Author Topic: The Gonz is weird  (Read 9694 times)

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jorge

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #30 on: August 16, 2018, 01:09:22 PM »
The only thing I don’t like is that people act like EVERYTHING he does is genius. Yeah he’s done a lot of cool shit, but the people who act like some of the bullshit he’s done that’s been lame was golden are trend hopping kooks who are no better than anyone who’s had an orange beanie that’s been collecting dust for ten years.
No argument here.  I also don't expect the young uns to love him.

Silent Bob.

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #31 on: August 16, 2018, 01:37:40 PM »
He was trying front 360 ollie late backfoot flips when he toured England in 92. As in do the flip once the 360 was complete - kind of a 360 up into a late flip.

He was crazy good and instrumental in shaping skateboarding. Now he’s that eccentric uncle at Christmas who has had a couple too many sherry’s and who everyone has to keep an eye on in case he tries it on with the Carol singers.

He’s having fun, and good for him, - and The world is better for having someone like him in it- but it’s Boxing Day and I’m a bit weary of his zany antics

GAY

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #32 on: August 16, 2018, 01:42:36 PM »
Gonz is a real one when it comes to the spontaneity n fun that is romanticized in skateboarding.
That being said, that museum shit from a few weeks back, homage or not, was kooky as hell.
I’ll fuck with video parts and occasional ig clips but I’ve already accepted that most of my heroes are probably just some fuckin dude.

Also when I first heard about him, all my friends believed he had some brain injury or something. It was just always passed around as fact, I dunno. I think I just used to be friends with some vanilla ass people

What's an ass person?

Silent Bob.

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #33 on: August 16, 2018, 01:48:20 PM »
The butt of all the jokes?

Rocuronium

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #34 on: August 16, 2018, 02:03:44 PM »
He's known for borrowing a bunch of different riders' boards at sessions too, even though his board is intact.
Also, he would often skate in non skate shoes (sometimes expensive loafers- which I think was partly a mockery of skate shoe fetishism).
I think all this switching up is both to keep it interesting and to remind skaters that your "equipment" does not define you as a skater or make you better.....

[img]https://i.pinimg.com/236x/59/48/b8/5948b85016497192c5b5df8b620f75db.jpg[img]

Lame_Nigga

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #35 on: August 16, 2018, 02:15:55 PM »
I only started in 04, well past his prime and I've always liked what he embodies but I don't like actually watching him. I like the IDEA of him.

Also, anybody think the "He's weird" is just that maybe he's high functioning on the autism scale or something along those lines? I don't mean that in a derogatory way, just from watching videos/clips of him he does seem like he is on the scale

noninjasinstreetfighter

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #36 on: August 16, 2018, 02:36:15 PM »
The name of this poem is, “The Gonz is weird”

Baron Samedi

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #37 on: August 16, 2018, 03:01:53 PM »
Expand Quote
Gonz is a real one when it comes to the spontaneity n fun that is romanticized in skateboarding.
That being said, that museum shit from a few weeks back, homage or not, was kooky as hell.
I’ll fuck with video parts and occasional ig clips but I’ve already accepted that most of my heroes are probably just some fuckin dude.

Also when I first heard about him, all my friends believed he had some brain injury or something. It was just always passed around as fact, I dunno. I think I just used to be friends with some vanilla ass people
[close]

What's an ass person?
not sure but the vanilla variety sounds delightful

TooManyPros

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #38 on: August 16, 2018, 03:12:31 PM »
Calling bullshit on those who say they were around when he was in his prime (starting on Vision) and then saying they "just didn't like him or get him."  No one at the time loved Natas and didn't get Gonz, everyone loved both.  He was hands down the most innovative skater of his time (not even close) and was idolized by absolutely everyone-everytime you saw him he was doing things that either no one had done, or no one had done like that.  There seems to be kind of a revisionist history on Slap by younger people who minimize his importance because they know weird Grandpa Gonz only.

