Tyshawn shots fired at Mikey Alfred and Illegal Civ

[grassblade]

Baker quietly stopped distributing them a bit ago

everything they’ve taken a chance on ended up a bust:

-917 (fell apart right as they took it on)
-Birdhouse (lost Saturdays steam as they took it on)
-IC
-Heroin (who the fuck buys it?!?)

[shouldn't]

Baker quietly stopped distributing them a bit ago

everything they’ve taken a chance on ended up a bust:

-917 (fell apart right as they took it on)
-Birdhouse (lost Saturdays steam as they took it on)
-IC
-Heroin (who the fuck buys it?!?)

older dudes obsessed with the egg shape & slappies. other than that not sure.

[jakeumms]

Baker quietly stopped distributing them a bit ago

everything they’ve taken a chance on ended up a bust:

-917 (fell apart right as they took it on)
-Birdhouse (lost Saturdays steam as they took it on)
-IC
-Heroin (who the fuck buys it?!?)

Not to blow your theory out but Heroin is a success story and huge with the 30 and up crowd. Their drops sell through pretty consistently.

It seems like Bakerboys is down to do a distro deal for a drop or two and see how it goes. Honestly it's a legit way to do it. MaxAllure was also distroed through them for a time but has something else set up now. They haven't imploded and are still building the brand. You've got a point about 917, IC and Birdhouse but I think those fell apart more due to the brand manager (in this case Mikey) not putting in the work to sell a full drop through.

Mikey has been living rent free in my head for the past 24 hours or so. Does Illegal Civ I exist? I tried to find it and didn't see anything. It also doesn't have an entry on Skatevideosite whereas 2 and 3 do.

My pet theory now is that, through the Nak connection, Mikey was able to deliver the follow up to Cherry right after Cherry came out when hype was at a maximum. Cherry and Illegal Civilization 2 both come out in 2014 but Nak is in IC videos dating back to at least 2012. Apparently the Supreme kids weren't affiliated with IC but you wouldn't know it from watching IC2. They're all over it - the intro, full parts, end credits. Basically, IC as a brand was in the right place, right time but, full credit where it's due, Mikey shot a lot of that video and edited all of it and also has a pretty mid line at the very end. He was at one point a skate filmer.

[breezer]

I do a little bit worry that that dude is getting brigaded right now. He's kooky but that shit can be pretty fucking debilitating especially if you're head maybe isn't totally glued on right.

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what is Mikey's background and how did he end up connected in the industry? Where did he come from?  I feel like he just kind of appeared a few years ago. He can barely skate and has no legitimate talent. Did he have some sort of financial backing to buy into the industry? Is he a Hollywood plant?

[close]

Mikey's mom was the personal assistant to Robert Evans who was kinda the last Hollywood studio mogul before the corporations started buying up all the studios. Broad stokes; the deal with him was that the studio system basically collapsed in the wake of the cultural change of the 60s. Evans was the guy who knew how to look at potential movies and see if they would hit with a big audience, even if on paper they seemed like a wild pitch. Packages like Roman Polanski directing Rosemary's Baby (a huge hit) woulda never happened without Evan's involvement. It would have almost certainly gone to some aging but reliable director with the movie most likely forgotten today. And then there's The Godfather. It was a trashy checkout line bestseller and somehow Coppola made what he made and a lot of that was Evan's guidance as well. He could make hits when the other studios had mostly collapsed trying to.

Part of me thinks Mikey is aware of Robert Evan's ability to parse cultural change and turn it into revenue and that he aspires to do the same. Pretty crummy track record so far though.

great post!

[DarkPools]

Baker quietly stopped distributing them a bit ago

everything they’ve taken a chance on ended up a bust:

-917 (fell apart right as they took it on)
-Birdhouse (lost Saturdays steam as they took it on)
-IC
-Heroin (who the fuck buys it?!?)

917 was a niche project by Alex Olson and never appeared to be something that would garner large scale attention the big brands.

Birdhouse is in a constant state of limbo of medial success because of Tony. Has little to do with Bakerboys other than just being a different woodshop/parent distribution thing. It's not a bust, though.

IC was dogshit regardless of Bakerboys taking them on.

Heroin has been hugely successful for a small brand with the 30+ crowd but also many people in their 20s, top.

What a weird take

[OldSkater]

Baker quietly stopped distributing them a bit ago

everything they’ve taken a chance on ended up a bust:

-917 (fell apart right as they took it on)
-Birdhouse (lost Saturdays steam as they took it on)
-IC
-Heroin (who the fuck buys it?!?)

there are a lot of people buying heroin

[camel filters]

older dudes obsessed with the egg shape & slappies. other than that not sure.

