Vai a skater???

Jemwielder · #1 07-19-2005, 05:35 PM

I was flipping thru one of my old guitar mags and found a picture of the green meanie. I noticed some of vais personalizations to the guitar included stickers from various skateboard companies. Including some old Dogtown (the legendary Z-boys the begining of it all) artwork. I'm assuming vai was a skater in his younger days. Does anybody know if he still rides or any details about that? Just curious being a skater myself.

Polaris20 · #2 07-20-2005, 07:11 PM

Totally unrelated (well, not totally) but I still have my board, a Frankie Hill from 1992.

Obviously I don't ride it often, but it's still fun for me to push around every once and awhile.

Jemwielder · #3 07-20-2005, 07:17 PM

right on man!!! I have an Alva. It's a new one but it's a sweet set-up, I skate all the time. Great excercise so long as you wear pads so you don't break anything.

Polaris20 · #4 07-20-2005, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jemwielder

right on man!!! I have an Alva. It's a new one but it's a sweet set-up, I skate all the time. Great excercise so long as you wear pads so you don't break anything.

Yeah I wear kneepads and gloves. That's pretty much it. I don't go anywhere near halfpipes anymore; I had enough difficulty with those when I was younger!

Jemwielder · #5 07-20-2005, 09:22 PM

i carve pools and bomb hills mostly. Nothing too technical just fun. The most up to date new school trick that i can pull is an ollie.

Wis Redz of Silvanost · #6 07-21-2005, 02:36 AM

How do you do it guys? I was always amazed buy just seein people standing atop the board without falling.

I tried just skating some time ago nothing technical just going straight ahead but I couldn't that

toshiro · #7 07-21-2005, 04:54 AM

I used to skate, quit about 11 years ago. lol Was a street skater; curbs, loading docks, shopping plazas, abadoned gas stations, etc, etc. Used to ollie shopping carts for fun.

Hated pads, about the closest I got were those old padded, fingerless, Rector gloves.

This is from that era, though about 5 years before I quit(as evidenced by the late-80's stlye board):

Think I'm about 12 there? Not 100% positive. Shouldn't have bought those horrible surfer shorts though... Geez...

Dylan7620 · #8 07-21-2005, 05:04 AM

thats awesome. old school boards are awesome!

Jemwielder · #9 07-21-2005, 01:21 PM

Wow, thanks for the trip down memory lane guys. I've been an old school skater/surfer since age 4. If anybody else wants to share some stories of concrete warfare pleas don't hesitate to post them!

Chris From Singapore. · #10 07-21-2005, 01:42 PM

Very nice ollie and nollie pics! Incidently I saw john petrucci in the latest guitar player magazine sporting a nice independent truck company tshirt

Tom Gilroy · #11 07-21-2005, 03:05 PM

I used to skate. Had a Zero deck riding on grind king trucks, bones swiss bearing and some spitfire wheels. Sold it and invested the money in my guitar after I had a bad fall. I was about to land a heelflip off a curb, the board slipped out form under me and I landed straight onto the curb on the base of my spine. It sucked so bad I quit straight away.

Polaris20 · #12 07-21-2005, 03:06 PM

I am far from technical! Being a guitar player, husband, and full-time IT specialist leaves little time to really practice at being an excellent skater. But it sure is fun, and I guess I am lucky enough to not fall off of the thing constantly.

I used to love skitching; ie holding on the back of a car ala Back to the Future. Excellent alternative to taking the bus in high school.

Jemwielder · #13 07-21-2005, 05:26 PM

yeah man i just got back from bombing this hill by the middle school where i live. I actually also have a zero deck, similar setup as gilroys just with ricta instead of spitfire wheels, I've been kind of wary of spitfires ever since i had a bearing explosion while goin down a hill, they make good wheels but ricta makes em better if you have the cash. I'm currently saving for a long board setup, i'll put up a post about it once i get it.