Push Happy and Dark Being Skateboards.

Excerpt from the book, "Push Happy".


When I first started skateboarding I don't remember any other dark beings riding skateboards in my neighborhood for sometime. One day I met a skater a little bit older than myself named Jay Baker. At this point in my life, Jay was the only other dark being that I knew of other than California's Marty Grimes.  I had Marty Grimes posters taken from Skateboarder Magazine on my bedroom wall. I wanted to rip pools like this west coast skateboarder. Marty Grimes was my inspiration! To rip like him would be the ultimate I thought. So I set my goal to be a great bowl and pool rider, one that would garner respect from the dark beings I knew that only participated in ball sports.

"Dark Being Skateboards" the beginning...


I have a great deal of respect for all the successful skateboard companies that have come and gone. However, I've always wanted one of my own.  A skateboarding company that reflected my ideas and concepts. It's never been a goal to have the biggest skateboard company, or the trend setter, but one that I can just say is mine and mine alone. That's one of the greatest things I love about skateboarding! Do what you like and love what you do! Every skateboarder is a pioneer, a soul seeking the freedom that skateboarding generates. So I created "Dark Being Skateboards", a skateboarding company that belongs to a skateboarder that belongs to skateboarding. The first graphic has multiple meanings for me. First it represents someone who's just different trying to peer through and get a glimpse of the other side. It's also represents unfortunately, what I've had to do many times when facing Law Enforcement Officers who've seen me only as a "Dark Being" and asserting their preconceived notions and opinions of me as an individual and not as an innocent citizen. I've had to raise my hands many times for nothing other than being a "Dark Being". But skateboarding has always been a way for me to have fun, grind it if I wanted to, seek airs where I could, slide and pivot because it makes me smile, and always "Push Happy".




Go Skate St. Pete! Saturday June 21st, 2014


www.stpetecentral.com

On Saturday June 21st, 2014 please join us at the base of the Pier in down town Saint Peterburg, Florida!
And yes! It is national "Go Skateboarding Day!" We just want you all to Go Skate St. Pete! The gracious City of Saint Petersburg has agreed to lift the skateboarding ban for "Go Skate St. Pete!" So the ban will be lifted for one day only.

There will be all forms of skateboarding going on for all the different types of skateboarders!
Bangers for Bucks for the street skaters on a street course, a mini ramp rodeo for the tranny skaters, and a grand push race from the base of the Pier along Bayshore Drive past the historic Dali Museum and back to the Pier! Vendors, artists, musicians all gathered together form 11am to 5pm. Raffles, Prizes, Giveaways, and more! Be there and support skateboarding.

 The really great thing is that we are working to help two charities during this event.  The Tilmann Foundation and their "Helmet for a promise" program which provides helmets to action sports participants. They will be accepting donations on site.
We are also helping Cure Duchenne, and with every "Go Skate St. Pete" T-Shirt purchased a dollar goes to Cure Duchenne! You can participate immediately on-line at www.goskatetees.com
         Were just a a handful of old skateboarders trying to make a difference while enjoying a sport we love.     Thanks in advance for your contribution.


           Two over fifty skateboarders with a four wheel rolling addiction. Joey Foronda and Cleo Coney Jr.

Monty Nolder Interview from Coping Block Skateboarding Magzine Issue 76!





By Cleo Coney Jr.
As appeared in Coping Block Skateboarding Magazine
www.copingblock.com
www.stpetecentral.com
Monty, your classic signature decks are constantly hot and in demand on Ebay, did you save any from back in the day?

I have all the Nolder Schmitt Stix models and the foam versions too. I've also got a Hosoi and a BBC board as well.

Between the Sensation Basin in Gainesville and the Miami skate parks that you localized, which do you think advanced your skating the most and why?

All of them and also KONA in Jacksonville. I skated the Runway Skate Park in Miami where I learned a lot fromt the Runway crew. When the Sensation Basin was bulldozed I went to skate the Cambodia Ramp in Miami every weekend and then Kona.

                                                  Monty Nolder Frontside Air first wall at the Basin photo by Cleo Coney Jr.

Are you skating much these days?

On and off, I'm not giving up, I'm working on a vert ramp at my house now so I don't have to drive so far.
I'm stuck in out in the desert skating with rattle snakes.

What was it like back in the day skating and touring with Christian Hosoi?

I loved skating with him, it was a blast! We had lots of fun, he's a great person. We were a machine. Can't wait to skate doubles with him again.

You spent sometime in Europe skating, what was it like and would you go back?

Killer, it was great! I'd love to go back. Lots of pools and ramps to skate and cool people. We had a blast with the BBC team.

