A Look Back: DogTown and Z-Boys

Dogtown and The Z Boys found an audience outside of the traditional skateboard community. Tony Alva, Peggy Oki, Stacy Peralta and more from the OG Zephyr scene break down why it worked and what was missing.
Big Thanks to Glen E Friedman and Vans.
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[@marksantosLbC]

All I can say is Thank You to the Z-Boyz and Thrasher.

[@marksantosLbC]

@@twsartadventures3660 Thanks for the tip. I didn't know how to respond to this other than saying without The Z-Boyz and Thrasher, people would still be skating like Russ Howell doing headstands on a board. I don't think the people at Thrasher are Luciferians, and it's more about an attitude and style of skating. You shouldn't take symbolism so serious and tell people that they're going to hell. I think Jesus and God got that covered. Here's a list of nice Christian Skaters that have been featured in this blasphemous magazine: Ray Barbee, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, Christian Hosoi, Chad Tim Tim, Brian Sumner. In my opinion you would turn more people on to Christ by leading by example, living like him, and living a joyous and fruitful life, instead of using fear and regurgitating bible chapters and verses.

[@twsartadventures3660]

@@marksantosLbC the people at thrasher are luciferians, basically everyone in these mainstream jobs have to be. You should take symbolism more seriously, Jesus is God. Your opinion is irrelevant, you're not a Christiand nor know what you're talking about. They aren't Christian skaters just because they use that word. if they were they wouldn't want to be featured in a luciferian company.

[@jordao282]

@@twsartadventures3660 bro? lol

[@jordao282]

Dude got pinned by thrasher daaamn

[@TOMG12XU]

@@twsartadventures3660 where's Transworld when you need 'em?

[@sethtyson7023]

just landed a heel flip boys

[@G.waeeee]

Raw

[@daxbarker1586]

i landed my first yesterday

[@numerum_bestia]

Your first heelflip? Good stuff brother!

[@residentnotevil8888]

Was it nasty? For some reason when i started doing heelflips they just naturally had to pop higher than my kickflips so my heelflips are nasty!

[@SpectrumSkate]

@@residentnotevil8888 It’s because of where ya have your front foot placed, there’s more foot pulling the board up vs a kick flip.

[@PARTTIME-]

«You didn’t quit skateboarding cause you got old…you got old because you quit skateboarding» 🙏🏽🔥

[@-kaedon]

ok boomer

[@DARRENTINOnz]

You didnt skateboarding coz u quit, you skateboarding because your old

[@thismothafuckasaid7304]

@@-kaedonYa, why he'd choose to be old?!..He's so lazy for not stopping the natural human aging process!!!

[@jacobhirst7581]

@@-kaedon this is a quote from jay adams infact

[@hilohahoma1547]

My street stick is ALWAYS in the car......just in case.

[@komoonkh]

Those Tony Alva photos still blast so much style. This guy has that rockstar swagger for sure. The same goes for Hosoi. Just a simple photo is much more valuable that all those insta clips nowadays

[@-kaedon]

ok boomer

[@buckflacks]

Rockstar swagger lol which is why he was the first to bail out sign a deal and lose his soul. Funny af when idiots watch a movie and think they know something.

[@josephbinkley]

Straight up

[@maughan3061]

I saw Hosoi at an event years ago and when he was just rolling about he was doing these smooth smooth nose wheelies like steering around people and stuff just parked on the front wheels seemed to defy gravity.

[@jimmytgoose476]

Lose his soul ? Dont talk shit .

[@emmanuellykes1428]

Peggy is the og queen of skating, and she has a beautiful smile!!

[@holdencawffle626]

Um she old af

[@kevinmorrice]

@@holdencawffle626 so

[@OGPAPERBOY77]

@@holdencawffle626your parents put your baby bottle in the microwave Its not your fault lol

[@jimmiejohnson4856]

Bunch of legends. Lords of dogtown is one of my favorite movies of all time ❤

[@OutWestRedDirt]

Ashame the ghosted Jeff

[@ATs_fm]

I still remember the first time I watched Dog Town and Z-Boys and suddenly all my unconscious feelings about what skateboarding meant and still means to me had been spoken out. I thank the universe each day that it introduced me to this way of life, this philosophy, this religion we all call skateboarding.

