Archives

Good Stuff - Dave Duren
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Every once in a while, you come across a person who clearly walks to the beat of a different drum; a person who lives their life to the fullest. And all those who spend time with them know what a gift those precious moments truly are. Then there're people like Dave Duren - the kind of guy who thinks leaving in the middle of the night for a nice desolate spot in the desert, where he could freak himself out by plotting strategic warfare and the end of the world,... Read more...
Connecticut
|TransWorld Skateboarding
" … a state where vibers are a distinct minority, harsh winters instil transition skills, and wallies fetch as many hoots as hardflips." by Mike WindischLate Memorial Day afternoon during a blistering barbecue session at a backyard ramp in Fairfield, just moments after a four-foot vert extension was bolted above the steel surface, Naugatuck-gnarler George Martin blew minds with a few unbelievably burly pivots to fakie. Minutes later, when a photographer and videographer had their equipment rolling, someone suggested it would be a good trick to repeat for documentation. Blantantly... Read more...
Bob Burnquist Inteview Part II
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Was that a dream come true?Oh yeah. I got to skate with all the boys. Leo Kakinho rode for them.The guy from Florianópolis a city 300 miles south of São Paulo, Brazil?Exactly. He was a little kid - like a little Danny Way - who everyone looked up to. He was ripping and winning contests; big dudes would be pissed at this little rat taking the contest. It was cool. I probably made like 50 bucks a month, but I was just stoked to make money.When did you turn pro?I... Read more...
Bob Burnquist Pro Spotlight
|TransWorld Skateboarding
In the spring of 1995, an unknown Brazilian named Bob Burnquist showed up at Vancouver, Canada's Slam City Jam skateboard contest and won it. His switch-stance skateboarding shocked the crowd and left fellow competitors wondering, "Bob who?"Looking back we know that those lucky enough to be in attendance at Vancouver saw a new era of skateboarding unfold in the course of an afternoon, and nothing's been the same since. Soon after Bob's come-from-nowhere victory, the finals' rosters of professional skateboarding contests around the world began to fill up with strange... Read more...
The Ben Liversedge interview.
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Being a pro skateboarder from the East Coast of the United States ain't exactly easy. Distance from skateboarding's de facto capital (California) and horrendously cold and wet six-month winters force many professional skateboarders from cities like New York, Washington D.C., Boston, and Philadelphia to either move west or vanish into obscurity.After riding for a half-dozen sponsors and migrating west in search of the illusive dream of making a living on a skateboard, Ben has returned home to reinvest his time and skill into the alive and rapidly growing East Coast... Read more...
Weird Story - Moses Itkonen
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Weird Story Moses Itkonen tells TransWorld about riding the bus Red Dragon-style.I used to skate at The Richmond Skate Ranch and stay over weekends at Colin McKay's house or Gordon and George Faulkner's place in North Vancouver–I was probably sixteen at the time, living in Mission a small town 40 miles from Vancouver. The bus ride from Richmond to North Van was pretty long–almost two hours–and close to a dozen of us took the bus: Teenager Sean Laidlaw, Sam Devlin, Gordon and George, Ben Nickel, Colin and Casey McKay, me,... Read more...
Steve Berra - On Fire
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Steve Berra–On Fire by Dave Swift I would hope most humans find a time in their lives when they get a chance to do something memorable–a time when they really pushed themselves to the limit of their talent. An example of a person who has done this on several occasions over the last few years is a professional skateboarder by the name of Steve Berra. Now, at a time when most would count him out as a top professional skateboarder, he's come through with yet another amazing part in the... Read more...
Roomates
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Roommates Brian Howard drinks grape Kool Aid, and Paul Zitzer eats grapefruit."Oh, here's another good one," Brian Howard says before cracking up at his thought. Brian Howard, Paul Zitzer, and I are at a restaurant, and I've asked him what's lame about his roommate, Paul. He's having the time of his life reciting a long list of eccentricities–everything from Zitzer's minimalist tendencies to his habit of lining up the labels of containers.But Zitzer has some jabs of his own. "My turn, my turn!" he shouts like an impatient kid as... Read more...
