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| Q&A: Michael Brooke - Publisher, Concrete Wave Magazine (7141 Posts)
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Random thought of the morning
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On 3/6/2007 Lenny- DHB
wrote in from
United States
(208.122.nnn.nnn)
I was thinking this morning about the different experiences I've had through skating. This Fall, a bro from Texas introduced a bro from Canada to me (who lives in West Virginia) while we were all in North Carolina. There's something really great, although a bit odd, about all that.
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Rippin' Groms
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On 2/26/2007 chris olden
wrote in from
United States
(76.215.nnn.nnn)
hey,
With Granite skatepark being open in Sacramento, I
expect that we'll start seeing a plethora of lil'
rippers from NorCal.
Maybe some of them will wind up in CW.
Lil' Shawn killin' it.
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whoa, now that's a post
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On 2/26/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(64.229.nnn.nnn)
Thank you for your very kind words jaybrd....that is a compliment that truly gets me right in the gut.
Seriously stoked and hope your son is out there tearing it up.
thank you,
it's a huge deal to read something like this.
cheers
Michael
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I ride
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On 2/26/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(164.64.nnn.nnn)
I ride skateboards!
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I ride
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On 2/26/2007 Gary H.
wrote in from
United States
(17.221.nnn.nnn)
I ride what's in the mag (advertising): SK8KINGS, ProDesigned, PleasureTool!
I read: CW
-gary
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The Mag
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On 2/26/2007
jaybyrd
wrote in from
United States
(64.219.nnn.nnn)
Michael, I've said this before, but I'll say it again. Your magazine helped to bridge the gap between my son's riding style and mine. He started reading the mag after his leg was broken and found it had to stick any flatland tricks. I got him into longboarding with me and soon he stopped asking about all the skaters shoes and shirts and started learning about trucks and wheels, also he became interested in helping me build some of my longboards. Your mag is the only skate mag in our house now, Thanks
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blank vs pro decks?
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On 2/25/2007 dr. who
wrote in from
United States
(206.135.nnn.nnn)
what do you ride
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the fine line
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On 2/23/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.94.nnn.nnn)
As my favorite comedic movie of all time, Spinal Tap contains some real gems.
Perhaps even better than "this goes to 11" is the classic "there's such a fine line between stupid and clever."
Alot of people think I am completely NUTS to have such rigid advertising guidelines for CW. A lot of people think I am crazy to put in such a wide range of skaters and all types of skateboarding. The truth is that I believe it makes the magazine stronger - it defines what we are and what we are not.
Simply stated, CW puts the act of skateboarding before the fashion of skateboarding...even though, for most in the industry, it's the other way around. And hey, that's the way the cookie crumbles. It's just that instead of dealing with cookies crumbling, I am more committed to creating cakes that taste real fresh (sorry, couldn't think of any better analogy!)
Truthfully, not everyone understands my philosophy and that's cool. But the folks that do, tend to spread the word - and the mag resonates with them. This is at the very heart of what CW is about. Our entire yearly marketing budget is probably equal to what DC Shoes would spend on a few dinners for their accounting dept.
So no, there isn't a CW corporate washroom or dozens of staff milling around - hell, there's not even a company ramp. But there is one thing that I believe CW possesses and that's a passion to keep pushing skateboarding forward. And not just one type of skateboarding or skater - all types! It is a fire that consumes me and every 2 months, I burn out and BAM! Out pops another issue. It's a rush like no other.
The next issue will clearly demonstrate that I want to put the spotlight on ALL types of skateboarding. It's our buyer's guide and at 108 pages with over 1200 products, it's a monster....a real living breathing credit card busting behemoth...that spans the generations and the genres.
And I am giving every single copy away...for free.
Some would call that stupid (after all, I could charge for it). I call it clever...because I know the 19,000 copies that I am printing will have quite the impact.
I am coming up on 3 years at this forum. I know that folks check to see what's cooking and I just wanted to say THANKS. Your feedback and your stoke for skateboarding FIRES me up!
