Yo! Check out these stoners, Keystoners that is…….

Keystone Skateboards was started in 2008 and is based out of Bethlehem, PA. The idea behind Keystone Skateboards was to have a solid skateboard company that had it’s products made in the USA, had a diverse group of skaters on it’s team and that it was based on the East Coast and represented the East
Coast skateboard scene.

As of now the Keystone brand prides itself on being a little fish that won’t back down in a huge pond with big fish and will only continue to grow in the skateboard industry.

ST: What makes you wanna quit skateboarding?

KS: Nothing wants me to quit, but I do get bummed at certain things in skateboarding nowadays. It seems like skateboarding has lost a lot of it’s individuality. It’s almost like your in the “cool club” or not. The same ones who claim to be individualists or have their own style are the same ones who will shun others for skating, looking or acting different.

ST: This little kid that used to skate at a local park had a metal board that his dad made, his dad would sit there and make him land tricks before trying new ones, so why do towns buy those shitty pre-made cement parks?

KS: To each their own. I think the father should let the kid skate on his own and learn what he likes. Unless he wants to be another robot. Whatever.

As far as the park thing goes some people are lucky to have the pre-made cement parks or the cookie cutter prefabricated Ramptech parks. I think the town that the parks should certainly think harder how they are using their money when building a park. If it’s not gonna be used what’s the point?

ST: Do you guys ever plan on having a metal board line of Keystone boards?

KS: No sorry.

ST: Why does it matter if your boards are made local or in the USA for that matter? Follow up question… what do you think the people in China or Vietnam that are mass producing skateboards for other companies think about them?

KS: For starters quality. Unless you like riding a stack of toothpicks and some glue. People always wonder why our economy is hurting the way it is. Think about where your money is going. Sure the local shop gets your cash and that’s great but what happens next? They hand it off to the skateboard manufacturer who then hands it off to their wood suppliers/ board maker in China or Mexico and other out of country sources.

Not to come off like a gun shooting, truck driving 4th of July flag waving citizen but our (Keystone Skateboards) cash goes to a USA based manufacturer run by people who care about skateboarding in general because they skate. We have our decks made by Lancaster Board Press. Jeff and Kenny are only an hr from us and put out the best decks ever making it convenient. To answer your second part I think they could care less if the deck they mass produce ends up at the best core shop in your town or at the local Wal-Mart.

ST: Which is more fun, bailing during the winter in the Northeast straight onto your hands or cleaning up a massive diaper blow out?

KS: If you don’t have any indoor parks near you in the winter it sucks in the Northeast. Slapping your frozen hand on to ice cold crete just sucks. I am so use to changing shitty diapers that it does not faze me. My son fills them up 3-5 times a day for me. Thanks Danny! I love you!

ST: Ok a little more serious, what’s the deal with Keystone, why does the world need another skate company?

KS: It don’t. Then again if new skateboard brands, concepts or ideas don’t emerge from skateboarding it will get beat fast. Everyone wants to have their say, everyone thinks they can do a better job or has their own ideas of how things should be. Keystone is no different in that aspect. Keystone Skateboards has love for East Coast skateboarding and supports it‘s history and scenes, is a skater owned and operated brand, our products are made in the USA.

Ronnie Gordon 360 flip.
Photo by David Stuck

ST: Any plans for a full video?

KS: Look for it in late 2010. The guys are always out filming and working hard.

ST: Tell all the internet lurkers why skating was better back in 1991.

KS: More style and individuality. I am sure if you ask anyone who was skating at that time and still does today they would say we had more brotherhood and unity. Seems like there is more skater on skater hate these days. That shits beat. I tell you what though, as far as progression goes it has come a long way. Amazing.

ST: Who is down with the Keystone, and who is the Keystone down with?

KS: Down with us? Ronnie Gordon, Matt Rathman, Kyle Keeler, Ryan Gilbert and some other random supporters in the Northeast. Who we down with? Skateboarders who are down with what we do. All the shops and their riders who been putting Keystone Skateboards on their wall.

ST: Do you ever call yourselves THE Keystone? (like your a NU garage band)?

