Epicly Later'd: Chocolate Skateboards

[Abyss1]

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Kind of have to agree that us Skaters have to be open to alcoholism/drugs/partying... I mean the lifestyle isn't all that sugar coated like people think.

[close]

Skateboarding is a dangerous activity. To get into it and to have the confidence to do tricks down stairs, rails etc you really have to be somewhat of a risk taker. Considering this, I don't think it's that surprising that so many skaters have substance abuse issues.

This EL is great. I hope they cover what happened to some of the older guys- Gabriel, Paulo etc. It's crazy to think that Chocolate survived Keenan's death as I can see how that would crush many crews/brands (looking at Flip).

Not only that its that skating is a good option for escaping "reality", i spent most my life avoiding certain people, and through skating i get to indulge without being criticized (to some extent)

[SomeWorries]

That was hard to watch.

I know for myself that Keenan's death has been the hardest of the deaths within the skateboard community. He was more a representative of my scene, my community, my kind of skating than anyone else and he really was a pillar of Chocolate, like everyone was saying. I see old ads and videos and what Chocolate looked like back then and still get shook from time to time. It didn't help that he got two or three [really good] covers after that, either.

This is more gossip, but I remember Meza wrote an article or something years after Yeah Right! that alluded to some drama regarding the Keenan tribute. He mentioned a courtroom, the vid, and the Girl heads, I think. Anybody know what that was about? Or even what I'm talking about?

Keenan Forever.

[OldieButFrenchie]

keenan's death always reminded me of brian jones. anyone know that story? he might prolly got drowned by hells angels or he could've been too fucked up and drowned organically but he had a ton of people over and died the same way.
difference being the stones wanted him out and [at least the way they're telling it] chocolate/girl just wanted him to sober up.

the "rock and roll" lifestyle shares a lot of the same pitfalls as pro skating.... A bit of money, fame, lots of free time, partying and things can go wrong pretty quick.
I hope some young guys watch this, and not just us old farts who don't really need to be "warned" anymore.

anyways, really good episode. reminded me of the Fabian Alomar one, which was super heavy too.
this got my day to a pretty gloomy start I have to say. RIP Keenan Milton.

[Budo]

^ Never thought of it from the risk taker point of view, always looked at it on a pleasure seeking/instant gratification level, but with risk taking added this issue is obvious.

Keenan's death issue/article in Transworld was one of the first skateboarding magazines I ever bought.  I still want to switch flip a table like him.

[360 frip]

Really hard issue to cover but it was covered really well.

No sugar coating and you can really sense the loss.

RIP Keenan.

[UserFame]

Keenan was my favorite!

Keenan Forever

probably my favorite episode from Epicly Laterd, really on par with the Mariano ones.

[Teak]

That was a heavy episode.

Keenan Forever.

[sharkbarf]

Really hard issue to cover but it was covered really well.

No sugar coating and you can really sense the loss.

RIP Keenan.

I agree it was a great episode but did they really need to cover it? I felt the loss when it happened back then but I dont know, I just feel like crailtap is milking the last bits of their OG team. It would be great to cover other things we dont know about. Keenan will always be around. 

[nylin]

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Really hard issue to cover but it was covered really well.

No sugar coating and you can really sense the loss.

RIP Keenan.

[close]

I agree it was a great episode but did they really need to cover it? I felt the loss when it happened back then but I dont know, I just feel like crailtap is milking the last bits of their OG team. It would be great to cover other things we dont know about. Keenan will always be around. 

Milking it? Theres no way they could do an Epicly Later'd on Chocolate and NOT cover one of the most important issues in the history of the company. I'm sure everyone would be shocked if they hadn't mentioned his passing especially as Keenan was one of the most iconic skaters on Chocolate. 

[zuma]

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Really hard issue to cover but it was covered really well.

No sugar coating and you can really sense the loss.

RIP Keenan.

[close]

I agree it was a great episode but did they really need to cover it? I felt the loss when it happened back then but I dont know, I just feel like crailtap is milking the last bits of their OG team. It would be great to cover other things we dont know about. Keenan will always be around. 

[close]

Milking it? Theres no way they could do an Epicly Later'd on Chocolate and NOT cover one of the most important issues in the history of the company. I'm sure everyone would be shocked if they hadn't mentioned his passing especially as Keenan was one of the most iconic skaters on Chocolate. 

i respect them a lot for doing this- there ve been a lot of rumors.

rest in paradise keenan!

[DannyDee]

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Kind of have to agree that us Skaters have to be open to alcoholism/drugs/partying... I mean the lifestyle isn't all that sugar coated like people think.