Nicknames: Bucky Lasek
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Nicknames Charles Michael Lasek tries to tell TransWorld why people call him Bucky.I was named after my real father, Charles Henry Davis. His nickname was Bucky. My name is Charles Michael Lasek, but nobody ever calls me that. From the start my mom called me Bucky, too. I get checks made out to Bucky. At my bank it's written on my account that I can also sign as Bucky, but my driver's license says Charles. I don't know why they called my dad "Bucky"; I don't think he had buck... Read more...
Minneapolis, Minnesota
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Minneapolis, Minnesota Billy Kahn moves to Minneapolis, Minnesota in search of change and discovers paradise.I spent the first month of my residency in Minneapolis, Minnesota sessioning by myself around the Saint Anthony neighborhood on the river front. I arrived in the city knowing no one, except for my roommate Cori, who's also from Indiana. So familiarizing certain facts and strives took a lot of time and energy, as opposed to being "shown around." I made my way to local skateboard shops and was comforted by everyone's kindness and willingness to... Read more...
Mike Cardona 1978 - 1998
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Mike Cardona: 1978 - 1998On October 5, 1998 one of my closest friends passed away. Mike Cardona - one of the best skateboarders ever to come out of New Jersey - has moved on to the next level. May God bless him.Mike was a very creative, talented individual. It showed in his skateboarding and his artwork. He was a good friend to many and will be missed greatly. The lesson I've learned from his death, appreciate your friends, you never know when they are going to be gone.Rest in peace,... Read more...
Menditto Holds Human Brain In Hand
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Menditto Holds Human Brain In Hand Darren "The Moose" Menditto skates his way through medical school.Darren Menditto has nice teeth. They're big, white, and straight with a blinding lack of tarter. They bounce in front of my face, like Cheshire Cat's, as he smiles at my queasy facial expression. He just finished describing the opening of a cadaver bag, exposing a corpse to fresh air, and the smell that instantly mushroom-clouds out. His hands gyrate around his face, as he pantomimes the stink enveloping him. People have been known to... Read more...
Anarchy Boom
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Anarchy Boom Mike Manzoori tells us about misconceptions, skateboarding history, and skating today in the U.K. Misconceptions At first I was surprised, but I'm very used to it now. It's as if I have an automatic response. Without thought, my mouth reels off a string of words, almost a sentence, but more like a monotone chunk of information. "No, it's not that bit by Australia. It's the two islands off the northwest edge of Europe!" This is responded to with a confused expression. "Err, you know, the Northern Hemisphere, to... Read more...
London Calling
|TransWorld Skateboarding
London Calling James Davis gives us insight on the land of the free health service, home of the brave weathermen.Look at you, reading this magazine–have you thought much about your country, wherever it may be? How does it stand in the scheme of things? Do you really know your way around? Are you proud or ashamed of what you see? I am both. My country is England, and my home now is London. It's the best place I've ever lived.I skate along my streets, you skate along yours. The cracks... Read more...
Last Word - Rob Dyrdek
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Last Words–Rob DyrdekLast shoes you bought:Tiger Woods golf shoes.Last time you were robbed:Two days ago.Last time you lost consciousness:I can't recall, but I'm sure it was liquor-induced.Last movie you saw:Kiss The Girls.Last person you said "I love you" to:My sweet mother, Pat Dyrdek.Last spot you skated:The Shit Ledge.Last time you exceeded 100 miles per hour:Fifteen minutes ago.Last time you tried to speak a foreign language:Two weeks ago, when I dreamt I was a Mexican prison guard.Last letter you wrote:I don't think I've ever written one.Last fight you were in:About a... Read more...
Josh Kalis - Good Stuff
|TransWorld Skateboarding
When I think of Josh Kalis a few words come to mind: professional, precise, and nice. Back in September 1997, just after Josh moved back to Philadelphia, he gave me a call to see if I wanted to shoot some photos of him for an ad. The day we went out skating I couldn't believe what I saw. This was the first time I'd seen him skate. He landed every trick with such a unique style. Some of the stuff he was doing I couldn't even comprehend.Josh is 100-percent skateboarding.... Read more...
Triple Crown Finals
|TransWorld Skateboarding
">Triple Crown Finals Bob Burnquist takes 20-grand, Tim Brauch takes 15-grand, and Tom Boyle takes Valium at the Triple Crown Finals in Huntington Beach, California. by Sean MortimerFrom the first day of practice you knew this was going to be an exciting contest. Not because the crooked vert ramps created a terrain that demanded innovative skating, or that the prize money was roughly a down payment on a house, no, Tom Boyle was the barometer for the excitement level. "Tom was just standing on the deck for at least an... Read more...
