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| Q&A: Michael Brooke - Publisher, Concrete Wave Magazine (7141 Posts)
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Maxhim/longboards
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On 10/16/2007
Mig
wrote in from
Canada
(70.82.nnn.nnn)
One of their interns emailed me a while ago while I was away at a race requesting a full resolution picture of the Fullbag SpeedCarver (he was really specific about the model and he wanted it to be a complete, with trucks and wheels). He told me it was for an upcoming article about longboarding. I sent the pic to him a week later when I got home and never heard about it after that (maybe I was too late), despite a couple of attempts from my part to get some more info like if the board had been chosen and when the article would be published. He didn't say anything about having to pay...
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Speedboarding
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On 10/16/2007
Kludy
wrote in from
United States
(68.8.nnn.nnn)
At 45 years old I am going to Brazil to compete for a world record tonight.
Very cool, wish me luck.
There will be alot of young bucks there going for it. I am stoked !
It has always been hard for me to get sponsors but one company has stayed by me all these years. Gullwing rules and I am thrilled at my age to be able to still throw it out. Concrete Wave is the only mag. that is into all ages and all skateboarding. Thanks for your passion Michael !
Rick Kludy
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maxim
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On 10/16/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
I took a look at the October issue of Maxim,
two pages reviewing four longboards, (sector9, arbour, rayne and gravity)
I wonder if those companies have to pay to be in the review...
msk, regarding lots of pro model shoes..
I like the fact that skateboarding have a lot of pros, skaters like to watch different styles. I think when things get on TV, they tend to get dumb down for the audience, that's how you end up watching the same five vert guys every year on the x game.
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My daughter's new longboard
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On 10/16/2007
sparky
wrote in from
United States
(24.165.nnn.nnn)
Well I went out and bought my daughter a longboard about two weeks ago. It was a Sector Nine 420 Pintail complete with 9" gullwing alpine trucks, 70mm wheels and soft as butter (78 duro), and a set of greaseballs(abec 5?), I'm assuming the bushings were the staple sec9 marshmallows. This was how it came right from the shelf, price.... $130.
I was in the market for a good one just for her to carve around on, and i was looking to replace her current nosewalker (which incidentally was twice as long as she is tall.) And, quite frankly, i wanted to play with the nosewalker for myself, and that's how it went. After a few days, a few 8+ mile rides to town (Coronado) and a few adjustments to the bushings (picky kid), i decided to give it a good fast burn through the neighborhood...... Let's just say i'm jealous as hell. It almost made me consider doing nothing but carving everyday.
Now as far as the Nosewalker goes? i'm converting it. let's put it like this: it's really long, it's not a drop through, it has a kicktail, it's relatively heavy as hell, just my kind of toy to "overhaul." So that leaves me wondering, randalls? with a kicktail? soft wheels? (kryptos?) hmmm maybe two kinds of trucks? indy's on the back, and something carvy on the front? imma play, see what i like, never had the chance to really screw with a longboard of this type. (you have to admit, it's not your typical downhill racer even though i did get it to 45 mph in downtown oklahoma city last year, i also used it quite a few times in the Matt Hoffman park, which for a 50 inch board is suppose to be a no-no.)
For a few months during my move i got so bogged down with life that skateboarding was a release for me, but it lost that (hehehehe) fun, and now it's back.
Thanks Michael, for inviting me to the auction, and thank you sector nine for making me feel like i'm 15 again. (by the way if I was made out of money and bought that huge, ancient dogtown board, I would have rode it. I would have had someone shooting video just so everybody could cringe as I used it.)
Skateboarding is fun again, and i mean the same kind of fun you felt when you had that wide-eyed "anything's possible" attitude. And i'm looking forward to falling on my ass and breaking my tailbone, not that i don't have an avid skateboarders sense of balance, but with my new frankenstein, god knows what i'll come up.
Even if it goes no-where, it'll still be fun getting there.
-sparky
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a few questions, answered...
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On 10/16/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(67.70.nnn.nnn)
I was waiting for someone to ask about the policy on shoes...
No, it wasn't VANS...
and no, the fact that I got turned down by this company didn't make me dislike shoe companies...Hell, shoe companies do their thing and I do mine.
No, what this rebuff did was focus my mind more clearly. Originally, like most publishers, I went and looked at the other skate mags and saw lots of shoe ads. I figured, there's gold there! So, why not just go after them and I tried...as you can see in the example I gave.
It then dawned on me that in order for CW to be successful, it had to be vastly different than the other mags. It had to concentrate on the act of skateboarding. It had to stand out and make a statement. Make no mistake, I am willing to take ads (from shoe or clothing companies) that promote an event or contest. I just feel that when you open up CW, it's cool to see all hardgoods.
