Once Upon A Rollerstar

Kris Menace Feat. Emil 'Walkin' On The Moon' (Official Video) - Out Now

2010-12-06T21:50:00.000-08:00

music therapy.

Sole Mate

2010-05-07T14:10:00.000-07:00

Finding the perfect rollerskate can sometimes lead one to wonder what the hell makes one skate better than any other. Or why most rollerskaters tend to gravitate towards a certain boot or wheel. I get a ton of emails from folks searching for the answers to their skate search questions and so I thought I would share some pointers to those who might be contemplating buying rollerskates themselves. The most common misconception people have is that their only choice is to buy the skates that are pre-configured at the skate shop or roller rink. Not true. My first piece of advice to anyone is to not go this route. First, go try on a basic Riedell skate boot to get your skate size, and then research your best price options on the internet.

Once you know your skate size, you can begin to build your skate from the most fitting of the below four components.

BOOT

Skate boots can vary widely in price-- from a lowkey $60 suede "outdoor" boot to a ridiculously rock solid $500 leather competitive boot. I witness a lot of novice skaters drop entirely way too much money on an ultra slick Riedell competitive boot, only to develop oozing blisters and a deep disdain for skating because they bought a boot intended for triple axles. Not necessary. Keep in mind that your first boot should allow movement and comfort. You're going to have to skate for years to wear out your first pair, so choose something comfortable and light-- the more expensive a boot is, the heavier its weight, typically. For the more adventurous and style conscious types, there is always the option of finding a cool pair of high top sneakers to create a custom skate from. Custom skates can be created from everything from dress spats to cowboy boots-- though I would not recommend either of these straight out the gates. Creating a custom skate will not cost you any more than mounting the individual components around any other boot. But taking it to the right person to mount is critical.

WHEELS

Perhaps the most important consideration in determining the perfect rollerskate is one's choice of wheels. There is a fairly broad spectrum of wheels to choose from (measured in mm as well as hardness "A"), but the most important considerations are: how fast do you want to skate and what surface will you typically be skating on. The gold standard for indoor rollerskaters are Bones Elites-- which offer the perfect wheel surface for supreme speed, but will set you back about $90 (8 wheels). However, with normal rotation, Bones will last the average skater 10 or more years due to their hardness (103A).

If you plan to do a lot of outdoor recreational skating, a skateboard wheel is the optimal choice. Why? Because a softer wheel absorbs the shock of skating on pavement. Try rollerskating down a Venice street in Bones and you will quickly appreciate the shock absorption of a softer wheel. Being a devoted bike path skater, I roll on vintage Sims Snakes, a circa 1978 skateboard wheel which is highly resilient on outdoor surfaces and the perfect freestyle wheel. A contemporary equivalent would be a set of Kryptonics (78A-92A), which will offer a smooth ride on rough and cracked surfaces-- a must for outdoor skaters who want to brave the city streets as easily as the bike path or sidewalk.

BEARINGS

Along with the right set of wheels, one should never underestimate the power of a solid set of bearings. I won't recommend anything but Bones, so I will offer up selections from the most reasonable (but still excellent) to the most ridiculous bearings the vast majority of novice through professional skaters use.

Bones Reds -- a perfectly good set of reasonably priced bearings. Don't bother looking for more affordable bearings. These are the baseline. Price $29 (set of 16)

Bones Super Reds -- some slight advantages over the plain ol' Reds... mostly to be seen in overall longevity. Price $49 (set of 16)

Bones Swiss -- these are the standard for most serious rollerskaters. Until you can appreciate the differences, opt for the more affordable version. Price $85 (set of 16)

Bones Ceramics -- these bearings boast silicon nitride balls rather than chromium steel. I recommend investing in these bearings for a pair of indoor only rollerskates. The elements of water, sand and cement would

wreak havoc on a set of these; but a pristine set on an indoor wood floor

would be divine! Price $199 (set of 16)