                                                                                During Monty's Team Hosoi Day's

Where are you living these days?

Some where in the "Wild West".

Monty, what contest did you first skate PRO and how did you do?

It was the Pepsi Challenge at the Sensation Basin. I was still an AM and beat Mike McGill who was already a PRO skater, but I chose to stay AM. Then I turned later at KONA.

Some people had problems skating on the original Variflex trucks, but you were blasting out of Sensation Basin's high vert walls while riding those trucks. What was the key in making those trucks work for you?

Just had to try and get used  to them to figure them out. It was the same with G&S trucks too when I rode for them. The Variflex trucks rode backwards. I've ridden every truck and Thunder and Indy's are still the best.

                                                              Huge backside air at the Tarpon Ramp photo by Cleo Coney Jr.


How can skaters purchase one of your current PRO Models?

They were for sale on American Nomad's website, I guess they retired me. I'm looking for someone to sponsor an old man with power.

                                                                        Monty's previous American Nomad Produced Model

Monty, from all the ramps that you shredded from the Cambodia Ramp, St. Pete Ramp, Gainesville Ramp, Texas Metal Ramp, Leonard's Ramp and others which were your favorites?

Williston and Jonesville in Florida, all the Texas ramps, Stone Edge and the Saint Pete Ramp back in the 1980's.

Monty, your skating style has always been raw, powerful, aggro and fast! All over the skating world you've left your mark on the sport. There are skaters who still speak about the first time they saw you at a particular ramp, and how they remain in awe of how you rattled and shook their ramp and crippled their coping. Did you ever think you would leave such a large finger print on the sport of skateboarding?

Not at all, it just happened that way. I was just pushing hard to the power, I didn't realize I shook the ramp, I couldn't hear it rattling..





                                                        Monty Backside Ollie fun Stirling Skate Park photos by Tim Hubbard

When did you get your first skateboard?

It was a Christmas present when I was in elementary school. It was a Roller Derby with clay wheels. I guess I liked it.

Monty, you were a core part of many skate crews over the years in Florida. You were a local in the Miami area, the Gainsville area, the Saint Pete area and more. Let's set the record straight, where and who was in your original skate crew?

Runway Skate Park in Miami. My original skate crew included Rob Weir, Wayne Hildreth, Rob Rodriquez, Tracy Ramos, and Shawn Webster, I miss you guys.

Who were the skaters who influenced you the most when you first started skateboarding?

Tony Alva and Duane Peters.


                     Monty Nolder channel air as Neil Blender looks on from the bench. Photo Walter Lewellen


When did you get heavily into ramp skating?

At the Williston and Jonesville ramps in Florida, those were the two baddest ramps ever!

Monty, you are known for taking any trick and making it yours, but you are also known for inventing the "Monty Grind". How did that come about?

Everybody was doing frontside Smith grinds so I got burnt out on those and did it backside and it worked for me.


                                                             Monty, Monty Grind at Stirling Skate Park. Photo by Morris.

Monty, back at the Saint Pete Ramp I once saw you go for a channel plant and then totally miss the hand plant, but you held on to pull off a sick inverted Indy Air! What drives you to do the seemingly impossible 
when you skate?

I saw Lance Mountain do it, so I tried to learn it the same day as the contest. It was nuts! I had too much speed to make the channel plant so I missed and then made it work.

Let's get into your previous sponsors, who were they and in what order did you ride for them?

Ha, ha, ha too long to list but I'll try. Runway Skate Park, Turning Point, Variflex, Schmitt Stix, Hosoi, Bad Boys Club, Gullwing Trucks, G&S Trucks, Thunder Trucks, Independent Trucks, Inland Surf Shop,
Santa Cruz, Skate Rags, Sessions Skate Shop, Life's a Beach, BBC, American Nomad..and more until I die. Who's next?

                             Monty Nolder foot plant Rainbow Wave Skate Park Tampa. Photo by Jim Goodrich









Monty, back in the day how long would a deck last under your fierce skating?

It depends what I was doing and how the wood handled. Concrete wore them out faster than wood ramps. Usually two months or less. But then there were those that I just thrashed in days.

Monty, the skateboarding world misses your powerful deck delaminating POGO! Was that one of your favorite tricks?

Sometimes, it was my favorite bang trick. I was doing it for Schmitt Stix to show how strong they were. It was part of the advertisement, you know.


                                                 Monty grinding steel at Stirling Skate Park Dunedin. Photo by Tim Hubbard


There's been some chatter of getting the Variflex Team back together for a session, are you down for that?

