Amanda Fucking Palmer.
Al Fucking Jourgensen.
Amanda Fucking Palmer.
Al Fucking Jourgensen.
That’s an astute observation - is having “fucking” as your middle name some kind of code word indicating that you’re a cash-strapped gothic or industrial star?
And - should’ve commented on this before - why is David J., yes, David J. of genre-defining band BAUHAUS, also linked from Al’s page, and so presumably needing some money too?
Not counting whatever money he gets from his solo projects, touring, Love and Rockets royalties etc., sales of the Bauhaus back catalog were enough to keep the ‘Beggar’s Banquet’ label afloat for years, and I’d imagine enough for David to live comfortably if he was getting paid what he was owed.
Out of everyone I ever really dug who got lame none of them have ever gotten more lame than Al.
Out of everyone I ever really dug who got lame none of them have ever gotten more lame than Al.
Personally speaking, I can think of some others who made the transition from un-fuck-with-able to completely lame in a shorter period than he did. Back when I was a gangly wannabe “skater” decked out in complete Vision Street Wear outfits, and riding on a Mark Gonzales deck with hot pink grip-tape, I was like every other gangly wannabe “skater” and thought that [url https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Rogowski]Mark ‘Gator’ Rogowski was the shit.
Of course, he ended up becoming a complete clown, hamming it up on MTV with Downtown Julie Brown and punching kids in the face for wanting autographs. I’d say he was one early exposure to the idea that culture idols may turn out to be absolute shit and that you should just treasure those moments when they’re at the top of the game inspiration-wise, since they’re not likely to last.
Oh yeah, and there was that whole incident with him also brutally raping and murdering his ex-girlfriend’s best friend. The whole sad story is documented in [url https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNeOS_aDjE8]this very good movie.
I’ve yet to see the Gator movie. Thanks for reminding me. Another old school skater whose story may balance out Gator’s is CHRISTIAN HOSOI.
I’m sure some will get all huffy about him “finding God” and such, but the dude is super rad and his journey from bottom to top to bottom to now is really quite awesome. Dude put in a few years of prison time because he refused to rat out his junkie/dealer buddies.
Anyway, this movie is rad (and I think is on YouTube, as I know I watched it online one Saturday): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0782079/
Gator is in a pokey that is about 6 miles from my house. He was up for parole a few months back. Her family showed up to contest it. He is still in jail. People who turn to Christianity are supposed to become good people not brutally rape and dismember others.
Christian hisoi i beleive was in jail for running speed over the border and he is out of jail now and i think made a few appearances at skate competitions as a contestant
Christian hisoi i beleive was in jail for running speed over the border and he is out of jail now and i think made a few appearances at skate competitions as a contestant
Correct. I don’t remember the specifics of his arrest, but he was transporting a pretty large amount of meth. I didn’t know he was doing any actual competing, but I know he gets out and about on the circuit for skate exhitibitions. motivationals, etc. He was so rad back in the day. I had two favorite skaters growing up . . . Mike McGill and Christian Hosoi. And, honestly, I think I only decided that McGill was my favorite because his deck designs were the best and I needed to keep my allegiances properly in alignment.
Hosoi had the most style of any of them, though, and he just tore it up. I saw a competition in Anaheim around 1986/87 called “Vision Presents: Holiday Havoc”. Part of it included a “big air competition”. They had this giant measuring sheet (large sheet of masonite or plywood or something) set up at the top of one ramp side so that judges could mark how high each skater got on his round.
Dudes were pulling huge airs like 7-8 feet above the rim. Then Hosoi hit the ramp, got pumping, and just launched the hugest arching backside air you’ve ever seen . . . completely passing the top of the giant measuring thing. It was like 11 feet something and smashed any prior attempts and set a bunch of records. Just insane, and the whole place went absolutely ballistic. Such a rad moment.
So Al is a typical mexicancuban immigrant now. No job, no money, no sex, only memories.
you do know that there are white Cubans who are descendants of basques, Celts, gauls and Visigoths? Don’t you? Those were the first Europeans
Honestly, by Al’s square jawline and relatively small nose (compared to Romans and Spaniards), he looks more like a Northern European man. Have you ever seen his high school photo with his naturally light hair?
