The desire to start brands was the same desire I had to do my own graphics. Photo: Deville. As the first Z-boy to enter a pro . The halfpipe was funny. 47", "A brief moment into skateboard history that shaped today", "Blind Skateboards - New Pro Danny Cerezini Ad (2008)", "Blind What If? I remember how hard it was for some guys to skate it. Everyone who skated with him can vouch for this, and as you read on, we will find out that he has been blessed with the ability to move on into other aspects of his life and be just as impressive of a businessman and most . 2010 Skateboarding in Santa Monica was very surf influenced. [12] The company's third video then premiered in 2009, and featured parts from Morgan Smith, Craig, Cerezini, Patterson, Brown, Lorifice, Creager, Filipe Ortiz, Duncombe and Laitiala. In late 1993, Johnson, Mariano, Gavin, and Wilson left Blind to join the newly formed Girl Skateboards, and Gonzales had also left by this time, along with Leethe latter proceeded to form Stereo Skateboards with Chris "Dune" Pastras. Blind released a limited edition skateboard deck, designed in collaboration with the Berrics, which were signed by Rogers. I dont think so. We were skating a backyard pool on those little boards. I ended up getting the cover of Thrasher. Excel Management represents and works with the world's best skateboarders. We thought skateboarding and surfing were cool. They needed to paint the bowls to make it look like something was going on there, but it was still fun. No, not really. Maybe dad can give a few pointers when its time for Zach to change his own kids diaper. He was super cool. I definitely felt at times like I blew it with Miller and wished I would have just stayed on Earth I was really involved there. Hey, Murf. Hes out of my way. Id gotten my first skateboard for Christmas in 78. We didnt want to move. Variflex What was cool about hanging out with Neil? When you rode for G&S, did you automatically get hooked up by Gullwing? I love it, Chris said. I was also amazed at the ways that yoga helped my surfing and skating too. How has that area helped influence Vuori and your own personal life? Were you surfing at the time, too? He did his own thing and had his own tricks. Salba was there. There were times when I was still riding Indys, but Id spray paint them white. Since 1993, Juice has been independently owned and dedicated to the core. Youd be busted. In order to get to the core of this cross over and to try to define the origins and . Schmitt Stix re-issue pro model Chris Miller. I have learned that you will manifest what you put your energy and effort into. Out East, we were doing a lot of backyard ramps. What pushed you to pursue starting your own brands and what were some of your keys to building successful brands? Right before the skatepark closed, Neil Blender, Billy Ruff and the GandS guys came back. Around that time, my parents split up and my mom moved to Claremont, which is the next city up from Upland. It was great. Adio was the biggest business Ive personally been involved with to date. I think I was just stoked to ride for Gullwing because my friends rode for the company. They had the Am contest and then the next day was the pro contest. I was born in California, but then my family moved to Florida. Chris Miller Prequel on Crossbone - White - 10.0". What was it like for you out there skating? Duane was there. We got there in the morning and didnt leave until it closed. Did you see Salba coming through there? I didnt realize you had two covers. But it takes more than just good genes and a well known name . So Im coming in and I did the suck up thing, but there was just no chance. However, in a 2010 interview with the "chrome ball incident" blog, Lotti expressed regret in regard to his departure from Planet Earth, a company that he described as a "small and tight family": "I loved skating with everyone, but I wasnt always psyched on the whole World Industries thing. People tell him, I remember when you were a little kid.. From then on, I was going to the skatepark every day. And then once they found out he was Chris Millers son, they were, Oh, that figures. My line was backside air into the corner, frontside air on the flat wall and then go up on the hip. [29], Kroetkov was then assigned professional status in September 2014, during a team event at the Lafayette skate park in Los Angeles, California, U.S., on September 22. Theyd been pro for maybe a year or two. The video was filmed and directed by Spike Jonze and is considered one of the most influential skateboarding videos of its era. The Indy team manager and the Santa Cruz team manager werent even there. Chris Miller is as close to perfection of the evolved