PLATES

It isn't until one is spinning or skating on extreme edges that the type of plate begins to make a major difference in skating ability. I happily rolled on a basic nylon plastic plate made by Sure Grip for about five years until I found a pair of Snyder Imperial aluminum plates that had a 45 degree angle with adjustable pivot pins. What? Exactly. The setback with this transition was that I went from a virtually zero weight plate that allowed for effortless kicks and no gravitational pull to a skate that was much heavier-- and impacted jumps and kicks tremendously (a.k.a., hip joint pain). The payoff of the switch was in suddenly being able to position myself (leaning, balancing, etc.) in ways I never had before. Skating backwards while doing a full leg extension and leaning at a 20 degree angle.... that is something that was possible, but not easy to maintain gracefully on a nylon plate. The construction of an aluminum plate guarantees a smoother, stronger skate on the bike path too (aluminum trucks make for a much longer stride). Whatever your choice, the important thing to keep in mind is: should you choose to not start out with a high end plate, there are advantages to introducing one later on, when you can appreciate the differences. If you begin with one, you will feel a heavier skate beneath, but no real difference with mechanics until you are at a semi-advanced level. NOTE: skate plates can run smaller than skate boots so make sure to ask before purchasing.

MOUNTING

Assuming you acquire your rollerskate components at one or more websites or skate shops and have a pile of disparate parts, you could be asking "What's next?" Answer: Finding someone who can mount the boot to the plate. My strong advice is to ask fellow rollerskaters who they take their skates to for mounting and repairs. If you can't find a reliable local source,throw your skate parts in a box and mail to Richard Humphrey, who is an expert at mounting shoes, boots and skates to plates.

INSOLES

Once you get your skates home, do yourself a favor and take out those flimsy paper thin insoles that come with the skate and treat yourself to a pair of $20 insoles purchased at a running shoe store. I promise that the right insoles can make even the most modest of skates ride like heaven.

If this all sounds like a whole lot of work, go ahead and opt for the shelf model and swap out the wheels and bearings to high end indoor or outdoor styles (basic skate models usually opt for the lowest end wheel and bearing options). But keep in mind that a pair of rollerskates can last you a lifetime; if you compare a $200 purchase to the expenses associated with other recreational activities like cycling, snowboarding or golf, the investment seems almost trivial.

B.Y.O.A. = Bring Your Own Afro

2010-03-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

Whenever I am asked what inspired the creation of Rollerstar, I usually begin launching into a rapid rundown of each and every live performance, music video, private party, summer concert series or other event I, or any other skaters I know, have been asked to perform in over the past twelve years-- only to explain that 99.9% of them were centered around a 70's Rollerdisco theme... as if, after 30 odd years, a celebration of that era remains the ONLY occasion for which one might throw on a pair of quad rollerskates. Ever.

Now, don't get me wrong. I myself am a product of the 70's and feel insanely nostalgic whenever I recall unwrapping my first real pair of rollerskates in 1979 and heading out on the smooth pavement to the tunes of Saturday Night Fever-- only to be swept up by Skatetown U.S.A., Roller Boogie, and Xanadu a year later. I think it's safe to assume that any young girl growing up in the San Fernando Valley at the time was a certified devotee of rollerskating. The rollerdisco phenomenon that swept the country resonated strongly with Valley Girls as we were surrounded-- north, south, east and west-- by roller rinks. But unbeknownst to the rest of the world, rollerskating actually survived the rollerdisco era and evolved with popular music into contemporary genres like pop, neosoul, house, electronic, rap and hip-hop-- in fact, it continues to evolve to this very day, in unimaginable ways.

People's imaginations continue to take a turn down Disco Lane because they haven't been afforded the opportunity to glimpse into the subcultures of roller rink and recreational park skaters that have thrived since 1980 and witness the modern adaptation of the art form into freestyle, artistic, street and jam expressions set to the popular music of TODAY. Rollerstar was created to show the masses all that the world of entertainment is missing by looking to the past every time it pays homage to rollerskating. The party is over here, in 2010. And it's far more fly than the tired afro you've been wearing since 1980.

