybe just plain hostile. But, at the very least, you know what, and who, you're dealing with. On the internet, everyone's basically a tool- whereas, in person, only about 80% of all people are tools. This is basically the disservice to humanity that I alluded to above.
Gay, un-gay, cool, uncool, lame, awesome, retarded, genius, pansies, poofs... whatever we're labeled as on any given day, at least we are actual people, doing actual stuff, and that can actually answer criticism in a straightforward, sincere, or maybe irreverent manner. Today, I obviously chose irreverent. But, at least we can fess up to who and what we actually are. Gay and all. Well, I can, at least. Except, I'm not actually gay. They just think I am.
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It must be the cold up there...
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On 7/11/2006
Bud
wrote in from
United States
(68.57.nnn.nnn)
They're not the quickest of thinkers, either. Slower than Molasses in winter.
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concrete disciples thread
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On 7/11/2006 LI_Longboarder
wrote in from
United States
(216.255.nnn.nnn)
Those are EXACTLY the people who SUCK to skate with.....constantly have to one-up everyone they ride with. The truth is, they're f...ing ignorant. Hopefully, they gain some wisdom and learn to respect skating as a whole. Just another reason the only skate mag I read is CONCRETE WAVE!!!!!
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H-Street
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On 7/11/2006
Bud
wrote in from
United States
(68.57.nnn.nnn)
Man, does that bring back some memories! Sumdum, I fully remember that ad- and, as a young skater, I also remember, it made quite an impression on me, and my circle of friends. H-Street rocked... kinda wish they were still around.
At least they stood for something, y'know what I mean...?
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ryan sheckler in USA Today...
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On 7/11/2006
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(24.80.nnn.nnn)
quite a story...
Sheckler rewriting rules of pro skateboarding
Updated 7/9/2006 11:11 PM ET
By Jill Lieber Steeg, USA TODAY
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — Skateboarding phenom Ryan Sheckler often wonders what it would be like to have a "normal childhood."
"A part of me relates to kids my age, a part of me doesn't," Sheckler says. "I'm not complaining about my life, but it definitely gets to me when I want to go to the beach. But then, I also want to travel and do all these cool things I get to do. It kind of clashes a little bit, but it's not something I can't handle."
What the 16-year-old can handle include a six-figure income, fame and world travel.
There's more of that in store this week when he competes in Denver, at the second stop of the Dew Action Sports Tour, the professional tour for action sports. Last year he was the youngest athlete in the competition, scoring the most overall points and winning an extra $100,000 in prize money.
"He's arguably one of the best all-around skaters today, probably the best," skateboard icon Tony Hawk says. "In terms of versatility, he's the best guy anywhere, and he's only 16."
And he's riding a new trend.
Says Wade Martin, tour general manager: "Ryan embodies and represents where action sports are going. He wants to compete, and he wants to win. This is very different from where action sports have been."
No longer does the sport belong solely to counterculture, counter-establishment athletes who shun the spotlight.
"He trains no differently from any other pro athlete," Martin says. "And he has made it OK in action sports to get paid by the man."
Dad's board started it all
The average age of park skaters at the first leg of the tour was 23.5. The youngest skater, Nyjah Huston, 11, of Davis, Calif., was the second-place finisher behind Sheckler. The stars start earlier and earlier, but Sheckler's entry sounds mythical.
When he was 18 months old, he became captivated by his father's old Tony Alva skateboard and begged for a ride. Randy Sheckler set his son on the board, and soon the toddler was pushing himself around the family's garage.
At 4, Sheckler got his first skateboard, a basic Woody Woodpecker model, for Christmas.
"We thought, 'Are we insane?' " Gretchen Sheckler recalls. "But we figured we'd better just get him his own board, so he could play with it and be done with it, if that was the case. But, oh no. It went from him just pushing on it to, 'Mom, look at what I can do!' He would fly out of the driveway and race down the street. It took our breath away. It was gung ho from the get go."
And it's been non-stop gung ho. He finds success quickly at the skate parks, where landing a trick quickly can take dozens of attempts before it's done correctly, according to Carleton Curtis, managing editor of Transworld Skateboarding magazine.
"The difference with Sheckler is that it takes him one or two attempts to accomplish the same result," Curtis says. "On the contest circuit, skaters don't have the opportunity to retry tricks, and this is a big reason why Ryan's been so successful in that area."
He'll fly more than 200,000 miles around the world this year, having already been to competitions in Australia, China, Dubai, France and the Czech Republic.
He has a signature Etnies shoe and Volcom jeans lines and has been featured on action sports magazine covers, MTV's Cribs, ABC's 20/20 and NBC's Today show.
Smooth riding with family
Sheckler, who stands 5-7 and weighs 125 pounds, credits his family for keeping his feet on the ground. Gretchen, who has a bachelor's degree in finance from Cal State-Fullerton, is his manager. She has been at his side since he started competing at 7.
Randy, a mechanical engineer who owns a company that manufactures microelectronic components, helped build the skate park that engulfs the family's backyard.
Sheckler's maternal grandfather Tom Walsh, a concrete fabricator, also pitched in. His maternal grandmother Leta Pomerantz runs his fan club.
But don't get the idea that his family, which includes brothers Shane, 13, and Kane, 6, both involved in motocross, treats him like he's anybody special.
"We're in his face, in his life 24/7," Gretchen says. "I make sure he is a participating member of this family. When he's home, he's doing the dishes, doing his own laundry, taking out the trash."