[@alainvosselman9960]

Same here, even more with the Bones Brigade, an autobiography... The exact feeling as you describe, you said that SO well !! I think there's more of us.... lol...

[@dlthompson945]

I watched Dogtown and the Z boy's about 5 years ago. It made me start skating again. I'm now 56 and still carving around the local streets. Thank you Stacey and Crew.

[@Bisgaard91]

Im 30 and thinking of beginning 😅

[@holdencawffle626]

Get a life

[@dbf-v9k]

I'm 43 in a few days and I have a deck, just looking for inspiration.

[@420downunder7]

You know it was legendary when there is a documentary about the documentary about the documentary

[@brandonvetrano]

y’all are not gonna beleive this. i’m an HVAC contractor and i just did work in work of these guys houses. that is what lead me here. absolute legends and i’ll tell you what, the guy is still a legend

[@joho0]

Growing up in Florida in the early 80s, these were the guys we idolized. Legends never die.

[@gc4644]

Agree, I grew up in Florida in the 70s & 80s, went to school with McGill and we went to all the skateparks together, he was good waaay before he went pro...

[@Seraphim_skateboards]

@galactic septic tank says bored kiddo with no life. Go buy a skateboard and do something for yourself mann

[@user-cs3zs6jn1d]

I grew up skating the S.C. streets in the early 80,s. I knew very well who all of these people were thanks to my dad. My first top of the line board was an Alva board. If I knew then how much these guys influenced what I was doing I probably would have kept a few skateboards I had. The Alva,Peralta,and then Tony hawk boards. I still have the falcon skeleton hawk board, it's beat to hell,but still usable

[@joho0]

@Tike Myson You're absolutely right. Most Americans ate fresh or made from fresh food back then. Fast food and prepackaged meals hadn't taken over the American diet yet, and it shows.

[@mjh5437]

@@tikemyson3524 We didn`t spend all day sitting around fiddling with phones and computers back then,and didn`t have cars,most people were much more physically active and fitter and stronger than now.

[@sulatlalaki]

Love that very ending film clip of Jay. Kind of choked me up. I lived in PV CA when the Z-Boys were hitting the scene and putting the commercial skateboarding community on its ear. I moved to Fort Worth, TX aka "Cow Town" and I started imitating Jim Muir's Dogtown skates cross with Cow Town, which fit perfectly, making boards for friends. I was "Mad Cow," that's how much these guys meant to me, to we local skaters here. And Shogo came to Texas and skated the Rat Hole (the name Skateboard World got wrong "Rat Bowl" pfft) Shogo said, "Texas skaters shred." We were in heaven with such high praise.

[@thedonofthsht76-58]

Remember my dad getting the dogtown documentary in like 03 and that got me into skating. I was tryin to skate "old school" doin bert slides n wheelie spins lmaoo then I found Baker 3 and my skate life really changed

[@matteo42069]

Ain't nothing wrong with a bert slide

[@chrhadden]

I can still do a bert slide. i havent heard it called that in 40 years lol

[@thyho]

I'm going to re-watch it for the 13 time, thank you.

[@peteywheatstraws4909]

I just watched it again last night. A superbad crew of skaters with visionary leadership. Team Zephyr was and is the American Dream.

[@tommoon2700]

The baddest to every do it. I owe my whole skateboard life to these guys. If I never saw the movie when I was 10 I would have never picked one up and felt the FREEDOM 🤙🇺🇸

[@bricemenaugh4828]

To me this was the greatest era of skating. Thank you

[@mason__hilliard]

Finally , something good to watch on thrasher

[@alavro15]

RIP JAY BOY. Favorite part of the documentary is when they cover Jay Adams, the original purveyor of style.

[@jimmytgoose476]

Has he arrived yet ?

[@WhuDhat]

Had this on umd for my psp, probably watched it 25 times

[@chucky29949]

I had a psp promo disc that had the trailer for it, still remember

[@Rumham666]

Same lol that's crazy

[@bevup]

That is what got me into skateboarding

[@NickHockaday]

yall must have watched "lords of dogtown", not the same as "dogtown and z boys"

[@ZackDowdy]

Love these retrospect segments, thank you Thrasher.