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Baker quietly stopped distributing them a bit ago

everything they’ve taken a chance on ended up a bust:

-917 (fell apart right as they took it on)
-Birdhouse (lost Saturdays steam as they took it on)
-IC
-Heroin (who the fuck buys it?!?)

[close]

there are a lot of people buying heroin

Username checks out.

[fineslime]

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Baker quietly stopped distributing them a bit ago

everything they’ve taken a chance on ended up a bust:

-917 (fell apart right as they took it on)
-Birdhouse (lost Saturdays steam as they took it on)
-IC
-Heroin (who the fuck buys it?!?)

[close]

there are a lot of people buying heroin

tip your waitress

[bob george]

i was one time pulled over {australia} by the police for having a heroin sticker on my car. they asked me to remove it and also asked if i had any drugs in the car. i told them i had no heroin. i did not remove the sticker. was a weird one...

[radcunt]

i was one time pulled over {australia} by the police for having a heroin sticker on my car. they asked me to remove it and also asked if i had any drugs in the car. i told them i had no heroin. i did not remove the sticker. was a weird one...

It’s a dumb name and their graphics are shit but I back the company. Their egg shapes are the best.

[Sizzle]

I could never buy one I get you’ll probably scrape the name off but the name is so cringe and in the worst taste I can’t get over it

Imagine having to explain to your grandma you bought a heroin skateboard, plus not to get too bleeding heart about things but why would any adult be that cavalier about stuff like that, it’s like starting cancer skateboards

I feel the same way about Fucking Awesome in a way, name is too cringe to explain to somebody who doesn’t skate

I understand you can’t let everyone’s opinion dictate every aspect of your life but certain stuff I’m like cmon grow up man, like people wearing clothes with weed shit and swear words all over them, like cmon man. Hate to sound like an old guy but people like that need to grow the fuck up sometimes. Just be respectful of people’s mental space. What if some guy had a relative with a bad heroin addiction and he’s already stressed about it then he opens some skateboard media and sees a heroin ad. That seems like a bummer. I said cancer but what about Miscarriage Skateboards? Like why would you even do that. Just fucking weird, like you couldn’t come up with a single better idea for a brand than just evil shit? You thirteen years old bro? Just annoyed and on a rant. Whoever started this shit is lame. Shapes look cool though

[offkilter]

I do a little bit worry that that dude is getting brigaded right now. He's kooky but that shit can be pretty fucking debilitating especially if you're head maybe isn't totally glued on right.

A fall from popularity is going to crush him, it's all he has.

[GuessAgain?]

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so he’s sanding off hundreds of ex-rider’s graphics in order to resell them as new? whole team leaves, he says he kicked them off because they weren’t promoting his shitty graphics/brand enough. assorts a new squad of children as the team because they’re of the same mindset & are too young to see the graphics as a child’s garbage art. even before all of that, he publicly trash talks spike jonze in an interview to seem edgy and gain more attention. i hope he’s teaching business/art classes soon, he’s obviously very well versed.

[close]

won't sanding graphics off diminish the quality of the wood on some level? IC is the only company where the value of a board goes up with a sanded off graphic.

[close]

he clearly doesnt know you can just heat transfer over a graphic with another. waste of time and money.

Hey man keep it down! I like to think some guys out there are hustling a few extra bucks out of this bozo for ‘sanding down the decks’. Don’t blow their cover like that!

[radcunt]

I could never buy one I get you’ll probably scrape the name off but the name is so cringe and in the worst taste I can’t get over it

Imagine having to explain to your grandma you bought a heroin skateboard, plus not to get too bleeding heart about things but why would any adult be that cavalier about stuff like that, it’s like starting cancer skateboards

I feel the same way about Fucking Awesome in a way, name is too cringe to explain to somebody who doesn’t skate

I understand you can’t let everyone’s opinion dictate every aspect of your life but certain stuff I’m like cmon grow up man, like people wearing clothes with weed shit and swear words all over them, like cmon man. Hate to sound like an old guy but people like that need to grow the fuck up sometimes. Just be respectful of people’s mental space. What if some guy had a relative with a bad heroin addiction and he’s already stressed about it then he opens some skateboard media and sees a heroin ad. That seems like a bummer. I said cancer but what about Miscarriage Skateboards? Like why would you even do that. Just fucking weird, like you couldn’t come up with a single better idea for a brand than just evil shit? You thirteen years old bro? Just annoyed and on a rant. Whoever started this shit is lame. Shapes look cool though

Yeah, I feel ya.  It's embarrassing, but when you can get one of the shapes for 30% off and have some sandpaper, it's all good.