Rollerdisco Hall of Fame:

Austin Powers Goldmember Rollerdisco Scene

WAMU Rollerdisco Commercial

Flight of the Conchords - "Ladies of the World" music video

Madonna Goes To The Disco on Skates for "Sorry" Video

Jessica Simpson -- 70's Rollerdisco!!!

ROLLERSTAR ~ RETURNS

2010-03-01T13:45:00.000-08:00

In spite of the delays involved in bringing this next episode of Rollerstar together, I am absolutely ecstatic to share our newest creation with the world. What was once a dream of mine to create a place where devotees of dancing on rollerskates could share their unique styles with an eager audience has grown into a full-fledged mission to foster the art form of dancing on rollerskates in a creative atmosphere void of all expectation.

I hope that you all will join us March 27th, 2010 for another spectacular roller-collaboration. Bring your friends, family and anyone else who needs a little inspiration to put their skates back on!

www.rollerstarlive.com

Solve et Coagula — Separate, and Join Together

2010-01-22T18:17:00.000-08:00

All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.
-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

While Mercury Retrograde swiftly made its exit the week of January 11, 2010, taking the contents of my hard drive with it, I was suddenly forced to take inventory of the exhaustive amount of Rollerstar ~ Part Deux which existed therein. Ever the eager student of alchemy, I assembled a digital laboratory to recoup my soul's creation from its separated state; but only came to the daunting conclusion that my scheduled show on January 22, 2010 would have to endure a delay.

I liken the creation of each unique Rollerstar installment to giving birth and therefore felt a sense of frustration upon realizing that I would not be able to deliver on time, according to schedule. But then I stumbled upon the wise Dr. Martin Luther King., Jr.'s quote above and surrendered to a higher cause-- that of painstaking excellence. My commitment to creating a production worth being proud of is far more important than accomplishing the incomplete. I hope the wait will prove worth it for all of you inquiring as to the next show date. Please know I am in the lab, channeling Hermes Trismegistus, transmuting base fragments into an elixir for the senses... Rollerstar ~ Part Deux, I envisage-- will blow any remaining stereotypes of rollerskating well beyond wherever Mercury has taken pains to steal my previously created labors.

Angeleno Magazine Covers Rollerstar in its December '09 issue!

2009-12-02T20:15:00.000-08:00

Plan B --

2009-10-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

The past year has been a remarkable journey for me. Not only because of the realization of Rollerstar; more important than even that was the confirmation that only in taking a great risk was I able to shape my life into that which I imagined.

In all honesty, until I shared my carefully guarded creation with the world, I was not convinced that a decade long apprenticeship on wheels had proven itself a wise investment of my time. In spite of having no example to follow and zero promise of return, I embarked upon a very unorthodox career change just over one year ago, deciding in the midst of an economic crisis, "What the hell... I may as well manifest my dreams in the process." Friends and family observed with very concerned "Are you sure about this?" expressions on their faces. At times I wondered the same myself. But when is anything worth doing a sure thing? Never, that's when.

Fortunately for me (or unfortunately... depending on how you view your glass), what brought my decision on was the departure from a career I had been holding onto for all of the wrong reasons. What made this decision frightening was that it preceded the onset of our current financial crisis by a mere few weeks. Facing the stark reality of some really dry times approaching, I asked myself what the single most unique contribution I could make to the global economy was at that point in time and the answer became quite clear. In a pool of thousands, with little to no enthusiasm for my present career path, I stood to starve in the current state of the nation's economy if I continued on the same path. I needed to tap into something much deeper within myself to ride this impending wave out. I needed to turn a dream into an action plan.