Sheckler, who put himself on the map when he was only 13 by winning five major events, including gold in the X Games, says he doesn't get caught up in the fame.
"I'm a little beach cities kid who's definitely traveling the whole world on a skateboard," Sheckler says. "It's pretty amazing. It's pretty out of control."
Because of his hectic schedule, Sheckler enrolled at Futures High School in Mission Viejo, Calif., in September 2005. Futures is a private high school with one-on-one instruction.
...more at USA TODAY...sorry ran out of characters
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Re: Okaaaay, Take Two
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On 7/11/2006
Sumdumsurfer
wrote in from
United States
(71.107.nnn.nnn)
Bud posted:
"1. What anyone thinks about me, or what I may, or may not, do.
2. How "core", "cool", or whatever so-and-so, or such-and-such might be.
3. Whether this type of skating is more valid than that type of skating."
Couldn't agree more, Bud. I like all disciplines of skateboarding and always have for the past 34 years. Here's an old H-Street ad that still makes a lot of sense.
SK8/SURF 4 LIFE!
Sumdumsurfer
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Okaaaay, Take Two
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On 7/10/2006
Bud
wrote in from
United States
(68.57.nnn.nnn)
As I get older, I'm finding that there is a huge laundry list of things I just don't give a toss about anymore. Let's take a quick look at the short list, shall we?:
1. What anyone thinks about me, or what I may, or may not, do.
2. How "core", "cool", or whatever so-and-so, or such-and-such might be.
3. Whether this type of skating is more valid than that type of skating.
We support all types of skaters. Some people just don't understand that simple concept. Hey, just 'cuz they were kicked in the head as babies doesn't mean that we're obligated to sympathize with their plights. If some dudes don't get it, well, that's just gonna have to be their problem- not ours. Apparently, this makes us all sorts of things- among them, being "gay". So, we're gay. Big deal. At this point, refer to Item #1 in my short list, and go suck it.
I don't skate to please anyone else; I skate to please my own damned self. I can, and will, do whatever the hell floats my boat, and whether so-and-so approves or not bothers me not at all. That is called "punk", guys. Punk is cool, remember? Being a bitchy, narrow-minded homophobe is not.
Skateboarding, in my book, as a sport, absolutely and positively needs more of precisely this type of mindset... not less. I sincerely believe that, or I wouldn't be posting this same damned topic once again (My original got booted for insinuating that some dudes should just be clobbered, which I guess is a big No-No over here). When I look around at the outside World of Skateboarding, all I see is a whole lotta people doing a whole lotta things to impress others, which is not what skateboarding is, nor should be, about. Kids everywhere: Read that last sentence again, 'cuz it's a good one. Someone once said that skateboarding is the ultimate "Me" sport. It's all about Me, and what I want out of it. I can fully control My destiny, and that's what's supposedly so great about skateboarding. I would side with this, and I think it's a very good way of articulating the most important thing to remember about it. It's all about Me. That means, by default: it's not about You. So, You can just go screw for all I care. Whether you're on my side or not does not encourage, or deter me in the least. I can stand on my own two feet, and prosper quite fine, thank you very much.
Where would skateboarding be today, without some fearless souls pushing boundaries in the name of progress, inspiration, or curiosity- despite what the "popular opinion" of the day might have been...? Likewise: Where is skateboarding gonna end up if we decide to squash free/forward thinking in the name of conformity to some jackasses' randomly selected standards of "bro", "cool", and "acceptable"...? Slavery, for one, was considered pretty damned cool in the mid-1800's. If 'ol Abe had "bro'd down" with the uber-cool slaveholers of the era, we'd probably still have slavery today. So, lemme ask you, Oh-Cooler-Than-Me- who, or what, are you willingly a slave to right now, hmmmmm....?
If you're skating, or doing something within skating to impress your "bros", at the expense of doing what you would really much rather be doing for yourself... hey, maybe you're just not that much of a skater. Point blank, buddy.
When it does become all about You, and what You think of Me, and what pleases You... something has been lost from the whole deal, the whole beauty of the pastime. Think about this carefully, Naysayers of the Planet.
If You don't like the way I skate, go skate somewhere else. If You don't like a magazine, don't f*n read it. If You want to be butt-buddies with Your More Core Than Whoever Crowd, well, dive in all y'want, just don't splash on Me. If You think that something sucks, well, stop sitting there whining like a three year old little bitch, and do something proactive to change it. Start your own damned mag, instead of wasting your time complaining about so-and-so's mag. Or company, or whatever. If you're too stupid to do that, well, that's just too bad for you, now isn't it? You can espouse all the opinions you want, but that does not necessarily mean that I have to give them a minute of my time, nor an ounce of my respect. I'm far too busy doing my own thing over here, being gay and all that.
I respect people that can think for themselves, and can intelligently articulate, act upon, and stand firmly beside their own principles, regardless of whatever the rest of the World might have to say about it. This is exactly why I continue to support Mike, and his magazine. You say he's "gay", but I say, he's punker than all of you. Based on my definition of skateboarding- and, you'd be hard-pressed to find any rational thinker that'd disagree with me on any of this- then, you'd realize that Mike IS skateboarding, personified. Maybe if you'd look through your crying eyes and changed your f*n diapers once in a while, you'd see that.
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vancouver...
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On 7/10/2006
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(24.80.nnn.nnn)
what can I say?
INCREDIBLE
we just spent 5 hours skating and 2 hours mountain bike riding
Bonsor Skatepark is a MUST - full pipe and a very cool flow section.
skated with Kevin Harris
more news to come...
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