[versacekid420]

I could never buy one I get you’ll probably scrape the name off but the name is so cringe and in the worst taste I can’t get over it

Imagine having to explain to your grandma you bought a heroin skateboard, plus not to get too bleeding heart about things but why would any adult be that cavalier about stuff like that, it’s like starting cancer skateboards

I feel the same way about Fucking Awesome in a way, name is too cringe to explain to somebody who doesn’t skate

I understand you can’t let everyone’s opinion dictate every aspect of your life but certain stuff I’m like cmon grow up man, like people wearing clothes with weed shit and swear words all over them, like cmon man. Hate to sound like an old guy but people like that need to grow the fuck up sometimes. Just be respectful of people’s mental space. What if some guy had a relative with a bad heroin addiction and he’s already stressed about it then he opens some skateboard media and sees a heroin ad. That seems like a bummer. I said cancer but what about Miscarriage Skateboards? Like why would you even do that. Just fucking weird, like you couldn’t come up with a single better idea for a brand than just evil shit? You thirteen years old bro? Just annoyed and on a rant. Whoever started this shit is lame. Shapes look cool though

i understand the sentiment and i’m aware of the hardships related to such and i can’t and don’t speak for anyone other than myself but my mom died from heroin 3 years ago and i still am stoked to see heroin boards at the shop. they’re great boards with good shapes and graphics. but shit man fuck it im addicted to skateboarding it’s running my veins

[fineslime]

I could never buy one I get you’ll probably scrape the name off but the name is so cringe and in the worst taste I can’t get over it

Imagine having to explain to your grandma you bought a heroin skateboard, plus not to get too bleeding heart about things but why would any adult be that cavalier about stuff like that, it’s like starting cancer skateboards

I feel the same way about Fucking Awesome in a way, name is too cringe to explain to somebody who doesn’t skate

I understand you can’t let everyone’s opinion dictate every aspect of your life but certain stuff I’m like cmon grow up man, like people wearing clothes with weed shit and swear words all over them, like cmon man. Hate to sound like an old guy but people like that need to grow the fuck up sometimes. Just be respectful of people’s mental space. What if some guy had a relative with a bad heroin addiction and he’s already stressed about it then he opens some skateboard media and sees a heroin ad. That seems like a bummer. I said cancer but what about Miscarriage Skateboards? Like why would you even do that. Just fucking weird, like you couldn’t come up with a single better idea for a brand than just evil shit? You thirteen years old bro? Just annoyed and on a rant. Whoever started this shit is lame. Shapes look cool though

I get what you're saying but that is 100% that person's responsibility to handle those potential emotions/ thoughts that may arise. This is the same as people getting mad at jokes in a comedy club because they're "going through something." It's a slippery slope that ultimately leads to censorship.

If I had a weird thing about mayonnaise that triggered me whenever I saw it, I wouldn't get angry because someone at a restaurant ordered a hamburger.

[EdLawndale]

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I could never buy one I get you’ll probably scrape the name off but the name is so cringe and in the worst taste I can’t get over it

Imagine having to explain to your grandma you bought a heroin skateboard, plus not to get too bleeding heart about things but why would any adult be that cavalier about stuff like that, it’s like starting cancer skateboards

I feel the same way about Fucking Awesome in a way, name is too cringe to explain to somebody who doesn’t skate

I understand you can’t let everyone’s opinion dictate every aspect of your life but certain stuff I’m like cmon grow up man, like people wearing clothes with weed shit and swear words all over them, like cmon man. Hate to sound like an old guy but people like that need to grow the fuck up sometimes. Just be respectful of people’s mental space. What if some guy had a relative with a bad heroin addiction and he’s already stressed about it then he opens some skateboard media and sees a heroin ad. That seems like a bummer. I said cancer but what about Miscarriage Skateboards? Like why would you even do that. Just fucking weird, like you couldn’t come up with a single better idea for a brand than just evil shit? You thirteen years old bro? Just annoyed and on a rant. Whoever started this shit is lame. Shapes look cool though

[close]

i understand the sentiment and i’m aware of the hardships related to such and i can’t and don’t speak for anyone other than myself but my mom died from heroin 3 years ago and i still am stoked to see heroin boards at the shop. they’re great boards with good shapes and graphics. but shit man fuck it im addicted to skateboarding it’s running my veins

Sorry to hear about your mom, man.

