Blogs Results

Destructo is honored to welcome Legendary Kareem Campbell to team!

 

 

 

Destructo Research & Development rider Rhett Freeman has been busy killing spots all over Atlanta racking up tons of photos and video footage.
Photo: Aaron Smith

 

Mike Vallely is back on the road in his second season of the skateboarding series “DRIVE,” presented by Jeep, airing on FUEL TV for seven weeks scheduled to begin April 1, 2007. Based on the award-winning documentary film of the same name, “DRIVE” hits the pavement with the professional skateboarder as he travels the world exploring the people, places, and issues defining skateboarding and youth culture today.

 

“DRIVE” blends action with information, delivering an impactful and insightful look at the sport of skateboarding. In the process, the show empowers and inspires its viewers to be active and compassionate and to pursue their talents and life dreams.

 

“DRIVEs” star Mike Vallely started skateboarding in fall of 1984 and was sponsored only two years later in the summer of 1986 by Powell Peralta. In 1987, he turned professional as part of the famous Powell Peralta Bones Brigade team that included skate legends Tony Hawk and Steve Caballero. He’s been traveling the world sharing his skateboarding and message of individuality and self expression ever since. Mike’s current sponsors include Element, Destructo Trucks, Speed Metal Bearings, Sobe, and Jeep.

 

“For me, ‘DRIVE’ is what skateboarding and action sports are all about -- lifestyle and accessibility, true grass-roots connection, and community,” says Vallely. “When I started skateboarding this was what I found to be true and what I believed in. This is what attracted me to skateboarding. And this is the vision I've always had for what I wanted to do as a professional skater. I truly get to live every mile.”

 

“DRIVE” is produced by Build Worldwide. The series is created and directed by Mark Jeremias, and this season is shot on location throughout North America, Israel, and the Cayman Islands. In one segment, Mike visits the South in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and takes a raw look at how the skateboarding community has adapted to the displacement and havoc that the disaster caused.

 

“We’re really happy with the storylines that have developed this season,” says Jeremias. “From White Hall, Arkansas to Jerusalem, Israel, it’s always rewarding to see that no matter where we go in the world, people connect with Mike’s message and how ‘DRIVE’ is able to capture and convey that message in a way that both skaters and non-skaters can relate to.”

 

“The viewer response we had from the first season was so strong that we ordered another run of seven episodes plus a special surprise bonus eighth episode,” says Shon Tomlin, FUEL TV’s VP of Programming and Development. “This new season builds on the same themes of the past, but also sheds new light on unlikely skate havens like the Middle East and hurricane-stricken New Orleans. Mike’s remarkable talent for getting to the heart and soul of skateboarding is both powerful and entertaining.”

 

Look for the new season of “DRIVE” on FUEL TV beginning April 1, 2007. Original episodes premiere on Sunday nights at 8:00 pm ET/PT during the “Stacked Sundays” programming block and re-air several times throughout the week. The series is seven weeks long and will feature a bonus eighth episode airing in FUEL TV’s Friday night “Skate @ 8” skateboarding block later in the spring.

 

About FUEL TV

FUEL TV is a 24/7 action sports lifestyle network for skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, BMX, freestyle motocross, and wakeboarding. A unit of Fox Cable Networks, FUEL TV was launched July 1, 2003 and is seen in 24-million U.S. homes. To subscribe to FUEL TV, call 877-4-FUEL-TV. For program times and other information, visit www.fuel.tv.

Questions and lifestyle photo by “Scoffman”
Action shot by Sheyla V. 

 

 

 

 So before we get started are there any shout-outs you want to give? Definitely!!! All of my sponsors!! Jason at SCOFF skateboarding hell yea indestructible laces man!!!Mike G. at ) nice skate shoes, STRUGGLE skateboards, Lisa at Destructo & Speed Metal, Jason at Gripgum, Eric at OGIO, John at Thiesnuts hardware, Lisa at Peter Grimm, Dylan at olliepop, Scotty at Taildevil and  Isaac at Cali Boardwear. I would also like to thank my beautiful lady Sheyla in which I adore and love. She supports me 100%. And my family of course no doubt!!!

 So how did you come about to be on the Scoff team? Well I think it was an email I received from you back in the day. I believe I am one of the original riders. The concept was so rad and I had never seen anything like it. You truly have to get a pair of laces to see what I mean. It takes forever to tear through. It’s as if there’s some magic powers embodied within the laces.

 How long have you been skateboarding for? About 7 years give or take.

 

 What first got you into it?My cousin JC and some dude in high school that I used to watch skate.

 

Some local skateboarder they called “Q” that dude was so tech and was ollieing like 7 boards back in the day it was amazing to watch when I was younger.

 

 

 

 What’s your favorite skatespot? Aww man, the black box park is buttery, I like skating downtown and the manual pads at Torrey pines. I still haven’t found a spot that I truly love though or I could consider my favorite because I really am into skating new stuff all the time. I get tired of spots fast I guess. 

 

 What is it that you love most about skateboarding? The feeling you get cruising the streets. And how it takes your mind off of everything else shi*tty going on in the world.

 

 You told me before that your sort skipping from place to place right now and living out of your car sometimes. How’s that going for you, found a permanent place to stay yet? Yea actually I am back in my hometown right now been here for a little while now about a week or two id say. Things were hectic the last 4 months of my life though. Pretty much you could say I lived out of my car and at fast food for 120 days. Or cup of noodle if I got lucky and found a microwave. It was harsh I also got in two huge car wrecks during all this man I went through so much crap. My car caught on fire and I had to jump out the window when I was involved in an insane car wreck while driving on the 5 coming from . I had no car after that and resorted to public transportation in order to get to and from my job. Which meant major couch crashing and an even unhealthier diet? But you know what I learned more and got a real taste of the street life through those tough times man. And I had my skateboard the whole way through.