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Concrette Wave and Soul
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On 2/22/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.69.nnn.nnn)
So, what I originally meant to say (without offending any of the younger crowd, ahem..) is that Concrete Wave does a great job of capturing the original inventiveness and comraderie that was so prevelant in the '72-'82 era. I firmly believe that skateboarding evolved faster, with more variety in disciplines, in that time than at any other time, barring possibly the last 3 years, where old-school, middle school and new school have met up with racers, original freestyle, and longboarders to bring [alomst] things full circle back to source, , , Soul, and the expression of oneself's personal freedom while Riding a Skateboard.
Sorry about how I've been read in the last few posts, but I've seen the Negative impact of selling out and creating a 'merchandisable product' by the written media in the recent past in both Skateboarding, and in Snowboarding. The Suits need to move on, and INCORPORATE something else for their EXPLOITATION (shoe companies included, even as neeeded as shoes are). Maybe they should target Bowling as the sport they intrude upon and F#&$ up! There's a Shoe Market for ya, bozo! And, hey, you can dress them all in similar-but-different clothes to represent the Team they're on,too....
[gotta love this, my # for this post is 420 . good call, that]
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Keep it rolling...
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On 2/22/2007
David V.
wrote in from
United States
(69.92.nnn.nnn)
Amen Michael! Nuff said!
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keep it rolling
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On 2/22/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.94.nnn.nnn)
I am really enjoying this discussion and I think some excellent points have been raised.
I always go back to the same old saying...
I don't care how big or how small skateboarding gets, I will always skate.
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Hood/Portland
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On 2/21/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.69.nnn.nnn)
Camp of Champions (when Chris Karol was still involved), as a guest coach. Shaun White was a little scrapper (next door, but always on our camp's ramps), and I asked him if he considered skating a good way to practice for snowboarding. He was like "I do it for fun", and I ageed, good reason to skate. But, I talked him into using tricks he knew on ramp and taking them to the snow, and vice-versa. I hope that rubbed off (seemed to), because I've seen others do this to great effect, becoming better at both sports, while also not getting into 'seasonal' conditioning lapses during the fall/spring months. The "helmet kids" outa Okemo during the early ninties were my boys, Teter[s],Wilson[s],Petraska,etc. , but before them, there was Akeena Pickett,C. Yetz, Ian Spiro, all of whom skated their hearts out, and went on to be great snowboarders (Akeena, the exception{El Gato}, he skis for Salomon, been in 2-3 WarrenMiller flicks). Now it's Adam Schwippert's turn. In between, there've been some others I've coached both sports to as well.
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Right on.....
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On 2/21/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(164.64.nnn.nnn)
Right on the money Bud. Marketing and skating are not the same thing. Skateboarding is the act of riding a skateboard. One thing I find funny is people act like street skating is slow, but freestyle is even slower. No one seems to bag on freestyle, which is slow moving, and many tricks you don't even have the wheels on the ground and roll away. But you know what, its still skating, and that makes it rad! I agree that the modern media is somewhat stagnant, and one dimensional. But not completely. There is good stuff in the mags, but it is mostly advertising for a lot of product not neccasarly key to skating. It is good we have so many options. CW is a great publication, but there are others, like concussion and some others, which are not just catalogs. They reflect the scene and what is going on in that scene. Let's face it, everyones skating experience is different. What I like is not going to be exactly what you like. However we all have a common bond, skating. When you start thinking that things like shoes are skating you are going off on a tangent. I like the fact that there are good shoes available now. Skating in Chucks is not ideal(for me at least) and I like having the option. Also, the shoe contracts have allowed people who rip to get paid, travel, enter contests, and bring skateboarding around the world. This is good in my opinion. Soul never went anywhere. The real soul, the act of skating.