But doing so is far more difficult than following the status quo. That is probably why so few people dare to make the same decision as I did. Far too often we are told to be rational in our approach to securing a livelihood. My approach was hardly rational. Continuously, we are assaulted with fear-based messages questioning our deeply held ambitions. My ambition was foolishly nostalgic. Thankfully, I was spot on in my assumption that the world was ready for my foolishly nostalgic and irrational creation. Sometimes circumstances that prevent us from following the soundest course are truly a blessing in disguise. In my case, I am thankful my resume got lost in the thousands piling up since last September. For if it had been circulating in a boom, as opposed to a depression, Rollerstar would still only exist in my mind. And that is not where it belongs.

Friends on wheels

2009-09-25T19:04:00.000-07:00

The interpretation of certain dance styles onto rollerskates is not a skill every dancer--or skater can possess; but there exist in the world certain individuals who have created a brand of skating so uniquely theirs that it becomes recognizable, even in an iPod silhouette commercial. A friend and fellow Venice skater Terrell Ferguson was one of the highlighted skaters in that commercial and he did not have to call me on the phone to tell me that he had landed the iPod commercial. It was obvious from the moment they cut to his spin who was skating.

While creating a vignette depicting a modern version of Swan Lake on rollerskates, I needed a female who could pull off a number depicting the Black Swan to an extremely intense song by A Perfect Circle. There was only one person I could ever consider for the part-- Courtney Rae Ross-Tait. Where some skaters draw a very clear boundary between what they can and cannot do, none exists for this woman. She is utterly fearless, throwing her body in unimaginable contortions while spinning, jumping and writhing around on the ground-- always in the most impressively defiant way. I was beyond thrilled when Courtney agreed to perform in Rollerstar, and feel it is my duty as a producer (and admirer), to implore the world to witness this force on wheels.

Similarly, while watching two of my favorite Venice skaters one day, I created the idea behind a tribute number dedicated to the survival spirit of the Harlem rent party era in the form of Dee Upshaw and Terrell Ferguson-- whose expressive interpretations of legendary Venice line dances so perfectly epitomized this spirit, they inspired its creation.

Such are the stories and muses responsible for the conception-- and manifestation of Rollerstar. My own inner divine discontent with the prevailing disco stereotype of rollerskating turned reality in the form of a collaboration between some of the most amazing talents on rollerskates. It makes me smile to think that something which existed for so long in my imagination is finally happening. With a whole lotta help from some friends.

Original S(p)in.

2009-09-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

If you've ever crossed over from the wobbly "I want to spin" realm into the zen tranquility of a whirling dervish on wheels sensation, then you probably remember the exact "a ha" moment when your roller enlightenment took place. I assure you, for most, it was no small feat in the book of skating achievements. Learning to spin is akin to actually meditating. One can get up there and give it a go... even look like they are in the zone, but to master the technique takes true dedication. And surrender. Few people do it well. Even fewer are true masters. I've seen some greats in my time.... Christopher does a great one legged spin that seems to last through twenty rotations. There is also Terrell, who manages to spin faster than anyone else I've ever witnessed, while covering his eyes. And Nelson can remain spinning longer than most people take to copulate. But at the top of the spin chain is a woman from the San Diego skate crew whose name escapes me. She lowers herself into a one-legged sit spin whose force is pulling from a single front wheel. Now, try this at home. Lower yourself into a sit spin position wearing regular old shoes and then put all of your weight in the outer front corner of a single foot. Hold for about ten seconds and then raise yourself up without falling to the ground. Yeah.... okay, so in the world of spinning, I consider her a bona fide yogi.

I've learned that trying to control and force a spin is where one flounders. The origin of any true spin, if not completely by accident, is in finding your "sweet spot"-- the angle at which your two front wheels are rotating around their base. Skateboards have a similar sweet spot that allow for a few amazing rotations on the two front wheels, but being that skates are attached to one's feet, rollerskaters have the advantage of being able to power an infinite spin (thoeretically) where a skateboard eventually loses force.

Prior to discovering my sweet spot, I found my spinning "master" in fellow rollerskater Nelson Bracamonte-- a true expert in the mechanics of skating. With his occasional observations and sound advice, my first success at spinning was akin to riding a bike-- a perfectly natural and incredibly easy thing to do from that moment on. How strange it felt to suddenly know how to do something that had eluded me for so long. But even stranger that I could no sooner tell another person how I landed that spin than prior to its occurrence.

