FRONTIER TALES OR ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ANY PERSONS LIVING OR DEAD
IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL
STATE OF THE ART; THE FALL OF 1976
Much mass media attention. Publications like Rolling Stone and New West play up the
“outlaw as skater” aspects, Youth Sport, Boy’s Life and International Recreation emphasize
the clean cut, safe, sane approach, while Time and Sports Illustrated report on skating as
big business. Bill Lancaster, the screenwriter who authored Bad News Bears, drafts a
wide-screen epic of cement savagery based on assorted interviews, and hanging out with
the Logans.
Each major television network has run a skate special, with the tube’s finest moment being
Walter Cronkite’s explanation of a “skateboarder’s fracture” X-ray on prime time.
Even the Beach Boys use a pool-skate session to reinforce their TV special (definitely the
high point of the spectacular, which included blondes driving T-Birds, numerous sunsets,
the entire cheer leading staff of Hawthorne High, assorted seagulls, a birthday party and
climaxed with Brian Wilson being dragged screaming into the surf off Malibu Canyon).
Robin Alaway, Tony Alva and Stacey Peralta do a demo for their part on the Tony Orlando
and Dawn Show, with Alva pulling off a headstand spinner to wow the fat, cigar-chewing
corporate execs. (Alva’s comment, “I only did it for the money.”) On the same day
elsewhere in Tinseltown, Fred Astaire, age 77, broke his wrist falling off his 29” kicktail in
the courtyard of his palatial manor. (Fred’s comment, “I practice everyday.”)
Bob Dylan kicks the “kid” and company out of the new pool being constructed at his Point
Doom home. But the neighbors say Bob skates it alone at night. (Dylan’s comment, “to live
outside the law, you must be honest.”)…
So what does it all mean—probably nothing… except that here in the Seventies, a lot of
outsiders are recognizing skating as a way to commercial profit. Writers are terming it the
youth movement of the time, while inside the skate sphere itself, it is a time of flux and
indecision. Professionalism is very much in evidence. It seems that there is a team for
everyone, and someone for every team. Attacking professionalism is easy, due to it’s
non-purist orientations. Professionalism tends to breed organized stagnation. On the
positive side, professionalism allows the skater to make money to further his other
interests. Professionalism also promotes product development. Products at present are of
a much higher quality than of the past. Two years ago, a 50 MPH run was heavy, now it’s
common place. Why? Primarily due to equipment advances. Quality equipment is now
within everyone’s grasp.
Skateparks are frequently touted as the future of skateboarding. While fine for what they
are, the parks in general have so far failed to surpass many quality, already existent skate
spots. Have you yet seen a park as radical as the best pools?…
Somewhere beyond the formalized spectrum, street skating reigned supreme. On the
banks, drainage ditches and streets of the land, it’s coming down hard and heavy. Flying
lines are being drawn down blacktop hills in manners that the civic planners could never
conceive of. Street skating does set the standard. While the cops and government are busy
closing down spots, the street skaters find new places to ride or new ways to ride the old
places, working the Amerikan concrete technology for all it’s worth. While the old flatlanders
flounder in their parks, the boys are down below going upside-down in the sewers. While
the Highway Patrol hides in the bushes of the canyon, looking to catch speeders, the Mad
Dog and the Bullet are passing the cars at speed. The Patrol takes one glance at the Dog
and the Bullet, and knows the situation is totally beyond all control. Guts skating, as always
is the final frontier. It’s going to go as far as you are willing to take it, and the only way to
know for sure how far you can push it is to lose it. The one certain thing is: when you hit the
pavement at 70 plus, it’s not gonna’ matter who you ride for, or what your name is. The
future is now; get on it.
SkateBoarder Magazine vol.3 #2 December 1976
