When I was around 13 hanging out at the local skatepark learning the basics, one day an older skater cruised into the park, old deck in hand. He looked around, probably for the nearest kid to hand down his used board to. That kid was me, the deck was a REAL board with a Peter Ramondetta graphic with a Simpsons-esque woman stripping on a stage with a crowd of onlookers looking to donate some singles, the board was used but the graphic was still clear through the thrash marks. I immediately setup my new prized possession determined to ride the board for as long as humanly possible.
Photo:BARRACK
That charitable skater was Dave McKinney. Dave and I have since grown older and become friends, he has no recollection of this but it’s still clear as day for me. McKinney recently started his own small board brand Anthem Skateboards. Purely for his love of skateboarding and determination to support his favorite local skateboarders. Dave puts his design skills to work and has made quality decks with unique shapes and graphics inspired by old boards from his childhood. In this video Dave delves into why he started the company, dedicating his boards to Marc “Shockus” Delellis, his devotion to making graphics that “might make your parents a little bit mad,” and why screen printing is better than heat-pressing graphics.