Bones Brigade week on the Chrome Ball Incident begins with legendary 'twist aficionado and unsnakable skatepark impresario, Mike McGill.
Skateboarding's undisputed king of questionable shirt customization, no one has been allowed to wear their own shirt since.
Not sure kids today realize just how goddamn huge the McTwist was back in the day.
...though the Wicked Twister never quite caught on.
A lot of copers on this one, right?
In a related note: Staab is killing these.
And get that new Transworld vid if you haven't already. Super good.
"Twist,Twist,Twist,Twist"!!!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the documentary.
good stuff. i'm still holding out for a Bucky post before this blog dies.
ReplyDeletechops, did you disavow Powell as kid stuff at the dawn of the Rocco era like so many other skaters I knew?
Is the Tracker ad a Christian Slater double?
ReplyDeleteI'm fully backing Bones Brigade week!
ReplyDeleteWish someone would tell that note about "wearing your own shirt" to Eli Reed
ReplyDeleteChapter Seven remains the worst company in skateboarding history.
ReplyDeletePost some of those fry kid graphics.
Genuinely hideous.
Yes, he became immortal when he was the first to land the McTwist, but that doesn't change the fact he was a total kook. I remember some article on the history of the McTwist and someone (could have been Holmes?) said that all of the vert guys were gutted that McGill got there first as they perceived him as a jock. I think they were all rooting for Lester to land it first.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't around back in the day so I can't speak all that much about Mike but I can speak to my experiences with the man.
ReplyDeleteOne of my first trips out to California(1998), we stopped by his shop in Encinitas and he gave us some free pizza even though we hadn't bought anything. He seemed like a cool guy to us then. Later after I had moved out to SD, he would be up at the YMCA park quite a bit. He was so stoked on whoever was skating no matter how "good" they were.
I had some fun sessions with the guy and that makes him okay in my book.
mcgill was and still is the worst. that tracker ad with the snake and the poorly cropped photo is the worst. dude is a kook and has a shoe in walmart.
ReplyDeleteWe used to beg my friends mom to drive us down to McGill's skatepark every couple months. Such a rad park and McGill was always super friendly. Much respect.
ReplyDeleteRad post, but I'm pretty sure the chorus/title to the song you're referencing in the title is "my ship on the water". But I could be wrong.
ReplyDeletethat would definitely make more sense, Matt. you're probably right.
ReplyDeletethanks guys. I've honestly never been the biggest fan of McGill's either but with this being Bones Brigade week, I felt it was time to give the guy his due.
bugs, yes to both.
ReplyDeletebut to be honest, Stacy leaving right as Rocco rose to power didn't help Powell much either.
Anon1, that is indeed a Christian Slater stunt double.
Bansaipipeline, yeah Chapter 7 was pretty rough. Didn't Matt Rodriguez ride for them as an am?
We use to call chapter 7, chapter goose. I live in Australia and Mumford and Bartie use to skate for Chapter 7. Think they use to cop a bit of flac over it...
ReplyDeleteWhile McGill was generally considered a kook by most, his legacy is still important to skateboarding. The skull and snake is one of the most iconic graphics ever and the Bones Brigade wouldn't be the same without him.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Gleaming The Cube made Thrashin' look like the greatest movie ever made!
Calling McGill the worst? Maybe the worst on Powell which still made him a hell of a lot better than the vert pros for other companies...most of them had a career based on a cool haircut and graphics, and little/nothing else.
ReplyDeleteLove that carve at Wallows.
ReplyDeleteMcGill wasn't my favorite either but I always liked him and heard good things about him. I prefer that any day to finding out my heroes were dicks in person.
Whatever ...do a 540 in a cement bowl first and then we will talk about who is a kook. Oh yeah, you better be riding a 9" deck with some soft ass rat bones too. I can't stand people disrespecting legends because of some tasteless business deals done way after the fact. The guy was rad and he is just trying to live, fuck. If you don't like his Walmart shoe then go ahead and buy some shitty $100 sneaks from your local 'core' shop and vibe your way to stardom. Cool guy status ...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stephen. An individual who says Gill is a kook is entitled to his or her opinion. One must give him credit...he landed the 540. One of the biggest kooks in the history of the sport is a Kettering native. Certainly not Gill.
ReplyDeleteWho hasn't landed a 540?
ReplyDeleteChristian Slater stunt double pic is awesome lol
ReplyDeleteFrosted tips never look cool on anyone.
The skull and snake graphic was/is iconic, but then again, all the PP graphics back then were.
I'd be stoked if I invented the Mctwist.