Absolutely! I love them! My first Cali team, thanks Variflex for the support! Real cool team, better than Powell.

Everybody misses skating with you Monty. Skaters like Cab, Hosoi, Weir, Baucom, Webb, Beauregard, Grigley and all your old skate crews dude. When and where would you like to get a sick session going so everyone can ride with you?

I'd be happy to skate a session anywhere we could all get together. I'm on the west coast now, there are so many great places to skate, and don't worry, I'm coming back better than ever.

                                 Monty Nolder with beard and truck outside of the S.P.O.T. photo by Cleo Coney Jr.


What did your family think about your skateboarding back in the day?

My mom and sister loved it, but my Dad was too nervous to watch, he'd just sneak off and drink beer.

Monty, you pushed skateboarding harder than most, and each of your skate lines was highly anticipated by those lucky enough to skate with you and witness your energy first hand. I'm glad I was one of those people. Do you have any thanks or shout outs you want to say to those persons or skate companies that worked with you in the past?

Thanks to everybody, the whole world for pushing me to skate hard as a hardcore hearing impaired skater. There were so many people supporting me, you know who you are, and of course thanks to Paul Schmitt, always and forever!

Any last words?

Nah man, I hate interviews! I'm going to skate now, see ya soon in 2014!

         Monty Stamp Graphic and Cover image on Coping Block Skate Magazine photo by Wayne Hildreth.



The Cami Best Interview in Coping Block SK8 MAG!

The Cami Best Interview from Issue 76 of Coping Block SK8 MAG!


By Cleo Coney Jr.

                                      Cami Best at the Lake Louisa push race in Clermont Florida.
                                       Photo by Cleo Coney Jr.


Cami how long have you been skating?

This life changing experience began at the adventerous age of nine.

When did you get your first skateboard?

This boy on my block had a skateboard that all the neighborhood kids would play and mess around on. I was secretly in love with that skateboard and one day I finally found the courage to ask him if I could have it for my own.

Where there a lot of other skateboarders in the neighborhood you grew up in?

Not until a fashion fad broke out in about 2008 and everyone and their mom had a skateboard. That phase left and thankfully there are a couple of handful of faithful skaters still loitering around.



What was your attraction to the sport?

It enabled me to think creatively and I liked that. It hurt and I liked that too. Most of the other boys, and girls especially would fall and talk down to the skateboard as if it were the skateboards fault. No. We are the one with the brain. We configure it and in return it delivers us euphoria.

Tell our readers about your favorite skate spot.

I dont have one. If I did I would be limited to one discipline in one location. Although my favorite genre of spots are urban, hilly, and the combination of both.

Great answer! Tell me, when did you first get noticed by Bustin Boards?

Broadway Bomb 2009 I placed second for women and at the BBQ after the race I was tricking around and having fun. I got four board sponsorship offers that weekend and the last one was Bustin.

Are they the only skate company you've been sponsored by?

No, I am also sponsored by REY Trucks, RipTide Bushings, Vicious GripTape, RockStar Bearings, Orangatang Wheels, Triple 8, Polaroid Action Cam, Malaysia Street Bombers, and Ghostskate.

Right now in skateboarding, women are blowing up big time, Pool, Ramp, Street, and here you are ripping up the Longboard scene. How does that make you feel to get the props, and respect from the guys?

Most times its annoying because the guys are usually inclined to be doubtful of a female's potential if they are not yet visually informed.




What board are you riding now and with what wheels and trucks?

I have three completes ready to roll. My new york city push setup is the Maestro Pro with Death REY's on 75a WFB RipTide barrels on 83a Otang Fat Frees, and RipTide Cubed 95a boardside and 90a roadside on 86a Fat Frees, spinning on RockStar Bearings. My downhill setup is the EQ with Vicious plastered on my grip, Death Rey's with 95a APS roadside and 90a boardside, RockStar Bearings incased in Orangatang 75mm InHeats.  My double kick setup is the 35" Bustin "YoFace" with 159 Indys, RockStar Bearings, Riptide 97.5a Street Series on Orangatang Fat Frees.

I know you've been to Florida, but what other places has skateboarding taken you so far?

The entire East Coast, Texas, Puerto Rico, Catalina Island, California, The Southern States, Germany, going back to the west to do a coastal tour and then if all goes according to plan South East Asia!

Cami, tell us what your family thinks about you and skateboarding.

At first it was: school first, skateboarding else second. But quickly I grew tired of that backwards lifestyle.

Do you have a dream location that you're itching to go skate?

Jamaica!

                                              Cami between skate heats. Photo by Cleo Coney Jr.

