Festivus: Stay Gold Premiere
Words: Rob Brink The Skateboard Mag, December 2010
When was the last time you waited five years for something?
Like, really really waited.
Five years is an eternity when you’re counting down the days ‘til you get your driver’s license.
It seems even longer while you’re waiting to turn 21 so you can go grab a beer without any hassles or get into a bar so you can step up your game with the ladies.
Other than that, there isn’t much else in life young skateboarding folk yearn for, is there?
The interesting thing about skateboarders, more than any other lot of people out there today—except maybe the dweebs holding their breath for the next Star Wars film to be announced—is how long they will endure the wait for a new video to come out, despite cock tease after cock tease from ads, trailers, release date delays and so on.
Festivus: Street League
Words: Rob Brink The Skateboard Mag, December 2010
It’s a little surreal finding yourself sitting in an arena full of screaming kids, watching some of the most amazing skateboarders on the planet going berserk on a custom-made street plaza and competing against one another for their share of millions of dollars … really.
Ask anyone who was at Street League—a pro, an industry dude or a fan in the upper level who’s been skating for half his life—they’ll share the sentiment, because none of us (people who’ve grown up with skateboarding) ever expected to be in this position.
No matter how popular, rich or mainstream skateboarding gets—or how much we should be used to it by now—skateboarding always feels like a small little bubble for the lifers.
New Jack: Justin Figueroa
Words: Rob Brink The Skateboard Mag, December 2010
Interview conducted March 4, 2010
“They say there's gold but I'm lookin’ for thrills”—a lyric from Pink Floyd’s “The Gold It's In The … ” is tattooed across Justin Figueroa’s forearm. Fitting, considering he’s declined offers from companies in order to be where he wants to be, rather than skating for the company that pays the most. Admirable indeed. But when you’re hand-picked by Andrew Reynolds to be a part of Baker, Emerica and Altamont, like Figgy was—you’re more than admirable—you’re downright golden.
Figgy isn’t the kid that knows he’s golden though. And that’s what makes him amazing. For example, if you were to say to him, “Hey Figgy, you’re amazing!” He’d smile really big and respond with something like, “No way fool, you are!” Then go back to figuring out how he’s going to break into his car because he locked his keys inside it … again.
You have some epic classical music for your ringback tone …
That shit’s whack. Fuck that. It’s someone else's phone. My phone … I went into the ocean with it. Yeah, I fucking blew it.
You forgot it was in your pocket?
I just walked in there.
Keeping your cell phone in your pocket kills your sperm and gives you ball cancer.
Shut the fuck up. I’m gonna put my shit on a necklace.
You’ll probably get chest cancer.
We should just delete them from our lives. It’ll save us all some stress.
Storefront: Epidemic
Words: Rob Brink The Skateboard Mag, November 2010
In 2001, Glen Coy was a senior in high school when he and a couple friends decided to open a skate shop.
“For some reason, my family went along with it and gave me a huge loan. I don’t know what they were thinking,” Coy jokes.
Almost a decade later, Coy and staff are strictly skate and still holding it down at Epidemic. They spent their first year in a small 600-square-foot spot in Cathedral City, California, then upgraded to a 4000 square foot location in the center of town a year later.
“It was so crazy looking at that much empty space and thinking we could fill it up with product. Now we’ve practically outgrown it again,” says Coy.
These guys definitely skate better than I film. Love this event. It was the only reason I drove up to X Games this year. Thanks to ADACS and everyone involved!