[@Jordan-mw1lb]

Wassup Zac. Love your channel and DIY stuff man.

[@50french23]

Blessed to have gotten to hear these stories straight from Wentz himself. All these people are LEGENDS and we owe a lot for what they’ve created for us.

[@chelseydhartley20]

I just got back to Texas from Santa Monica/ Venice. I went to Dogtown coffee and hung my vans that I’ve been skating in for the past three years on the wire. I named my Son Zephyr and he was born in January 2014, Jay passed in 2014 R.I.P the shoes are my offering to the skate gods. Thank you 🙏

[@DaysofNotty]

I also named my son Zephyr!!

[@samanthab1923]

I can’t believe it’s over 20yrs already. Damn! Love it ❤

[@devarskinnee8760]

That was a master piece Glenn e, all the years have paid off, pictures. Time less

[@TheTreflipsarehard]

thank you for the inspiration, i've been skating 26 years now. and at some level its a direct result of what you guys did

[@-kaedon]

ok boomer

[@boomah47]

@@-kaedon go watch your insta skaters you kook

[@michaelwaynemartin3291]

Fucked up so many back pockets of my jeans cos of this documentary.

[@finnmungovan8772]

Cape Cod Skate Shop in Harwich MA is where you’ll find Wentzel Rummel… I’ve stopped in a few times and bought a dope Powell Peralta pig shaped deck. If you’re in the area it’s a must visit and they have OG z boys memorabilia

[@pinkyellowblue007]

This is one of my favorite movies and I'm not even a skateboarder.

[@TOMG12XU]

Skating's rich history that keeps the fire lit.🔥 G.E.F's lens celebrates that history.

[@RealSkateStories]

So rad how this led to future and present generations of Z-Boyz 💯

[@marcelboogaard3809]

You were a big part in my era of skateboarding Tony. It went from a motley crew to a big monster and back to zero again. I’m sipping a cold one with a smile on my face after a session with my son. Keep your videos coming.

[@The1Music2MyEars]

I was introduced to this documentary by my History of Architecture teacher. You would never think it at first, but the way they repurposed the environment of concrete and abandoned locations captured the heart of my architectural teacher. And now me

[@mariner1358]

This video gets me so hyped to skate all day, every day. This one, and the Tony Alva film and the Z Boys film. So lucky to have this info accessible to us. So hyped to surf concrete every day.

[@rexpuentespinajr6443]

Watching dogtown changed my life. Thank you for this

[@PhotonTheta]

skated Paul Revere, Bellagio, Kenter, Mt. Baldy pipeline... so many others, we tried to retrace a lot of the old Dog Town spots in 81..?

Dogtown, Z-Boys, the roots of skateboarding, ... documentaries, movies, ... always a pleasure to watch. Thanks to Trasher and all people that contributed to another masterpiece of skateboarding history. Thumbs up.

[@75YBA]

FU MANCHU never lets us down! Many thanks Thrasher Crew!

[@joaoreis5050]

If Fu Manchu doesn't get you hyped to go skating or running through walls you probably should find something else to do

[@thrashtonyy]

@@joaoreis5050 AMEN

[@TheDeadStretch]

What's the first song's name?

[@joaoreis5050]

@@TheDeadStretch Trapeze Freak

[@RichieBenno]

1:29 is almost the same image from "the action is go"

[@tracidouglas2529]

So glad i grew up during this time!, riding down the hill in Rowland Heights. I remember when vans opened their store too

[@Thurston86]

Man time flies! Its been almost 20 years since that doc came out! Good memories from that time! 🤘👺

[@danjames1176]

I was a very shy person growing up as a kid but the day I stepped on a skateboard I was able to express myself through my tricks and style and that feel rubs off on people making others feel what your feeling. This isn’t a sport as certain companies today makes it out to be, it is a lifestyle and choice to be a part of a community that symbolizes family that you never had. Never stop rolling homies we’re all here for one another ❤️

[@samanthab1923]

I’ve heard Tony Hawk say the same thing. Thought he was probably undiagnosed ADHD

[@seanmckelvey6618]

@@samanthab1923 Skating is a creative outlet that you can do on your own, and hasn't really got structured rules on how to do it. So I imagine it's something that probably attracts people with stuff like ADHD or ASD, I mean shit, Rodney Mullen is very clearly on the spectrum and the dude basically single handedly invented modern skateboarding.