KS: East Coast skate/ musician legend Chuck Treece gave me the nickname “Keystone Dan” and it stuck. It’s funny you ask that though. I play bass, Matt plays guitar and Gilbert can drum and there was this band playing at one of our demos the other day and we were thinking of just rocking out, ha ha.

ST: What’s the greatest skate company of all time (specific era)?

KS: My top 3 are all from the Northeast and I have certain reasons why I love them.
1. SHUT
2. 5 Boro
3. Zoo York

ST: You got a shit load of tour dates and appearances coming up, what drives you (like literally what do you use to get there) oh and also the more abstract part too, like why do it man?

KS: Just trying to promote our new little brand as best as we can. The Keystone guys are out there putting in work and spreading the word all the time. So far so good. Next year we have a legit tour planned but for now it’s all about the weekend getaways to the shops who support us.

ST: My friend Dave just came back from the crazy Pro Tec Pool jam at the Vans headquarters………….. what do think of that?

KS: That’s rad Dave! I have never been out to the event but I have seen it on TV. Looks fun.

ST: I wanna go surfing…………. what do you think of that?

KS: That’s cool too. I‘d like to try it one day myself. Hot Pink and neon yellow Body Glove suit dude…

ST: Any last words about Keystone Skateboards?

KS: Support what you like, hate if you want. We are not going anywhere and will continue to grow. Keystone Skateboards is the illegitimate bastard child of East Coast skateboarding. Thanks to all the supporters and skate shops who carry our stuff.

The following is a sweet interview with Ray Gurz the owner/rider of Lost Soul Skateboards. This is a cool little company/crew out of Allentown PA. They seem to be all about keepin it real, and really keepin it fun. They have a few boards out, some other shwag and I think they are pretty motivated to keep things moving. If your ever cruising through the big state of Pennsylvania and you want to kick it with some true blood east coasters you should look these guys up… Plus their website says that you can send them your sponsor me tapes OR hate mail so check them out on the internets as well… http://www.lostsoulskateboards.com

ST: Whats up with Lost Soul, a little history lesson for the uninformed?

LS: Actually, lost soul was around for a bit without me and was run by Dan Scott. I joined the crew later on and not even a year later, he sold the company to me. Welcome to ditchyourfriendsville.

ST: Seems like you guys are in it for the good times, what kindsa craziness have you gotten into lately?

LS: We just skate. No cookie cutter shit here. We skate all that we can. We just did a commercial for the brand that was a little spoof off of LAKAI fully flared intro. We did that for a local shop we all skate for. really fun. Winter sucks otherwise.

ST: How is it running a team and skating for the team too?

LS: Before i owned it, it was a lot easier. I just skated and filmed. Now, it is hard. If we don’t sell anything, I am frantically trying to make ends meet, looking for kids who are on the come up but are not into the “gimme gimme” everything stuff. We all work for our part. I look for the kids who have the heart.

ST: So who are you skating with that has the heart, talk about some of the Lost Soul team members or just rippers from your area…

LS: The guys in lost soul are total rippers. Bubba, V, Ivan, Brendan, Meat. We skate during the week. Ivan, Brendan and Meat are the new guys coming up through us. They are going to have their own parts in the next lost soul video. These dudes have been there to keep me motivated to keep going. The Homebase Skateshop dudes have got skills as well. Go to www.hombase610.com and see. There is a lot going on in the 610 area for skaters.

ST: Whats up with the Allentown/Pennsylvania scene? Any druids out there?

LS: Druids? If you are talking about sick, underground spots, we got them. They are all over. We do have a lot of bums that chill by the shop. Shop, spare change, this is your shout out.

ST: So whats the Lost Soul / Homebase Skateshop connection?

LS: The owner, Andy Po, and I go back a bit. We are always talking about this scene we have here and that we are the ones who make it what it is. We just want shit to be cool, and we won’t change for everyone.

ST: Do you guys ever get confused for the company that makes energy drinks OR is there any future for Lost Soul in the energy drink world? or the XTreme energy drink world?

LS: Lost energy drink gave me severe acid reflux. I won’t ever drink it again. I would like to be sponsored by a drink that helps out with your joints but isn’t all old fokey.

ST: That drunkdriver song on the promo is pretty rad, whats up with them?

