Didn’t know Billabong had a skate team? Well they sure do! Check out this new video from when the Billabong skate team stoped off in New Orleans. Good times! Good friends! Life on the road ain’t so bad.

Billabong.com/us/team/skate

Check out our featured Billabong Skate Team rider Bucky Lasek who has been shredding for over 20 years! Bucky is one of the most innovative, consistent and technical skaters on the ramp, and he’s tied for the most XG SKB Vert gold (4), twice winning in back-to-back years. The ’09 Vert silver medalist owns 13 XG medals total. He splits his time between skating and getting in seat time on the racetrack. An avid car enthusiast, Bucky races on the MPRA Mustang Challenge series, and he has been to 2 rally driving schools. He says racing keeps skating interesting for him.

Full Name: Charles Michael Lasek

Birthdate: 12/03/72

Hometown: Baltimore MD

Residence: Encinitas CA

Years Skating: 21 Years

Stance: Regular

Favourite spot to skate: Anywhere in Australia, Tony’s, Bob’s, Encinitas YMCA and Megaramp

What do you drive? 03 AC Schintzer Euro spec BMW M3, 2001 Volvo T5 wagon, 2004 Ford F-150

Any pets: 2 cats 1 dog

Favourite food: Maryland Steamed Crabs, Pink Tacos, Burritos

Who or what gets you amped: I am amped by many things. Some are my friends and family, others are smaller things in life like a positive environment.

Person you most respect dead or alive: My Wife, she keeps the fort together while I’m gone. Much love.

Which word phrases do you most overuse: But Officer,

Greatest achievement: coming up the way I have and being where I am today.

Most treasured possession: My Health

If you could live anywhere, where would it be: I’d put my address if I could.

Favourite occupation: Besides skateboarding I love handywork, I also enjoyed working in a car bodyshop back in Baltimore.

Hang out with: My Family (Jenn my wife, Devin and Paris my daughters)

What’s a good friend: someone who’s loyal and can have a laugh.

What motto do you live by: Live faster, die younger

Got into skating because: My bike got jacked by a Wog-boggla
Hardest thing about being a pro: Turning it on and off at a high level when put on the spot.

Best thing about being a pro: Traveling the world and riding new spots.

Heroes: Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi, Chris Miller, Lance Mountain, Bob Burnquist, Danny Way, Rune Glifberg

What is your idea of perfect happiness: Winning comps, laying down video parts, a healthy family and a clean house, I’ll take some Sushi and clean cars.

Your greatest extravagance: Everything I get into. I have issues…

If you could choose what to come back as what would it be: Angelina Jolie’s thong or pleasure toy of choice.

God or no god: God

Describe yourself in one word: Thoughtful

Any advice: Set some goals for yourself, some being hard others easy. Never give up and have fun.

The Best (can be anything): Chocolate peanut butter milkshakes every night before bed.

What do water and skateboards have in common? They both love pools, especially when they’re empty!

Enter to win a pair of No Water Required boardshorts (seen in the picture) by following Killer Dana on Facebook and entering the contest information. Click here to go to the contest page >>facebook.com/killerdana

The Element Beyond the Sea boardshorts are 100% recycled polyester baja twill trunk. Body fabric is compact and extremely durable for skating pools… no water required! The boardshorts are a part of the Conscious By Nature Collection and are created out of the sustainable manufacturing practices and fabrication. All of the trunks in this collection boast innovative fabric technology as well, from mechanical flex to compact lightweight quick dry to non abrasive wicking and garment wash.

Please welcome our new Brand of the Month… the amazing… the wonderful… ELEMENT! Element not only creates an incredible clothing line, but they also produce sustainable skateboards, have an incredibly large community presence and do everything they can to give back to the planet. Take a moment to learn about the history of the company and where their roots come from. You won’t be disappointed, we promise.

“In 1992 The Element seed was planted. Our goal was simple, to be the best we could be in the most honest and ethical way possible. We joined together to elevate what we all truly believe in. Today we continue to create the art, direction and message on a constant path to bring progress to skateboarding. We are more than a business; we are a family all on the same journey for the growth within ourselves, Element and all that surrounds us.” -Johnny Schillereff (Founder and President)

Rusty team riders, Josh Kerr (surf), Joey Brezinksi (skate), and Romain De Marchi (snow) show us what it’s like to be the fish outta water in a fun filled day of teaching eachother how to do be a pro at eachothers sports. One day of surf, skate, and snowboarding. Do it.

