Netbook view

Here is the view of Luchaskate Magazine on a netbook. Embrace technology!

Fickle Ad

Memphis Skate Rock

Barrier Kult interview

Check out luchaskate on your netbook, notebook, or tablet here

Lucha and the Flatspots

We're playing out first gig, a benefit for Hernando Skates to get a new skatepark built in MS. At the Buccaneer in Memphis.

Luchaskate 6 Presale

Okay, folks. It is get the mag printed time again. This issue has an interview with the legend, David Hackett, SharkBait Brad Hayes, my first word, and Memphis skate photography by Alexander S. It is gonna be great!

So, here is the deal. You buy a print for $3.00 and you get a magazine plus stickers and the first few of you will randomly get an extra 'zine or some random strangeness. Shipping (conus) is $1.00

Subscriptions are still going to happen, but it will probably be around X-Mas time so you can give 'em as gifts or something.

New Issue is Available!

I just dropped off mags to Hunter at Midtown Skateshop. Go buy something from Hunter and get a copy of the magazine with your purchase!

Not in Memphis? Hunter out of copies? You can buy copies and downloads from the website. I'm so stoked that people are buying this already! We've sold more copies than I had hoped already! Thanks for your support.

Don't forget the web exclusives on luchaskate.com as well. There is an article from Moscow, more pics from Skate Rock, and Jack Carlson is our Featured Skater for this issue!

Spreading Stoke!!!

Special Thanks:

Hunter at Midtown Skateshop
Lew at Fickle Skateboards

Without those two this magazine would not have gone to print!

And now for something completely different.

What a weekend?!

Friday night we were all worried about rain, but the morning turned out great for the Push It event. Great job Kim! Unfortunately, the rain came in a couple hours in to the event and we were all forced to scatter.

Lew and the rest of the Fickle crew from Cincinnati, Ohio along with the En Joy folks didn't make it before the rain, but they did make it.  After a quick lunch we met up with the Fickle guys and En Joy at Midtown Skate Shop.

 

It was a great opportunity as Lew got to meet skate enthusiest and Lucero band member, Brian Venable. Lew, as only Lew can, told Brian about Fickle Skateboards.

When the rain stopped, the squeegee and towels came out, and then the skating started again.

And the rest of the weekend was ON FIRE!  The Fickle guys were killing it. Wrex was killing it. I nearly killed myself (just kidding, mom. Total safety first, all weekend).

Early Sunday morning. Pre-session.

Sunday brought more rippage with an appearance of Jungle out who gave us a sideways acoustic jam.

And some proper skateboarding (in a mask).

Who is that masked man!?

new issue is started/jolly roger

First off, I've started the layout on luchaskate issue 5.  It will be available at Midtown Skateshop in Memphis in mid June. It will also be available for purchase from magcloud/luchaskate.com as a download or full glossy print.  AND you'll be able to read it on issuu (which will be embedded on the website).

So...

print (free while supplies last) at Midtown Skateshop.
print (around 5 bucks) available online at magcloud
download (like a dollar) available online at magcloud
read online without downloading (but embeddable) free online from issuu

That is a lot of different options, and I'm stoked to have them all especially Midtown Skateshop! Thanks again, Hunter!

Now, I'm also stoked to get these from Chad today:

So, anybody wanna sew that rad patch on the back of my patch/cammo/cold weather jacket? Come on, I know you want to.

Anyway, I'm stoked to learn more about these guys.

Duane Peters, Skate Rock, Me

As I mentioned in a post earlier this week, Thrasher Magazine's Skate Rock Tour came through Memphis on Wednesday, and I loved it.  To see that many top notch pros at a local spot was awesome. Heck, to see that many people at a local spot was awesome.  The skating was great, and the envelope was pushed to new levels (see video).

It seems that as they moved south toward Jackson (their next official stop) they picked up an impromptu music gig at a place in Oxford. From what I understand, things didn't go so smoothly in Oxford. In fact, there was quite a bit of online noise about the gig. Negative things have been said about both the skate/music crew coming through town, and about the Mississippi natives.