After a few years of improving and tweaking spins and mastering them from both left and right sides (important!), my advice to those still learning is to never lose hope because the causal chain in rollerskating is unpredictably bizarre. Only days after I finally understood how to launch into crazy legs, I was spinning. I never connected the two moves as being related, but once one was mastered, the other came easily. The connection is in learning one's outer from inner edges. The wise instructions of Mr. Miyagi in Karate Kid, "Wax on, wax off" never made much sense to me until I hit my original spin. That day marked a key moment in which I had finally learned the basics... and spinning nirvana was only a breath away.

Note: this video, as well as a handful of others posted on my venicerollerstar YouTube account was taken by the talented Carlos Avendano-- a gifted artist, bad boy rollerskater, and amazing friend. Muchas gracias Carlito!

Signature.

2009-08-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

It's pretty much a fact of science that no two signatures are exactly alike. One can attempt to copy a signature and come strikingly close, maybe... but identical, never. The same is true for rollerskating. In a recent interview between myself and Kate Hickey, a good friend who for the past year has documented the Venice Beach rollerskating world and its influence in the creation of Rollerstar, she asked me point blank what my signature rollerskating move was and I became uncharacteristically silent. A voice inside my head piped in immediately...."Dude, what's your signature move?" I had no idea what my signature move was, though I could rattle off one or two potentials to save face. But I decided after some thought to come clean and just admit that I was not sure I had a signature move. After all, it would not be my style to commit to any of the regular standbys in my present rotation. Why? Because to claim one of the obvious would be like trying to copy someone else's signature. Impossible. For example. My spins. Never could they be considered signature when compared with those of someone like Nelson. My splits. I only started doing those after I saw how cool Jeffrey did them... with a tiny tweak to save my knees, I manage to pull them off. But they aren't legendary in Germany or anything. Crazy legs. Someone has permission to knock me over the head with a bottle if I claim that crazy legs is my signature move. Preferably someone who has been doing crazy legs since '79. Anyway, you get the point. The list could go on, but for time's sake, I'll make this quick. If I absolutely positively had to come up with a signature move this very moment, I would elect as the closest thing the move I do where I tell a person "Fuck off" while kicking my skate within an inch of their face... I've never seen THAT one done before by anyone. So there we go... voila! Now all that is left once I've put my signature move out there in the public domain is to name it. Before someone else does. And not so cleverly. So I've taken the liberty of stamping mine: "Shock and Awe". I think it suits me.

Where I want to be.

2009-08-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

One summer day back in 1998, I snuck into a rollerskater's paradise known as Venice Beach and slowly absorbed, as if by osmosis, the art of dancing on skates from its resident icons who, like me, had found there a place to escape their everyday lives. Within a small thirty foot circle of energy, we were surrounded on all sides by crowds of visitors from around the world-- yet we remained insulated inside a seemingly impenetrable protected space. The courage it took most to merely step inside was testament to its notoriety-- a notoriety which was clearly embedded in my memory as a child strolling the Venice boardwalk, witnessing a badass dude in Dolfin shorts performing crazy legs to a background of 70's funk classics. I wanted to be that dude.

Well, thanks to movies like Roller Boogie and Xanadu-- movies that changed many an 8 year old's life but were probably unwatchable to the average adult, Venice has been considered by thousands who have made the pilgrimage, the roller skating mecca of the world. More important than mere film credits, though, the Venice Beach skate subculture maintains a mysterious dichotomy that is both freak and fantasy. There is absolutely no protesting that Venice is a landing pad for some of the world's most bizarre exhibitionists-- from the Swedish dominatrix on skates to the cocky urban Casanova collecting phone numbers after each breathless skate routine, there is no shortage of characters looking to be the center of something. And pretty much any group of people volunteering to spend every weekend roller skating to music in an outdoor space could potentially be misdiagnosed as freaks.

