Reminisce Providence

May 19, 2007

In 1993 I was working late night at Kinko’s on some Obey Giant materials when I noticed a guy xeroxing a zine called KILL ROCCO, as in Steve Rocco, the founder of World Industries who many credit with taking the skateboard industry in a negative direction. I told the guy, who introduced himself as John Freeborn, that I had a mini-ramp in my studio and he was welcome to come ride it. He took me up on my offer and totally slayed it on my ramp. We became friends and I sorta sponsored him by giving him t-shirts and stickers. I also put him in my skate and propaganda video “Attention Deficiency Disorder” (which I still have a few VHS copies left of). He started his own skateboard and t-shirt company called GOOD AND EVIL and was kind enough to include a small part for me in his GOOD AND EVIL video in 1995 or so. I’m in section one of the video. The footage of me is on my mini-ramp in my studio in Providence. Notice that in my first run I’m on a normal skateboard, and my second run is on a dinky 70’s toy board. I had more goof off time in 1995. Also, artist Jim Houser is in the video. He actually started drawing and painting seriously while working for me in Providence. John Freeborn went on to co-found Space 1026 in Philadelphia.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=johnfreeborn

-Shepard