I'm not going to join up with either side on this.  I just have something I'd like to point out:

The skater in the video below is Duane Peters. His nickname is the Master of Disaster. He has fronted tons of punk bands including "The Exploding Fuck Dolls" and "U.S. Bombs." It is rumored that he is the person who first came up with the term Thrasher that was adopted both in name and theme by the magazine.

Part of me would love to see skateboarding be a squeaky clean activity that I could go out on weekends and do with my son. And, in fact, it can be just that. I think of a good friend of mine who has brought so much positive media to the local scene by being himself: a father, a skater, a caring citizen. However, we can't ignore the history of skating. Skateboarding was and is a sport for the misfit that doesn't fit in with the team mentality. It is an individual sport that smears the line between sport and art. It has reveled in a rebel image since the first young skaters were banned from riding the first skateboards. It continued through the punk rock heyday when the name Thrasher was born. It was the refuge of the small town weirdo kids in the 80's.

And finally, the rest of the world caught on that skating is amazing.

But we're still the misfits.

I'm not condoning behavior. I'm just pointing out history, and let's just say the name "Bad Shit" might just be a clue that this ain't gonna be Rodney Mullen doing a freestyle demo in short shorts and knee pads.

Holy $#!+: Skate Rock in Memphis

What a day!

I got up about 8 a.m. and headed down to Al Town where Thrasher's Skate Rock Tour was passing through today. I knew the event wouldn't start for many hours, but I haven't been around Al Town much for the last few pours of 'crete and I felt guilty.  So, I grabbed some trash bags and picked up trash while Chad did his thing to get the spot ready (and then Jenks came by to weed eat).

Then, an hour or so later, we were met up with by the guys from K.M.A. a skate rock band from Cookville, TN (also the founder of skatezine.com). What a great bunch of guys!

K.M.A.

 We skated around Al Town for a bit, then headed over to Tobey for a session before taking in a little Mexican food.

I took off for a while, and went to my kiddos parent/teacher conference.

When I got back to Al Town, all of the pros were there, and the skating was getting sick!

Chad with Frank Gerwer, a statue Chad made and a copy of Common Criminals

 Photo totally stolen from facebook.

 It isn't often a kid from small town Arkansas via Nebraska gets to session with a large group of some of the most outstanding pros. It was amazing. I kept pushing myself to skate more until finally, my body said, "No."  I started feeling weak around 4 p.m. I went to Midtown Market, got a banana and some more water. It helped enough to allow me to skate a bit more, but by the time I had to leave to pick up my son at 5:00, I was sunburned, weak, hungry and exhausted.

Today was one of the most amazing skateboard days of my life. Thanks, Thrasher Magazine!  And thank you to everyone past or present, that has worked on the D.I.Y. spot Al Town. Without the efforts of everyone, this day would not have happened. You can see some earlier pics of Al Town in the very first issue of Luchaskate.

The kiddo didn't want to come back. He had the choice of what he wanted to do because he had such a good report at parent/teacher conference, and he chose Chuck E. Cheese. So, we headed off to play games and eat pizza. Man, what an amazing day of skating. Look for a full photo report in the next issue. Lindsey was there with her camera, and she always gets some amazing shots.

Another Project complete

The book, Common Criminals, is being printed as I type this. Another big project completed. The book is filled with skate stories. How various skaters got started, meeting pros, first pool sessions, skating with legends and on an and on...

You can get your copy here: Common Criminals or you can get a digital copy on Amazon for just 2.99.

The cover of the new book!

The writers included are Jeff Haynes (of Jeff's Skate Page fame), Kim Cook (of the gayocean blog), Lindsey Rowland (often featured in the pages of luchaskate), myself, Kent Senatore (our lone pro skater story) etcetera etcetera.

I wrote half of this book and then included stories from other lifer skaters to round out the perspectives. They all did a wonderful job. I'm proud of how this book turned out. I can't thank them enough for their energy and time.  Pick up a copy and get stoked not only on skating, but on the people who skate as well.

Luchaskate 4

Open publication -  publishing - More europe

skull skates on urban rush

Ok. Watch this.  Then write an essay for the book, Common Criminals.
 Email it to me:  luchamag@yahoo.com

been a while

Here is the deal. I haven't been blogging because I've been too busy skating and working on Common Criminals the book (anthology) we have coming out just around the corner.