LS: I am surprised you said that. So many people hate that song. I personally love the band. They are friends too. A 3 piece band from NY and kick ass. It is just raw. I rather work with friends bands then some band I have to beg for the rights to their music.

That is the direction I have decide to take the company. I want skateboarding to be back the way it use to be when I first started. So the combination of of them and our first promo with me at the helm, I thought was a good idea.
DRUNKDRIVER have a new LP out on Parts Unknown records called BORN PREGNANT. it is sick.

ST: When your doing a trick tip and you say to footplant off the earth but you are actually footplanting off a lightpole type thing does this confuse the average youtube lerker?

LS: I love just skating. Accidental tricks just come up and I hate when skating gets serious. Sometimes, granted, I understand, but have a little fun once in awhile.

ST: So do you think that people who are all over the message boards and dissecting every youtube vid are ruining the fun of skating?

LS: There is a hater out there all the time.i get hated on all the time but, some shit is just plain stupid.
we made this clip once for a slappy contest on the thrasher site for lucero and i didn’t care about proper techniques of slappies. So this clip could be way fun. Anyway, we made this clip up in 20 minutes because no one wanted free shit from Lucero. There was less than 10 entries. I goofed around, did some stuff and then we sent it in to just do something. Like, not care, film it. Edit it. Submit it, and lucero picked us as the winner. Some kids dissect it so much it is really dumb. But, most kids will never understand. Skateboarding is for fun!

ST: Any plans for some Lost Soul tours this summer or anytime in the future?

LS: I want to tour but we are having a rough year. I think this summer we are going to do weekends away from Allentown and just lurk. Go to parks and cities, stop in at shops and do the ”in person” greetings. I would like that more to interact with the shops in person, instead of over the phone.

ST: SO, speaking of a rough year, Active just filed chapter nine, yet skating seems to be more popular than ever, are companies getting too big for their own good, do we need some skate bail outs (money not slams), or is it just ALL business that is in the shitter?

LS: I love to have a skate stimulus check for a bunch of bucks. It is crazy how the economy has hit bad times though. I feel it and we are a little turd in the industry. Like, a single little nugget. This single nuggett is struggling. Buy some lost soul shit!

ST: So skatetheory.com gets the most hits for a story about getting lunch with Sheckler, what do you think about the complete commodification of skating?

LS: It is sad to see that feeling around, but it sells i guess. In my eyes, I want to keep it pure. Shit, if you come out to Allentown, I will buy you a couple of dogs from YOCCOS! Or we will hit up this CALI BURRITO joint and eat burritos and look at all these old skate photos and shoot the shit with some of the coolest, skate punks, from the 80’s.

ST: So what does the future hold for Lost Soul, what should the world be looking out for?

LS: Well, we are slowly expanding. We also plan on filming another full length video hopefully by this fall. No name yet. Trying to get global as well.

ST: Aight thanks for taking some moments to span time with us here at skatetheory.com…

LS: You got it. Check out the site, www.lostsoulskateboards.com, come to allentown, and let’s shred.

We recently had a chance to “sit” down with Patrik Wallner, a skateboarding videographer born in Germany and raised in New York City. Still living in New York City, he is currently finalizing “Translations”, a skateboarding video which includes his travels to over fifteen countries throughout Asia and Europe featuring new and unique spots which have not been represented in other skateboarding videos to date.

The video will feature: Daniel Hochman, Malcolm Tallgard, Max Beinhofer, Samuel Beyer, Nolan Lee, Patrick Boes, Michael Mackrodt, Chris Pfanner, Lem Villemin, Jeremy Reinhard, Javier Mendizabel, Billy Rohan, Scotty Moore, Alex Mizurov, Josh Zickert, Kieron Brodie, Dany Hamard, Florentin Marfaing and many more.
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We caught up with John Wolf, a Boston native to talk about his most recent skate video SUBTERRANEAN. The video features some of Boston’s finest skateboarders. In the internet age where anyone and everyone can post their skate videos the art of planing and thinking through a shot has been lost, John seems to have put focus not just on the skaters but in his composition.