Which leads observers to ask, "Who are these people?" " Why are they here?" "Do they all know each other?" "Do they hold down jobs?" "How do they all know to do the same moves?" "Who brings out the music?" The questions never cease... and explanations are meaningless. Hence a fantasy world emerges in each spectator's mind, where the imagination is left to run its course. Through this simple civic invitation to observe people expressing their unique selves with the assistance of the universal language of music-- a beat, a bass line, rhythm and eight wheels turns one stretch of cement into a magical space. So, call it what you will, but in my opinion.... a freakshow is just a freakshow. But if someone brings down some music and that freak happens to have the flyest moves on skates you've ever seen... well then, that my friends is the Venice Beach skate area.

This amazing photo captured at Venice Beach in 1980 by my friend Larry Gassan is just one of many contained in his book LA1980-- a collection of real photos taken between 1979 and 1982 of the people and places we natives remember as our Los Angeles"youth". A great find for the nostalgia collection! http://www.blurb.com/my/book/detail/555505

TAG!

2009-08-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

One of the most difficult jobs I could ever have would be Director of Taglines. It is a recurring nightmare of mine to be sitting in my office (on deadline of course) still having to come up with "a short, dramatic series of words or sentences that summarize a brand or product’s emotional and functional benefits to the marketplace."* The nightmare part being that if I do happen to stumble upon the right combination of words to convey the emotional and functional benefits of anything, it is completely by mistake, unplanned or spontaneously provoked. It does not evolve in an office or in front of a computer or anywhere observant of the Julian Calendar. Hence a little discomfort this week as I approached wrapping up a few things on the to do list and still looming was:

- create tagline for Rollerstar

Easy. No problem. Aside from the fact that said tagline was needed pronto, I was not sweating it out... yet. I knew this mysterious series of words was floating around somewhere, waiting to meet me. So it worked out perfectly that as I was driving west down Slauson after rehearsal today, there were three words staring right at me that perfectly described Rollerstar's "emotional and functional benefits to the marketplace"*:

Soul on wheels.

I love crossing items off my list!

* http://www.mohawkpaper.com/resources/glossary/terms/

Ready! Set! Piss Your Pants!

2009-08-18T17:23:00.000-07:00

The countdown to Rollerstar has officially begun. After some ridiculous procrastination-- "Do I have the time to blog?"-- and interviewing amongst friends-- "Do you read blogs?"-- I am finally putting the finishing touches on a Rollerstar blog-- a place where curious folks like yourself can check in and track our progress and pitfalls as we move every day closer to making an event of my overactive imagination into a bona fide live performance reality.

To keep things dramatic, I'll admit that so far, the obstacles are mounting in direct relation to my bank account dwindling; but I am an artist and I have absolute faith in this endeavor and trust that the right combination of charitable and enterprising forces will intersect at the very moment they are needed. In the meantime, put away your hanky and feel free to purchase a ticket on our website if you would like to be a positive force in the story that becomes Rollerstar.

8/8/8 ~ Super Soul Skater Sisters

2008-08-08T20:00:00.000-07:00

For nearly a decade I have participated in a unique ritual of which I've seen no evidence of peerage. I've searched for a likeness to the coven of female friends I've come to call my "Super Soul Skater Sisters" who meet regularly to partake in a sunset ceremony of music and rollerskating against a Pacific Ocean sunset backdrop. But I've yet to encounter anything resembling the deification of this 70's pasttime which can rival our existence. Occasionally one will spot the random, lone rollerskater sporting old school quads and headphones, or a couple of teenage girls struggling to familiarize themselves with a social phenomenon that predated them. But I've come to realize that the enduring presence of a group of local Venice female friends who together trek 10+ miles in a collective meditative trance set to personalized music mixes is cause for some form of visual immortalization. Hence the commencement on 8/8/8 of what will become the quintessential tribute to celebrate outdoor rollerskating and chronicle the friendships and lifestyle of a close-knit group of women known as the "Super Soul Skater Sisters".