One of the key figures in the early evolution of skateboarding from a wholesome, contest based “sport” into the freewheeling art form that it is today was Tony Alva.
Tony is now 63 years old, the oldest professional skateboarder in the world, is considered by many to be the godfather of modern day skateboarding. Alva’s brand of aggression and bravado in the 70’s set the stage for the way skateboarding would be forever defined.
Vans’ The Tony Alva Story chronicles T.A.’s humble beginnings on the streets of Santa Monica to his rise to superstardom as part of the legendary Z-Boys, his inevitable drug-induced implosion and his ultimate rise from the ashes to accept his rightful place as a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations of skateboarders the world over.
Written & Directed by Rick Charnoski & Coan “Buddy” Nichols/Six Stair Productions
Starring: Tony Alva, Jeff Grosso, Wynn Miller, Steve Olson, Shepard Fairy, Gus Van Sant, Josh Brolin, Jeff Ament, Glen E Friedman, Robert Trujillo, Brad Bowman, Pete Zehnder, Jeff Ho, Stacey Peralta, Elijah Berle and more.
Music Credits:
Josh Landau, Eliminator
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Anthony Van Engelen, Gilbert Crockett, Chima Ferguson, Geoff Rowley, Tony Trujillo, Kyle Walker, Andrew Allen, Chris PFanner, Curren Caples, Daniel Lutheran, Dustin Dollin, Elijah Berle, Omar Hassan, Pedro Barros, Lizzie Armanto, Rowan Zorilla, Ronnie Sandoval, Chris Russell, Christian Hosoi, Jeff Grosso (R.I.P.), John Cardiel, Ray Barbee, Steve Caballero, Tony Alva
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Vans®, a VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, is the original action sports footwear, apparel and accessories brand. Vans® authentic collections are sold in 84 countries through a network of subsidiaries, distributors and international offices. Vans® has over 2,000 retail locations globally including owned, concession and partnership doors. The Vans® brand promotes creative self-expression in youth culture across action sports, art, music and street culture and delivers progressive platforms such as the Vans Park Series, Vans Triple Crown of Surfing®, Vans Pool Party, Vans Custom Culture, and Vans’ cultural hub and international music venue, House of Vans.
Vans Top Athletes:
Anthony Van Engelen, Geoff Rowley, Kyle Walker, Chima Ferguson, Gilbert Crocket, Tony Trujillo, Elijah Berle, Rowan Zorilla, Lizzie Armanto, Joel Tudor, Leila Hurst, Nathan Fletcher, Dane Gudauskas, Tanner Gudauskas, Patrick Gudauskas, Mikey February, Dakota Roche, Scotty Cranmer, Kevin Peraza, Dennis Enarson, Larry Edgar, Angie Marino, Jake Kuzyk, Hana Beaman, Mary Rand.
The Tony Alva Story | Jeff Grosso’s Loveletters to Skateboarding | Skate | VANS
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24 Comments
Skater cross Reseda anyone
Condolences to all the skaters that are no longer with us and I hope everyone else is well through this most unbelievable time in our history the depressions of the 2000s and pandemics
🌹sending out condolences to all the people that have passed away in 2019-2020 2021 and 2022 covid-19 the most evil thing done in the history of our lifetime
Yeah Tony Alva and Friends awesome part of History here it was awesome to be a kid living in Southern California or America during this time so cool
Condolences to this man his friends and family and all the skateboarding hoods what a Time it was amazing
Dat dude is the schit!!🆙
These dudes got it started but the bones brigade really launched this sport into the stratosphere.
The early days of skating was another world
I
Thanks I enjoyed this Documentary
AAAAAALLLLLLVAAAAAAAAAAA
Still refers to himself in the third person
This is my reminder of why I am and always will be a skateboarder!!! R.I.P. Grosso!
Jessie martinis helped get world going a lot of those street skaters would of never joined rokko if jessi wasn't on it those skaters went on to change skateboarding and the world its amazing what those dogtown skaters did after look at Stacy Jessie of course tony but they branched and a made skateboarding the mainstream sport it is today
That Photographer, Glen Friedman is freaking awesome! He cracks me up! 😁
My first Pro deck was Bill Danforth Nomad Alva. I wont go into details about growing up Skateboarding at Sunsports Skate Park Whitehall, Ohio while growing up. So many great memories that CANT be faked. Skateboarding IS NOT A CRIME bumper stickers 😛 I stil have a Vision Street Wear Hankerchief I still use to this day!
Lol man watching these guys riding their banana boards brought back memories of when I was a kid back in the 80's and got into skateboarding, fell in love with it, I was born in 77' so yeah, I missed watching skateboarding coming into it's own and to see where it is now, way too awesome lol
Damn didn't know Grosso got taken out by Fentanyl that blows major
Wish I had my brothers 80s skateboard. I never liked skateboards I riode bikes but I'll never forget my brother snapping his board in half on a quarter pipe in the middle of the street probably around 1990
Ive skateboarded all my life and Im 56 but damn it sure looks silly and lame in retrospect…finally I understand why all my older relatives were perplexed that I loved to do this thing that to them was foolish and pointless.
👍👍👍👍👍 from someone that lived around the corner from skater cross
I'll always love T.A.
Never understood why DT boys never made the jump to modern street skating.I think it's kinda weird chosing to stick to the pools.
What's the song at 35 mins?
Back then, when i was a kid, i remember Alva boards always coming with the nicest and weirdest shapes that later became the norm, usually smaller and lightner than any other boards.