[Atiba Applebum]

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I could never buy one I get you’ll probably scrape the name off but the name is so cringe and in the worst taste I can’t get over it

Imagine having to explain to your grandma you bought a heroin skateboard, plus not to get too bleeding heart about things but why would any adult be that cavalier about stuff like that, it’s like starting cancer skateboards

I feel the same way about Fucking Awesome in a way, name is too cringe to explain to somebody who doesn’t skate

I understand you can’t let everyone’s opinion dictate every aspect of your life but certain stuff I’m like cmon grow up man, like people wearing clothes with weed shit and swear words all over them, like cmon man. Hate to sound like an old guy but people like that need to grow the fuck up sometimes. Just be respectful of people’s mental space. What if some guy had a relative with a bad heroin addiction and he’s already stressed about it then he opens some skateboard media and sees a heroin ad. That seems like a bummer. I said cancer but what about Miscarriage Skateboards? Like why would you even do that. Just fucking weird, like you couldn’t come up with a single better idea for a brand than just evil shit? You thirteen years old bro? Just annoyed and on a rant. Whoever started this shit is lame. Shapes look cool though

[close]

I get what you're saying but that is 100% that person's responsibility to handle those potential emotions/ thoughts that may arise. This is the same as people getting mad at jokes in a comedy club because they're "going through something." It's a slippery slope that ultimately leads to censorship.

If I had a weird thing about mayonnaise that triggered me whenever I saw it, I wouldn't get angry because someone at a restaurant ordered a hamburger.

What if an unhoused person saw a Habitat ad?
What is a sweatshop worker saw a Toy Machine ad?
What if some woman in a restrictive red state saw a Plan B ad?
What is a visually-impaired person was told about a Blind ad?
What is some one with scoliosis saw a Krooked ad?
What if a facsimile saw a real ad?
What if a Pearl Harbor survivor saw an ad for Zero?
What is someone with OCD saw an ad for Disorder?

[dannyprovolone]

cancer skateboards sounds kind of rad

[fineslime]

cancer skateboards sounds kind of rad

gonna be cancel skateboards if you keep talking that mess.

CANCELLED!!!!

[xrossings]

Mikey has been living rent free in my head for the past 24 hours or so. Does Illegal Civ I exist? I tried to find it and didn't see anything. It also doesn't have an entry on Skatevideosite whereas 2 and 3 do.

I'm not sure why I did but I remember having illegal civ 1 downloaded to my pc I'm pretty sure it used to be easily found on Vimeo but I deleted that file a while ago so I can't reupload it anywhere

[manysnakes]

I have a good skate homie who used to be a street-level heroin user and he skated heroin skateboards. I’ve never brought it up to him but I do often find it to be a bit strange.

Why aren’t we discussing cast iron pans?

[Mean salto]

I have a good skate homie who used to be a street-level heroin user and he skated heroin skateboards. I’ve never brought it up to him but I do often find it to be a bit strange.

Why aren’t we discussing cast iron pans?

Maybe it was a bit like mr burns picking cereal.
Anyone got one of those cast irons with the enamel coating? Seen them around a fair bit lately but seems like it kinda defeats the purpose.

[manysnakes]

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I have a good skate homie who used to be a street-level heroin user and he skated heroin skateboards. I’ve never brought it up to him but I do often find it to be a bit strange.

Why aren’t we discussing cast iron pans?

[close]

Maybe it was a bit like mr burns picking cereal.
Anyone got one of those cast irons with the enamel coating? Seen them around a fair bit lately but seems like it kinda defeats the purpose.

One of the top thrift store disappointments is seeing some amazing enamel cast iron, grabbing it and realizing that someone donated it after they left it on the stovetop too long and now the enamel is destroyed. I’ve thought about trying to remove all the enamel but frankly I would have no idea where to even start and I hardly need another project.

[Frontside Slappy]

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I have a good skate homie who used to be a street-level heroin user and he skated heroin skateboards. I’ve never brought it up to him but I do often find it to be a bit strange.

Why aren’t we discussing cast iron pans?

[close]

Maybe it was a bit like mr burns picking cereal.
Anyone got one of those cast irons with the enamel coating? Seen them around a fair bit lately but seems like it kinda defeats the purpose.

[close]

One of the top thrift store disappointments is seeing some amazing enamel cast iron, grabbing it and realizing that someone donated it after they left it on the stovetop too long and now the enamel is destroyed. I’ve thought about trying to remove all the enamel but frankly I would have no idea where to even start and I hardly need another project.

I saw something from another user on a metal shop forum who had a similar issue, his solution was to wire brush the enamel and finish it off with a grinder before seasoning. Could be worth a shot if you find one that really catches your eye.

[Hefe43]

I do a little bit worry that that dude is getting brigaded right now. He's kooky but that shit can be pretty fucking debilitating especially if you're head maybe isn't totally glued on right.

