Mail drop

Thrasher Magazine, Jan, 2003

Explain the deal for every unreal, left-field, inward heel at: Mail Drop c/o THRASHER PO Box 884570 San Francisco, CA 94188-4570

THRILL JOCKEY

This is my second letter to you guys at Thrasher. My first letter didn't get printed or you just didn't get a chance to print it because I sent it in kind of late. If you didn't put it in your mag just 'cause you didn't like it, I know why. It's probably because you don't support my feelings on one love or it might have ruffled some feathers. Then again, you guys would put anything in your magazine and wouldn't care--as long as there are people buying the mag and skatin' everyday you'll be a'ight. Well, I've come back again to preach the same sermon: Don't playa hate bladers, congratulate. We are all in this for the same reason--we're trying to get our thrills and have some fun. Just because skateboarding is our calling doesn't mean we have to hate on theirs. That's pretty much all I'm asking and hope some of you comply. So remember, one love.

Austin Arnold

San Diego, CA

No love. T-ed

COMPANY SECRETS

I would love to see an article in Thrasher about how skateboards are made. How are the decks pressed? How do they get the truck mounting holes in the right spot? How are the trucks formed and painted? How is the mold made to make the wheels? Who comes up with the artwork? Why do they screen the wheels when it rubs off so fast? Does the pro pick the size of his board? I am not asking for any trade secrets to be revealed, but it would be cool to see how this stuff gets from raw material to the skate shop. Thanks.

Mark Reid

St George, Utah

Money, usually. T-ed

I just wanted to write a quick note to say hey to all the skaters out there and to say something to all the "underground" skate dogs. Why do you insist that skateboarding stay underground? Dude, y'all whining cry babies need to quit. What are you skating for? The image? 'Cause if you are, you're no better than these "sell-outs" that you keep whinin' about. We as skaters should be glad that skating has come from where it first started. Who cares if it's going mainstream? That's what is wrong with the world today. Everyone's so concerned with what everyone else is doing, they lose sight of what they're doing and why they are doing it themselves. You gotta give BIG UPS to all the folks that have been skating for as long as skating's been around, 'cause they're the ones that are keeping it real. Plus, it is getting better because there are lots more places to skate in most cities, and you don't get harassed half as bad as you used to when I started in the late '80s. Every time I read mail in any skate mag there's always some sobbing, whiny, baby letter about Nike-this, Tony Hawk-that, and how much you hate where skating's going. Hell, I wonder if you spend more time worrying about all that than you actually do skating! All I'm trying to say is quit crying and go skate. Let everyone else do what they want.

Greg Klingemann

Austin, Texas

You know what? I've decided to make Thrasher my official Bible. I'm not a religious guy but come on, Thrasher is the book of the gods. Anyway, I just got done reading the "Shockers" article in the November issue like five minutes ago, and Patrick O'Dell's endless attempt to "get some" is the classic example of the "If at first I don't succeed try, try again." I just want to say that Patrick O'Dell is my hero, And I hope to meet you someday. My hat goes off to you Mr O'Dell. You are my role model. O'Dell for president (fuck everybody else).

Jesse Coombs

Delta, Utah

Patrick O'Dell is Peter Parker. Ted

What is it about the September issue? Last year it was the Insane 30-page Flip Euro blowout, Lake Shore Drive, all the killer Rowley ads, the "Mutation Conspiracy" article (could you reprint that piece every so often just to keep the threat of totalitarianism fresh in our minds?). The entire issue was golden. The September 2002 issue was a hit and you're at it again." The Kris Markovich interview, the Will Lemon III canvas, Danny Way's world record ad, "Gosh, That Must Be Great." Don't get me wrong, every issue is a tasty buffet. Recent highlights for me include June's Texas Pipe Mission "Go Epic or Go Home." Oh yeah, the entire July issue, August's Katch One canvas, October with "Revenge Against Boredom," "Subvert the Dominant Paradigm," and Templeton's ever-present stellar ads/art pimpin' Toy Machine.

To Phelps, Ogden, Lundry and all the rest of you: Keep on saving those endangered species--free speech, independent thought, curiosity and blazing your own trail. To other readers: We are different? Because we skate? Because we like Thrasher's attitude and layout? Because we prefer Thrasher over Transworld Skateboarding? (Well, maybe...TWS is owned by scary media megasaurus AOL Time Warner). How do we know that Thrasher is not also an elaborate fiction designed to sell image and product and to promote disinterest in the world outside of skateboarding? We are different because we skate in the USA. We have access to incredible resources. With relative ease we can find beautiful boards of laminated wood that are complete with trucks and wheels to ride. With relative ease we can find slabs of smooth reformed rock to skate. If we've got cash, we can travel to some truly amazing examples of reformed rock (pipes, pools, parks, etc). If we've got cash, we can access wood to build terrain to skate. If we don't got cas h, we can still find ways to scam a surprising amount of wood to adapt to our skating imagination. I hear from skaters who care more about what brands they sport than about the fun they get from riding the concrete wave. These name brands might or might not include brands of boards, trucks, wheels, shoes, clothing, soft drinks, fast food, TV shows and channels, video games, whatever. What happens when you get drafted to fight in King George II's holy war for oil and blessed crusade to expand the US Empire? What then? You'll be just another American youth perfectly conditioned by consumerism to fight for the US military-industrial complex. But, I hope not. Finally, to Uria (issue 261, p. 110), I hope the shirts found good homes. Thanks for the knowledge and the stickers.