As promised, here are some more Vinny Raffa, dead endustries skateboards scans. Seen below, are images from a booklet he released in 1994.
It features Vinny Ponte and other skateboard greats. For those who didn’t know, Ponte was on the dead end team. The graphics are very cool and so 1990s.
Circa 1998, I had a website, dead endustries, with skateboard legend, Vinny Raffa. His stickers cover the entire New York tri-state area. Raffa owned dead endustries, worked with nSS (nice skate shoes), War Boards and many other skateboard-related companies.
Here’s a photo dump from industry parties. Jeff Pang, Eric Eggers, Vinny Raffa, Ben Ritacco, John Connors (Dog Eat Dog).
Fun fact: Vinny and I spotted Andy Dick upstairs at the Spy Bar. When Andy was leaving, we followed him out. Raffa asked for photos, but Andy ignored him. Raffa starts shouting at Andy as he walked away.
Then, the Spy Bar bouncer wouldn’t let us back inside because Fridge Magazine had only paid for a certain number of hours…and the party was over. We argued that “we were just in there.” Bouncer didn’t care so a bunch of the guys just stood outside smoking green.
On the way home, Raffa stops to put stickers all over the Chris Rock Show building. He winds up cutting his hand on the newspaper machine.
More to come…
Last night, the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay Las Vegas hosted maybe the best music event I’ve ever seen. Mike Portnoy managed to top Eddie’s 30th Anniversary.
There was a star-studded line-up on the red carpet. I’m glad I had a seat because it was a long show.
Eddie Trunk’s 40th Year in Radio All-Star Jam was attended by tons of rock legends, some performed, some watched.
There were so many musicians just hanging out. The setlist kept changing. Not included in the setlist was Jackyl’s Jesse James Dupree who performed Sin City.
Pat Travers performed Snortin’ Whiskey. Eddie Trunk and Danny Koker got a glass of Whiskey and actually snorted it.
Michael Anthony played bass on Alice Cooper’s School’s Out.
Sebastian Bach covered Rush’s Tom Sawyer.
Andrew Dice Clay couldn’t attend so he sent a video.
Ace Frehley was slurring. Bitched about the sound. Asked if Criss Angel would be pulling a rabbit out of his ass. Ace was awesome. Lots of other musicians were filming him. Eddie asked him about Kiss continuing to tour as avatars. Ace didn’t want to comment and piss off Gene and Paul.
Some people at the event:
On August 19th, I got the opportunity to see one of the last few performances of the band Kix. It took place in the parking lot of the Cult Classic Brewery (great beer and food) in Stevensville, Maryland. It was previously an A&P supermarket so this parking lot was big.
Their Walkin’ Away tour wraps up Sunday, September 17th at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia Maryland.
I grew up listening to these guys and will sorely miss them.
The show was amazing, as well as the opening band, Stone Horses.