[@samanthab1923]

@@seanmckelvey6618 There you go. It definitely fits with the single mindedness of practicing the same trick over & over until you get it right. Thanks 🤟🏻

[@edogsj8347]

Now this is skateboarding! Love it! Flashbacks 🤣👍

[@SS_BS_TS]

Damn I love skateboarding ❤️

[@petercactus6637]

Just in time for my B-Day. Thanks Thrasher!

[@throttletherapy273]

Thanks for this Thrasher. RIP Jay Boy!

[@user-gd7fx4jf5c]

Brings back great memories of a cultural shift that still resonates today .. Thank you Thrasher for uploading this fantastic video of these Legendary people who made skateboarding more than just a sport. 🤙

[@SonicAlchemy13]

I was already old enough, invested in the skateboarding world and knowledgeable about the Zephyr team before the documentary but it definitely helped tie everything together and was presented in such a beautiful package. The soundtrack is forever burned in my mind. Would have never listened to Rod Stewart "Maggie May" on my own time, now I get chills every time I hear it because of Dogtown and Z-Boys.

[@thatoneguy2057]

So many people I know have gotten into or back into skating because of the Dog Town and Z Boys. It's inspiring. I think we all feel like misfits in one way or other and the film points out skateboarding was built by misfits. Makes me feel like we have a place in skateboarding.

[@dyr234]

I learned to slip n slide from watching these guys and when i skate that's all I do and I love it

[@hamsandwichson]

Man, not even a week ago I'm looking online for where to stream Dogtown and Z boys then this comes out!!

[@svenlundergard1]

I wasn't a skater or surfer but I loved the film so much!! The soundtrack was the music of my youth too. The hair, the clothes, the renegade attitude. All stuff I can fully relate to and it took me back to my youth. Great Documentary

[@michaelgonzalez2656]

This is so 🔥 just the history alone about these pioneers bringing skateboarding to everybody’s face

[@cwmiller2006]

Back in 75 and before it all went big time, I was lucky enough to have skated with pretty much all of the team. I helped empty a pool (the Canyon pool) where some footage was filmed by Hal Jepsen was used in the Zboy film. At that time I had never skated a pool, all I knew was riding the banks at Revere, Kenner, Bellagio. etc. After we had emptied it out the first one to take a ride was Alva....I was amazed at the way he carved. His style was flawless. To this day I will always say out of all those guys , he was the best. However, they were all phenomenal skaters.

[@Neo-gk2uz]

most stylish mfs to shred the surface of this earth. grew up emulating n lovin with these guys, my fuckin childhood idols. this is what skatin, art, punk rock, etc., life, is about, you do shit your own way. fuck it if your not following the new fuckin trend, go out n shred, waves, concrete whateva. much love to you jeff ho, to jay adams, you were my best friend from without even knowin. i grew up broke as fuck in hawaii wit nuthin but a board n would always see you n come close to meeting you cuz you lived out on the north shore. i never did but i feel like i known you my whole life. shred in paradise brother. love all of yall

[@Sleepysleepjr]

I've been begging The Nine Club for Stacy to get on for the last like 2 years. I'm so stoked to see him in something new!! Now I really hope he gets on the show 😂

[@whatmemories3728]

Second generation Alva fanatic! used to bring the Dogtown and zboys VHS to elementary school any time it rained i’d forced the teacher to put it on!

[@CHR1SUND4Y]

you bought a vhs you Flintstone I marked the DVD release on my calendar and mom took me on our space ship to the samgoody at a newjersey mall

[@jvh007]

This is an excellent doc... the transitions, story telling and the look is top notch. Super strong and very engaging. Loved it.

