Skate-related punk (Cont of Previous post)

Although not referencing skate in their songs, some punkrockers in the early days skate while playing for punk rock bands. Here's a couple of them:

Darby Crash (Germs) with a skateboard

















Ian Mackaye (Minor Threat) skateboarding.









Tim Kerr (Big Boys) kicking ass!












D.I. playing in front of a bowl.













Code of Honor: Fight or Die cover art

31 songs about skateboarding!

Skateboarding is an aggressive and creative sport born in Southern California. Hardcore-Punk is a ferocious style of rock n roll created in the same area. Both complement each other since the late 70s and early 80s. Hip Hop music has also crossed in skateboarding's path because of its aggressive origins. Here's a brief look into some of skate's music most representative anthems:


1-Bones Brigade: Thrashin' USA

The first track of their debut "I hate myself when I'm not skateboarding". A song about thrashin' with your skate the entire USA. Bones Brigade epitomizes modern-day skate punk and takes their name from the legendary skateboard crew.





2-JFA: Beach Blanket Bongout


The definitive skate-punk anthem by the inventors of the genre. The clasic line "Surf Punks We're Not, Skateboard We Do" is a standard singalong in their shows since 1981. As a matter of fact, they still skate and surf 30 years later.





3-Gang Green: Terrorize

A song about terrorizing people with your skateboard while cruising through a shopping mall. Gang Green is a classic hardcore punk band from the suburbs of Boston, MA. While other early 80s Boston outfits were talking about boring stuff, GG were talking about skate at 150 mph.





4-Agression: Intense Energy

The best skate punk song ever by a skate punk band. The line "Have you ever seen a skateboarder surfing in a pool, Flying over the coping with a skateboard as his tool" is the essence of skate-punk. They were part of the Nardcore scene in the early 80s.




5-Riot.303: Skate Punx

Hailing from Calgary, Canada, this short-lived band released this pretty self-explanatory song in the first Thrasher Skate Rock compilation in the early 80s. Compilations done by the bible of skateboarding Thrasher Magazine.




6-Black Flag: Wasted

The 2nd song of the b-side of 1978's "Nervous Breakdown" Ep of the most influential Hardcore-Punk band ever. Singing is the first vocalist Mr. Keith Morris, who later fronted the Circle Jerks. Who by the way, do a much faster version of this song but not as great as Flag's 78' gem. "I was surfer, I had a skateboard". Classic!

7-The Faction: Skate and Destroy
The Faction were a punk band formed in 1982 by legendary skateboarder Steve Caballero. This is probably one of the most recognizable tunes in the genre. They come from the northern part of the state of California, San Jose.






8-Teenage Bottlerocket: Skate or Die

Pop-punk group from Wyoming formed in the early 21st century. A track that talks about making skateboarding a threat again. Their guitar player was part of seminal 90s pop-punk band Lillingtons.






9-Diente Perro: Muerte en Patineta

One of the first songs of this Puerto Rican punk outfit. Re-recorded for their latest album "Muertos en la Noche". The translation means "Death in a skateboard". The quintessential skatepunkers from this tiny Caribbean island.





10-The Panty Sniffers: Sexo,Skate y Rock n Roll

Opening track of their first and only full length "Sexo, Skate y Rock n Roll" released in 2005 by Rokirol Records. The song is about sex, skateboarding, punk and surfing in one night. They played between 2001-2011 and also released a Complete Discography CD/Fanzine and a music video. All the members from their several line-ups hailed from Puerto Rico.

11-Teenage Hell: Corriendo Olas de Concreto

Short-lived skatepunk band from Puerto Rico. Short, fast and loud and about riding concrete waves. They were all teen skaters who were into Zero Boys, Agression and Germs.







12-Common Enemy: Skate that Shit

From their 2000 self titled Ep. Late 90s Skatepunk band from Pennsylvania. They are skaters and D.I.Y punkers. They even visited Puerto Rico sometime in 2010.






13-Charles Bronson: Skate for God

90s Power violence pioneers from Chicago, IL. They were skaters, straight edge and sarcastic as hell. This track is from the "Possessed to Skate" compilation LP. They released a 100 + songs discography of their 30 sec or less fastcore tunes. Their drummer Ebro played in Los Crudos, a seminal latin hardcore punk band from Chicago.



