A definitive history of Skateboarding in the UK from 1978–1995 The Read and Destroy archive book project.
“It is impossible to overlook, or underestimate, the influence and importance of RaD magazine… an important social document of a period, that extends much further than simply the world of skateboarding.”
Laurence Johns, Publisher / Archivist / Tooled Up Press, London
This two-volume book revisits the seminal independent magazine RaD (Read and Destroy), first published over 30 years ago – and still with a global following today. It is an inside view on skateboarding and youth culture from the 1970s, 80s and 90s, told primarily through the archives of 6 British skate photographers at the core of the magazine’s original editorial team.
RaD documented a unique time, place and attitude within youth culture – significantly capturing skateboarding’s death, re-birth and progression. For a generation of 1980s youth; pre X Games and the internet, the magazine was a vital connection to their subculture; featuring all the best visiting US professional skaters and showcasing skateboarding talent, both amateur and professional from across the UK and Europe. Under the editorship of Tim Leighton-Boyce an experimental, seemingly irreverent approach quickly established itself – the end result, closer to a fanzine than a traditional glossy news-stand publication. Read and Destroy (preconceptions).
Skateboarding had a vibrant, messy energy as it emerged from the underground and the RaD photographers caught it. These two volumes reunite Vernon ‘Jay Podesta’ Adams, Tony ‘Dobie’ Campbell, ‘Mad’ Mike John, Tim Leighton-Boyce, Paul Sunman and Wig Worland. In addition to these key ‘staff’ photographers, the book will feature highlights from original contributors including Skin Phillips, Andy Horsely, Thomas Campbell, James Hudson, Percy Dean, Leo Sharp, J. Grant Brittain, Spike Jonze and Chris Ortiz amongst others. The main feature of this publication will be the skateboarding that featured in RaD – you’ll hear more from us later as we re-focus on the BMX content.
A new generation of skateboarders, designers and academics are responding with enthusiasm to the original magazines, their energetic content and powerful photography. Today’s audience increasingly view the publication as a valued piece of social history – and for those who lived through it all, it is already a treasured part of their youth (you know who you are).
The two volumes will feature the best photography, writing and design from the original magazine and tell its story through the voices of those involved – new photographer and contributor interviews giving context to the imagery and times. Classic shots of the era appear alongside previously unseen images including personal snaps, unpublished photographs and contact sheets. As the story of the magazine progresses, we reveal original artwork used in the magazine’s design – previously unseen paste-up layouts, visual experiments, proofs and litho films illustrating lost methods of print production and the transition into early DTP.
So much content is previously untold or unseen and all of it comes straight from the source. Those featured will include: Barry and Mark Abrook, Salman Agah, Mark Baker, William Bankhead, Jamie Blair, Arron Bleasdale, Neil Blender, Blaize Blouin, Don Brider, Don Brown, Florian Bohm, Bod Boyle, Phil Burgoyne, J.Grant Brittain, Steve Caballero, John Cardiel, Neil Danns, Eric Dressen, Steve Douglas, Pete Dossett, Simon Evans, Sean Goff, Mark Gonzales, Claus Grabke, Jeff Grosso, Nicky Guererro, Tommy Guerrero, Rodga Harvey, Tony Hawk, Jeremy Henderson, Lucian Hendricks, Matt Hensley, Gavin Hills, Christian Hosoi, Derek ‘Jingles’ Jhingoree, Dan ‘Jagger’ Ball, Spike Jonze, Natas Kaupas, Steve Keenan, Shogo Kubo, Lester Kasai, Garry Lee, Jason Lee, John Lucero, Tony Luckhurst, Mike Manzoori, Curtis McCann, Mike McGill, Alex Moul, Lance Mountain, Rodney Mullen, Shane O’Brien, Chris Ortiz, Tom Penny, Stacy Peralta, Skin Phillips, Davey Phillips, Nick Philip, Jeff Phillips, Lee Ralph, Shane Rouse, Geoff Rowley, John Sablosky, Sean Sheffey, Ben Schroeder, Carl Shipman, David Slade, Kevin Staab, Mike Vallely, Danny Wainwright, Danny Way, Danny Webster, Ged Wells and many more.
Make It Happen join the Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/322122905/rad-the-book-of-the-magazine
Categories
Tags
- Alex Moul
- Arron Bleasdale
- Barry and Mark Abrook
- Ben Schroeder
- Blaize Blouin
- Bod Boyle
- Carl Shipman
- Chris Ortiz
- Christian Hosoi
- Claus Grabke
- Curtis McCann
- Dan ‘Jagger’ Ball
- Danny Wainwright
- Danny Way
- Danny Webster
- Davey Phillips
- David Slade
- Derek ‘Jingles’ Jhingoree
- Don Brider
- Don Brown
- Eric Dressen
- Florian Bohm
- Garry Lee
- Gavin Hills
- Ged Wells
- Geoff Rowley
- J. Grant Brittain
- Jamie Blair
- Jason Lee
- Jeff Grosso
- Jeff Phillips
- Jeremy Henderson
- John Cardiel
- John Lucero
- John Sablosky
- Kevin Staab
- Lance Mountain
- Lee Ralph
- Lester Kasai
- Lucian Hendricks
- Mark Baker
- Mark Gonzales
- Matt Hensley
- Mike Manzoori
- Mike McGill
- Mike Vallely
- Natas Kaupas
- Neil Blender
- Neil Danns
- Nick Philip
- Nicky Guererro
- Pete Dossett
- Phil Burgoyne
- RaD
- Rodga Harvey
- Rodney Mullen
- Salman Agah
- Sean Goff
- Sean Sheffey
- Shane O’Brien
- Shane Rouse
- Shogo Kubo
- Simon Evans
- Skateboarding
- Skateboarding History
- Skin Phillips
- Spike Jonze
- Stacy Peralta
- Steve Caballero
- Steve Douglas
- Steve Keenan
- Tom Penny
- Tommy Guerrero
- Tony Hawk
- Tony Luckhurst
- William Bankhead