Jon Wolf

Are you east coast born and bred? Do you think that the west coast still dominates skating or is that irrelevant now?
I lived on the east coast for the last 15 years now. I was born in North Dakota and lived there until about the early 90’s. I think skateboarding has got so big now that you can be into different types of skate videos now.

How did you get into making skate videos? Did you go to film school, art school, etc? (What kind of equipment do you use?)
I have always liked skating and wanted to capture that. I went to full sail down in florida. It was sick. I shot Subterranean entirely with a dvx100 and in super 8. I wanted to film the video entirely so i could actually say it was MY video. I wanted the footage to be consistent all the way through.
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From the www.VBS.tv series.

quote from VBS on youtube:
To see more, go to www.VBS.tv. Erik is all around the coolest person I have ever met. The way he looks, the way he skates, the way he pushes–he’s just a straight-up cool man. I remember meeting him on the first Baker tour. Jay Strickland, Scotty Copalman, Trainwreck, Knox Godoy, as well as all the people that still skate for Baker were on that trip. It was a mess. It was like the heyday of the Pissdrunx. I couldn’t sleep because we put 15 people in 3 hotel rooms and you never knew when Erik or Trainwreck were going to wake you up to fight you. It was really kind of scary. But anyway, as much of a pile that Erik seems like from a distance (or when he’s drunk), he’s actually a very smart and thoughtful person. Did you know he invented the Hand Board? It’s like a giant finger board that Tech Deck makes and every time Toys R Us sells one of those stupid things dude gets a dollar. He’s secretly pretty shrewd. Right now he’s got a sunglasses company and owns part of Supra Shoes…. seriously, he’s a darkman in disguise. In the end though, it all comes back to skateboarding, and Erik is first and foremost an incredible skateboarder, carving his own niche in a crowded world. Any time a video comes out with new Ellington footage, I’m glued to the screen.

From the www.VBS.tv series.

Direct quote from VBS:
Jake Phelps reminds me of the editor of the Daily Planet in Spiderman. He just sits there and yells at people all day: “O’Dell! I needed a cover! You call this a hammer!?” Sometimes he’d call me going, “You’re sleeping at noon!? You better’ve been out all night with Jason Dill and the generators!” (Which would be great name for a band, btw.) I don’t think I’ve once seen Phelps sitting at the computer answering e-mail or checking spelling–he doesn’t mess with any of that shit. In fact he doesn’t even have e-mail and his cell phone doesn’t have voicemail. I told him I wasn’t able to leave him a message once and he was like, “I don’t play that sh*t”
People have all kinds of conspiracy theories about Thrasher. I can’t count the number of times someone has told me that they’re banned from the mag or been like, “I used to have a subscription to Thrasher, but Jake saw my name in the computer and deleted me.” Trust me, Jake’s not going through any computer lists right now. He’s probably in Shanghai or Paraguay with the Hell Ride crew shralping concrete parks and passing out in snake runs.

From the www.VBS.tv series.

In this episode we go to the legendary set of stairs at Wallenburg in San Francisco, a proving ground for professional skateboarders. In fact, I think you could almost count the tricks that have ever been done down them on one hand.

From the www.VBS.tv series.

Dustin Dollin is a person not everybody likes so much on first introduction, but he eventually grows on you. Everyone loves/hates Dustin. That seemed to be the general consensus among people. Well, I hope you like/hate Dustin enough to sit through the very first episode. This episode is about an Australian skater nicknamed “Spawn”.

From the www.VBS.tv series.

Jason Dill is a pro skater who has contributed so much to the history of skateboarding during his career so far that he can pretty much spend the next ten years sitting on a barstool and he will never not be one of our favorite skaters. He can say/wear/skate whatever he wants because he’s earned himself a place among the likes of Neil Blender, Gino Iannucci, Guy Mariano, and Mark Gonzales (though I don’t want that statement going to his head).

New Epicly Later’d with Fred Gall

Check the latest interview on VBS.tv with East Cost Pro Fred Gall. He take you around New Jersey, to the rough and gritty skate spots he used to and still skates.

Meet his grandma, listen the stories of him going up in Jersey. Strangely enough has a parking block just like Jerry Hsu, there seem to be a pattern here (Jerry also had his own parking block).