Creative Skateboarding: A Short Retrospective of the Alternative Scene
Although it may be difficult to understand from the outside, skateboarding represents a culture covering a wide area from the streets to the Olympics, beyond just a branch of sports or a hobby. When you look closer, there are some figures and crews within this culture that have created their own unique style and played important roles in the evolution of this sport into different points.
Starting in the 50s when surfers brought it from the waves to the street and called it 'sidewalk surfing' at that time, the sport reached its first peak of popularity at the end of this decade. In the first skateboarding competition held in Hermosa Beach, California, in 1963, skateboarding was no longer referred to only by the 'cruising' category; different riding techniques such as freestyle and slalom had been discovered. New magazines appearing in the 70s and the spread of the sport to Europe caused it to become increasingly popular. In 1978, the ollie trick discovered by Alan Gelfand caused a leap that could be considered a revolution for skateboarding and pioneered the birth of the 'street skateboarding' style.
In the 80s, Rodney Mullen discovered the freestyle skateboarding style with many different variations he added to the ollie movement. The emergence of brands such as Santa Cruz, Powell Peralta, and Vision, and The Bones Brigade team consisting of names like Tony Hawk and Steve Caballero, pioneered the expansion of skateboarding culture and the birth of the ramp style known as 'vert'. In videos such as 'The Search for Animal Chin' released in 1987, skateboarders showcased their talents and led many people to turn to this sport. After this point, skateboarding gradually became globalized and became popular in regions such as Europe, Australia, and Japan.
In the 90s, the emergence of new brands, skate magazines, and competitions like the X-Games helped the skateboarding trend grow, laying the foundations for many brands and collectives that are still active today.
Today, this industry is bigger and more popular than ever. Within this popular scene, there is a group of people who have moved away from perfectionism and uniformity, with their sole purpose being to just have fun. These individuals have created their own unique styles and mental models through the new tricks they've discovered, their riding styles, and their distinct perspectives. Sometimes, they even manipulate skateboarding equipment to create entirely different toys.
At the top of the list is Rodney Mullen, whose name is synonymous with freestyle skateboarding and who is the inventor of many of the fundamental tricks that form the basis of the sport.
Rodney Mullen
He is the creator of more than 30 skateboarding tricks, including fundamental moves such as the flatground ollie, kickflip, heelflip, and 360 flip. Known as the 'Godfather of modern street skateboarding' and becoming the freestyle world champion at just 14 years old, Rodney Mullen continues to skate at full speed today.
Mike Valelly
The New Jersey-born skater caught the attention of legends like Lance Mountain and Stacy Peralta at a local contest in Virginia Beach, earning an amateur sponsorship at just 16 years old. Only a year later, he secured his professional title after winning a vert contest in Toronto. Mike V, whose riding style can be described as old-school, is also deeply involved in the music scene. In addition to bands like Mike V & the Rats and Revolution Mother, he was the longest-standing member of Black Flag (just before the high schoolers took over) after Greg Ginn.
Richie Jackson
With a look and skating style that can only be described as 'colorful', it is a true pleasure to watch the sequences this New Zealand skater creates by reinterpreting the environment and objects through a different lens. It is a flavorful combination where hippie aesthetics and skateboarding collide.
Bonus: This video featuring Richie Jackson and Patrick Melcher is also worth a look (RIP Joe Strummer).
Andy Anderson
A student of Powell Peralta, the Australian-born Andy Anderson is the most creative name I’ve encountered in recent years. Having competed and placed in numerous competitions, including the Olympics, Andy has blended old-school, freestyle, and modern riding styles in his own unique way, creating a style that is a true joy to watch.
Gou Miyagi
Gou Miyagi, whom I didn’t quite understand what he was doing when I first watched the Crazy Ass Japanese Skater video (and I think I still don't), might be the most eccentric skater on this list with the tricks he attempts and his choice of spots.
William Spencer
Also known as the Skate Ninja, William Spencer merges his stuntman skills with his skateboarding style to attempt incredibly bold moves. It is quite likely that you have seen him as Andrew Garfield’s stunt double in The Amazing Spider-Man.
Manramp
Quite differently from the individuals featured on this list, the 'person' I’m about to mention is actually a skate ramp. It’s possible to see him in many videos as a kicker, manny pad, ledge, or in any other form.
Magnificent…
Fancy Lad
The collective that has impressed me the most on this list, and one I didn’t quite know how to feel about at first but grew to become a personal favorite the more I watched: Fancy Lad. They push the boundaries of creativity not just through their tricks, but through the physical manipulation of the skateboard and their use of unconventional objects. When this style is combined with the visual language and storytelling in their videos, the result is content with an incredibly high viewing pleasure.
The title of one of their feature-length films, Is This Skateboarding?, perfectly sums up the situation.
Worble
Self-described as the 'World’s worst skate crew, ' Worble Crew might not strictly fit within the scope of this list, but their videos are definitely worth a look.