14-Suicidal Tendencies: Possesed to Skate

Mid 80s skateboard anthem by Venice Beach skate thrashers. Led by Mike Muir, whose brother was part of the original Dogtown Z Boys.




15-Descendents: Doug rides a skateboard

Demo outtake from the Enjoy sessions of 1986. Not officially released but appears in bootlegs like "Still Hungry", "Milo Gets Bootlegged" or "Rareage". Its the almighty Descendents with a skate punk song. As good as it gets.




16-Flema: Fernando anda en skate

Seminal Argentine punk rock band. They were formed in the late 80s by lead singer Ricky Espinosa, who kill himself a couple of years ago. This song translates as "Fernando rides a skateboard" and is from their sophomore album 1994's "Nunca nos fuimos". Catchy as hell punk rock.




17-Desde el Campo: Tributo a la skate

Hip Hop group from the West Side of the island of Puerto Rico. They are skaters and this tribute to skate track appears in their 2010 mixtape "Sustancia Controlada" (Controlled Substance).




18-Gritando HC: Ande de skate e destrua

Brazilian hardcore punk act. Track from their 2000 album of the same name. Translation from portuguese means "Skate and Destroy". Their original singer died in 2001.






19-Guttermouth: Do the Hustle

Late 80s Huntington Beach, CA punk legends with several controversial and sarcastic punk albums out. This song is from their classic LP "Musical Monkey" and rants about lousy rollerbladers getting in the way of skateboarders.





20-Screeching Weasel: We Skate

13 sec. classic song from Chicago Mid 80s punkers. This song is from their 2nd album "BoogadaBoogadaBoogada". After their first two albums, they became one of the most important (and imitated) pop-punk bands in the world.





21-Suicide Machines: Vans Song

Tribute to Vans skateboarding shoes by this influential hardcore-punk/ska band from Detroit, MI. They formed in 1991 and this song appears in several of their early recordings, most notably in their 1996 studio debut "Destruction by Definition".





22-Adolescents: Skate Babylon

Song about skating from their 2nd album "Brats in Battalions" from 1987. This stuff is good but quite different from their classic Blue Album tunes.







23-Violent Children: Skate Straight

Early-to-Mid 80s Connecticut hardcore band who featured a young Ray Cappo playing drums. He later went to front seminal bands such as Youth of Today, Shelter or BTA1000. Cappo is remembered as one of the most militant straight edge and Krishna people in the United States.

24-Pharrell: When Skateboard Came

Track about skateboarding from N.E.R.D. and Neptunes MC/Producer/Drummer Pharrell Williams. This track is from his first mixtape "In my mind: The Prequel". He skates also, so go figure.



25-Beatnik Termites: Skateboard

90s Pop-punk ala Screeching Weasel with a heavy surf influence. This skateboard song appears in their best known album "Bubblecore".







26-Satanic Surfers: Don't Know what to do

Swedish 90s punk band. From their "Skate to Hell" Ep.









Punk Bands featuring Pro Skaters:



27-Free Beer: Premature Enlistment

Early 80s Northern California punk band featuring skate legend Tommy Guerrero. Alternative Tentacles released their discography "The Only Beer That Matters" as the first of their Skate Punk series.





28-Political Crap: Slow Death

First punk band fronted by the Master of Disaster, Duane Peters. He is better known for his later outfit, US Bombs. Song appears in the 1981 "Who Cares" compilation. Great stuff.



29-Skoundrelz: Jimmy Closet

Venice Beach punk band formed by the first truly influential skateboarder Tony Alva. He played bass in this group that also featured ex-members of Suicidal and Wasted Youth. Alva is the original Z Boy from Dogtown that revolutionized skateboarding forever. This song is from Thrasher Skate Rock Vol. 1 compilation.





30-McRad: Greed

Early 80s Philly hardcore punk band featuring pro skater Chuck Treece. This song is from their classic Ep "Dominant Force". Treece is a multi-instrumentalist that has even played in the Bad Brains.








31-Mike V and the Rats: Never Give Up

Mike Vallely is an unorthodox pro skater who wrestles professionally, acts and plays in punk bands. His most famous act was Mike V & The Rats, which sounded like Black Flag Rollins era and Minor Threat. This track is from the self title Ep.