It's funny because it's true  ;D

Issy

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #39 on: August 16, 2018, 05:12:42 PM »
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Only the Gonz can ride a bike and it's still better skateboarding than nearly all of the industry
[close]

Cards too.

GOKU

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #40 on: August 16, 2018, 05:44:34 PM »
nvr4get that classic photo of him with "yes I try to act weird" written in paint pen on his griptape, haha.

ChrisLambe94

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #41 on: August 16, 2018, 05:46:11 PM »
I love Gonzo. My first pro board was a Vision Mark Gonzalez with a fish smoking a cigarette on the top. 1988ish maybe. He's the King Of Style.

Hoeboi

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #42 on: August 16, 2018, 06:13:05 PM »
Weirdos in skateboarding should be celebrated. I think a lot of people tend to forget that for a long period of time skateboarding wasn’t cool, so you had characters, and misfits. As the act becomes more normalized we lose some of our treasures, and the uniqueness they brought to the industry.

The Gonz is great because he exists in his own space. He’s uncompromised by his surroundings, and lives skateboarding.

i totally agree with what your saying, but it makes no sense that my rep is so bad here. I'm a unique individual who should be celebrated, but I'm not. you guys keep it up and i might focus and you'll lose another treasure.

MexicanSpaniard

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #43 on: August 16, 2018, 06:16:08 PM »
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Weirdos in skateboarding should be celebrated. I think a lot of people tend to forget that for a long period of time skateboarding wasn’t cool, so you had characters, and misfits. As the act becomes more normalized we lose some of our treasures, and the uniqueness they brought to the industry.

The Gonz is great because he exists in his own space. He’s uncompromised by his surroundings, and lives skateboarding.
[close]

i totally agree with what your saying, but it makes no sense that my rep is so bad here. I'm a unique individual who should be celebrated, but I'm not. you guys keep it up and i might focus and you'll lose another treasure.


shut the fuck up hoebro

Budgie Lasek

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #44 on: August 16, 2018, 06:27:44 PM »
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Calling bullshit on those who say they were around when he was in his prime (starting on Vision) and then saying they "just didn't like him or get him."  No one at the time loved Natas and didn't get Gonz, everyone loved both.  He was hands down the most innovative skater of his time (not even close) and was idolized by absolutely everyone-everytime you saw him he was doing things that either no one had done, or no one had done like that.  There seems to be kind of a revisionist history on Slap by younger people who minimize his importance because they know weird Grandpa Gonz only.
[close]

dont really understand how you can say peoples opinions are "bullshit".  Just because you liked both dudes doesnt mean everyone did.  IMO, Natas looked cooler and had better style and I liked him way more.  He rode for SMA and Gonz rode for fucking Vision.  Then Gonz "quit" and i was a young skate rat without a clue and said fuck that guy.  I know it's silly but I dont understand why you think everyone liked those guys equally.

But to be fair, I never saw Video Days when it came out.  I didnt see that video until years later and by that time if it wasnt a Crailtap company i couldnt care less.
[close]
If you didn't see Video Days when it came out you were either too young or a kook or not that into skating.  People didn't stop talking about that video for years.  You kinda made my point for me.  Everybody who was old enough and was seriously loved skating was basically only talking about BOTH Gonz and Natas.  It was that or watching Bill Danforth do bonelesses or whatever.

Uh huh... please, enlighten us as to how many skateboarders you personally talked to about this topic during that time frame, because you must have missed me on your world tour. I'm from a small town that had no access to skate media, so I only saw videos and magazines through friends. I literally never even heard of Video Days until about 1995, and skateboarding is my life. I wasn't even into Gonz at all until Real to Reel, and never cared for Natas, because I didn't see much footage of him during his era - I was skating without the influence of major skate media for at least the first few years (86-89).

There's a million reasons why lots of skaters would not have had the same experience as you, not everyone lives in a city and sees literally every video and magazine that comes out. And also, people have these things called OPINIONS, duh.

