Skate, thunderstorms and rock n’ roll; the desert mission was a hectic success.
The session was hot. The weather was heavy. Thunderstorms rolled over the hillside and 100-degree temperatures filled the valley. The crew rolled up for a loud session at Nude Bowl, located deep in the desert east of Los Angeles. What was the occasion? A heavy collab between Nixon and The Rolling Stones that drops August 30.
Jamming with true pioneers in rock and roll, we knew the delivery needed a little overdrive. The best way to do that was with spray paint, jackhammers, a deserted pool and a heavy crew. The team was stoked to test out the new Stones watches and rip a rehabbed piece of skateboard history.
The caravan drove out on untamed desert roads, spurring dust as they sped. Low clearance was not an option. Ruby Lilley hitched a ride from Neal Mims, while the others rolled up in various groups. Zach Miller, Phoenix Sinnerton, Ryan Carrell, Dane Barry and Mikey “Mooks” Morris. Also, Christian Hosoi, a Nude Bowl familiar, rolled up.
We scored Grant Brittain to document the action. One of skateboarding’s most iconic photographers, it wasn’t his first Nude Bowl rodeo either. Other friends pulled up with cameras, too, shooting up close and personal or from the banks above. Cinematographer, Joe Krolick had multiple video angles always going by drone, tripod and boots moving on the ground.
Only a few days before the shoot, however, the pool was completely shattered. The crew trekked out, removed a boulder by jackhammer and patched up bullet holes. Then a fresh coat was thrown down to create a canvas for a new mark.
In the wee hours of the morning, muralist Damin Lujan began sketching and painting the Nixon x Rolling Stones hieroglyph. When he was originally hit up about the project, he thought, “The Rolling Stones and Nixon? — That’s ridiculous.” In a good way, obviously. He was hyped. Accustomed to painting murals for store owners, architects and backyard projects, Damin shook up some cans and got to work, creating a steady flow of spray-paint artistry.
“I’ve never skated this before, and with all these people, there’s some good pressure to get tricks.” – Phoenix Sinnerton
Phoenix Sinnerton, a young Santa Cruz am, climbed down and started popping frontside ollies and backside airs in the deep end. “It’s pretty cool to be out here. I’ve never skated this before, and with all these people, there’s some good pressure to get tricks.”
Ruby Lily, another young one that is on the rise for Madness Skateboards, found her way up to crail-sliding the deep end before eventually taking it over the death box. Zach Miller, pro for Hosoi Skateboards, carved around with effortless style and boosted tall frontside airs. Mooks stacked a front nosepick clip, while Dane kept the session lit from first slash to every run in between. Christian Hosoi started a death-box train with a frontside grind. Then he unleashed an iconic layback grind. Check out the full video for all the licks.
The day came with sporadic downpours that caused semi-regular breaks in the session. Some skated in the rain while others sought shelter. Paint trays were used to shovel water from the pool, laying the groundwork for more tricks. When it was over, they left no trace. A fresh bucket was poured out to bury the evidence.
