Been wanting to get these two up here forever. Two of 1991's most promising ams.
The year proved to be quite a productive one for Trent Gaines as he started out sharing a part in Propaganda and then killed it solo a few months later in his amazing Now N Later opener... that is before the wheels (and truck) fell off his short-lived career and was never heard from again.
On the other hand, John Pryor will always represent an enigma to those that remember and difficult to explain for those who don't. Fact of the matter is that including these three ads and about thirty seconds of video footage, his career in the skateboarding's spotlight didn't seem to last more than a couple months. But every single one of the tricks he gave us were pretty damn mind-blowing at the time.
(A quasi-related note to Trent: although it was kinda cool at the time, the short-lived trend of block-long manuals in video parts has not aged gracefully.)
16 comments:
Help me out:
Wasn't John Pryor also in another video in later summer '91 where he also did like two tricks total?
Anyone know?
Great post. Pains me that some people think black kids skating is some new trend. Real skaters know whatsup tho. People need to do their H.W.
On the topic of black am's that never went pro, how about Brian Edwards a good ten years after John Pryor and Trent Gaines
Always thought Trent was so sick, I remember really trying to pop my frontside shuv-its high after seeing his part in the P.E. video. Also, John Pryor rode for Alien Workshop for a minute right after they started up, I skated with him a couple times during that period, rad person. Last I heard, he was living in Seattle and still skating but this was a while a go. Speaking of black skaters from the early 90's, what about Tony Henry? he rode for Real and had a sequence doing one of the first backside noseblunt slides ever. Serious ripper right there.
Damn, Trent Gaine had sick style! And that 'Black Radical' shirt is awesome.
Does anyone know what happened to him?
Had a tape with at least third-generation copies of Now 'n Later, Not the New H-Street Video, and a Soldier's Story. Watched it countless times. Gaines had a sick part, thanks for the reminder. Off to Youtube...
Chops,
I think John Pryor was in the first Tracker video.
13 stair melanchollies...20 years ago. wow
Johnny Pryor STILL holding it down in San Jose! Rips at will. He had a sort-of guest board on Workshop through their Kill Trent Continuum series a couple years back. And yeah, he had a little Tracker part that same year. One of the OG stair killers, but was also super tech. Double heelflip the 7 at Embarcadero in like '92? Yeah Johnny!
I totally forgot about Trent Gaines opening up NnL. I don't think I've watched that part since the early 90's. Those popped fs shoves back then are pretty large. Super sick.
Pryor was in one of the Tracker videos from around 92/93 iirc he's playing Street Fighter 2 at the start of his part and starts swatting a fly while he's playing. Then he skates the EMB 7. Kinda foggy about that video part though. Some kid gave me a dubbed tape with that tracker video and BH Ravers on it.
And Tony Henry! Like D. said... that first bs nb slide ad way back then was sick! And he had a killer melonchollie.
That Gaines Planet Earth ad is incredible. This really is the best website ever. Thanks for making a shitty snow day a little more tolerable.
Trent Gaines deserves to be mentioned so much more. Excellent post
Johnny Pryor is the Mutha F'n man!
JP SJ 4 LIF YEE
John Pryor is still representing in San Jose with the TMA heads is still incredible at skateboarding. That double heel at EMB in 92' is still a double heel over fat pyramids. Not to mention, one of the most down to earth and friendly dudes you'll ever neet. Mad respect.
I seem to remember a Tracker ad with Pryor doing a huge 360 one foot tailgrab down stairs, any ideas Chops?
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