[close]

Skateboarding is a dangerous activity. To get into it and to have the confidence to do tricks down stairs, rails etc you really have to be somewhat of a risk taker. Considering this, I don't think it's that surprising that so many skaters have substance abuse issues.

This EL is great. I hope they cover what happened to some of the older guys- Gabriel, Paulo etc. It's crazy to think that Chocolate survived Keenan's death as I can see how that would crush many crews/brands (looking at Flip).

That might be a factor, but i'd think its more of a situation where young people are making significant money (board sales for brands like Girl/Chocolate around Keenans death were huge) and are able to live an unstructured lifestyle (no regular 9 to 5) the rates of drug usage are gonna be high. Not sayings this is fully comparable but look at the rates of drug usage/addication among famous young musicians and actors.

[Durndle]

I started skating around '99 and didn't know too much about the dude but I remember there was a 411 dvs commercial where he switch varial heels over a rail and this old dude gets hyped and shakes his hand. I remember thinking wow, that's good style even though I didn't really get it yet. wish I could find it on youtube. rip keenan

[Iceman]

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Kind of have to agree that us Skaters have to be open to alcoholism/drugs/partying... I mean the lifestyle isn't all that sugar coated like people think.

[close]

Skateboarding is a dangerous activity. To get into it and to have the confidence to do tricks down stairs, rails etc you really have to be somewhat of a risk taker. Considering this, I don't think it's that surprising that so many skaters have substance abuse issues.

This EL is great. I hope they cover what happened to some of the older guys- Gabriel, Paulo etc. It's crazy to think that Chocolate survived Keenan's death as I can see how that would crush many crews/brands (looking at Flip).

[close]

That might be a factor, but i'd think its more of a situation where young people are making significant money (board sales for brands like Girl/Chocolate around Keenans death were huge) and are able to live an unstructured lifestyle (no regular 9 to 5) the rates of drug usage are gonna be high. Not sayings this is fully comparable but look at the rates of drug usage/addication among famous young musicians and actors.

i would say it's both of those factors plus kids that have had a poor upbringing seem to be attracted to skating.

[dougDfresh]

Here in LA we just got over some November Rain. The sun is now out and the birds are chirping. So I thought why not catch part II of the Chocolate epicly later'd. Shit was bitter sweet. I don't know why fools think Chocolate is milking Keenan's status, I guess they either are too young to understand the man's impact or they don't understand how epicly later'ds work. Anyhow, I'm glad Lee shared out and added clarity. I remember Gino and Keenan lived by the Beverly Center, here in LA and I remembered hearing that it was ecstacy. In terms of those details, I know nothing could bring Keenan back, but hearing the details of the story could possibly influence some to get sober, tone it down a little, or at least be more careful.

It's a trip hearing how Mike reacted since I remember being at the USC blocks the day that Keenan got jacked and Mike came up to me to ask me if I was around when they took Keenan's bag. When he asked, I didn't know who did it so I said, "no." I remember Mike being so pissed he started looking at all the skaters and he just began kicking parking meters. In other words, I could see him blaming people because that would be his coping behavior. I've been in situations when friends have over dosed and died. Those situations cause a lot of reflection, anger, guilt, and sometimes people change their lives for the better because of it, while other times friendships are ended and people dive deeper into the cut. Anyhow, on a happier note. Mike York speaks the truth. There are people who could SW flip a table off flat, but you can't do it like Keenan. I remember when he landed that he hit up my brother for a smoke because he kept betting my brother for a smoke and he finally landed it.

I hope part III talks about Gabriel leaving Chocolate. Given part II, I somewhat doubt they would but I always wanted to know what happened with him. I somewhat know what happened to Paulo, but all I know about Gabriel was he was getting deeper into tagging. Aside from this, nothing. I can't see tagging getting him off the team since Guy and them were also tagging and part of the D.O.C. crew because of Joey and Fabian. All those dudes were still around in the industry when Gabriel fell off so this is all a mystery to me.

[Cosme]

^ I believe that I have read about the Gabriel thing somewhere.

HERE - this 2011 interview conducted by Seb Carayol in Skateboarder:
http://www.skateboardermag.com/features/lost-found-gabriel-rodriguez-interview/

[asakusa75]

^ I believe that I have read about the Gabriel thing somewhere.

HERE - this 2011 interview conducted by Seb Carayol in Skateboarder:
http://www.skateboardermag.com/features/lost-found-gabriel-rodriguez-interview/

Gnarly. Gabriel was so sick.

[dougDfresh]

^ I believe that I have read about the Gabriel thing somewhere.