SHOP RUSTY: KILLERDANA.COM

We’d love to introduce the softer side of  Volcom that some of you may not know. Our Brand of the Month is dedicated to giving back to the world and community at large with their V.Co-logical program, thier Giveback Series, 1% for the Planet and many other programs. Sit back and enjoy some awesome Q&A with our friends over at Volcom.

1. What strides has Volcom taken in response to the growing movement of eco-conscious consumerism? Can you tell us about your relationship with The Ecology Center of San Juan?

Our most recent stride is the recently formed Department of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility. It’s being headed by a 14+ year company veteran, Derek Sabori, and we’re behind it one hundred percent. We know how important Sustainability is on so many levels, and we’ve got a laundry list of things we’re going to tackle and launch.

We’ve been partners with The Ecology Center from their inception. Evan Marks, the Founder and Executive Director, came to us with the concept, and the blueprints and it was love at first sight! We’re so happy with the progress they’ve made and are energized by the programming and outreach they’re doing in the community. Financially, we continue to support them by way of our 1% for the Planet membership.

2. Are there any specific social issues that Volcom holds near and dear to it’s heart?

We have our Give Back Series which is focused on supporting People-focused initiatives. It’s a nice balance to the V.Co-logical and 1% for the Planet side of the program and we’ve been privileged to build relationships with Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC), Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Mauli Ola, Krochet Kids international, Pipeline to a Cure and now Life Rolls On.

The program is one where we team up with a non-profit organization, doing great work in the community, and offer co-branded/marketed product with a portion of the proceeds going directly to them. Our aim is to advocate for them, bring awareness to the work they’re doing and to contribute financially to them.

3. Can you tell us a little bit about your Featured Artists Series and how it was started?

Volcom has been running the Featured Artist Series since 1995 with the intention of exposing relatively unknown artists, as well as working with established artist, for the sake of providing interesting product to people who can appreciate creative diversity.

4. What charity does the earnings of Coco Ho’s boardshort go to and what’s the story behind it?

Coco was adamant about Giving Back with her V.Co-Operative short and we were happy to help make that happen. Coco’s passionate about helping kids and so it was an easy call to have Coco’s boardshort benefit Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii. While a portion of the proceeds are going directly to the program there, Coco is dedicating 50 hours of her time to one of the local clubhouses there. There’s a great blog post on her first visits there here at aliamanubgch.blogspot.com

5. Can you tell us about what Let the Kids Ride Free is?

“Let the Kids Ride Free” is a grass roots effort that has infiltrated local, regional, and international areas with FREE surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding contests. These events are for kids of all ages to express their talent, gain contest experience, have a good time, eat for FREE, and walk away with a ton of FREE product after a day of competing.

The purpose of the “Let the Kids Ride Free” concept is to create a unique environment, not a typical contest, but more like a gathering. It is where people can come together and hang out, without all the fees, rules, stipulations, and the lack of camaraderie of a normal event. They are about giving back to local communities and making it possible for kids without sponsors or the money to compete. Kids will be able to express their talent at a local and national level and will push the next generation to become something better than the last. Yet another first brought to you by your friends at Volcom who remember to “Let the Kids Ride Free”.

Like we said earlier, there are just too many good things that Volcom is doing for us to talk about in one blog. But hopefully this gave you a peek into some of their amazing programs and you have a new found respect for the company. I know I do.
Big thanks to Volcom for being so rad!

SHOP VOLCOM: KILLERDANA.COM

Please welcome our Brand of the Month for March 2011! Volcom is a modern lifestyle brand that embodies the creative spirit of youth culture. The company was founded on liberation, innovation and experimentation while remaining dedicated to the breakdown of established traditions. Volcom’s avant-garde approach to clothing and branding has set it apart in the action sports industry and beyond.

The goal of Volcom is to provide clothing to people who share their passion for art, music, film, skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding and motocross. They are focused on supporting athletes, artists and musicians – providing a means for creative individuals to come together and collectively express themselves. This collaborative effort results in everything from the ever-growing “Let the Kids Ride Free” contest series to the high-profile “Volcom Pipeline Pro” surf competition on down to our in-house independent record label – Volcom Entertainment.

During the march dumps of 1991, Richard Woolcott and Tucker Hall set off on a snowboard trip that would forever change their lives. Tucker had just been laid off of work and jumped in the car on a routine Tahoe trip to visit Nathan Fletcher and Mark Gabriel. After riding four days of fresh, Richard called work with the excuse that they were snowed in and extended his stay. For more than a week, they awoke every morning with two new feet of snow. It was their first real experience riding powder and the new obsession wouldn’t stop.