Sleazy

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #45 on: August 16, 2018, 07:11:06 PM »
the reason why gonz was so innovative and such a visionary was because he was an odd ball. same with mullen. natas was just cool but i fucking loved natas so that's not a diss. looking back, you can't really separate gonz's quirks from his accomplishments. he was so successful because how he sees the world. spike jones said he wanted video days to be a video about what it was like to hang out with the gonz and then that video kind of set things off because the gonz's world was pretty fucking cool. at his age and out of context that same vibe can be awkward but watching him in video days b roll or his recent NY clips all seems really consistent to me. he's like a grown up peter pan. it would kind of suck if we was just some normal 50 year old guy selling real estate or some shit like that. i'm glad he's still doing the gonz thing and never grew up.

Hoeboi

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #46 on: August 16, 2018, 07:17:18 PM »
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Expand Quote
Weirdos in skateboarding should be celebrated. I think a lot of people tend to forget that for a long period of time skateboarding wasn’t cool, so you had characters, and misfits. As the act becomes more normalized we lose some of our treasures, and the uniqueness they brought to the industry.

The Gonz is great because he exists in his own space. He’s uncompromised by his surroundings, and lives skateboarding.
[close]

i totally agree with what your saying, but it makes no sense that my rep is so bad here. I'm a unique individual who should be celebrated, but I'm not. you guys keep it up and i might focus and you'll lose another treasure.
[close]


shut the fuck up hoebro

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hoebro

by definition your insult is incorrect. i don't know you nor have i ever met you. you played yourself hoeboy.
quick haiku here. i actually have a hoebro named stephanie. life is crazy sometimes i tell ya.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2018, 07:18:49 PM by Jeff Groucho »

jakeumms

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #47 on: August 16, 2018, 07:25:36 PM »
Any chance you could not shit up every thread with this hoebro shit, please?
them cats are out getting mashed up to jungle, he's out mashing up jungle cats. it's just not gonna work.

Hoeboi

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #48 on: August 16, 2018, 07:29:19 PM »
Any chance you could not shit up every thread with this hoebro shit, please?

he started it.

Surf-goth

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #49 on: August 16, 2018, 07:32:13 PM »
I really respect his contributions to skateboarding but honestly he annoys me.
Rest in peace Dick Dale.

botefdunn

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #50 on: August 16, 2018, 10:16:08 PM »
You know what people used to think was weird about Gonz? It was really weird that he rode for Adidas.
Back in the 90's a lot of people, myself included, couldn't really figure out why a skateboarder would want to be sponsored by a mainstream sporting goods manufacturer.
So just remember: p-rod, nyjah, shane o'neill, miles silvas, etc. they're all following in Gonz's footsteps just as much as any kid who ever mispelled some shit on their griptape.

Chavo

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #51 on: August 16, 2018, 11:28:17 PM »
Some in "the industry" had been trying to market street skating as the next big thing for half a decade. A few '70s pros had "street" models, but they realized you couldn't just have pool guys slide berts on the street and create a new discipline. Tommy G. was first in a series of street-centered Thrasher covers and should otherwise be considered the first true street skater ever. And Gonz, who had the November 1984 cover, became the first professional street skater. This was a huge shift in skateboarding at the time and the rest of the industry, including his own teammates, couldn't see how one could make a living without vert contests. Now that skateboarding is returning to parks and youtube pros prevail, I could see how his influence is waning.

urbneathme

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #52 on: August 16, 2018, 11:31:48 PM »
always go back to that thing he said on the tim o'connor show - something like "where do you find mark gonzalez in a foreign country? check the psych ward"

DISTANT RUMOURS

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #53 on: August 17, 2018, 02:00:33 AM »
I always get the 'Robin Williams' vibe from him... he REALLY makes me think of him every time I see him.

