Stereo has been pushing so much heat lately and there are no signs of them slowing down.  Jason Lee, one of the Stereo originals is the topic of a video series titled “The Earl Files”.  What can this very intriguing video be about?  Well I’ve mentioned this before but only a few skaters have made the transition from skateboarding to acting successfully.  And just because you’re a great skater doesn’t mean you will make a great actor.  Just look at Tony Hawk.  Despite being an innovator on a skateboard, he showed a lackluster performance in GLEAMING THE CUBE.  Maybe teammate Willy Manaloto Santos should have taught him a thing or two after doing The SKATEBOARD KID 2. 

Growing up I never would have guessed based on just seeing his skate parts, Jason Lee would be such a charismatic actor type.  Well Jason Lee has seemed to do pretty well for himself on the hit show MY NAME IS EARL.  Stereo is posting “The Earl Files” on the STEREO website and it gives us an inside look at Jason’s life on the set.

In this episode Jason takes us for a tour of the set, with special guest Chris Pastras. Stay tuned for monthly Earl Files episodes starting in 2009… STEREO

It’s time to depart with the old and get with the new.  If you’ve been to the newsstands lately, you probably have noticed a shift in the way some of your magazines are being published these days.  There have been downgrades in the paper used.  Instead of seeing a high end glossy finish in the pages of your favorite mags, you’re probably now noticing your fingers getting stained by the newspaper like pages now filling those same mags.  Except for magazines like Hustler, and Big-Uns, or Trunks (for you more adventurous readers). Those people haven’t changed a thing.

Slap have jumped on the digital bandwagon and are coming on strong.  They will be having a coming out party up in the Bay Area on Saturday, December 6th at the On Six Gallery.  The event starts at 6PM and will last until your little heart desires. 

This event is also a group art show featuring some of the sickest and slickest skateboard artist in the industry.  Ed Templeton, Arto Sarri, Chris Pastras, Jason Adams, and Don Pendleton are among the 20 artist featured on December 6th.  Check out the flyer for all the info. 

Do you remember when we got a sneak peak into Girl Skateboards Distribution offices in Torrance California? It was awesome. They called the video G-DOV for “Girl Distribution Orientation Video”. It gave an exciting perspective to the world of corporate wheelin and dealin within one of the biggest skate brands in the world. After watching the clip, what you preconceived about skaters was most likely way off. You didn’t know that super stars like Eric Koston were actually janitors within their own company. Or that Chico Brenes and Alex Olsen handle the company’s funds. Amazing.

Anyway, Stereo has graced us with their own video. I’m not sure if they make as much money as Girl but that might have to do with the fact that their CEO Chris Pastras is always yelling at his employees. It must be a rough atmosphere working for a boss like that.

So check out these videos if you think you can tough it out for one of these major brands. You would be swimming with sharks.

Desiree Astorga, the curator of this exciting exhibit is responsible for bringing a number of artists and photographers in the skate industry together in the past.  Mixed Messages takes place in Ojai California at The Village Jester on Saturday June 28th at 6pm.  .  Proceeds from the art exhibit will go towards the Ojai Skatepark fundraiser.  If $50,00 is donated towards the foundation, then an anonymous donor will match that.  Can you imagine?  A $100,000 community skatepark?  Now that’s a great cause.

Featured artist at the show will include Chris Pastras, Ave England, Grant Brittain, Kris Markovich, and many many more.  And on top of it all, Ray Barbee will be performing.  This will be your chance to mix in with the artsy fartsy skate scene. 

I heard on the streets that Stereo Skateboards is throwing a contest all month long.  I can win a Stereo Sound Agent Kit, which includes a signed deck and a bunch of other swag.  And all I had to do was answer a couple of easy skateboard related questions.  I’m a skateboard expert.  What kind of questions can they possibly confront me with? 

“What Stereo skater was featured in a Sonic Youth video?  What famous gap did Carl Shipman kickflip?”

I laugh in the face of these questions.  Then I finally got home and went to the Stereo Site to check out what questions they asked.  And this is what I see…

1. Name the legendary jazz label that is a major influence on the Stereo Sound Agency’s graphics and image. 
2. Who did most of the music for the first Stereo video “A Visual Sound”?

I quickly gave up because I have no idea.  I actually didn’t like the music in “A Visual Sound” when I was a kid because it reminded me of being in a dentist waiting room or in an elevator.  So I leave it up to you to answer these and win me that bag of goodies. 

I didn’t even know there was an Active Santa Monica, but it looks like the WESC team will be making an appearance there this coming May 17th from 2pm to 4pm. All the WE skate Activist will be there. Chris Pastras, Ray Barbee, Daryl Angel, Clint Peterson, Cooper Wilt, Benny Fairfax, Tony Manfre, Jason Lee, and the newest addition, Steve Berra. Many people you should be looking up to in skateboarding will be there, especially Jason Lee and Steve Berra for their involvement with the Church of Scientology. Something you too should really look into.