A bill from the early 80s

JFA and Angry Samoans presented their punk rock classics at the House of Blues in the Sunset Strip. A bill reminiscent of the early 80s California hardcore punk scene with the addition of newer bands such as Death Punch and The Casualties.

At 7:00 p.m., the doors opened to hundreds of youngsters attire in classic punk bands shirts and spiky hairs. While waiting in line, Metal Mike, lead singer of The Angry Samoans, approached some of the attendees with a punk rock game to give out some free Samoans shirts.

In the background, some well-known punk bands sounded as fans continue to filled up the venue. Around 8:00 pm, local band Death Punch appeared. They looked sort of like The Casualties but sounded like generic punk with emo vocals and breakdowns. Their highlight was the Operation Ivy standard "Knowledge".

The main dish were definitely Arizona's skate-punk pioneers JFA. Dozens of kids circle pitted to classics such as "Out of School", "Jodie Foster's Army", "Beach Blanket Bongout" and "Preppy". Brian Brannon, the lead singer, played some keyboards during their surf tunes that slowed down the atmosphere quite a bit after several skate punk songs. Their mythical guitar player, Don Redondo, sponsored by "Independent trucks" clothing blasted that guitar like it was an early 80s show. Pure surf, skate and hardcore punk.

After the highlight of the show, came one of the true power houses of the L.A. punk scene, The Angry "Motherfuckin" Samoans. Metal Mike, Bill Vockeroth and cia rocked all their hits "Gas Chambers", "Todd Killings", "Light's Out", "Homosexual", "Hot Cars" and "Right Side of my mind" to hundreds of cheering punkers. Mike and Bill switch between drums and vocals as usual. And to add more greatness, they played two covers: "Slave to my dick" (Canadian Subhumans) and "Wasted" (Black Flag). Punk Rock as its finest.

We left after that and did not saw the "headliners", The Casualties. I have seen them in other occasions and didn't want to hear the same song for an entire hour. Anyhow, great punk show with JFA and Angry Samoans sets.

New stuff from JFA

Skate-Punk pioneers new music vids and album




JFA's new album, yay!

Agent Orange at Madrid

Agent Orange, the surf-punk legends from Orange County, played at the Wurlitzer Ballroom in the spanish capital. The opening act was The Shitty Limits from the United Kingdom who played energetic hardcore-punk ala Surf Nazis Must Die. Their singer was within the crowd roaring the fast skate-punk blasts as the rest of the band lay on stage to play rapid fire guitar riffs and out-of-control drums. Very impressive band. After this good set, came the spanish heavy rock/punk band Zero 5 who played a couple of tunes reminiscent of Motorhead, but not that good.

At last, came the southern california power trio lead by vocalist/guitarist Mike Palm. They sounded tight and powerful even though the venue's sound is not the best. Their usual instrumental surf tunes were between the faster punk songs. Some of the songs played were "Bloodstains", "Too young too die" (dedicated to the late Lux Interior of The Cramps), "The Last Goodbye", "No Such Thing", "Living in darkness", "Pipeline" and "I kill spies". Also they played two covers: "Police Truck" by the Dead Kennedys and "Message from the Underworld" by The Weirdos. Great set overall, energetic as it gets but with some chill out surf tunes to listen.

Picture by MCJ Photography (c).

Punk no Brasil

Brazil, the land of feijoada, caipirinha, g-strings, best soccer players ever and 6x world champion bodyboarder Guilherme Tamega, is one of the first Latin American countries to have punk rock music back in the late 70's. It started with bands like Colera, Ratos de Porao, Lixomania, Lobotomia, just to name a few. Here's a documentary called "Botinada: A Origem do Punk no Brasil", that documents its origins, the early bands and the entire early history of the punk scene in this portugese-speaking country of the Americas.

As the 90's approached, The Blind Pigs (now called Porcos Cegos) emerged with their kick-ass blend of melodic hardcore/punk, first with the label, Grita!, and then on their own Sweet Fury Records. This band put Brazil in the punk rock map with their classic "Sao Paulo Chaos". Around the late 90's, we interview lead singer, Henrike, for our previous printed fanzine and he told us in one of the questions about a couple of local brazilian bands. I did not get into any, until now. One of them is a rad skate punk band called Gritando HC, they have only one album out with their original line-up called "Ande de skate e destrua". Their lead singer died in 2001 but they left this incredible piece of recordings. Enjoy!