vert skateboarder as possible. That was our first taste of skating any kind of transition or vert. But it helps him in the World Cup of Skateboarding points system, which can lead to an invite from the X Games or the four Dew Tour events, the big-money competitions. You must have shown up and thought, Ill skate the pool. I was influenced by it, but not completely. He exemplified the perfect combination of speed, flow, and natural grace. Then I started meeting other kids there that were like, Have you ever been to Pipeline? That first time in an empty pool, the whole experience of it: sneaking in and riding, the weightless feeling of going up the wall. Skateboarder Birthday March 10, 1982. Chris Miller Products Support Pro Skaters by buying their gear. Marina was really fun. It was just a bunch of kids at the hotel. I had a good thing going. What did you think of all those places compared to skating the combi pool? Chris Miller, 49, Encinitas, CA. Powerflex They built the combi pool, and filled it with water. It was amazing and fun and super challenging too. That was actually the finals. I remember my mom was really worried to have me gone overnight. So it gave you a perspective going back home that there was skateboarding going on other than California? I wish the video showed one of my runs that I made. Chris Miller Beast on Crossbone - Metallic Silver - 10.0". AlliSports does action sports broadcasts of events, digital media and on-site graphics and marketing, among many other things. They were black and white, and it was on newsprint. Thats killer, man. It was probably around 1980. Well, being on Santa Cruz, I definitely had an idea what was going on. What was that like to see all those different styles of skateboarding? Speed, style, lines, and look. Miller, who lives in Del Mar, finished ninth at that event, earning $2,000. That was later, when Randy Janson or John Hogan was the team manager. Id go to Am contests and those guys would always be there. Personality wise, he is just one of the best. Did you see any heavy hitters showing up at the pools? Be patient, be determined, and be grateful when you finally do. Eventually this lead me and a friend to find our first backyard pool, which in hindsight, was literally a life-altering event for me. [27][28] Blind released a two-part video on September 15, 2014, in which Facchini and Rogers were the only skateboarders featured. They always had good graphics and cool looking ads. Yeah. She didnt have any idea what was going on with those guys. I was 18, so I moved out of my moms house. We were just having fun skating. I would have so much energy from the crowd and the music and everything that was going on. 15K Followers, 4,000 Following, 883 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Chris Miller (@chris_miller_time) It was like a recreation center. No cross training, no running or yoga I never even stretched. It wasnt planned. I saw Salba, Micke, Scott Dunlap and Kevin Anderson. Dogtown "[6], The company later signed Ronnie Creager from Foundation Skateboards. They were doing a really good job. Chris is now the chief creative director for AlliSports, a joint venture between NBC sports, which sponsors the Dew Tour, and MTV. I would go to contests and to other skateparks, and those were the guys I always skated with and hung with. 2020 [4] While filming a second full-length video, Plan B director, Mike Ternasky reviewed progress footage and came to the conclusion that Tim Gavin and Henry Sanchez, also members of the Blind team, were the only two riders who had produced footage of a high enough qualitythe release of Tim and Henry's Pack of Lies followed in 1992. Skating that park, at one point or another, you saw every single person that was pro. Salba was ripping it. I was there the whole time, non-stop. Hes always supported me in whatever I do, whether its other sports like soccer, or school or in graphic design, said Miller, a 2007 graduate of Torrey Pines High. When the Hester Series and then the Gold Cup contests came to town, we got to see all the pros. Lets start from the beginning. Manzoori was again enlisted for the project, entitled X2 Vision, and premieres were held in 18 cities internationally. JUICE MAGAZINE SURF SKATE STYLE STORY: The influence of surfing on skateboarding has been discussed since the beginning of both, yet we have now entered a new era, where skateboarding has returned the favor with its own unique influence on the surfing world. Unless I could surf like John John Florence, Id say skating will always play that role for me! 2015 Skateboarding Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony of Chris Miller for the 1980s era two category. I was starting to