Z-Boys
The Z-Boys were a group of skateboarders from Santa Monica in the 1970's who are credited with popularizing skateboarding and essentially creating the punk/skater subculture that now exists.
The Z-Boys grew up in Dogtown, an extemely run-down low-class area in Santa Monica, California.
Surfing was the initial impetus that brought the Z-Boys together. They surfed adjacent to the dilapidated and dangerous Santa Monica pier without acceptance to outsiders. They later turned to skateboarding when the hours of quality surf in the day could no longer satisfy their desire for surf. Experimenting at first with hand built decks with adopted clay roller-skate wheels, they quickly created the most revolutionary technique and style in skateboarding history. They adapted new and emerging surfing methods onto the pavement, namely riding low to the ground while touching the pavement and sliding through fast, hard, and sharp turns. The invention of polyurethane wheels not only catalyzed the revival of skateboarding, but approximated the soft and smooth feel of surfing to the street.
They first gained national attention in 1975 at the Bahne-Cadillac Skateboard Championship. Their unique style of riding became an instant hit, and drastically shifted the world of skateboarding from a flatland freestyle, which resembled gymnastics, to the fast and aggressive form that it is today.
After the competition they started skating heavily in empty pools, which were plentiful due to the 1970s California drought. Here again they changed skateboarding when Tony Alva hit the first aerial maneuver, which quickly came to dominate the sport.
Eventually their own popularity and the promise of more riches started to break them apart. By the end of 1976 they had all gone their own ways to separate teams. Soon after skateboarding started to wane and money started to dry up. The Z-Boys never reunited.
The Z-Boys wouldn't stay down forever. Over time skateboarding regained its popularity, especially with new skaters like Tony Hawk gaining rock-star-like celebrity status, and in 1999 SPIN Magazine decided to do an article on the Z-Boys. This article led to a 2001 documentary called "Dogtown and Z-Boys," which in turn led to a dramatic "Lords of Dogtown" movie (2005).
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