That’s part of a photo with the 86-87 lineup – Jourgensen, Barker, Rieflin, and I think Frank Nardiello[reply]
When was this photo taken?[/reply]
If anyone wants to get me a Christmas present, I have always wanted a replacement pair of Hosoi Vans hi-tops (the kind with the rising sun flag design on the sides). I don’t know if there was ever an official re-release of them, but would be cool since I shudder to think what Ebay sellers are asking for a pair not covered in mold and fungus.
If anyone wants to get me a Christmas present, I have always wanted a replacement pair of Hosoi Vans hi-tops (the kind with the rising sun flag design on the sides). I don’t know if there was ever an official re-release of them, but would be cool since I shudder to think what Ebay sellers are asking for a pair not covered in mold and fungus.
Dude. All the vintage 80’s skate stuff goes for a fortune on Ebay nowadays. A used and well worn Hammerhead deck is probably gonna be about $400. If you find a new one . . . . $2000.
I’ve never looked at shoe prices. I always wore Vans, but the only time I didn’t wear the “classic” skate design (hi-top with the little squiggle thing on the side) was when I once had a pair of MADRID FLY Vans. They were rad. Black and covered all over with . . . . flies.
I honestly don’t even remember the Hosoi shoes. I had a Hosoi shirt, though. One of the JIMMYZ ones.
It’s funny when I remember stuff being way more awesome than it actually was . . .
If anyone wants to get me a Christmas present, I have always wanted a replacement pair of Hosoi Vans hi-tops (the kind with the rising sun flag design on the sides). I don’t know if there was ever an official re-release of them, but would be cool since I shudder to think what Ebay sellers are asking for a pair not covered in mold and fungus.
All the listings I found on Ebay were re-issues from around 2007-2010.
There’s a few designs. All of the hi-top versions looks super rad.
But even these fairly new versions are running about $300, it seems.
All the listings I found on Ebay were re-issues from around 2007-2010.
There’s a few designs. All of the hi-top versions looks super rad.
But even these fairly new versions are running about $300, it seems.
Damn…pretty much as I thought. Vans Madrids kicked ass as well; funny you mention those because that was the style I transitioned to when my Hosoi pair were no longer wearable (I literally tried to keep wearing them after a growth spurt in which my feet became two sizes too big…)
What decks did you ride, Tomasz?
Decks I remember (in sort of a chronological order) . . . . . starting from my very first . . .
Makaha Pro (a smallish thick wooden thing looking like something from a 70’s magazine- no kicktail or anything)
Valterra - King Cobra (first ply deck with a kicktail)
Galaxy - Balor of the Evil Eye (this was a foam composite deck with an aluminum sheet graphic — it was innovative for the 80’s and quite unsuccessful. I can’t believe my mom let me buy it. It had a Skeletor looking dude on a throne atop a mountain of skulls. The graphic was super tough!)
Vision - Street Ghost (I bought it off another guy, used, and it had been sanded to the raw wood which actually looked really cool. It was the shape that made this deck super rad. Really exquisite curves)
Powell - Mike McGill (Classic Skull and Snake graphic on white with a purple snakeskin background. SO RAD!!! My favorite ever.)
Powell - McGill Mini (Another Skull and Snake design, but on black with a silver snakeskin motif background)
Powell -Tony Hawk (classic bird skull design with the iron cross flag design in back. It was one of the pignosed decks, but I cut down the sides to shape it a bit and make it a bit more styley for the time).
Jeff Kendall BassCat - (I don’t even know the company. I got this in a trade when I was about 18 or 19. I’d not skated for a while and just wanted something to dork around on. This is the only NEW-style deck I ever had - the ambidextrous, can’t-tell-the-front-from-the-back style.
Mike McGill - Skull and Snake (reissue from about 2004, it’s a pignosed style like the original early 80’s decks. It’s blue and has the original Powell Peralta dragon on top. It looks super sweet, but I can’t do anything radical anymore. I take it out of my trunk from time to time just to carve up the parking lot after work, but I can’t do any tricks, and when I fall or slip, it’s awkward and painfull). Anyway, I do love the nostalgia of it all even though I suck eggs at riding now.
[reply]Christian hisoi i beleive was in jail for running speed over the border and he is out of jail now and i think made a few appearances at skate competitions as a contestant
Correct. I don’t remember the specifics of his arrest, but he was transporting a pretty large amount of meth. I didn’t know he was doing any actual competing, but I know he gets out and about on the circuit for skate exhitibitions. motivationals, etc. He was so rad back in the day. I had two favorite skaters growing up . . . Mike McGill and Christian Hosoi. And, honestly, I think I only decided that McGill was my favorite because his deck designs were the best and I needed to keep my allegiances properly in alignment.