Two weeks later Richard quit his job to take some time off and snowboard. He and Tucker had also talked of starting a clothing company during the Tahoe trip but nothing was really final. Later that spring, the two came up with the idea of starting a riding company based around the three sports they enjoyed. With an initial $5,000 from Richard’s dad, they started the process. First the name and then the stone. Volcom was born.

The Volcom idea would incorporate a major philosophy of the times, “youth against establishment”. This energy was an enlightened state to support young creative thinking. Volcom was a family of people not willing to accept the suppression of the established ways . This was a time when snowboarding and skateboarding was looked down on. The U.S. was in a recession, there were riots in LA and the Gulf War. Change was in the air. Nirvana and Pearl Jam expressed it the best.

For the first two years, Richard and Tucker traveled around the world on wild journeys with friends riding whatever they could. The business side of things was minimal. The headquarters were set up in Newport in Richard’s bedroom and all sales were run out of tucker’s bedroom in Huntington. The two knew nothing about how to make clothes but that didn’t matter. It was all about spirit and creativity. Clothing sales for the first year were $2,600.

Since those wild beginnings, the Volcom Stone has spread slowly across the world. The Company has matured internally but continues to run off the same philosophy it started with. The Volcom thinking now flows through its art, music, films, athletes and clothing….

Their products (which include streetwear, boardshorts, denim, swimwear, sandals, accessories and outerwear) incorporate a distinctive mixture of fashion and function combined with quality, comfort and athletic performance. The environmentally conscience V.Co-Logical Series, the rider-collaborative V.Co-Operative Series and the Featured Artist Series are just few of Volcom’s premiere product collections. With designs for men, girls and youth, we create clothing that not only exemplifies our lifestyle, but enhances the ability to live it.

SHOP VOLCOM: KILLERDANA.COM

Every Monday we like to hook you up with free stickers! This week we’re giving a big shout out to our boys over at KR3W and giving you a chance to win some stickers.

To win stickers tell us about your favorite place to hang with your friends. Where is it and why… 20 comments will be chosen at random to win stickers. Contest ends Monday Feb. 7th 2011. Please use valid email.

SHOP KR3W: KILLERDANA.COM

Welcome to our Brand of the Month blog featuring a rad Rusty collection called, SO R.AD! Rusty has just recently launched this bad boy bringing itself back into the wild world of skate. Didn’t know Rusty was involved in skate? Well now you do, back in the mid 90′s they sponsored Tony Hawk.

Fast forward to 2011 and you’ll find Rusty relaunching their skate initiative with the Joey Brezinski’s SO R.AD line. Check out some of the product below:

Who is Joey Brezinski you ask? When the term “manual” is spoken in skateboarding conversation, the name Joey Brezinski is sure to follow. Joey is a professional skateboarder with a wild style and mad skateboarding skills. Oh and did we mention he owns a black female pug named Pizza (seen on the Pizza Tee above).

Shop the SO R.AD Collection at KillerDana.com

Do you know any companies that plant a tree for every item sold? Or that deliver their products in veggie-powered vehicles? We do, they’re called LOCAL!

Recently we had a chance to meet with some of the LOCAL boys and were able to dive deep into the brains of the team. They’re dedicated to operating a sustainable business, preserving the environment, improving communities, and inspiring people through appealing designs with meaningful messages. Not only do they have this great mind set, but the brand is set on providing the community with quality and affordable organic products.

LOCAL Clothes are made of organic cotton or hemp, produced using the newest eco-friendly printing technology, and delivered to area shops their veggie-powered “Earth Ambulance” Van. As a unique incentive to their customers, LOCAL plants a tree for every clothing item sold. The local team also donates a generous portion of their free time to environmental/community programs. They also just recently upgraded their entire facility to run on solar panels.

LOCAL’s “No Phones eco-sticker” is made from bio-degradable resins that naturally degenerate over time and is meant to be posted at surf spots to respect local surfers in the community- don’t overcrowd the line-up by calling all your buds to the beach. As well, LOCAL marketing materials are made with post-consumer recycled paper and soy-based inks. To cap it off, the LOCAL team rides hemp surfboards shaped by co-owner and notorious big wave charger, Chad Jackson, and we’re working on our own bamboo skateboards with custom LOCAL artwork.

