In 1998, Justin Girardi and Mad Circle released 5ive Flavors featuring Bobby Puleo, Karl Watson, Pontus Alv, Rob Welsh, and Scott Johnston.
The video is a beautiful time capsule of classy 90’s street skating that showcased a meticulously stylish and selective team of pioneers. Its accessibility stood out in stark contrast to the “hammers” ethos that shortly followed.
All of these skaters have continued to be involved in skateboarding in the 23 years since 5ive Flavors joined the canon of classic ’90s skate videos, working with or owning various companies including Supreme, Adidas, Polar, Maxallure and more.
We were able to get the whole team back together along with photographer Mike Blabac for a good old-fashioned meeting in which the guys reconnect, reminisce, and rewatch the parts through the long lens of over two decades past. There’s a palpable joy the guys experience being back together, along with a sense that Mad Circle hasn’t been given its rightful place in the history books.
This condensed edit of their conversation captures a bit of what it was like for them to grow up together skating in a golden era, and how sometimes doing something with integrity means having to let it go…
PS. If you never saw the video – peep it here.
Related Posts
-
VISITING THE TWO HABIBIS BEHIND CARPET COMPANY
Meet Ayman and Osama, two Egyptian brothers who run their hand-printed board and clothing brand out of an old townhouse in Baltimore.
-
PRESENTING… THE HEAVIEST PART OF ALL TIME
If anyone ever says you're too big to skate, pull up this video to show 'em how it's done.
-
REIMAGINING THE SKATE VIDEO, A TALK ON MIKE TERNASKY AT MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE
How the filmmaker and co-founder of Plan B had an impact on how we view skateboard videos today.
-
JENKEM LABS EP. 1 – WHAT’S THE FASTEST SKATEBOARD BEARING?
Welcome to our newest video segment where we investigate skateboarding's biggest mysteries and do other fucked up shit, too.
-
PREMIERE: FILM TRUCKS “FLAMANT ROSE”
The French truck company presents a tour video that looks more like a vacation than a skate trip.
-
HANGING OUT WITH… SUNNY SULJIC
We went to a sketchy psychic to see what they could predict about the talented skater and actor.
-
THRIFTING IN BROOKLYN WITH ALEKA LANG AND JESS WONG
We showed the Canadian couple around our neighborhood and watched them sift through old clothes in search of gems.
-
LOUIE BARLETTA ON HIS CAREER AND THE PUSH INITIATIVE
Louie discusses the challenges of maintaining a pro skate career and his new initiative to help those in need.
Comments
Popular
-
A CHAT WITH LUDVIG HAKANSSON, THE OLDEST SOUL IN SKATEBOARDING
The man loves to read Nietzche, skates in some expensive vintage gear, and paints in his own neoclassical-meets-abstract-expressionist style.
-
HANGING OUT WITH ANDREW HUBERMAN, SKATEBOARDER TURNED NEUROSCIENTIST
Curious what it would be like to hang with this guy outside of a stuffy podcast studio? Us too.
-
GROWING UP, MOVING OUT, AND BREAKING BOARDS
A personal essay recounting a love affair with something we're all too familiar with.
-
INTRODUCING THE NEW JENKEM COLLECTION, JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Air fresheners, bumper stickers, a shirt with a gun on it and a bunch of other stuff.
-
HOW CHAD CARUSO SKATED ACROSS AMERICA
Chad did it the way most skateboarders would: independently and without much of a plan.
November 9, 2021 10:26 am
I’ll watch Rob Welsh talk about anything. Man could talk about variegated estate tax bracket reform and he would sound dope as fuck.
November 9, 2021 11:28 am
donde esta Moses?…eh
vivamadcircle! :)
November 9, 2021 6:49 pm
Straight up…
Look what happened to New Deal. After the first 3 years it became a me too brand. Would never have wanted to see Mad Circle go out like that.
November 10, 2021 12:39 am
The era when there’s no nike sb, no corporate crap and celebrity crap… just raw skateboarding
November 10, 2021 5:34 pm
those were the days!
I remember watching the x-games back then and thinking thank god corporate crap hasn’t invaded skating, things were so pure and raw.