The 1980s and 1990s saw the advent of skateboard videos, providing an outlet for a new pool of music that resonated and still does with us! I’m talking about the videos where we heard fresh music and had to hear more from the band.
Skateboard videos gave rise to iconic bands such as The Odd Numbers, Kinghorse, Drunk Injuns, Big Boys, and JFA, just to name a few.
In addition to the legends I just mentioned, Skateboard Videos also brought attention to some of the best rap music created during this time. But since I grew up mainly on Punk Rock and Thrash, and I’m writing this piece, that’s the focus! (Just a little humor for you.)
Iconic videos like The New Deal’s “Useless Wooden Toys” and Santa Cruz’s “Streets on Fire” and “Risk It” featured these phenomenal bands.
The Boombox Era: Skateboarding’s Original Soundtrack
Who could forget lugging around boomboxes with cassette tapes, replaying these bands as we mastered tricks on backyard ramps and street spots? Even today, these bands resonate with the skateboarding community.
Their music has become our default soundtrack, although we prefer earpods to boom boxes. The 80s and 90s were memorable periods in skateboarding culture, with these bands playing a pivotal role in shaping the movement.
We wore these band’s t-shirts to show off who we were listening to and wrote their names on our grip tape with paint pens.
Expressing Identity Through Music and Skateboarding
As time passed, these bands gained even more recognition from skateboarders and the wider music community. Their sound was unmistakable and, to this day, remains a significant influence in punk rock and hardcore genres.
When many think of skateboarding and music, these bands come to mind. Although they may have started in the underground scene, their influence is now felt worldwide. Most of us have been or are still in bands, which these bands had a heavy impact on.
The Golden Era of Skateboarding: The 80s and 90s
The 1980s and 1990s were an important time in skateboard culture’s evolution, and these bands provided a scene for us that will be remembered for years to come. With their music still being played, it’s clear that these bands will live on for a long time.
Even now, we proudly wear our favorite band’s t-shirt, attend local shows, skate to their beats, and pay homage to these groups while reminiscing about the good old days. Skateboarding and music go together like peanut butter and jelly or sardines and mustard… Well, to each their own, but you get the idea!
So next time you’re listening to these bands, remember… The music was instrumental in helping shape the culture of skateboarding as we know it today. Without them, skating wouldn’t be nearly as much fun.
Here are some links to the bands mentioned above
KINGHORSE( Great article on the band here)
Keep their legacy alive by sharing their music, and don’t forget to thank them by buying their merch and going to their shows! We owe them for giving us the soundtrack to our lives!