[@LevelUpDaily434]

The Zboys inspired me to buy a board and learn to shred, am 31 and learned plenty in the past 2 months. Feels so good cruising, did my first hill bomb today, was roughly 1/2 mile long and gentle but I got up to 24mph! Was super scary because I couldn't adjust my footing to slow down a little lmao. Was totally locked on, either full commit or fully going to eat it and i held on for the full 1/2 mile!!! Can't imagine where I'll be in a few years thank you all from Z-Boys, you guys are 110% my inspiration to be shredding 👊

[@luiscervantes3677]

I dont think saying thank you is enough im 23 been skating since 12 i always watched the movie then went to skate with the crew no other feeling compares

[@rosemarinemuisc]

Jay Adams himself is a movement, in all actuality.

[@j2theohno498]

uhh do you mean like, the national socialist movement? i wish he picked a different one

[@kryptichands968]

@@j2theohno498 pretty weak to bag on a dude on the net, let alone a dude that's passed

[@j2theohno498]

@@kryptichands968 I used to love Jay. Guessing you do too. Are you willing to let your love of skateboarding blind you to the dangers of fascism?

[@alejandroarreola1646]

So is Jesus Christ.

[@koltaire5938]

This thread turned into a mess

[@SwimFanMadison]

My uncle grew up skating around this time in New Jersey, always talked about Shogo Kubo at Cherry Hill. His favorite skater

[@garysmith5781]

Grew up in southern California, got my first skateboard in 1975, I was 11. I remember these guys and all the hype, I wanted to be just like these guys, dog town!!! I'm 59 now, still ride, moved on to a long board, easier on the old body.. Great movie..🙂✌️

[@plzineedtogowayrn6353]

So thankful for them

[@tomminter1717]

love that you filled in some extra blanks from the original film

[@roberthodges6401]

I remember making wooden boards and covering them with resin and fiberglass trying to save up for the new Cadillac wheels and trucks. Then doing the downhills of Rio Piedras Puerto Rico in 74 and 75

[@jimgoodrich214]

A beautiful capture of an amazing era in skateboarding. Much love and respect to all my friends on the Zephyr team and the Z-Boys.

[@Rayspeace]

Inspired me and my crew. Thank you ❤️ Still do.

[@johnnypk1963]

As a teenager growing up in the 70s in and around Ocean City MD believe me we all felt the vibes from California, we skated and surfed too. The magazines were a huge part of it for us.

[@Den_V_Den]

Legendary dudes! Respect, forever!

[@craigweaver5671]

Loved the larger crew montage per Paul's wish. Outstanding follow up doc.

[@dannysroom]

growing up in san diego and being 5 years old when Lords of Dogtown released, not only did it fuel the fire in me as a kid to skate everyday in some blue vans but taught me to simply enjoy life as it comes and live everyday to the fullest. Thank you to the legendary Z-boys for inspiring generations of kids

[@SlicksWillFix]

This was awesome I wanna hear more stories from these dudes

[@sebastiaocarneiro4122]

Thanks Thrasher ! It was as a 26.40 min of pleasure ! 😍😍

[@jonosborn6558]

I was a history major in college. I'm a history teacher. I taught World History for several years (#Olneylove #CPride). I can say without hesitation that "Dog Town and Z Boys" is the best documentary in the history of the world.

[@JohnSmith-rk6jy]

Best Comment.

[@holdencawffle626]

Lol no it's not

[@squarehatty8123]

I got into skating because the dog town boys, the culture was so real

[@jamiemoffatt50]

I grew up north of Boston next door to a kid named Don Lanoette’s grandmother. Don grew up in Florida but when he came to visit he’d teach me all the tricks of the 70s. Had all the magazines with the z-boys. He was Alva! Incredible at everything ! Thank you Don where ever you are! Oh, and I’ve watched this documentary 1000 times. Makes me feel like a kid again.

[@TXN85]

Kids with free spirits and mischievous natures who became legends and pioneers of ( in my experience) the gift of skateboarding that embodied so much more. Thanks guys!

[@stanleyyelnats3754]

RIP JAY ADAMS

[@dirkdiggler6038]

RIP STACY PERALTA 💔🥺

[@ibnudiogaungperkasa8449]

@@dirkdiggler6038 wut? for real?

