How long have you been skating?
What has it taught you?
Feel free to email me your replies.
I'm barely two decades in and my whole approach to life has been shaped by these planks of wood.
But that's nothing to what we've got coming...
Introducing Michael Brooke. Founder and publisher of longboardings only dedicated magazine from 2002-2018... and so much more.
One of the greats, an industry stalwart - perceptive and thoughtful yet 100% stoked.
An ambassador for inclusivity since day one, recognising the profoundly positive effect of a skateboard on the human psyche. Conversations with Michael over the years have had a direct impact on how we run our shop.
Having picked up a board in the 70s, he's ridden every wave of the industry, seen - felt - the ups and downs and indeed been there to write about them.
It is our good fortune that he returns to writing now - and we were honoured to be asked if we are interested in sharing what he's got to say.
And so, starting today and continuing every week for the next year (!) we will be releasing one chapter of his new book, tentatively titled “The SkateGeezer Manifesto: 50+ Years of Riding Concrete Waves”.
There are graphics and clips to go with the articles, and having seen the first couple of chapters I can tell you: It's going to be a hell of a journey!
This will be alongside our regular Friday News - you don't need to opt in, opt out or shake it all about. It'll simply be there - have a gander and if it sounds interesting to you, read on.
Thrasher magazine, June 1995: "Adaptability is the key to advancement, so keep an open mind... Find out for yourself, big boards can equal big fun."
I'm so stoked for this and can't wait to read future chapters as they arrive with us.
I'll leave you with the introduction.
Enjoy the sun this long weekend,
Matt @ Vandem
Intro
Chances are you’re reading this on the website or social media of a skateboard shop - a shop that promotes balance and freedom is surrounded by a world that seems to be becoming more unhinged by the day. How ironic.
How I view it, our world teeters between extremes—politically polarized, economically uncertain, and socially fractured — finding balance has never been more crucial or elusive. I sincerely believe that the skateboard, that deceptively simple wooden plank on four wheels, offers us a profound metaphor for navigating these turbulent times.
My name is Michael Brooke, and I have been skateboarding for 50 years. I started in 1975. I was eleven. For fifty years, I've discovered that skateboarding isn't merely a sport; it's a philosophy of perpetual equilibrium, a constant negotiation between gravity and momentum, control and abandon. Whether you're sixteen or sixty, liberal or conservative, the principles of keeping a skater upright on a moving board are the skills needed to maintain sanity...
Click here to finish up the chapter on the blog.