As for Chris Chaput....well, he started advertising in International Longboarder with a 1/4 page. He is now at 4 pages in CW. He sees the value in CW. That's his decision and judging by how many green orange and yellow wheels I see out there, a number of folks read the ads.
On a final note: We try and cover as many companies as we can. Some advertise, some don't. It can be a little crazy communicating 175+ different skate companies. If you have a skate company and have new product, send me an email.
mbrooke@interlog.com
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Shoes and magazines
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On 10/15/2007
msk
wrote in from
United States
(68.190.nnn.nnn)
"the fact is that this info is readily available...but, you have to admit, information, while it is readily accessible, is not always searched."
When one of the few mentions of slalom in a mainstream skate magazine is an article called "Barneys By The Bay", you can't really expect the kids to get excited and start searching for everything slalom-related. A positive article in Thrasher or TWS would go much farther than regular coverage in CW or sites like this...
"And why are shoe ads so offensive. Most of us (besides Mollica) wear shoes when we skate."
Its not so much the shoe ads, as the fact that skateboarding seems to have been turned into a promotional campaign for pro skaters themselves, rather than for the actual goods (which I think is the point Buddy was making). And the plethora of pro model shoes just happens to be the visible part of the iceberg. A sporting goods trade magazine pointed out a few years back that there were more pro model skate shoes than pro model shoes from all other sports COMBINED.
"Packaged like a rebel or a hero, target mass appeal..."
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$
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On 10/15/2007 Bjorn Von Andersvelt
wrote in from
United States
(206.40.nnn.nnn)
"A long time ago, when I was starting CW, I approached a well know skate shoe company president.
I told him for $5000 per issue, he could have the inside front cover, page three, inside back cover and back cover AND I'd put the caption "presented by _____" on the cover. That's all I needed to start the damn mag."
Instead you made the same offer to Chris Chaput and we got deluged with ABEC11 ads. I make it a point not to look at the back or the inside cover every issue. DAMN THAT SHOE COMPANY!
Mike, Sucking up to one vendor has cost you alot of other advertisers.
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Right on
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On 10/15/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(72.55.nnn.nnn)
Right on Buddy, I hear you, I just enjoy stirring the pot a little. And with that, let me stir it a little more.
So Mike, since a company who wants to make money did not give you money, then shoes are bad? Hey, most people don't get a corporate sponsor, unless they have something to offer. Apparantly you did not have much to offer, or you did not contact their marketing department. You know I have respect for you and what you have done Mike, but what is the point of bringing this up? Please respond, since you brought it up.
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shoes
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On 10/15/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
MB, I don't get it, you got turn down by one guy, now the no shoe ad policy??
(I am guessing you are talking about Vans??)
basketball and running shoes are worn for fashion statement.
how about these track shoes that people wear to the clubs?
how about run-dmc with their adidas track suit...
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you absolutely need a skateboard to skate...
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On 10/15/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(67.70.nnn.nnn)
...but you if you don't have shoes, well, you can still skate!
Etnies is $200+ million company...Vans is part of a 1/2 billion dollar company...Nike $14 billion or so... DVS, Dekline, Duffs, etc etc.
The shoe business is big business and it has perpetuated a ton of things in order to keep things rolling...it has to...it's BIG business with BILLIONS at stake.
It makes me wonder why the shoe companies just don't start their own magazine...
which, oddly enough reminds me of a very intersting story.
A long time ago, when I was starting CW, I approached a well know skate shoe company president.
I told him for $5000 per issue, he could have the inside front cover, page three, inside back cover and back cover AND I'd put the caption "presented by _____" on the cover. That's all I needed to start the damn mag.
His response? "Talk to my marketing department."
I didn't and now you know the rest of the story.
I figure 80% or more of every pair of skate shoes sold are to non-skaters. There's nothing wrong with that ...but 100% of golf shoes are sold to golfers...
let the deluge of arguements commence!
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TWS, thrasher, etc
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On 10/15/2007
buddy rawls
wrote in from
United States
(128.158.nnn.nnn)
Slim worte: "I know some see skate shoes as something mainly poseurs buy and to them they are indeed soft good fashion items."
Do you know what the chief source of profit is for the "mainstream" skateboard industry? Its non skaters!
You guys are harping on me for saying the mags aren't covering this or that. I dont really care, I dont even ride long boards. I am a tranny skater. But thats neither here nor there. What the issue is, is that we have a mainstream market fueld by the media, that is being blossomed by a non skater market. The media themselves are perpetuating it.
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shoe ads
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On 10/14/2007
slim
wrote in from
United States
(75.61.nnn.nnn)
I'm with you Steve. To me, shoes are "hard goods". They are skateboard equipment. My son goes through way more pairs of shoes than he does decks or trucks or wheels. I'd say something like 4 decks a year, two pairs of indys, a couple sets of wheels, and 6 or 8 pairs of shoes. I probably buy more decks than skate-specific shoes, but that's because I like buying decks (not because i've destroyed the other ones yet).