Belle Brains

Mejor que esto no se puede poner la cosa, Belle & Sebastian (que sacan su nombre de un programa para nenes chiquitos de los 80) que es el mejor grupo de rock indie de Escocia de todos los tiempos y los pioneros del hardcore-punk de DC/NYC, Bad Brains.Todo en una misma camisa. Se consigue en el skate shop de NY, KCDC. B&S siguen aumentando su "coolness", primero hacen el soundtrack de la peli del icono del cine under americano Todd Solondz, Storytelling, tienen a sus espaldas dos kick-ass full length albums en "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" y "If you're feeling Sinister" (tienen otros, pero esos son mis favoritos) y para cerrar existe una camisa que fusiona estas dos leyendas musicales. Si alguien piensa que hay algo mas cool que esto, que me lo diga.

FYVFZ 3: Panty Sniffers

Forgotten Youth Video Fanzine Vol.3: The history of The Panty Sniffers.2001-2007.

Paranoid Park

La última entrega del director estadounidense Gus Van Sant se titula Paranoid Park. La historia, basada en la novela de Blake Nelson, es acerca de un grupo de skateboarders que frecuentan el skatepark mas famoso de Portland, Oregon (ciudad donde vive el director). El personaje principal, Mike (Gabe Nevins), se vé envuelto en un incidente en el que muere un guardia de seguridad. Luego de esto, la vida de este joven va decayendo al igual que el matrimonio de sus padres y la relación con su novia. No tiene a nadie en quien confiar ni contarle lo sucedido. Van Sant escribe y dirige una de sus mejores películas con este filme; la filmación de escenas largas, los constantes flashbacks dentro de la historia, el uso de jóvenes no-actores y el estilo no convencional de unir los nudos de la trama encajan perfectamente en Paranoid Park. Dicho filme fue ganador del premio 60 aniversario del prestigioso festival de Cannes en el 2007. Si te gustaron sus anteriores filmes del denominado "Death Trilogy" como Elephant (Palme D'ore en Cannes 2003) y Last Days esta te terminará de convencer que tan buen director es Van Sant.

skate , surf and destroy!

Algunos personajes claves en el desarrollo de dos deportes muy importantes para mí, los cuales he practicado durante toda mi vida. Primero en el skateboarding surgieron los Z-Boys de Dogtown para mediados de los 70's con Tony Alva y Jay Adams que le dieron el estilo agresivo al skate, incorporando los formas del surfing de Southern California. En el 79' comienza el científico del skate , Rodney Mullen, que fue campeón indiscutible de freestyle y durante su experimentación inventó el ollie , kick flip , heel flip , 360 flip , impossible y muchos más. Dichos trucos forman la base del skate moderno. Los inventos de Mullen fueron llevados a un próximo nivel para finales de los 80's por Natas Kaupas y Mark Gonzáles,los padres del street skating. Natas inventó el nollie , fue el primero en hacer ollies de una altura impresionante e hizo los primeros boardslides y 50-50 en pasamanos. A finales de los 90's Jamie Thomas , Geoff Rowley ,entre muchos otros llevaron esos trucos inventados por los pioneros a un nuevo nivel de riesgo.

En sus comienzos para finales de los 70's, el bodyboarding era una imitación del surfing con trucos sencillos como los 360's y los cutbacks. Pero en los 80's , Mike Stewart y Pat Caldwell inventaron el truco básico conocido como "El Rollo" y Jack Lindholm inventó el estilo arrodillado de correr (drop-knee). Despues de ambas invenciones revolucionarias, el australiano Mike "Eppo" Eppelstun y el californiano Jacob Reeve inventaron los trucos extremos conocidos como "ARS"(Rollo-360) y "Backflip" para los 90's. En el nuevo siglo , Jeff Hubbard y la invasión australiana liderada por Ryan Hardy ,los hermanos Players ,Mitch Rawlins ,Sean Virtue y Damian King llevarían el bodyboarding a un nivel difícil de superar por el surfing tradicional, volando por los aires con los Air Reverse's, ARS's y Backflip's en olas mortales como Shark Island , Teahupoo y el clásico Banzai Pipeline.