buy skateboarding magazines. Hes still around, but hes just really low profile. $84.99. The freedom I felt from it just put me on a trajectory of wanting more, seeking it, and progressing each time I could ride anything with a curve or transition. That was cool. When was this? As you said, its pretty much the yoga capital of the west coast. The first pool that we skated was one that my friend and I found. This is fundamentally what led me into a lifelong obsession and career as a pro skater. As a skater, he was super amazing. She placed 4th in the most recent competition. Every once in a while you learn something new skating where you get lucky and make it first try. Every pool was painted a different color. With Gullwing, the trucks were never that good. Ppl seem to ignore she took hundreds of selfies with ppl that weekend but . People are running, biking, swimming, surfing, paddling, and skating all over the place! There was such a good crew of people there. I remember that cover. Every time your name was brought up, that trick was brought up and so was the amount of guts you had to skate that pool, because everyone knew how gnarly it was. There were always good sessions there because of all the locals like Lance, Lester, Neil and Lucero. I dont know how many people were there. His engine has the most power of any, his pump is solid, fluid and effortless, and his styling is the perfect design, taking all that came before and dropping any of the unneeded flaws of his predecessors, and of course the paint job is perfect. Were they down with you because you were on the team? You skated the pool at Kona, too, right? But really it wasnt until after I was already a pro that I realized it could be a career of any sort. No matter how much you think you know, or when you see something, your kids have to learn for themselves.. [citation needed], Former Plan B rider, Sean Sheffey, Filipe Ortiz, Sewa Kroetkov, TJ Rogers, and Yuri Fachini were recruited to the Blind team in the latter half of the first decade of the 21st century. They werent sweating it. Heres what it means if youre a landlord or a tenant, From punrise to punset, San Diego is a very punny city, Pet of the week is an affectionate puppy with a playful personality, Ramona house fire displaces 3 residents, causes $100K in damage, Opinion: Happy May Day: Remember the folks who brought you the eight-hour work day, Opinion: San Diego rental law changes could end up increasing rents, chasing good landlords away, Opinion: Homeless encampments are more than just a nuisance, they are a health hazard. The pool felt not vert enough and it was slick. Skating is always progressing but speed and finding the right lines never gets old. Quick Facts Who is Rodney Mullen? Z-Boys Thrasher Magazine Skater of the Year My attraction to surfing and skateboarding started when I was a kid in Santa Monica. Its like it skipped a generation and then was booming again! My first sponsors were Santa Cruz and Indy. Duane was killing it. I didnt even realize or care that it was on newsprint. Not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. Then I got to a point where I was winning most of the Am contests. It was the team manager. 2018 Some people got it. Hanging out with him was the best thing ever. Wed ride the track like everyone else. Keep Skateboarding A Crime. When I was a little older, the first skate contest I went to where I was going to stay overnight was this contest in Lakewood, CA. If Id been pro, I would have been totally stoked on Santa Cruz and Indy. Spitfire Wheels A lot of people have seen him skate and dig his style, but they also dig his personality. It was like, Okay. In the skatepark, all the pools were painted. They were blown away by how fast and how smooth he was. Now Im back in my office. 2023 The Boardr LLC, 4611 North Hale Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33614. Who were you skating with Santa Monica? There is a video of Chris Miller and his wife visiting the Watts. I qualified really high. [20], In April 2013,[21] Duncombe left the company to ride for Life Extension (LE) Skateboards and announced the news on his Instagram profile: "Just want to thank everyone at blind for helping me out for all those years and putting up with my shit and to let everyone know LE is my new family!!!" Its home to dozens of surf, skate, and snowboard pros. 2013 With Vuori, we wanted to create high-quality clothes that we could wear all day or all weekend. GandS had a really good Am team. $84.99. Was that true? Marina was good though. Lotti, who formerly skated for Planet Earth (founded and owned by professional skateboarder Chris Miller), was recruited by Lee and filmed several tricks for the opening section of Tim and Henry's Pack of Lies. New. It shifted my breathing patterns and made me more aware and in tune with my body and movements, as well as my energy and focus. It was just something I loved doing and was entrenched in the community of like-minded people, so I kept doing it. By then, I was a well-known pro and I was very involved with my sponsors and creating products for them. PlanB has been manufacturing and selling premium skateboard hard goods and apparel since 1991 . Done. He was a pro skater at 10 years old. Then I remember seeing photos of Cherry Hill. Can you imagine? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Cole has featured in several video games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, Skate, Skate two, Skate three, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 . [15] Cerezini then parted ways with Blind in October 2012. I was making a little bit of money. My sister and I were so bummed. No, not really. We all had BMX bikes, too. Outside of Upland, Skate City in Whittier was my next favorite place to skate. ABOUT | CONTACT | INDEX| INTERNSHIPS | LINKS | SITEMAP | ADVERTISE | LETTERS | TERMS AND CONDITIONS | PRIVACY POLICY 1993-2023 Juice Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Those were really fun. I was kind of a latchkey kid, and would just spend my time after school skating around the streets, alleyways, and parking garages of Santa Monica. I was just having fun. I went to Pipeline and it was just like mecca. Chris Miller can still remember backpacking through Europe with his wife and young son, going to skateboarding events where he would compete with his family watching. We would travel during the spring and summer season every weekend. He was born with the gene. But hes still worked hard to get where he is.. What would it be like to be him? G&S and Gullwing were really involved with the Am contests. My family used to live in Santa Monica, Ca which is where I first found skateboarding. He was super rad. Show more Show more Raw. My mom said, Well, theres a great skatepark out there. She found out where the skateparks were and took me to them. I rode Indys for a long time. Become a Boardr member and get access to our Global Rankings reports and more. [19] McEntire explained the process of joining the Blind team in a TransWorld Skateboarding "Roll Call" interview: Ive known [Bill] Weiss [Blind brand manager] for a while because we worked together on the Digital Smoke And Mirrors video. Skateboard (movie 1978) Where were you born and raised? Robbie McKinley was a celebrated skateboarder from Santa Cruz, California. If you go too fast, youre going to hang. The guy was total entertainment. We thought it was the coolest thing. I didnt really surf yet. I slammed. What about Eric Nash? Back then, almost everything was hard to skate even if it wasnt super-gnarly like Upland. It turned into something. Here's all the Chris Miller stuff we sell. They had a killer full pipe, too, right? What was it like when they started to build the combi pool at Upland? 9. Juice is an interview magazine featuring skateboarding, surfing, art and music. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "686 X Blind Skateboards Winter 2012-2013 Capsule Collection Now Available", "RAIDERS OF THE ARCHIVES: DAVE SWIFT Pt. With surf brands, the fit and fabrics arent always the best, yoga brands were too feminine, and the big athletic brands just too sporty and not really what I want to wear. Was that the year that Gator got arrested? When it came to designing Chris Miller, he, as a skateboarder, has all the aspects of the best engineered most expensive sports car. We still had Upland, Skate City and Del Mar. I was always skating with the older guys, but as a young kid, I was too intimidated to even say anything. I wasnt thinking about skateboarding in terms of a career. Eventually our parent company that had funded the whole project was sold, and I left shortly after to pursue other projects and interests. Darren Navarrette introduces a classic from the 1987 Gullwing video. My life is filled with creative manifestation, from the physical expression of skating and surfing or yoga, to personal art or working on brands, events and products like apparel and skateboards. Yeah. Yeah, he did. The Boardr Live is our live scoring app to help you run a smooth and pro looking event of your own. Danny Way rode for the company for a very brief period of time, and a signature board, featuring a pink-colored car, was designed and released for Way. I was traveling all the time and skateboarding. You were sessioning the combi pool a lot, huh? And when youre doing a backside air into a corner, its so gnarly because of the