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what is Mikey's background and how did he end up connected in the industry? Where did he come from?  I feel like he just kind of appeared a few years ago. He can barely skate and has no legitimate talent. Did he have some sort of financial backing to buy into the industry? Is he a Hollywood plant?

[close]

Mikey's mom was the personal assistant to Robert Evans who was kinda the last Hollywood studio mogul before the corporations started buying up all the studios. Broad stokes; the deal with him was that the studio system basically collapsed in the wake of the cultural change of the 60s. Evans was the guy who knew how to look at potential movies and see if they would hit with a big audience, even if on paper they seemed like a wild pitch. Packages like Roman Polanski directing Rosemary's Baby (a huge hit) woulda never happened without Evan's involvement. It would have almost certainly gone to some aging but reliable director with the movie most likely forgotten today. And then there's The Godfather. It was a trashy checkout line bestseller and somehow Coppola made what he made and a lot of that was Evan's guidance as well. He could make hits when the other studios had mostly collapsed trying to.

Part of me thinks Mikey is aware of Robert Evan's ability to parse cultural change and turn it into revenue and that he aspires to do the same. Pretty crummy track record so far though.

That Robert Evans, he banged them, didn’t he?  He banged them all

[Roisto]

Isn’t the story behind the name Heroin Skateboards something like Fos said skateboarding is his heroin, he’s addicted to it and doesn’t need drugs to enjoy it and the point isn’t about glorifying drug use or anything like that? I’m fine with the name but then again I don’t think I’ve ever even known anyone who’s done heroin.

[augustmoon]

I could never buy one I get you’ll probably scrape the name off but the name is so cringe and in the worst taste I can’t get over it

Imagine having to explain to your grandma you bought a heroin skateboard, plus not to get too bleeding heart about things but why would any adult be that cavalier about stuff like that, it’s like starting cancer skateboards

I feel the same way about Fucking Awesome in a way, name is too cringe to explain to somebody who doesn’t skate

I understand you can’t let everyone’s opinion dictate every aspect of your life but certain stuff I’m like cmon grow up man, like people wearing clothes with weed shit and swear words all over them, like cmon man. Hate to sound like an old guy but people like that need to grow the fuck up sometimes. Just be respectful of people’s mental space. What if some guy had a relative with a bad heroin addiction and he’s already stressed about it then he opens some skateboard media and sees a heroin ad. That seems like a bummer. I said cancer but what about Miscarriage Skateboards? Like why would you even do that. Just fucking weird, like you couldn’t come up with a single better idea for a brand than just evil shit? You thirteen years old bro? Just annoyed and on a rant. Whoever started this shit is lame. Shapes look cool though

Wtf are you rambling about

[Gene_Harrogate]

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I could never buy one I get you’ll probably scrape the name off but the name is so cringe and in the worst taste I can’t get over it

Imagine having to explain to your grandma you bought a heroin skateboard, plus not to get too bleeding heart about things but why would any adult be that cavalier about stuff like that, it’s like starting cancer skateboards

I feel the same way about Fucking Awesome in a way, name is too cringe to explain to somebody who doesn’t skate

I understand you can’t let everyone’s opinion dictate every aspect of your life but certain stuff I’m like cmon grow up man, like people wearing clothes with weed shit and swear words all over them, like cmon man. Hate to sound like an old guy but people like that need to grow the fuck up sometimes. Just be respectful of people’s mental space. What if some guy had a relative with a bad heroin addiction and he’s already stressed about it then he opens some skateboard media and sees a heroin ad. That seems like a bummer. I said cancer but what about Miscarriage Skateboards? Like why would you even do that. Just fucking weird, like you couldn’t come up with a single better idea for a brand than just evil shit? You thirteen years old bro? Just annoyed and on a rant. Whoever started this shit is lame. Shapes look cool though

[close]

Wtf are you rambling about

Just the same shit that's been argued about here regarding Heroin ad nauseam.

[Lou Strux]

Heroin-schmeroin… is it really so hard to grock what Fos has alluded to with his company’s branding?
This shit is wicked addicting.

Mind blowing, I know.
But of course, we are obliged to uphold skateboarding’s pristine legacy of good taste, so into the dustbin with Heroin, it is.

But before we chuck this company, i should point out that I didn’t see anybody wringing their hands in anxiety when Illegal Civilization made the skate world an uncomfortable place to negotiate for ex-felons/reformed convicts trying to straighten their post-lock-up lives out.

Probably pretty difficult to navigate society when a skate graphic can trigger you & send you spiraling right back to the nefarious life you left behind in the slammer.