Powell Peralta is an American skateboard company founded by George Powell and Stacy Peralta in 1978. The company rose to prominence in the 1980s as skateboarding began maturing as a sport. The company featured the Bones Brigade, a team featuring the era's top competitors. Peralta left the company in 1991 and Powell continued to produce skateboard equipment as Powell, Bones Bearings and RollerBones. The two company founders reunited to produce the company's now classic inventory under the name Powell Classic.
Background
George Powell studied engineering at Stanford University and started making homemade skateboards in 1957. In 1974, Powell's son came and asked for a skateboard. When Powell pulled an old one out of the garage, his son complained it did not ride smoothly. Powell became interested in skateboarding again, as he realized urethane wheels improved a skateboard's ride. With this prompting, Powell started making his own skateboards and wheels. He bought urethane and baked his own wheels. He also used some new materials like aluminum and fiberglass to fabricate his own composite boards. One of the test riders of one of his flexible slalom boards was Stacy Peralta. When Powell was laid off from his job in the aerospace industry, he moved from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara to start his own skateboard manufacturing business. In 1976, George built the Quiksilver ProSlalom deck which he marketed through Sims. This was followed by the Quicktail.
Foundation of Powell Peralta
In 1978, George teamed up with Stacy Peralta forming Powell Peralta. Peralta took over team management and advertising. In 1979 they created a skateboarding team called the Bones Brigade.
Members
The Bones Brigade was a skateboarding team that rode under the Powell Peralta, and later, Powell banner. Notable Bones Brigade members throughout the years have included:
Ray 'Bones' Rodriguez
Ray Barbee
Steve Caballero
Alan Gelfand
Tommy Guerrero
Kevin Harris
Chad Goodman
Tony Hawk
Brandon Novak
Bucky Lasek
Andy Macdonald
Guy Mariano
Cameron Martin
Mike McGill
Colin McKay
Lance Mountain
Rodney Mullen
Steve Rocco
Chris Senn
Jim Thiebaud
Mike Vallely
Danny Way
Frankie Hill
Per Welinder
Ray Underhill
Steve Steadham
Flight Deck Matt
Filmography
Powell Peralta produced the Bones Brigade videos, starting in 1982, and they became some of the most influential skateboarding videos of the era:
In the late 1980s, smaller companies like World Industries appeared and took market share from the bigger companies. Powell Peralta suffered as many of their riders defected and either set up or rode for those new independent companies. At the end of 1991, Stacy Peralta left Powell Peralta and the company was then re-branded as Powell Corporation.
Bones specializes in wheels. Powell continues to make skateboard products, including Bones Bearings and skateboard wheels.
Reunion
Powell Peralta has re-issued decks under the brand, Powell Classic. George Powell and Stacy Peralta have teamed up once again to re-issue some of the original pro models under the Powell-Peralta brand. Current reissues include models from Steve Caballero, Ray "Bones" Rodriguez, Mike McGill, Steve Steadham, and Mike Vallely. In late 2010 Powell Skateboards and Powell Classic were folded into Powell-Peralta. The current team is Pros, which includes Steve Caballero. In March 2011 it was announced that artist VCJ has returned to Powell-Peralta, and is working on new art for the Brand.
Cultural references
Powell-Peralta Skateboards appeared in several films, from them:
The 1992 filmEncino Man features Brendan Fraser's character Link riding a Lance Mountain Family skateboard deck near the end. There is a Powell-Peralta poster clearly visible in Dave's room.
In the teen-angst/skateboard movie Gleaming The Cube starring Christian Slater, and featuring an early cameo from Tony Hawk, the 'Crew' can be witnessed in one scene to be stickering skate transfers on public property, one or many of which are of Powell-Peralta design. Also, the main character Brian, as played by Slater, can be seen wearing some Powell-Peralta Lizard Bones Black Sweat Pants.
Most of the Bones Brigade appeared in a skateboard sequence in in 1987.
In the 2009 single "Skate or Die" by Teenage Bottlerocket, the Bones Brigade was mentioned in the lyrics. "We're waging war against the poseurs of the day, If we play our cards right someday, we might be in the Bones Brigade."
The lead off track "Hornets! Hornets!" on the Hold Steady's 2005 album Separation Sunday references Bones Brigade with the lyrics "She's got those Bones Brigade videos. She knew 'em back and forth. She slept with so many skaters."