Who are the skateboarders that influenced you the most?

Adam Colton, Adam Stokowski.

Tell us about the New York Longboarding vibe, what's it like during the spring and summer up there?

In the summer its a skate take over! Everyone gets to the streets at some point especially because its really nice plus sunny and tank top weather out.

Straight up, purple or red Koolaid?

Haha, I don't drink Koolaid. But when I taught at Boys Scout Camp, there was this red punch, possibly Koolaid that we called "Bug Juice" because some days the bugs would be extra attracted to you after a good couple of cups of it.

Lol! That's hillarious! What advice do you have for young ladies looking to get into Longboarding?

If you noticed a spark, indicating an interest in skating, know that the freedom of a skateboard is within you and can be unlocked by you. Everyone travels on their own journey at a different pace in a different place in their life and in a different way. Its an individual experience that once acknowledged, we then share with the company others that dwell in the like. Get on a board and let it change your life. We dare you.

Do you have any thank you's or shout outs at this time?

Biggups to everyone who shows me love!
Sorry for the delayyyyy!!!

No problem Cami! Now go out and shred!

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The Mark Partain Interview!

The Mark Partain Interview from Issue 76 of Coping Block SK8 MAG!

By Cleo Coney Jr.

                                         Mark Partain getting down! Photograph by Lee Leal.



When did you began skateboarding and in what city?

Back in 1968, Ventura ,Cal.

Mark you had to of had a dream set up back in the day, what was it? Also, who helped you get your first skateboard?

I wanted to be a Surfer, I made it out of my Roller Skates and onto a self-made skateboard. I made two, the first one rolled crooked cause I nailed the front truck a bit off center, but the second one was perfect !

What skaters influenced you in the early years, which ones did you look up too?

Richard Van Der Wyk, Steve Monahan, Lonnie Toft , all Pier Point Rats, and any SIMS rider.

Mark when did you first get recognized for you skating ability?

When I was 8 years old, my best friend Dean and I got a job at the swap meet for this guy named Dave putting together complete skateboards, by the end of the summer he was paying us and giving us product and taking us skating every weekend after work ......He later turned into Dave's Cave, Ventura's only skate shop at the time,That guy was trippy, he had the shop until he passed away ... was Super bummed when I heard about his Passing...

Did you have a favorite skate park or private bowl that you frequented and is there a spot you'd like to skate these days that you haven't already shredded?

Back in the day my Local Park was Oxnard's Endless Wave Skate Park, but we skated anything that had a bank or transition and then we even started skating walls ... I would love to go everywhere and share my skating with whoever is willing to watch hahaha !

Mark, list those skaters whom you skated with the most and why you liked skating with them?

Dang that is a big list, ah, everyone!

Mark, describe what a great day of skating is like for you.

A great day for me is skating a virgin pool, any virgin pool.

Do you remember all the companies you've ridden for? If so, list them.

SIMS, Barefoot, Brand-X, Blockhead, Thunder, Independent, Tracker, OJ, Hosoi, Powell, O.M.A.,Bones, Embassy, there are a lot more............

Who got you on Tracker Trucks, and how many sets of Trucks do you think you went through?

Jim Gray invited me to a Tracker dinner, Larry had asked Jim to get me there.... I was very dumb about the industry and I trusted in what people told me, I still have faith in people but ...Larry was the first one to really use me and then throw me away. I went through as many trucks as it took?

Mark, how long did you skate for Tracker, and how did you like riding for them?

I skated for Tracker, I think three years, at first I hated it, then I started to warm up after I was able to make the trucks turn for me... but then in the end I was bummed on myself for believing in Tracker and Larry because of how they pulled the rug out from under me, just before Christmas of 89' ... I went from a couple grand a month to 0.00 , and I had car payments, a house payment and other things that just took me down hard. I’m still crawling out of that hole!



If you could go back to those days, is there anything you'd do different?

Yeah, not go to that dinner and start riding for H-Street like Mike T. had asked me to do.

What's the most important thing to you in your life today?

GOD, my Dog, My Skateboard, my Mountain Bikes, My Health , My Mom .....LIFE

Will we see you in any future master's skateboarding events?

Well that is up to my sponsors ,but I would love to do the tour ,,,,,,,in 2010 I went to four contest out of the eleven contest stop tour and got 2nd in the world ......So let’s do this I can win !

What's the one thing you want people to know and to appreciate about you?

Hmm, I’m true blue with a big heart.

Any shout outs or thanks, or appreciations to anyone?

Mom, Dad, GOD and everyone who has helped and supported me, it’s hard when you’re on the bottom.

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