Below you’ll find some quick Q&A we had with team LOCAL, enjoy!

How and when was the company seed planted?

Local originated as an idea for a surf movie. Dan Beauchene envisioned a film designed for local surfers about local surfing. Later, he realized the notion for a locally based surf flick may be part of a greater movement, a community oriented surf business. Thus, Local was born. He made a couple stickers and handed them out to neighbors and other surf pals. Soon afterward, Dan created the first Local T-shirt, and like the sticker, it was a hit around town. The idea was particularly interesting to a local big wave surfer and Hemp Surfboard shaper, Chad Jackson. Chad introduced the idea that to truly benefit the community, Local’s Tees must be produced sustainably. And, he wanted to contribute to the business with his skills as a recent Earth Science graduate from Cal Poly. It was then the main pillars of Local were founded: a community oriented company that makes sustainable products for surfers, skaters, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

Can you tell us a little bit about your partnership with Trees for the Future.

Local plants a tree for every product sold. We plant a minimum of 250 trees a month. The more Local goods people purchase, the more trees we get to plant through the organization, Trees for the Future. This is one way we demonstrate our commitment to a community and the planet. As our business prospers, so does the environment. Right now, we’ve planted around 2000 trees. We hope to exceed one million by 2013.

What makes your warehouse/HQ sustainable and eco friendly?

Local makes sustainable clothing, hemp surfboards, custom printed bamboo skateboards, and offer a growing line of eco-friendly accessories. We also partner with other sustainable businesses for Local’s marketing materials, office supplies, and other random needs of our organization.

Local clothing is comprised of either organic cotton or hemp, and is produced on location at our warehouse in Santa Margarita, Ca. We print our clothing using a high-quality digital printing technology. The graphics are applied with a series of water based inks. The completed products are shipped in recycled cardboard boxes. We deliver the final order using our veggie powered vehicles: The Turbo Veggie, Earth Ambulance, or Mystery Fuel 4×4.

The Hemp Surfboards are produced in house by Chad Jackson of Kaimanu Surfboards. The boards are shaped with Green Foam blanks. He uses hemp Fibergrass and low voc epoxy resins to glass the board. He finishes them with hand made redwood fins.

Other eco-friendly products include our custom designed bamboo skateboards (printed using the same water based dies as the clothing), hemp frisbees, recycled paper/soy ink posters, and biodegradable stickers. Currently, we’re developing a series of custom biodegradable sunglasses, organic hats, and natural traction pads.

In a week or so, our entire operation will be fueled by the sun. Right now we have enough solar panels to generate eco-friendly products with organic energy. And, for everything we’ve missed along the way, we plant a tree for every product we sell.

What are some community projects you have lined up for 2011?

So far most of Local’s contributions to community have been through surrounding schools and skateparks. We also continually provide an outlet for local people and organizations to produce organic/sustainable clothing for their own needs.

We’d like to continue working with the areas kids and get them stoked on sustainability. Last year we worked with the Cambria Education foundation, completed a skatepark made with recycled materials in downtown Cambria, and played a significant role for the 100% volunteer made skatepark in Cayucos .

In 2011, we plan to launch a series of initiatives including eco-beach clean up (reusable/recycled bags, health food, sustainable product giveaways, educational materials, donations, etc.), nature inspired Local surf/skate contest series, and open houses at the Local Warehouse to educate people about sustainable business.

At the moment we’re working with Coast Union High School students to create custom designed, organic Surf Team sweatshirts.

Any tips for someone new trying to live a healthier more sustainable lifestyle?

Believe you can change and set intentions that will lead to where you want to go. For us, we found that changing to an organic diet set in motion an overhaul of our entire lifestyle. From there, you feel good, so you think clear, and your objectives become easier to achieve. That’s our experience.

***Big thanks to the LOCAL team for taking the time to sit down with us. Killer Dana is stoked to have met them and hope to get them on board with our shop in 2011. Leave your comments on the brand below to be entered to win one of these free LOCAL t-shirts. Comments must be submitted by Jan. 17th 2010.

*Also, tune in on Monday for free LOCAL stickers!

Learn more at LocalClothes.com

Every Monday we like to hook you up with free stickers! This week we’re handing out a KR3W sticker pack to 20 lucky people. Inspired by the filthy streets of Los Angeles, California KR3w embodies everything in the raw skate world.

To win a sticker pack let us know what inspires you?!

20 comments will be selected at random to win sticker packs.

SHOP KR3W: KillerDana.com