I know some see skate shoes as something mainly poseurs buy and to them they are indeed soft good fashion items. But for skaters, shoes are one of the most important pieces of equipment. Different types give different levels of support, different deck feel, shorter or longer life of shoelaces and soles, etc.
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Jack
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On 10/13/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(72.55.nnn.nnn)
Jack wrote:
"conventional side of skating you have guys jumping 70 foot gaps and doing 540s 25 feet out."
A handful of skaters do this...once or twice a year.
Actually this comment was planted for one reason, that this gets covered in what someone called a "conventional" magazine. Yeah real conventional huh? And actually guys do this more than once or twice a year. Just not a lot. Ironic how the cutting edge is so conventional.
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The Mags
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On 10/13/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(72.55.nnn.nnn)
You guys think too much, and some of you take yourselves way to seriously. Lighten up. A statistical breakdown of the ad content in Magazines. Buddy, did you do this study or is it available somewhere. Besides, why is it so important for certain mags to cover certain things. Let's look at other sports media. Take motorcycles. Do people who ride Harely's get pissed because the MX magazines don't cover poker runs? Are guys who ride crotch rockets pissed about the Harley mags? I really doubt it. So why should you expect the mags to cover what you like? If you don't like it change the channel. All the complaining just does nothing. It gets old. Yeah, you don't like TWS. They don't cover racing. Why is it so important. Like someone said, if they did Mike would have a hard time competing with it and may not be around anymore. If you are old, or into racing or longboarding, don't get mad when other mags don't cover them. And don't act like the don't appeal to a lot of people. I personally think Concussion is the best mag out there. The BW format kicks ass and it shows a pretty decent assorment of stuff, sans longboarding and racing, which are really of no concern to me.
A statistical breakdown of ad content, what a riot.
And just as a point, the mainstream mags do cover more than street skating, and if you actually took the time to look you would see that there are articles about pools, parks, and even riding pipes. Just not racing and too much longboarding. There are some longboarding ads. Hell in the last TWS there was a Pacsun ad with a guy on a longboard. It said "I like being different." LOL
And why are shoe ads so offensive. Most of us (besides Mollica) wear shoes when we skate.
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gonzo skate journalism...
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On 10/12/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(67.70.nnn.nnn)
Well said Fatboy...
the fact is that this info is readily available...but, you have to admit, information, while it is readily accessible, is not always searched.
You have to have the want the urge to hunt for skate stuff that is not featured in Thrasher, Skateboard Mag etc
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Slim's Comments
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On 10/12/2007
Fatboy
wrote in from
United States
(67.94.nnn.nnn)
Y'know, I agree with Slimski on most of what he said.
I have defended the kids on my team when they've done stupid stuff that may have ruffled some feathers - "Hey, they're 15 - it's their duty to be offensive. Isn't that how YOU were when you were 15?" If you say no, you're not neccessarily lying, you probably just don't remember.
When I was 15 it pissed people off that I rode a skateboard and had purple hair. Today it's tight pants and handrails - whatever!
I enjoy Thrasher now and again, I may be old but I still have some "let's annoy people" blood in my veins. I'm not above admitting that I love watching Viva La Bam too! I'm jealous I can't do that stuff now and that we didn't do it when we were 15. Hockey rink in the house? Brilliant!
Outgrew? Yeah, probably. But I don't ever wanna truly go over to the "other" side. My Dad was a grown-up, I'm not so sure I wanna be one. They still don't let me sit at the "Big People" table at Christmas, so I think I'm safe.
And as far as Concrete Wave, I like it the way it is. It's kinda like Surfer Journal or something like that. But I can see Slim's point here too - it WOULD be fun to see some trouble. Mikey - you want me to start writing some edgy Tucker Max/Gonzo Journalism type stories for ya'?
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mags vs internet
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On 10/12/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
when I started skating around 87 (8th or 9th grade), mags were pretty much the only source of info I had. (my local library carried thrasher)
fast forward twenty years later, there's tons of info everywhere.
these days, If kids are interested in these other form of skating, all they have to do is google it.
it makes the mags not as important as back in the days,
when I read CW, 70% of the stuff in there I am already aware of from reading the forums. (but I still like reading it)
btw, I did find out about steet luge from thrasher...
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thrasher and TWS and etc
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On 10/12/2007
buddy rawls
wrote in from
United States
(128.158.nnn.nnn)
Slim wrote: "Basically, we outgrew it. We are still skating, but we are in most ways totally unnecessary to the skateboard scene so there is no reason for Thrasher to cater to our toned down views of skateboarding and society."