UK TM

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #54 on: August 17, 2018, 02:54:54 AM »
To me he upholds the idea of originality and individuality that skating needs. Like if skating was just comprised of barney bros who didn't create art, it would suck. He's part of the antidote to this kind of mainstream pressure - how many people who don't skate know how deeply intertwined it is with art? I doubt many do.

Is it really an antidote if he's on the payroll of one of the biggest most mainstream corporations in the world?

I don't dislike Gonz, I actually like his 'artwork'. The thing I don't get is the almost Gino like 'I'd rather watch Gonz bail' attitude that people have.

He's getting on a bit though so just the fact he's still out there doing it is rad, but lets not forget it's his job to be out there doing it and he's getting paid very well for it.

EDIT - Yeah very Robin Williams, I think that comparison made me like Gonz a little more!
« Last Edit: August 17, 2018, 02:56:43 AM by UK TM »

Shifty Flip

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #55 on: August 17, 2018, 04:02:16 AM »
I saw visions psycho skate after jumping off launch ramps for a summer or two. The kickflip on the ditch bank, Texas maybe, and the way he could pop so high and easily were mind blowing to me. He looked extra wierd even in that early footage. That said, I wish early Gonz had ridden for a company like Natas did, that made better videos than vision, but I bet that Street Wear money was nice.

Who was it that quit, or wouldn't ride for blind, because Mark messed with him too much? I can't remember now. 

cucktard

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #56 on: August 17, 2018, 04:37:17 AM »
But I was really wondering, WHY does Gonz always skate those weird decks? And what are those exactly? customs? Older decks we don't know about? Prototypes? He owns a board company and has legit sponsors and still digs up the weirdest stuff and boards. From longboards to weird shapes. I can't even remember the last time I saw Gonz on a regular board.

Is it for the same reason that Daewon loses his bushings, to create a bigger challenge?

I don't really get it.

Gonz rules though. Let that be clear.

More than anything else, the feeling I got from skating in the eighties was not “progression” or “mastery”, or even “style”. All of them were there, of course. But my main impression of skating (as demonstrated in a lot of street contests) was spontaneity, how you reacted in the moment.

Lance Mountain noted (maybe in a Love Letters) that he never wanted to ‘master’ a trick, that would render the movement stale and uninspired.

I think it is that sense of freshness and looking for something novel, new, and most importantly fun, is what drives Mark to look at new and old shapes, to keep his spirit young and inventive.

I’ve noticed that a lot of people that got into skating after the eighties tens to have a comparatively conservative view about what skating ‘is’, what boards are ‘real skateboards’ and which tricks are ‘legit’.

So I find it interesting that some of the older dudes have some of the most open minds about what skating can be (like Grosso’s famous comment about downhilling).
I’m trying to be every mom’s favorite skater’-&&

Duane's the type of guy to ask to see your junk then go to school and tell everyone you're gay. - Uncle Flea


jorge

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #57 on: August 17, 2018, 06:29:01 AM »
First to ollie Wallenberg
First to ollie Gonz gap
First to kickflip Gonz gap
First handrail (arguably)
First 50-50 on handrail (probably)
First real noseslides
First noseslide on legit handrail
First to skate switch
First switch lines in a video
First kickflips on street (according to Tommy Guerrero)
First Meanwhile gap
First stalefish (vert, method no less)
First grapefruit grind (feeble)
First noseblunt on tranny
First noseblunt slide on street (according to Transworld)
Most NBDS ever in a video part almost certainly (Video Days part)

« Last Edit: August 17, 2018, 06:32:57 AM by jorge »

fongool

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #58 on: August 17, 2018, 06:31:51 AM »
Who was it that quit, or wouldn't ride for blind, because Mark messed with him too much? I can't remember now.

Jovontae Turner

burn_to_live

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Re: The Gonz is weird
« Reply #59 on: August 17, 2018, 07:01:17 AM »
The Gonz is genius in his own strange way.
Gonna go down to the Bronx and hang out with the gonx