Write for the damn thing.

Hit up West Point, MS last weekend.

This is an old picture of me at West Point.  I've grown my beard back (thank God), and I've retired the worn out Outlaw El Bandito deck.  I'm now rocking the fickle punk point 8.5  Believe it or not...I googled West Point MS skatepark and this was the first image that popped up.  Stoked.

This week I've been really into curb/street skating. No comply tricks and slappys and kickflips etc etc etc...

Have you written your story yet?

Good stuff

Somehow, it seems odd to me that I have a  friend that rips as hard as Wrex Cook. If I lived on the west coast it wouldn't seem odd, but I'm in good 'ol Memphis TN.   He gave me a copy of this video as a holiday gift, and my son made me rewind it five times.  It includes Tom Knox, Lance Mountain, Salba, Wrex...the list goes on.  Sickness.  Absolute pool skating sickness.

Speaking of sick...I'm feeling sick today.  Head cold.  I blame it on parasites.  Not really...but a couple of the guys working on Parasite, the D.I.Y. in New Orleans were in town, crashed at my place and left a trail of sneezing at this sticker in their wake.  Good times skating with stoked skaters.

Parasite sticker on my cruiser

Last, but not least, here is something I posted on the luchaskate facebook (join us...there is a link at the top of this page):

I just finished reading another skater's story. I'm stoked on reading all of your stories. Why do you love skateboarding? What is the defining skateboard moment? Is it standing in the shallow end of a pool? Is it watching a skater who's style and dedication sparks a stoke within you? Is it a session with your friends? Describe it. Spread the stoke you feel with all other skaters in the world. Common Criminals is going to be about 150 pages in length. Get your submissions in as soon as you can. Email a word doc to luchamag@yahoo.com. I have some "this is how I started skating" stories. They're rad, but be careful about sending any more of those. A few of those is enough. Yours should be more about the thrill of a moment or a defining moment after you first learned to ride so we give a huge variety of stories to the reader. Thank you to everyone! This project is going to be amazing! And yes, I may end up doing a volume 2 if the need arises.

Get your submissions in while it is cold outside!

Oh, one more thing:  A Luchaskate video is happening.  More details to come in the next issue of the mag.  Book first, video second.

fickle punk point

 

This morning started off on the wrong foot.  Yep.  That is my rear view mirror taped up.  

There is a pot hole in the middle of our street.  The city has put what looks like a plastic saw horse over it, making my street divided and, because of this, very narrow.  It is doable, until of course, somebody parks a car just in front of it.  So, the street is now too narrow in that spot.  So, as I left for the skatepark, I had to drive on the wrong side of the street to get around the car and divider.

What happens next?  Just as I make the decision to drive on the wrong side of the street, a car pulls onto the street from the opposite direction...I panic a bit and try to deep as close to the divider as possible (which would have been fine had my rear view mirror not suck out further than the body of my car).

 So, I went and rode this new fickle punk point (with Mariachi graphics) at the park until my hands hurt from the cold.  Stress relief thy name is fickle.  Notice the stocking cap on the nose of the board.

Hand prints on the top of the deck signify the hand made love that went into the deck.

sans cap.

cap where it belongs

stoke.  8.5 inch punk point. fickle skateboards.

Your story?

I was going to publish an old school style photocopied 'zine at the end of the year, but after thinking long and hard about it, I just don't want to do that. With over 4,000 people being exposed to the digital 'zine (issue 2 alone) that can be downloaded and printed by anyone who might want it, it seems counterproductive.

But, I do want to do another project.

I was going to write a book about skateboarding...well, in fact, I started a book a year or so ago. But that isn't exactly what I wanted to do either. I wanted more people to be involved. So, here is what I need:

Essays. The skateboard story that you need to tell. No fiction. 1st person personal essays only. This is the skate story that exemplifies the feeling you get from our sport/activity/culture.