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soul and 90's
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On 2/21/2007
buddy rawls
wrote in from
United States
(128.158.nnn.nnn)
I think part of the problem comes from not dissassociating the skateboarding market from the act of skateboarding. The act of skateboarding still contains all the thrill of balance, speed, control, danger, and manueverability that it always has. Whether its tranny, street, racing, sliding, cruising, etc. From this perspective, the soul is not changing. You might could argue that the surfy roots have been replaced, but the soul is pretty much constant. This is the soul that I feel Steve is referring to. The other part of skateboarding is the part that deals in the marketing and media presentation of the act of skateboarding. In this realm, I feel that the soul of skateboarding has been completely forgotten. It has turned into a genreation of cookie cutter marketing with differentiation coming from graphics primarily. The blank board initiative is living proof of the soul of skateboarding has been taken away and replaced by consumer support of pros and softgoods which basically places no emphasis on the act of skateboarding whatsoever. And has become totally dictator-like in the presentation of what you skate, what you wear, etc. This is where CW is coming on as a breath of fresh air and returning to the act of skateboarding. From this perspective, I agree with PSR. You have to separate the activity of skating from the marketing of skating.
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hood
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On 2/21/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(164.64.nnn.nnn)
Where did you coach at hood? I worked at High Price Paid a few seasons. I remember Shawn White when he was just a little grom. He was good back then(and like 9) but nothing compared to nowAnd I agree that product selection was not the best, but with Cal Skates in Ptown you could find stuff that was a little more diverse. Wheels larger than 55 mm were in short supply, as were decks with a wheel base larger than 14 inches. But the stuff was out there.
I just think street action gets a bad rap for being slow, when in reality the guys at the top and going fast and big. It is just a little different than DH or riding big bowls and vert. But in order to jump a double set of stairs you have to pretty much haul a**. I just don't like hearing that the 90s sucked because they didn't. I am 35 to and still manage to flip my board over now and then. It is all just a matter of taste. I agree with Danforth on his statement about it not mattering what you do, as long as you are skating! I just don't like to hear people criticize the 90s. I don't bag on the 80s when I started. I started skating in 82. Shortly after that all the parks went away. I grew up skating in the street for the most part. Ramps and pools were in short supply, so I ended up in the street. Street skating back then was hilarious. Just watch some of those old videos. Guys like Bob Schmeltzer had the funniest tricks. And to see how far it has come stokes me out. So I get sort of bummed when people cut on the 90s. I just thought it was a rad time and a lot of people missed out on some awesome times.
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State of the 90's
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On 2/20/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.69.nnn.nnn)
Just the mention of Danny Way does kinda prove your point, Steve. Kudos.
I skated Burnside in the mid-ninties (coaching up @ Mt. Hood - ever hear of Shawn White or Abe Teter?), and That was a bright spot (despite the grime + broken glass) in that time + place. However, in choices of decks, or wheels, nope, things were pretty grim (and sorry, small wheels ARE slow). "Selling Out" was commonplace for both mags and companies, and yeah, skaters made more from shoes than from skating. That's Sad... Worse, nobody seemed to be willing to really pass on skills or stoke. Certainly not the mags (I ,btw, had twenty five years of Thrasher, sold most of them; BUT I kept my Poweredge, Action Now, and Skateboarder mags, although some of those got donated to local libraries), and the skate media really needs to pay attention to their role in the whole shindig. The narrow-mindedness thing dosen't jive with how expressive Skateboarding ought to be, you know?
I do feel that popsicle-flipping is slow, but then, you don't know what I consider fast. My smallest wheels (not counting the Freeformer with loose-ball bearings) are 56mm (rictas) and 58mm (worndown but lathed Alva Hardcores). Everything else is 62mm or bigger. Two twinkicked decks, 40-some-odd others that're directional, many well over 3 ft. long. So, yeah, I don't go for kickflips much (hard to do at 35 anyways)...
