Review: Built to Grind: 25 Years of Hardcore Skateboarding
SLUGmag
Built to Grind: 25 Years of Hardcore Skateboarding
Independant Truck Company
High Speed Productions
Street: 09.01.04
I’ve never been a fan of Independent Trucks. In fact, the only things I like about Indys are hot chicks that wear their gear and the fanny pack that I’ve had since the eighth grade. I do however, have respect for Independent and the way they have changed and shaped the way we view skateboarding today. A must-have for any true and dedicated skater, Built to Grind is a pictorial as well as an editorial history of Independent trucks. 25 Years of Hardcore Skateboarding is an appropriate subtitle, since Indy has been around to document the sport from the first plank with wheels to what has progressed into today’s skatin’. Big-name pros that have come and gone–those who have shaped and molded skating–and average people who just ride, cover the pages of Built to Grind via pictures, interviews and some amazing quotes. The Hell’s Angels have Harley Davidson; we have Independent and Steve Alba. Looking at this book makes me want to skate to the store for beer. Maybe I’ll dig that worn-out pair of Indys out of that box in the corner and strap them on an old deck, grab a 12-pack and skate off into the sunset. –Rob Packard