Action Now: Loose The Fad. Find The Rad.

WORDS Marcus Bandy PHOTO David Ruano

Change is upon us and the writing is on the wall. Skateboarding is evolving big time. So much so that it’s a bit scary and confusing at times. Where’s it going? Who’s leading? What’s next? But the crazy thing to remember is that you as a skater are the answer to all of these questions. Your choices form skateboarding’s future. If you want to follow the herd, then there’s your answer: Mediocrity and further watering down awaits. If you want something different, then you gotta try and build towards that: Proactive Change. I choose the latter as I believe that although the easy way is most definitely to follow the pack, I’m looking to instigate the evolution I want to see, which is a more valuable community with further innovation and diversity. Basically, I’d rather be a part of the cycles of change than swept away by a flood of lukewarm overflow. The idea here is to loose the fad and find the rad. The search continues.

Although I believe us skateboarders are the most flexible and creative humans on the planet—and I proudly count myself in that number—we are all still prone to the same base human desires of short-term comfort (the quick buck) via conformity and sameness. But life does not work like that—skateboarding does not work that way. Change is constant and it builds who we are as individuals, a community, and a culture. If you want to be better you gotta do better. Fact. We are all born into this life kickin’ (maybe flippin?) and screamin’ (down hills?) and with a fire burning under our li’l bald-baby-butts, and then the revolving process of growing, hard knocks, learning, and building proceeds until it’s lights-out and we move on from this planet. Yeah, this column is pretty esoteric and kind of a bit vague, but that’s exactly how change hits. Do ya see it? What’s happening? Shhh. . . Listen to it. . . Yeah, that strange feeling that shit ain’t the same as it used to be is the only sign—a gut feeling—and it’s quietly telling us to loose the fad and find the rad. Change is here and is a process that slowly builds like a snowball—it will no cease until it has it’s way. There are some who say that certain parts of skateboarding are dying—not true—but they are evolving. If we want the parts of skateboarding we love to morph into great things then we as skaters (as a community) must do great things. Skateboarding is everything to me and I believe that downhill skateboarding, cruising, commuting, sidewalk surfing, curb ripping, coping scrapes, lofty aerials, and the like all have a place in skateboarding and can respectfully co-exist & thrive. In fact, they already do and have for a long time. . .

Anyway, in this time of change I believe we should focus on the rad and leave the fads behind us. Since I know I’m not your real dad, please simply let these words stand as a humble sharing of ideas from one homie to the other homies. Shredlove! Also, please leave you comments below and join me tonight at 5PM PST on the “Wheelbasemag” Periscope for a live streaming discussion. See below of further details.

-Marcus Bandy

@wheelbasemag

Join the live-streaming discussion of this week’s Action Now column later today Thursday at 5PM PST via the WheelbaseMag Periscope. THAT’S TONIGHT!!!

Also, please make sure to spread the word about this and add any comments ya have below in the comment section so that we can discuss them on-air tonight once we go live. Shredlove and thanks for checking out Wheelbase Magazine and my column!

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I just want to reiterate that the comments and ideas presented above are published with the sole purpose to create dialogue, not as instruction. If any of these ideas get your panties in a bunch please first: relax, and then pluck and place said undergarments in a more comfortable position and let’s have a heathy skater-to-skater chat. The live streaming Periscope discussion for this week’s Action Now column begins at 5PM PST tonight (3//2016).