I'll buy that and hold that thought process. But when the mainstream skateboard market screams of death, I will (and do) just laugh. Let it die. If the market is so closed up that it does not even understand itself, then it needs to die. In the meantime, everyone who knows the real score will continue like always.
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they are reasons slim, there are reasons...
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On 10/12/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(67.70.nnn.nnn)
As I have stated all along, anyone can print the words F**K, C**T, etc etc. Anyone can print shots of people naked and doing all kinds of S**T. This has been done for a while within skateboarding. I can't out-Juice, Juice...I can't out-Thrasher, Thrasher. I wouldn't want to. They have their audience and I have mine. This is not to say that you can't enjoy ALL types of publications. You can. But in order for CW to be thrive, it needs to be VASTLY different than what is out there.
Perhaps there's not enough humor...perhaps some of the photos make you scratch your head...perhaps its too clean or sanitized for some. I sense that some folks find it too heavy on pool/vert and others find it too heavy on longboarding and slalom. Perception is reality...and no matter how I tell folks that CW has no real formula, people look for all kinds of patterns...
My sincere hope is that the mag can be enjoyed by all types of skaters - young and old. I can see a 10 year old picking it up, enjoying it for a few years, then moving onto another mag...and then 5 to 10 years later, picking it up again.
The Nov issue contains articles you will never find in other skate mags and I am quite confident that people will be talking about some of them.
This is precisely what I want.
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thrasher
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On 10/11/2007
slim
wrote in from
United States
(75.61.nnn.nnn)
Thrasher may be the flagship, but it's not intended for old farts like us. The kind of bad attitude and agressiveness it promotes is very youthful. After all, it's pretty much the duty of kids to behave in that manner. It keeps us old farts in check a little bit and keeps us from becoming totally conservative as a society. It's like that saying about being a liberal when young...
Basically, we outgrew it. We are still skating, but we are in most ways totally unnecessary to the skateboard scene so there is no reason for Thrasher to cater to our toned down views of skateboarding and society. I'd argue that Concrete Wave goes too far in the other extreme and I'd prefer it to be a bit rougher around the edges.
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part four of evolutions is up !
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On 10/11/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(67.70.nnn.nnn)
go...
Evolutions on Google
part 4 is up!
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-3863344147383240785&hl=en-CA
and by the way, IMHO...none of the other skate mags suck, including Thrasher. They do the job they were designed to do...and appeal to their specific audience in the best way they can. Thrasher, like all the other mags, have changed from the time we first read them.
They will continue to morph.
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old clip
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On 10/11/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
listen to jam adam's comment on long and 'small' boards...
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TWS-thrasher-etc
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On 10/11/2007
buddy rawls
wrote in from
United States
(128.158.nnn.nnn)
Heres the rub:
The mainstream media basically defines the market.
1)When communities are striving to clean up skateboarding, bringing in new parks, setting up areas for skate activities, etc, the mainstream media is all they have to relate to get their information. Their (mainstream media) presentation is woeful at best for producing a favorable outcome with the communities and planning.
2) when the mainstream media is peddling inaccuracies about the market and the death of skateboarding (essentially because their fashion market boom is beginning to end, or is ending), it sends an incorrect message too.
The media is what defines the activity. Until the media can clean up, can show other types of skateboarding, etc, etc many places will never be able to really reap what is happening. Unlike the west coast, many places in the country are still struggling with parks, with good community image. This all stems from the media presentation.
So, yes, it is completely TRUE that we dont need any aspect of those magazines. However, they are the flagship of skateboarding. SO, what do you do?
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Thrasher and Transworld
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On 10/10/2007 Paul(Howard)iwog
wrote in from
United States
(65.122.nnn.nnn)
I agree with Slim, if Thrasher(and Transworld) started covering all the other aspects of skateboarding they don't cover, they'd make the rest of skateboarding just as offensive, juvenile, and counterproductive(Thrasher, mostly) as what they're currently doing to the part of skateboarding that they do cover.
I prefer to be a part of skateboarding for the sake of skateboarding and see all aspects of it rather than be part of some nebulous profiteer bad-attitude/lifestyle magazine which now operates through a medium of a limitied coverage of skateboarding. And NO, I'm not dissing on street skating, I like watching kids do it and respect the ability of those who do it. I'm dissing on Thrasher because they suck. Yes, that's what I think, Thrasher sucks. Sorry, I'm usually not that abrasive and state things better but I'll say it again because I feel the need to vent; Thrasher simply sucks. OK, I feel a little better now. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to say "slalom" somewhere for Brooksie's benefit, so "slalom".
Thrasher left me a LONG time ago and I really don't want WHAT they have become to be a representative for all forms of skateboarding. Just my 2 cents - P
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