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the 90s
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On 2/20/2007
Steve C
wrote in from
United States
(164.64.nnn.nnn)
OK, first off street skating is not slow. If you think so you obviously don't do it. Second off the 90s is what spawned the reemergence of the skatepark era. Ever hear of Burnside? The whole of the 1990's was rad! I know I am stoked to have been a part of what went on in that era. I don't understand why people think the 90s was about shoes and not skating fast. Like I said, if you think street skating is all slow then you are obviously not hip. Seriously, the 90s spawned some of the best talent, most innovated skating, and was rad. People skated pools and ramps in the 90s. The modern skatepark artists were learning their craft. So much of what people take for granted these days was started in the era that everyone puts down. Instead of trying to act like things were so bad try to look at all the good. You just spew forth so much stuff that I hear all the time. Trying to bag on an era because you obviously don't know how rad it was. I lived in Oregon in the 90s, it was rad. So much happened and I guess it just kind of gets me going to hear people talk like the 90s sucked. Maybe it did for you but there are plenty of people who ripped it up, had a good time, and really it was just as rad as today.
And the shoe argument is so played out. I really doubt people are like "John is rad because he has cool shoes!" You are mistaking kids being influenced by the media with skating. There have always been slow skating, fashion kids. They are called posers(or pousers hehe). They have been around for a while. The are the ones who define themsleves by whats cool in the mags. There are probably more of them now then there ever were in the 90s.
And I agree that the skate media was very narrow minded, but that is what they do. The purpose of most mag(not CW obviously) is to sell stuff. That ain't what I am talking about though. To act as if the soul is suddenly back is disrespectful to the guys who kept it real in the 90s. Why not go tell Red or Monk that the 90s sucked and the sould is suddenly back. Those guys were working hard so we can have the awesome parks we have today. Go tell Danny Way that the 90s sucked. God know he was skating slow in the 90s. To say the idea of rolling was lost in the 90s is pretty ignorant to. Instead of trying to act like things are somehow better now and the past sucked, why not just embrace skateboarding. Skating rules, always has, always will. Trying to alienate a whole era is really stupid. I ain't talking about media here. I am talking about skateboarding! And the major skate mags do cover pools, parks and pipes. Maybe not as much CW but its in there. What about Bobs baldy loop cover shot. Oh wait, all those mags show is handrails. Maybe if you actually looked at Skateboarder, Thrasher, or TWS you would know that stuff is in there. I admit they don't cover racing, but many people are not into it. That's a fact. Do you want me to find the last time one of those mags showed some new pipe because they have. Recently. I can't site it but I assure you they have. I could find out for you if you don't believe me.......
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Soul. Pass it on...
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On 2/19/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.69.nnn.nnn)
Steve C., Did I infer that the 'soul' of skating died? NO!
It went underground for awhile, maybe, or simply got ignored by those with deep pockets that control certain merchantile enterprises such as the Shoe Advertisements (other skate mags) that the kids are 'reading'... And, yeah, the mid-90's onto the turn of the century were pretty ugly for awhile. I personally don't enjoy skating slow while trying to injure my ankles, but if hopping off of car fenders or down stair rails is your gig, hey, fine. I definately have seen the various aspects of what skateboarding was, became, endured, improvised, created, and sold out to; But the idea of ROLLING along damn near was lost, replaced by how tech can you hop/flip/grind. I don't discount these activities as skating; they are. Should they be THE definition of skating? F#*& NO! Should your Shoes be a status symbol? No. Should we follow the masses if 'they' say only hopping curbs is cool? No. Is there a purer sensation that carving the lip of a bowl? Not IMHO, unless you're surfing (powder included, btw). I've kept on skating, even when my source of usable wheels came from RollerSkate Rinks. I kept building ramps. I bombed hills despite the increased traffic. I've reached out and put boards under kid's feet so they could skate. I am pretty much 'old school', maybe even a bit long-on-the-tooth for that definition even, since the 70's was, like, awhile ago...
Concrete Wave has simply put out a tangible exposition of what ELSE there is to skating that's been shoved under the carpet at other publication houses. MONEY became the prime mover at other magazine's editing tables, along with a narrow mind-set. What Sells matters there, not What Motivates someone to skate. The Stagnation that resulted has a certain reek to it, and it's taint ain't even as nice as the smell from undeground pipes in Phoenix. When's the last time a set of NEW pipes was in a mainstream skate-rag? I won't even ask whether they mention any downhilling anymore...
My soul though is doing fine, thank you. Your concern is noteworthy.
