Powell Peralta

George Powell studied engineering at Stanford University and started making homemade skateboards in 1957. In 1974, Powell's son came and asked for a skateboard. When Powell pulled an old one out of the garage, his son complained it did not ride smoothly. Powell became interested in skateboarding again, as he realized urethane wheels improved a skateboard's ride. With this prompting, Powell started making his own skateboards and wheels. He bought urethane and baked his own wheels. He also used some new materials like aluminum and fiberglass to fabricate his own composite boards. One of the test riders of one of his flexible slalom boards was Stacy Peralta.

When Powell was laid off from his job in the aerospace industry, he moved from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara to start his own skateboard manufacturing business. In 1976, Powell built the anti blackie deck which he marketed through Sims. This was followed by the Quicktail.

In 1978, Powell teamed up with Stacy Peralta forming Powell Peralta.[3] Peralta took over team management and advertising. In 1979 they created a skateboarding team called the Bones Brigade (name unrelated to the wheels).

In the late 1980s, smaller companies like World Industries appeared and took market share from the bigger companies. Powell Peralta suffered as many of their riders defected and either set up or rode for those new independent companies. At the end of 1991, Stacy Peralta left Powell Peralta and the company was then re-branded as Powell Corporation.[3]

Powell Peralta has re-issued decks under the brand Powell Classic. George Powell and Stacy Peralta have teamed up once again to re-issue some of the original pro models under the Powell-Peralta brand. Current reissues include models from Steve Caballero, Ray "Bones" Rodriguez, Mike McGill, Steve Steadham, and Mike Vallely. In late 2010, Powell Skateboards and Powell Classic were folded into Powell-Peralta. The current team is Pros, which includes Steve Caballero.[6]

In March 2011 it was announced that artist VCJ (Vernon Courtlandt Johnson) has returned to Powell-Peralta, and is working on new art for the Brand.[7]

Powell-Peralta Skateboards appeared in several films:

• The 1992 film Encino Man features Brendan Fraser's character Link riding a Lance Mountain Family (art by Lance's son) skateboard deck near the end. There is a Powell-Peralta poster clearly visible in Dave's room.
• In the teen-angst/skateboard movie Gleaming The Cube (1989) starring Christian Slater, and featuring an early cameo from Tony Hawk, the 'Crew' can be witnessed in one scene to be stickering skate transfers on public property, one or many of which are of Powell-Peralta design. Also, the main character Brian, as played by Slater, can be seen wearing some Powell-Peralta Lizard Bones Black Sweat Pants.
• Most of the Bones Brigade appeared in a skateboard sequence in Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol in 1987.
• In the 2009 single "Skate or Die" by Teenage Bottlerocket, the Bones Brigade was mentioned in the lyrics. "We're waging war against the poseurs of the day, If we play our cards right, Someday we might be on the Bones Brigade."
• The lead track "Hornets! Hornets!" on the Hold Steady's 2005 album Separation Sunday references Bones Brigade with the lyrics "She's got those Bones Brigade videos. She knew 'em back and forth. She slept with so many skaters."

The name of a Chilean hip-hop dance duo "Power Peralta" may possibly be inspired by the skateboard brand.

• Official website