HERE - this 2011 interview conducted by Seb Carayol in Skateboarder:
http://www.skateboardermag.com/features/lost-found-gabriel-rodriguez-interview/

Thanks Cosme! Very cool interview. Very sad to hear that drinking ended everything for him and to know that he is still struggling with getting a regular job. Since this interview is over 3 years old I hope that by now he has managed to pull something off and that he has gotten a way to get back to City College and finish what he started. In terms of the interview, Gabriel did seem to hold back some info, however, because I know that the graffiti thing was not just a passing thing since he ran with a tagging crew that gave him some respect for his writing not his skating. I remember that his tagging interest was early 90s, even late 80s because my brother and I would kick it with Juan who was also sponsored by Powell during the time that Paulo, Guy, Gabriel, and Rudy were. In fact, Juan was technically the 5th LA Boy (somewhat like the 5th Beatle), but do to graffiti, Juan skated less and less until he quit entirely. I know Juan introduced Gabriel to graffiti, because I've kicked it at Gabriel's mom's house when they would hold meetings there from time to time. Anyhow, it just seems unbelievable for his success just to fade over such a thing. Anyhow, I'm sure the number of people this happens to is staggering. Thanks for sharing!

[yeahisaidit]

I started skating around '99 and didn't know too much about the dude but I remember there was a 411 dvs commercial where he switch varial heels over a rail and this old dude gets hyped and shakes his hand. I remember thinking wow, that's good style even though I didn't really get it yet. wish I could find it on youtube. rip keenan

[nice_guy_2]

gino of chocolate on fa

[doublesteveburger]

This was so heavy.


This specific topic along with Dianna Templeton talking about Ed's injuries/Arto discussing Shane has got to be one of the most heartwrenching things ever in the history of Epicly Later'd. 

[kools]

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Kind of have to agree that us Skaters have to be open to alcoholism/drugs/partying... I mean the lifestyle isn't all that sugar coated like people think.

[close]

Skateboarding is a dangerous activity. To get into it and to have the confidence to do tricks down stairs, rails etc you really have to be somewhat of a risk taker. Considering this, I don't think it's that surprising that so many skaters have substance abuse issues.

This EL is great. I hope they cover what happened to some of the older guys- Gabriel, Paulo etc. It's crazy to think that Chocolate survived Keenan's death as I can see how that would crush many crews/brands (looking at Flip).

[close]

That might be a factor, but i'd think its more of a situation where young people are making significant money (board sales for brands like Girl/Chocolate around Keenans death were huge) and are able to live an unstructured lifestyle (no regular 9 to 5) the rates of drug usage are gonna be high. Not sayings this is fully comparable but look at the rates of drug usage/addication among famous young musicians and actors.

It's also about how these young kids are put up on a pedestal by the skateboard industry.
Drug use and the pirate lifestyle is glorified within the skateboard industry.
It gives skaters a character that companies can market, but nobody takes responsibility for it's repercussions.

Similar story to the Pappas brothers. flying too close to the sun.

[dougDfresh]

This was so heavy.


This specific topic along with Dianna Templeton talking about Ed's injuries/Arto discussing Shane has got to be one of the most heartwrenching things ever in the history of Epicly Later'd.�

Agree. It was cool seeing Ed doing nose blunt slides in this year's Toy Machine Halloween video clip. When I saw him there I immediately thought about Dianna talking about Ed's neck injury.

These episodes might be too old, but it would be cool if they went into Gino leaving.

[360 frip]

Was the Stevie Williams story about eating bags of coffee really about coke? 

[Patey]

Was the Stevie Williams story about eating bags of coffee really about coke? 

Holy shit, never thought about it like that

[Aatila]

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Was the Stevie Williams story about eating bags of coffee really about coke? 

[close]

Holy shit, never thought about it like that

WOAH

[nylin]

where was all that footage of Stevie whooping on those white dudes from?

I think its from here.

[woodsman]

That Stevie fight was from '95. It was the middle of the street on lower Haight. One of those guys punched his friend Gary. You can't see from the footage but the first guy he hit was knocked the fuck out.

[360 frip]

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Was the Stevie Williams story about eating bags of coffee really about coke? 

[close]

Holy shit, never thought about it like that

[close]

WOAH

Realistically, who eats a whole pack of coffee to go and skate when you're jet-lagged as fuck? It would make you feel like shit and sick. A bag of coke might perk you up though! I just took it as Stevie not wanting to snitch. May be thinking too much though...

[Nosferatu]

p sure its about coffee. thats why it seemed strange. stevie isnt fazed by coke.

[shark tits]

yeah, i'm gonna go out on a limb and conjecture they did not smuggle cocaine across the world so they could eat it and pep up for a demo. sometimes a cigar is just a penis. sorry, freudian slip.
ps if you've ever tried to skate on coke you'd know how jittery/heart attacky it feels.