I like to believe I've left my best days behind me, but have managed to put some Stoke into the next generation, whenever that was (could've been the kids in the early 80's, late-80's, mid-90's or this last year), by offering to coach, build, lend, or just show someone (maybe a few dozen someones) my fave hill.
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soul, man...
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On 2/19/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(70.49.nnn.nnn)
I remember working with Wes Humpston on the 3rd cover..."the soul of skateboarding will never die"
I tend to feel that skateboarding is like music...no matter what era you skated in, you always feel your era was THE BEST. And so it should be.
As someone who listens to music from the past 40 years, I find things I like from every era.
I think where there is a disconnect (and forgive me if this sounds awkward) is that with so much emphasis on rails and ledges and male street skaters under the age of 18 in most media, it's made it somewhat exclusionary for other skaters. Again, I have respect for rails and ledges etc. but I am not sure why it's taken years upon on years to acknowledge other forms of skateboarding.
Perhaps this why folks who used to skate who never pick up a skate mag enjoy CW and those skaters who are just entering their teen years who skate street but also longboard or ride tranny also dig it.
As Bill Danforth said, "it doesn't matter what you're riding, as long as you're riding."
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soul?
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On 2/19/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(164.64.nnn.nnn)
The Soul of skateboarding never went anywhere. I love to hear people talk like it has. Skating never lost its Soul, people just think it did. Maybe some of the mainstream media is a little stuck, but if you are skating regardless of what you are doing, you have not forgot what it is all about. I personally find the suggestion that skating lost its soul very disrespectful, because it was never lost. Just a lot of holier than thou crap I hear from so called "old schoolers."
Please pinpoint where, when, and how skating lost its soul. I would love to hear what you think. If you say in the 90s you obviously were not paying attention. If you say early 2000s you were not paying attention. Skating is, has been, and always will be very much alive. Even if you don't relate to a particular style or (as Chaput would say)discipline. The soul never went anywhere! Maybe you lost your own soul but skating lives, and has lived, and will live!
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Concrete Wave @ bookstore
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On 2/19/2007 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(208.5.nnn.nnn)
Micheal, just wanted you to know that while in Hanover (dartmouth bookstore), I bumped into a self-described 'old-scholer' in his 20's, started talking about the 'new-old direction' skateboarding is going to now. He was blown away by your mag, totally flipped on the stuff in the 'what's new' section ("hey I had that board! It's a re-issue, available!?" Damn!), and he was completely freaked on the fact I'd been skating a decade longer than he's been alive.
It's cool when an old-schooler can be shown that he's not antiquedated in 'style', despite what the "mainstream" mags are showing.
Me' I'm over that phase, thank you, and just stoked on still being able to skate. Passing on the Stoke is my passion now, be it Longboarding, Pool/Ramp riding, or coaching Slalom. It's even better knowing that the gear needed to go Romp is now available from sources other than yardsales and E-bay. Your mag is the Key to gettin' the word out there. The SOUL of skateboarding is back (this said with total respect for 'new-schoolers', but with an understanding of where skateboarding almost became 'stuck' culturally), as your magazine clearly, passionately, and persuasively shows! Thanx for the great mag!
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noteworthy
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On 2/19/2007
martin siegrist
wrote in from
Switzerland
(147.86.nnn.nnn)
hello michael - could you please send me a copy of the magazine where you wrote about euro racing and my victories? i collect all the stuff with articles about me. if you want you can also send some stickers and extra magazines for my local skateshops. would be nice. the kids are so stoked here on slalomskateboarding and we skate the parking lot all night long. down the slopes and up with the elevator.
please contact me on my email adress. i tried to send a mail to your interlog adress but it failed twice...
thanks
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re: History of Longboarding
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On 2/16/2007
msk
wrote in from
United States
(66.214.nnn.nnn)
Here's a start:
http://www.nosewheelie.com/99-04/feature.html
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flounder
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On 2/16/2007
cfav
wrote in from
United States
(68.72.nnn.nnn)
Flounder,if i have to pick you up and pay you entry,you'll be there.midbest till the end,cfav
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