Issue 6

As I just posted to our facebook page, I'm very pleased with the content of this issue. I'm pretty happy with my layout. I'm very disappointed in my editing. I missed so many things, and even seemed to create misspellings and problems where there were none. My apologies to anyone I accidentally screwed up. I hope you will enjoy the issue despite the flaws.

Web Exclusives Password

Here it is folks, the web exclusives password. With this code you'll be able to read Moscow's essay, see Jack Carlson's cell phone footage, and see more of the pictures from skate rock. Next issue, we hope to have more exclusives (or more pages in the magazine).

Neckface stuff

The password is found on the Contents page of each new issue (and this post).
Go to luchaskate.com and hit the exclusives tab at the top of the page.
It will prompt for a password.
Type in "Lucha5" (do not use the quotes).
You are now logged in for this visit. You'll have to log in again next time you want to see them.

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.

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.

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.

West Point Grand Opening

This day was a blast despite a few minor setbacks.

1.  It suddenly became fall (for real) this weekend producing a rainy pre-opening Friday with temperatures dropping down into the 40's.  If you were sittin' you were cold.  Get up and skate!

2.  We got pulled over and Kris (I wasn't driving) got a speeding ticket right at Tupelo.

Busted!!!

3.  Somehow I got dog crap on my grip tape.

Dog Crap on my beloved Outlaw El Bandito

 4.  For some reason the people at the bbq joint we all went to after the opening didn't want me to eat which pissed me off (more than) a little bit.  Of course, as soon as I gave up, and walked away they had my food ready.  It was good.  Worth the wait?  If I weren't starving, yeah, it probably would've been.

Set backs aside, what a blast.  Little Rock was well represented, and Matt Clark hooked me up with the new issue of their 'zine, Chaos Ninja, which features a little somethin' somethin' I wrote about the bros over at Fickle (who also sponsored the grand opening, thanks Lew).

Chaos Ninja Skate 'Zine

Some of the highlights of the contest portion was seeing old dog Mike Lasiter grinding 13 pool blocks to win the longest grind contest, all the groms who learn so quickly, Zach Galinas backside tail slide revert in the deep end of the bowl (& his 10 pool block grind), and the trophies that Catfish Chad made with his own two hands.  However, I think my stoke of the day was (and I could kick myself for not getting a pic) was when Zach gave the deck he won for best trick to one of the groms who needed one. Good job, Zach. The stoke spreads.

The smile says it all.  Mike Lasiter. Long grind king.

Special thanks to all the sponsors (I know I'm gonna leave somebody out, my apologies): Silly Girl, Fickle, Assault, Dream at En Joy, Tork Trucks, Iron Horse, ATM Click, Old Man Army, Chaos Ninja and anyone else that my tired brain can't think of...

Also:  Special Thanks to the people at West Point Parks and Rec, Kim Cook for her tireless efforts, Wrex Cook who donated decks from his own collection, Catfish Chad for making the trophies (why don't I have a picture of those!!!!), and everyone who came out to make the day special.

Pat "The Rake" Rakestraw killing some Tedder's Pool Coping

Read Issue 2 Here

Here it is folks:

Issue 2 of Luchaskate Magazine.  Read it.  Download it.  Print it.  Embed it on your blog or website.  Email it. Share it and like it on facebook.  Spread the stoke!

Open publication - publishing - More d.i.y.

One correction in this issue: Dustin Dattilio rides for Shipwreck Skates NOT Shipyard Skates. Sorry, bro!

Outlaw El Bandito

I stopped by my house on the way to pick up the kiddo from his mom's place yesterday and found a box with this in it sitting on my porch.

Outlaw Skateboards El Bandito

Outlaw Skateboards was the first company to show support for a fledgling Luchaskate Magazine.  The first issue wasn't even out yet (it was just my blog) when Outlaws said they were down for the cause.  Now?  Now they've come out with their new deck, El Bandito.  The sizes vary from just over 8 through 8.8 and the larger sizes have a 15 inch wheelbase.

You can check them out at http://outlaw-skateboards.com/, but be forewarned (yeah, I been listening to Pentagram again tonight) the site will be down for maintenance until October 10th while Mike goes to Europe and prepares to come back and take wage war with corporate skateboarding.

Until then?  You're gonna see a lot of Lucha and El Bandito.

Dog Tacos: Stoked again

Hitting the local park for a daytime session is usually two things:  1.  Hotter than hell.  2.  Inspirational

One is self explanatory.  This IS Memphis, after all.  The second is also probably, to some degree, self explanatory, but I need to expand on it a little further.

