So I had this tap open in the background for at least a good day, since it was still in page 4. I had my rant in my head, had a rant while skating with a buddy (and he was ranting as well), but all I can say is that we should take this as a lesson to learn. The DONT DO IT campaign of the 2000s got to me and I understood every bit of it (probably because I was listening to a lot of punk at the time). I've had a few pairs of Fallens, but I've also had a few pairs of Emericas, eS, Lakai, DVS, etc. IPath Cats, yep. Actually I think I've had like 4 or 5 pairs of Fallens, the last one being the Slashs that changed colors on the flick area in the suede over time. Its not too hard to guess that in 2008 - 2009 I was wearing the troopers, rippers, and had those purple cheif mids lol.... ah man.
We aren't just the ones to blame also. You can point at your buddy who wears Nikes all the time to skate, but its the whole damn line up to the pros that advertise it. Kids are easily influenced, and not only when his favourite pro skater is wearing Janoskis, the local ripper is also wearing Janoskis, kids will be kids and they will want to mimic. And by the time they grow up enough to know whether they want to support skater-owned brands, it will be too late since all the shoes will be jsut the corporate ones, and the only option they really have is to support the brands that started in skateboarding, which is just Vans and DC. DC is pretty much only alive thanks to their motorcross, rally, and snowboard shit.
As far as the Team.... I can see Dickson and Slash going to Emerica, but I heard they hate each other so dunno, Tommy and Dane will probably end up on Dekline or Vans if lucky. Well I'm happy enough to have met and hang out with them while they were in Thailand for the Road Less Traveled tour. Celebrated Tony Cervantes' birthday and blazed with Tommy and Jimmy Carlin (he got off Fallen like 4 weeks after that).
I filmed their demo at the old skatepark (before they redesigned the whole thing)