Hosoi had the most style of any of them, though, and he just tore it up. I saw a competition in Anaheim around 1986/87 called “Vision Presents: Holiday Havoc”. Part of it included a “big air competition”. They had this giant measuring sheet (large sheet of masonite or plywood or something) set up at the top of one ramp side so that judges could mark how high each skater got on his round.
Dudes were pulling huge airs like 7-8 feet above the rim. Then Hosoi hit the ramp, got pumping, and just launched the hugest arching backside air you’ve ever seen . . . completely passing the top of the giant measuring thing. It was like 11 feet something and smashed any prior attempts and set a bunch of records. Just insane, and the whole place went absolutely ballistic. Such a rad moment.[/reply]
I remember seeing that big air comp on nickelodeon. My parents would never spend that kind of money on a skate deck. We got kmart specials with a big red rocket on the bottom. Now the kid up the street who was spoiled out of his mind had a jeff grosso board with hisoi rockets wheels. Sweet looking board. It had the devil on the bottom of the deck and was would grain for color. I always wanted the corey obrien board that had the grimm reaper in the cemetary shooting some kind of fire ball out of his hand.
What decks did you ride, Tomasz?
I had a Vision Mark Gonzales that I mentioned earlier, the same Tony Hawk deck you mentioned (shared it with my brother), and a Rodney Mullen.
To sort of reply to what Grmpy said below, my parents would never spend any dough on this stuff for me (ESPECIALLY after we went to a shop and they saw a ‘NATAS’ deck for skater Natas Kaupas…I had to show them the Thrasher interview where he explains he’s Lithuanian in origin and Baltic people don’t simply call their sons Natas because they think it’s ‘Satan’ backwards, fer fuck’s sake). Anyway, I had some quasi-legal job with which I earned money to buy games and skate decks and such, I was proud to have that little hint of independence as a tween.
This is getting kind of personal, and a couple members here do know my ‘true identity’, but fuck it. My passion for skate culture, and total failure to do anything with it, was one of the main sparks for me getting into music, journalism, video, all the other weird inexplicable (but satisfying) things I do.
When sk8 culture was at its peak, I still had a very nasty and unpredictable strain of asthma, and physical exertion as mild as belly laughing could have serious consequences. Living with that sucked on ice. After so many times being driven by friends’ moms to the emergency room to get adrenaline shots and such, it just struck me that this wasn’t going to be the thing that defines my life.
It was also a kind of running joke among other kids in my age group, for some reason, who thought my strained wheezing and gasps were the funniest shit ever. It made me hate everyone in my immediate age group and so I started seeking out older people (20s and 30s, basically), who were infinitely more supportive and actually enjoyed teaching me about various facets of underground culture.
That got a big ball of curiosity rolling that eventually led to international correspondence, the Ministry connection via Invisible records, etc. etc. So - things could have ended on a much worse note than they did.
There was a cheapo complete model sold at PRICE CLUB (present day Costco) called KAMIKAZE by Action Sports. I think the complete board was $20 at the time. It was so ubiquitous. Everyone had that damn board.
NASH was a slight step up and had some pretty funny and colorful budget models with hilariously goofy 80’s graphics and board names like “Dog Cheese”, “Locals Only”, “Dominator”, etc.
As for the Corey O’Brien. I remember the design well. He was on Santa Cruz. I know I’ve seen that one come back as reissue before. Not sure if they kept up production or if it was a short run, but I suspect you can get one of the decks for about $60-$70 if you wanted. I’ll check it in a bit . . . Santa Cruz brought back a lot of the classic designs: Rob Roskopp, Slasher, Screaming Hand . . .
Going back on topic.
Don’t forget you won’t get any hugs for 1000$. You have to pay at least 3000.
"(must be a Patron for 3 months to redeem show rewards. If not, you can make a one time pledge for the 3 months amount.) "
My passion for skate culture, and total failure to do anything with it, was one of the main sparks for me getting into music, journalism, video, all the other weird inexplicable (but satisfying) things I do.
When sk8 culture was at its peak.
I had a few friends who were completely into skate culture in the 80’s/early 90’s.
I never got into it myself, but I fell in love with some of the music associated with it:
Suicidal Tendencies, Rich Kids on LSD, and the rest of the SoCal punk at the time were some good times.
Al