trajectory. I was living with my friends down at the beach. We went from making nothing to making a decent amount of money. Tell us about your early days growing up. Did they have the combi pool then? Lester Kasai and I both turned pro at that contest, and we both did terrible. We lived in Merritt Island when I was a little guy. Nico's conception date was after the Thrive event. I was practicing for the contest, and I was doing inverts on the middle hip. $84.99. I know what hes dealing with. In the mid to late 80s, skateboarding started taking off and you had to make a decision to turn pro. At first, we were scared of that 15-foot bowl. I didnt think of myself as a little kid, but they did, so they were watching out for me. What was kind of ironic about it was that at that contest I did pretty well in the Am event. By the time I was 18, skateboarding had gotten bigger pretty quick. Thats where we first met Jeff Phillips, Dan Wilkes and Craig Johnson. I was not out cold, but I remember laying there on the ground, thinking, I have to get up and finish my run. But I couldnt get up. His vert parts in Shackle Me Not and Next Generation were mind blowinghe did head-high airs to disaster . I was a bit too young to be in that scene, but I was certainly influenced by it and the surf/skate culture of the area. [1] Gonzales has since left the company and today the company continues under the ownership of Dwindle Distribution. A few years back Chris immersed himself in the practice of Yoga, as a restorative and balancing practice. Chris Miller Skateboarding harold hollingsworth 33 subscribers Subscribe 43 Share Save 39K views 15 years ago Chris Miller laying down some lines, simple, and classic! Chris Ortiz was around. Can you tell us about the positive benefits a practice like yoga would have for people that have a passion for activities, that although very fulfilling, can have a negative impact on the body? Whats up, man? No one knew how gnarly it was yet. I think my best finish in those contests was 7th. You get to do what you loved to do as a little kid. You had a good time? Id like to see more of him and more of his art. I have nothing but respect and good things to say about him. 10 x 30. The fact is that there just arent too many other things in life where I can experience the sensations I feel skating big concrete transitions, so Ill do it as long as I can. The company also began to reissue a series of boards from the early 1990s that were based on original shapesreissued boards included Mariano, Way, Johnson, Gavin, and Sanchez designs. [1] Gonzales has since left the company and today the company continues under the ownership of Dwindle Distribution. So I was at the skatepark, and those guys wanted to party and they didnt want the little kid around. An accomplished vert rider who rode for Santa Cruz, G&S, and Schmitt Stix before starting his own company Planet Earth Skateboards. Encinitas is basically the inspiration for Vuori. The year before that, I was actually supposed to turn pro at a contest at Upland. I see him at Clairmont every now and then, and get to skate with him. Description (Brief) "Schmitt Stix - Chris Miller Model" skateboard deck created by Paul Schmitt. Even his sometime skateboarding partner, the legendary Bucky Lasek, now 37, says I have pictures of Zach in diapers.. To put it bluntly, Chris Senn is a wild . Blind (stylized as bLind) is a skateboard company founded by Mark Gonzales in 1988 under Steve Rocco's World Industries distribution company. It was about feeling, expression, and style more than just pure performance or competition results. Chris Miller turned pro for G&S Skateboards in 1985 but began riding Schmitt boards in 1988. North County farmers desperate to ditch expensive water supplier. Skateboarding has taught me so much, but it seems that the most fundamental life lesson is that progression never happens without experimentation, creativity, and determination. The sea cell tees are incredibly soft and comfortable with some great natural performance benefits too. [25], In March 2014, longtime team rider Creager announced his departure from Blind after more than 20 years with the company. The other place was colorful. So I skated at Pomona Grand Prix for a long time. JUICE MAGAZINE 319 OCEAN FRONT WALK #1, VENICE, CA 90291 (310) 399.5336 JUICEMAGAZINE@GMAIL.COMJuice is an interview magazine featuring skateboarding, surfing, art and music. It offers me a method and vocabulary to better understand the mind-body connection. What was the impetus for starting the brand, what is the philosophy behind it, and what do you hope to offer people that other brands are not? A legend of Arizona skateboarding, Chris Livingston came