You meet the raddest people during a daytime sesh.  Travelers coming to check out your park.  I met Lew from Fickle this way, and, now, I've met Terry McChesney, lifer skateboarder and author of the book, Dog Tacos.  I saw his Dog Taco shirt, and said, "I've heard of Dog Tacos.  Do you know Alberto?"  By God, we have a friend in common.  Conversation happens.  Stoked!  I got a copy of it from him, and I plan on sitting down to read it tonight.  Look for a review in the next issue of Luchaskate.  Brian Brannon of JFA wrote one of the blurbs so you know this gotta be rad.

Terry with his novel

Thanks for the stuff!

How many books have t-shirts?  Rad.

Fickle Mayhem

Got the 8.6 fickle deck with a Mayhem graphic via UPS yesterday.  Extra goodies?  Yeah, Lew hooked me up.  Not only were there a ton of stickers in the box, but Lew sent a frugal lunch and the actual smock/shirt he wore while gluing and shaping my deck.  Now, that is customer service.  Ready to ride the massive concave and steep kicktail on this fickle (but, no, I ain't giving up my Outlaw).

Noodles shrink wrapped in

There is history (and tons of glue) in this shirt

Barney Mayhem

Stickers and T-shirts

So we have a new sticker in the works that many of you who have liked us on facebook will know about:

But, there has also been some interest in this being a t-shirt as well.  I've done a couple of mock ups, and I'd like to know your opinion.  Black t-shirt or white?

The Day Finally Came

I was hoping there would be a pour at Al Town before the first issue of Lucha came out, but it wasn't to be.  It always seemed there was something holding back fresh 'crete from happening.  Well, it finally came time today.  I wasn't able to help (had the five year old in tow and pouring 'crete wasn't the place to be with one that young), so I dropped off some refreshments (after spending the morning at the Children's Museum with my kiddo) to the crew and said hello.

Overview Shot

So...what the hell is Luchaskate?

A friend asked me about Lucha:  Who is he?  What is the idea behind Luchaskate?  WTF?

Here is where Luchaskate came from (excerpts and revisions from my email to her):

Last year, when the Memphis skatepark was being built, I made a joke that I would dress up like a luchador (masked Mexican pro wrestler) for the grand opening. I thought it would be pretty funny, and my friends would get a good laugh out of it. BUT, I was looking at masks when I realized I couldn't wear one because I have to wear glasses.

Fast forward a month or two.  I wanted to start a blog about skateboarding, but I didn't know what to call it.  Everything I thought of seemed contrived and lame like I was trying too hard to be cool.  I'm not cool.  However, I did keep thinking about the Luchador joke...in the end I called the blog, "The Four Eyed Luchador." For a while nobody read it. If I had 50 hits in a week I was happy.

BUT, suddenly I started getting readers! Hundreds of page views each week (nowadays that is everyday).

After a while I realized that "The Four eyed luchador" was too long so I shortened it to luchaskate.com.

Because the blog was now established, when I decided to start a 'zine I named it after the blog.  And, in the end I did get a couple wrestling masks and occasionally I put one on if I'm skating somewhere I'm very familiar with for a picture or two (that's all I can handle without glasses).

There ya go, the story of Lucha.

Kris and Lindsey killing time at the Yard Sale with new sharpie luchatats

 

V1.1

Open publication -

Luchaskate Photo Contest etc... UPDATE

Issue one is almost finished, and will be out very soon, and we're thinking about the cover of issue 2 already.  So, here's the deal:

We're going to give two lucky (read: talented) people the opportunity to supply our next cover image.  What do you do?  Well, one of you has to skate.  The other has to take the picture of the skating, and email it to us. The contest will be open from today (July 20th) until August 15th.  On August 16th we'll post the five finalists we select to a blog post and our facebook page. We'll listen to the feedback each image gets, and we'll have our final judge (a professional photographer) make the decision.

Here are the rules (terms and conditions):

1.  No photoshopping something or someone into the image.
2.  It better at least look like a make and not posed.
3.  You, the photographer, must have permission to use the person's image.
4.  You have to write two paragraphs telling about the image and why you took it.
5.  You must be 18 or over to enter.
6.  No nudity.

How to enter.  Join our contest page on flickr, and upload your image.  Here is the link: Luchaskate Photo Contest flickr

So, get out there, skate and create (and like us on facebook)!

Update:

I have spots left for advertisers.  $100.00 gets you a full page ad in 3 (count em 3) issues (the upcoming issue and the next two).  email luchamag@yahoo.com for questions.  This deal won't last long.

Also, we have stickers available to order directly from us:

Just go to our sticker page and pay via paypal.  Stickers are 1.00 each (plus .50 shipping per order).  More stickers and other goods will be here soon.