Back In The Day
Chris Cortum
William Sharp and I are in the final publication push for the book ‘Back in the Day’. As we were working on the book, it became apparent that – with the sheer number of skateboarders, pools, parks, pipes, contests and lifestyle images – we’d have quite a comprehensive list of skateboarding talent. This evening, I was completing image counts and listing all of the riders that appear in the book. Overwhelmed. I counted over one hundred skateboarders. Legends.
Jay Smith, Shogo Kubo, Jerry Valdez, Johnny Altieri, Tony Altieri, Danny O’Kane, Marc Smith, Tony Alva, Kent Senatore, Dave Ferry, Arthur Viecco, Tom Inouye, Stacy Peralta, Gregg Ayres, Jeff Tatum, Sammy Durick, Gunnar Haugo, Murray Estes, Jeff Tatum, Art Rat, Jim Sigurdson, Jon Warneke, Steve Archer, Kevin Anderson, Henry Lee, David Paul, Brad Bowman, Jay Adams, Steve Picciolo, Shreddi Repas, Marc Smith, Tim Marting, Peter Gifford, Stan Sharp, Terry Bixler, Moses Padilla, Jim Muir, Ray Flores, Steve Lippman, Deano Mueller, John Harris, Art Dickey, Billy Yeron, Bob Biniak, Paul Constantineau, Arthur Lake, John Palfreyman, Wes Humpston, Chris Strople, Ralph Valencia, Rod Saunders, Rodney Jesse, Marty Grimes, Scott Dunlap, Steve Alba, Kirk Talbott, George Orton, Doug Saladino, Micke Alba, Ray Bones Rodriguez, Eric Grisham, Alan Gelfand, Eddie Elguera, Dennis Martinez, Bobby Valdez, Scott Foss, Mike McGill, Darrell Miller, Dave Andrecht, David Hackett, Bert Lamar, Pat Ngoho, Duane Peters, Steve Caballero, Steve Hirsch, Dennis Agnew, Brenda Devine, Neil Blender, Allen Losi, Lonnie Toft, Paul Hackett, Mike Weed, Waldo Autry, Frank Blood, Charlie Ransom, Doug Schneider, Tay Hunt, Tom Fain, Jack Waterman, Jimmy Plumer, Deanna Calkins, David Zakrzewski, Curt Cortum, Darren Ho, Eric Dressen, Rick Blackhart, Scott Parsons, Kim Cespedes, Doug De Montmorency, Wesley Bennett, George Wilson, Teddi Bennett, Eric Anderson, Chris Cortum, Ray Flores, Steve Olson, Lee Gahimer, Dan Mackey.
Curt Cortum
We wanted to include as many different riders in the book as possible. I was adamant that we talk to everyone I could reach. I spent long hours on the phone. I tried to draw out stories. Foggy memories. Decades past. In the end, we included the best of what was given to me. Some skaters didn’t have much to say. Some couldn’t recall anything. “Skating was just something we did everyday. We were pretty stoned most of the time anyway.” Several skaters described an era when surf style and power began to be eclipsed by technical maneuvering and trickery. Out with the old and in with the new? I suppose that depends on how you view skateboarding. Your view. It is this very thing that makes skateboarding so special. It is up to each and every individual to decide what skateboarding is. No magazine, company or Pro should decide for you. The photographs in this book capture these early years of skateboarding. 1976-1980. An inside job. William Sharp was at the innermost circle of everything that was going on. Back in the day. In the end, we have a book that both of us are very proud of. We feel that we gave respect to all of the skaters that paved the way for the future. We will notify everyone when the book is launching. Thank you for your patience and support. Skate - Ozzie / William Sharp