on strong in the late 1980s and turned pro for H-Street in 1991 when the team was at the forefront of innovative skating. I suppose it depends on what you want to create, what dreams you want to manifest. Vert skating started getting bigger and they were doing all the ramp tours. Despite following in his dads footsteps or boards as a professional athlete and that Zach also works at the same company, he says feels no pressure from his father. Lance had his ramp. Mariah won the USA Skateboarding National Championships Womens Street in 2019, and 2021. Speed, style, lines, and look. I remember hearing about it because everyone was coming back going, It was crazy. Neil Blender is just the funniest, most creative guy. It was like, Hey, were into skateboarding, so were going to make a magazine about it.. Upland got to the point where, if you came Monday through Friday, it was free. Required fields are marked *. Even though I didnt surf that much until I was an older teenager, I was always inspired by surfing. Born in California in 1967, Chris honed his skills on the unforgiving concrete of the legendary Pipeline Skatepark in Upland, California before becoming the National Skateboard Association's amateur series vert champion in 1985. You were probably like, 13 years old. And since its something I spent so much time doing, I can relate to him in a lot of ways. The company's amateur video, This Is Not A Test, was released in 2011, and focused upon team riders who were amateur at the time: Kroetkov, Kieran Reilley, Rogers, Smith, Ortiz and Kevin Romar. Nyjah Huston also completed in the Summer X Games, taking home the gold for street skateboarding. Tony Alva was the ultimate skateboarder, along with Jay Adams and Shogo Kubo. You are known for having an ultra-smooth style on a skateboard. They had the shop, but even that wasnt doing very good. BMX was huge at the time. Yeah. I had no idea where I was going to stay, but I wasnt going to call my mom. What was it like hanging out with Neil Blender? INTERVIEW BY JIM MURPHY I was like, What am I going to do? Im at the skatepark, just freaking out. When its time for an event, he gets the go-ahead to compete. Trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. I was always stoked on how down he was for skating. The company produces decks, wheels, soft goods and accessories. We still had our skatepark scene. Or did you ride Indys for a little while before you went to Gullwing? It was one of those intense, gnarly snake sessions. Was there a weird vibe, like youd abandoned the team? In high school and junior high, there were only one or two other skaters in my school. There were so many kids. It was gnarly. I wasnt there that long. I was a little kid, but Tony Alva, Jay Adams and the whole Dogtown crew were already legends in the skate world. JUICE MAGAZINE 319 OCEAN FRONT WALK #1, VENICE, CA 90291 (310) 399.5336 JUICEMAGAZINE@GMAIL.COM. You were a Pipeline local, so every place else must have seemed really easy, right? I was part of this shift in skateboarding. Also in the area, pro skateboarder Tony Magnusson would cofound Osiris, and Chris Miller would co-create Adio. Santa Cruz Jay Adams endures as a symbol of professional skateboarding. I mostly skated with the younger locals like Chris Robison, Eric Jueden and Billy Braden. There were like, 10 or 15 kids that were ripping Ams. Wed gone out to Kona a couple of times. "[23], The full-length video Damn was released on May 27, 2014, after more than two years of daily filming, and was co-directed by Weiss and English filmer Mike Manzoori. You were riding Indys. It was legendary. Now, I am certainly more inspired by the nature and experience of surfing, but from a performance point of view more so by skating. Now a father and self-proclaimed seeker of the soul of surfing, Shawn enjoys sessions with friends at uncrowded peaks along his home states shoreline and writing about his surf related experiences. But now that Miller is a pro, hes on the tour, and the same people who ran the events when Millers dad, Chris, was on the tour are still around. We post recaps of our own events with photos and video here. It wasnt all slick marketing. I was in awe. It was a pretty good scene. Vuori is a true collaborative effort. It grew from there. We are also using some great sustainable fabrics, like recycled stretch poly and Sea Cell, which is made from seaweed and other natural fibers. 3 of 3", "BEHIND THE SCENES: VIDEO DAYS REUNION SHOOT", "Brandon Biebel & Jeron Wilson part 2: Dime Squad, Brawls & Bar Tricks! Birthplace Statesville, NC . I did win contests and had covers of skate magazines and all that sort of thing, too, but its cultural aspects that are most meaningful to me.