Triple Crown Finals
|TransWorld Skateboarding
">Triple Crown Finals Bob Burnquist takes 20-grand, Tim Brauch takes 15-grand, and Tom Boyle takes Valium at the Triple Crown Finals in Huntington Beach, California. by Sean MortimerFrom the first day of practice you knew this was going to be an exciting contest. Not because the crooked vert ramps created a terrain that demanded innovative skating, or that the prize money was roughly a down payment on a house, no, Tom Boyle was the barometer for the excitement level. "Tom was just standing on the deck for at least an... Read more...
Favorites: Kieth Hufnagel
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Favorites: Keith HufnagelFavorite Books:The Old Man and the SeaCelestine ProphecyOf Mice and MenThe Tao of PoohCatcher in the RyeFavorite Movies:Dumb and DumberThe GodfatherOnce We Were WarriorsHappy GilmoreWhen We Were KingsFavorite Athletes:Michael JordanPenny HardawayRonaldoKobe BryantPatrick EwingFavorite Food:penne vodkapizza (by the slice)veggie burritosgrilled ahishrimp tandoriFavorite Spots:AustraliaTahoe, CaliforniaOahu, HawaiiNew YorkNew Orleans, LouisianaFavorite Actors:Steve BuscemiJustin PierceRobert DeNiroAl PacinoPeter BiciFavorite Tricks:360 kickflipsbackside tailslidesnollie heelflipscrooked grindsswitch backside 180s Read more...
Nobody Special - Enrique Lorenzo
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Nobody Special - Enrique Lorenzo Enrique Lorenzo tells interviewer Seu Trinh about strip searches, learning English from cartoons, and how he wishes he had his own apartment. Where are you originally from? Barcelona, Spain.How long did you live there? Until I was eighteen.Then you moved to America? Yep.How is living in Spain different than America? The weather. Over here, pretty much the whole year it's warm. Over there, it's cold in the wintertime–really cold. It snows, and it rains a lot. The food, too. There's not as many fast-food places... Read more...
Another Roadside Attraction By Jody Morris
|TransWorld Skateboarding
">Another Roadside Attraction By Jody MorrisThe whole idea was simply to break from the norm, to skate stuff we don't see on a daily basis. Getting out of town and exploring other cities and spots has a way of refreshing things. We went on a similar trip last summer and skated a lot of top-quality spots. We decided to revisit those spots, and perhaps find some new stuff. Generally, just have a good time. The difference this trip was that there was no set schedule. Simply a group of friends... Read more...
Andy Macdonald Pro Spotlight Part II
|TransWorld Skateboarding
After graduation his parents had harshly opposing views concerning his future. His mom wanted him to continue his education while his dad encouraged him to follow his dream. "This is my plan," Mr. Macdonald remembers Andy saying. "I'll go to San Diego, I'll get a job, and try to get sponsored."For Mother's Day, Andy presented his mom with a card that was stapled, locked, glued, and sewn shut. It said, "If you can open this card in ten seconds and not rip it, I'll go to school next year and... Read more...
Andy Macdonald Pro Spotlight
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Andy Macdonald had a dream from his early days of skating in Massachusetts, and he used that dream as a battering ram to smash through the dramas of his professional career. From penning an ill-received letter, being shunned, and living in roach-infested apartments to being exalted in front of millions, giving international interviews, and owning a house worth close to half-a-million dollars. He wished upon a star and made damn sure it came true.It all started with a letter. As a seventeen-year-old high school senior in Newton, Massachusetts, Andy Macdonald... Read more...
Birdhouse Premieres The End
|TransWorld Skateboarding
Birdhouse Projects held a premiere for their new movie The End at the Galaxy theater in Santa Ana, California on October 8. Most of the Birdhouse crew showed up in suits, and some arrived in stretch limos. Every skater living within a 50-mile radius was in attendance, and while the pros mingled inside, skate rats scurried around collecting autographs.Crackhead Bob, of The Howard Stern Show fame, introduced the film to the appreciative audience. Shown two hours late with a few sections missing, the meat of it was there: insane skating... Read more...