Length: Between 1,000 and 4,000 words.
18 or older to enter.
Deadline: March 1st.
Publication date: TBD (likely in May but could be before)
Payment: Contributor copy to authors with an essay included in the book.

Legal stuff: We get all publication rights to this essay. This will be created via a p.o.d. (print on demand publisher) and available via ebook. It will not "go out of print" as it will be printed when copies are ordered. If we don't publish your essay, rights return to you. You will be informed via email whether we will use your essay. Some essays not used in the book will be published in luchaskate magazine in part or whole. You will be informed if any part of your essay will be used in luchaskate ahead of publication time. You will not get any money for your essay. This is a chance to be a part of something very cool. Skateboarders telling the world why they love skateboarding. Do it for the love of the art of skating.

More details to come.

email submissions (in ms word format) to luchamag@yahoo.com

Tips: Keep it timeless. Don't rail on the current state of skateboarding or praise the now. In ten years the now will be the past, and your piece will seem dated.

Only the best will make it to print, so write, rewrite and rewrite and rewrite again.

Hernando Skates Fundraiser

Hernando Skates hosted an art auction Saturday night.  It was a fun evening with some good artwork by skaters and non-skaters alike.  Below are some of my favorite pieces.  I ended up buying a painting of a truck by Wrex Cook, and I was stoked to find out that the wood used as a canvas was from a ramp.  Perfect.  The fund raiser pocketed over 1,500.00 toward the Hernando Skate Park project.  I was very happy to be a part of the event both as an artist and art buyer.

Paintings by W. Cook

I donated one of my Rothko inspired big pieces

Middle painting by Jon Willingham

Glad it sold, but is it okay to admit I don't get this? Bean plant over the ocean?

Lemmy.  Forever cool.

Light switch cover?! Rad.

A little something from Ron Marion with frame by Shove-It designs

Lino block print by Charles Andy Jimmy Walker

One of Lindsey Rowland's contributions

Outlaw El Bandito Pt. 2

From the Grand Opening of the West Point, MS skatepark.

My funny faces are even funnier without the beard!  Loving this deck, y'all.

D.I.Y. Skate Co.

Chris J. of Rufus Skates is making me a new deck.  I get a text asking what size I want.  I gave him my specs (width, wheelbase etc...).  I sent him my specs and he replied, "we can do whatever you want."

I ask you this:  How many skateboard companies tell you that when you email them what you'd like in a deck?  Yeah, not too many.  That is one of the things so awesome about companies like Rufus and Fickle. Look for a review and in depth report on the process of getting a board from Rufus Skates.

What else is great about D.I.Y. Companies?  You're helping someone that is a skater continue to provide the best quality product possible.  I've been riding an Outlaw Skateboards El Bandito deck for well over a month.  I have knocked it into curbs and ledges.  It has flown out of a bowl while I bailed.  I have thrown everything I can at this board and it is still holding strong. You help a skater continue, and you get quality product.

Lucha inspired graphic on the El Bandito

Last, but not least, these guys are doing cool things.  What Luck Skateboards has the re-kruzer project.  Check it out. They are donating a board to a kid for every cruiser you buy.  How rad is that!?

What Luck Ad from the last Luchaskate.

Sunday Funday

Good people to skate with, a fun Sunday session, and cupcakes.  What more could a guy ask for?  A little belated birthday celebration for me?  I was stoked.  Even got a new shirt (thanks Wrex and Kim!)!  I probably didn't show my gratitude well enough.  I was a little embarrassed with the attention.  Thank you everyone for coming out today and skating with me.

My new Old Man Army t-shirt

Last three cupcakes swimming in a sea of ciggie butts.  You can just see my truck hanger in the bottom right of the screen.

Miranda and Kris

Ed, Kim and Wrex (Mike is hidden)

Jonathan acting a fool.

I'm still addicted to learning kickflips on banks.  Next deck, I'm going with an 8.5 to see if it helps out.  Just about have 'em figured out.  I was never good at flip tricks.  I guess I'm learning to be patient. Ha!  Flat ground, I got 'em.  On a bank?  One out over every 5 right now.

I had to leave a little earlier than I wanted.  Old man wasn't feeling too well, but I had a blast as always.