Dogtown


		"Two hundred years of American technology has unwittingly created a massive cement playground of unlimited potential. But it was the minds of eleven-year-olds that could see that potential." — C.R. Stecyk III



			PHOTOGRAPHY BY GLEN E. FRIEDMAN (images with blue borders link to larger versions)




	T.A. going all world with DogTown, 1977

As far as true folklore is concerned in the late-twentieth century, I can't think of many stories of more import and influence to youth as that of the DogTown SkateBoarders.

Their stories and lifestyle were, at first, single-handedly presented to the world through one man's writing and pictures, a documentarian/artist named C.R. Stecyk III, a.k.a. John Smythe. I personally credit this man as the single largest influence on my work. If I considered anyone a mentor, it would be him. Stecyk is a true artist, and one of the most creative individuals I've ever associated with; the man is way beyond genius.

To this day, Stecyk's contributions to our culture are continuous, but it was the original early documentation of the mid-'70s DogTown set that altered the lives of a generation forever, inspiring confidence and encouraging the rebel instinct to flourish unchecked. Virtually anyone who grew up skateboarding during this period and considered SkateBoarder magazine as "The Bible" has been influenced incredibly in their outlook and approach toward life and living. Not only myself, but most everyone involved in leading the early stages of "Hardcore" punk rock that I've known all cite these same documentations as most influential in their lives. Craig's writings are what became legend most, and it was because of these that you may be familiar with the aura that surrounds DogTown, even if you never skated.

During the mid-'70s, when the "skater" personality traits were in the process of being formed, many industry types hoped skateboarding would be portrayed and exposed to new young skaters much in the same way as organized "conformist" team sports (after all, SkateBoarder magazine had over a million readers at the time, and if the image was "clean," parents would be more likely to put down the $ to buy more and more new equipment). But once the skate masses were exposed to the exploits of the rowdy/radical DogTown crew, there was no turning back. And it was through these original articles that the standard was set for generations of rebellious individualists, and where the archetypical personality of the "skater" was first brought to light.

Stecyk often attempts to give me credit for uncovering and documenting some of the original radical energy of DogTown's hey-day, and to a certain degree this may be true. But if it wasn't for the initial instigation I got from reading Craig's articles (even though I was often a part of the same), I doubt my life's work would have the influence it does.

Here are some of my favorite Stecyk pieces, some of which presented people like Tony Alva, Jay Adams, and the rest of the original Z-BOYS to the world.

— Glen E. Friedman


		Tony Alva at the original Dog Bowl, 1977



…Most people probably won’t understand some of this, but that really doesn’t matter since the intrinsic elements of this discussion are meant for those who really skate (just owning a skateboard or the old “I was into it ten years ago, so I understand it now,” doesn’t qualify one as a skater). Modern skateboarding is a constantly evolving hybrid very few comprehend. In dealing with the old versus the new, one must take several things into consideration. First, the “high state of the art” premise is a pile of crap. At the present time, there is little being done that is a radical departure from the 1960’s. The freestyle area is just coming up to the level of the mid-60’s. (The big difference here is that there are more people now who are closing in on the advanced levels). In the downhill and slalom, there are increasing numbers who participate (their confidence being based upon the soft grip of the urethane wheel). All that can be said here is that the validity or lack of it in an objective speed situation is obvious. The composition wheels of the pre-urethane era offered a harder, faster rolling surface, and generally speaking, 40 m.p.h. ten years ago was more of an accomplishment than it is today. In fact, many of the older slalom/downhill boys seem to be doing quite well today, perhaps due to having learned on faster rolling, poorer gripping equipment. In other words, they have got their act down. At this current juncture. one must keep in mind that these days are the infancy of the neo-skate renaissance. The big breakthroughs are yet to come, since the current practitioners really haven’t even begun to reach their marks. As for skate technology, it’s just starting to improve; up to this point, the vast majority of products on the market are fast buck oriented, ten year old trips. The better skaters will create a demand for better equipment, and the better manufacturers will fill it. As a reference point, it would be interesting to see some of these skateboard manufacturers forced into a 40 m.p.h. run on their own equipment—this would really separate the men from the boys. In retrospect, the last time around, the hotter skaters pushed it as far as they could go. To a great extent, they helped bring about the short ski — short surfboard revolution, since their refined technique far surpassed the more stationary orientations of the long ski and long stick trip. Abilities and attitudes honed on a 24”-36” skate could no longer confine themselves to surfing in place on a 9’6”; i.e., 114 inches. It will be enlightening to see what sort of changes the current crop of skaters brings about in related fields in the not so distant future. People have been surf skating banks for 15 years. In the 60’s, many of these people existed outside of the syndrome of the competition/exhibition team. It was impossible to transport the bank situation to the department stores and shopping centers across America. Bank riding represents a three-dimensional opportunity—a downhill gradient as modified by the degree of side slope and contours such as bowls, moguls, twists, cracks and other factors around which you must constantly readjust. If the present formal competitive structure is to become relevant to the real challenges and esoteric rewards inherent in skateboarding, the movement must become sensitive to the realities by not reducing skateboarding to a conveniently packaged commodity. SkateBoarder Magazine vol.2 #2, Fall 1975
	contents \| 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| G.E.F. Early Dog Days