[@37375297]

@@ibnudiogaungperkasa8449 no

[@dirkdiggler6038]

@@ibnudiogaungperkasa8449 nah lol

[@stanleyyelnats3754]

@@dirkdiggler6038 god damn lmfao

[@blackmediaskate]

A short doc about the doc, uh? This movie rules, a must see

[@pointnozzleaway]

I wish this was 5 hours long.......I grew up with this, and I am Grateful !!

[@TheAsiansk8ter]

Watch the biography on these guys if you haven’t. And your love for skateboarding will find new depths

[@tightnright6987]

Killer!!!! And the fact that you played Fu-Manchu made it even more f’n 😎 awesome

[@jimmytgoose476]

Everything improves with Fu 🤘

[@illcomebacktohauntyou]

i remember finding my dad’s old skateboard and it having writing on the griptape saying “dogtown” and being so confused. now i know

[@alexandermartinez1318]

This the kind of thing we need more of. More skaters gotta know that we should cherish our history

[@stephenmills4232]

i wrote a 2 page paper in 7th grade on Dogtown and the Z boys and got an A on it, it was the only time i ever got a good grade on a paper. it was so good my teacher used it as the example paper. what's crazy is i wrote the night before for about 30 minutes, I was just so passionate about the topic that it came natural explaining it. I could talk about it for hours man.

[@PrintSolution100]

I was never into skateboarding as a kid but now I’m obsessed with this group of pioneers and see them as superstars, I’m so envious I never grew up in an environment like that!

[@NicholasPR]

Mad respect to the Zephyr crew who did their own thing, their own way, for their own reasons - and left a legacy. This was a fun watch, and Fu Manchu was the perfect choice to provide the soundtrack

[@imdevbutok]

Viva! RIP Jay Adams.

[@sundayslayerzz2367]

all the photos are timeless. So much style and power

[@johnanthony6038]

Awesome, amazing that all these years later it’s still special to those of us who grew up with it. I knew there would be something special at the end, R.I.P. Jay Boy 🙏

[@gregorysuchyta]

There has never been a soundtrack more fitting for Fu Manchu.

[@user-bq2xc2fl6l]

Dogtown and Z-Boys got my ass back on my skateboard, and back to the skatepark. I'd had been twenty years, and I was 30 pounds heavier. I skated every day that I could and almost before I knew it I was 35 pounds lighter and pushing myself like never before. At 38 I knew that my time to skate was probably going to be 10 years at the most. I actually made it 6 years before a severe head injury. My wife and children were so afraid that it might happen again that I decided to stop. I owe my second lease on life and 6 years of being 15 years old again every time I stood on my skate. That's a gift few people ever experience. Stacy has done so much for skating that it would take an hour to type them all. I would like to thank him for what did for me. I hope I get the chance to tell him that in person one day.

[@chrhadden]

im willing to risk that. i really should wear a helmet.

[@christimko9296]

I was a young kid in the 70s, I remember all of this, in Hawaii at the time, Aala park, with a piece of wood over vertical too ride up on, the Ditches… emulating these guys we saw in Thrasher mag, all the new equipment coming out Sims, Kryptonics, MetalFlex, Tracker,Bennett… watching with a tear in my eyes..thanks ✌️❤️😊

[@b1slee267]

This was refreshing to watch back

[@adamvanderlinden9138]

Inspiration of the creativity came from The need to escape the everyday norm and find a paradise of their own. Creativity and exemplifying commitment in every turn thank you Z-Boys thank you thrasher for always pushing the next step industry wouldn't be where it is without you.

[@user-uh8ph6yy5j]

Whenever this was on I’d watch it it’s a very well done do. Umentary

[@marklovelace297]

Because it happened to me in Central AL, I think late 70's and early 80's T.V. helped spread the ethos of what was going on out there! Hell, we all wanted to be you and live that lifestyle it was and still is magical and I think the documentary reminded many of us of how we felt back then.

[@Quay1586]

wow this is amazing!

[@hotwings757]

More content like this please. Love me some Zboys!

[@willow8319]

Thanks for leading the way you Legends.

[@devintanner4154]

I remember seeing the doc circa age 14, growing up in the LA area my mind was blown that this history took place a few miles away

[@beaniemanmg9134]

Closed my eyes for a second then Skip spoke. Kudos on Heath man.