crooked tongues magazine News Features

We finally got these photos that were taken in Converse Skateboarding's office space during the U.S. Open of Surfing. Better late than never. That's what happens when you rush out ineptly equipped without a memory card in your camera, effectively rendering it a toy Canon. Not a good look. So after borrowing some equipment and awaiting a disc of photos, here's what we were waiting to up right here for the former skaters and skate disciples alike. We fall into the former camp, and seeing as we were raised with All Stars as a marginally more accessible and affordable alternative to Airwalk Prototypes and Vision Hi-Tops without having to resort to the crappy Pacer Hog or Hi-Tec baseball boot knockoffs. At its higher BF and CONS tiers, Converse's skateboarding wing is set to drop a few gems on us next Spring. But that's a long way off.

What really captured our attention in the space was the theatrically framed ads and magazine covers of some legends rocking Converse back in the day. Where some big guns might need to send a researcher on the case and break out the eBay loot on specific Thrasher back-issues to justify their existence in a decidedly non-conformist realm, pick up any copy of RAD, Transworld or the aforementioned skate bible from the '80s, and there's always a glimpse of the brand's output present. We put this down to their ability to offer something restrained plus zebra stripes and other such nonsense to cater for vert skaters back when they favoured the new-wave dickhead look. Still, oddballs that we are, this was a highlight of a day's press tripping. Apologies in advance for the quality of the shots. Photos of photos behind glass, and mediocre snapping skills was never going to end well. Personal heroes like Rodney Mullen, Christian Hosoi, Guy Mariano (in '95 mode), Jeff Phillips (R.I.P.) and even murderous old Mark Rogowski were immortalised on those walls, and it made sense to chuck these up for an otherwise drab Bank Holiday...