Product Spotlight - Thrasher Issue 499 and Issue 500

We've got two of the sickest issues of Thrasher Magazine we've seen in a while, with the GOAT, Fred Gall, gracing the cover of Issue 499 as well as the extra special issue 500. Don't miss out.

Thrasher Magazine Issue 499 February 2022

While Issue #500 of Thrasher has received a lot of hype due to being a significant historical landmark for the magazine, Issue #499 is also very special in its own way. For one thing, the cover features a portrait of East-Coast legend and street-skating pioneer, Fred Gall. He's not skating in the picture or anything though, it's just him having a smoke in front of the American flag. To grace the cover of Thrasher without a skateboard even appearing in the picture is an honour reserved for only the highest caliber of legend, like Brian Anderson and his iconic SOTY cover from 1999 (although he does actually have a skateboard in it, he's just too busy being a baller to use it).

On the topic of Brian Anderson, BA is the dude charged with interviewing Uncle Freddy for his 'In Crust We Trust' feature, where Fred is quizzed on how he got into skating, what the early years of the Philadelphia seen were like, as well as his struggles with substance abuse and his road to recovery. It's safe to say that if you're getting interviewed by former SOTY and all-round legend, Brian Anderson, then you're in a very elite group that few can claim to be part of. If you've never heard of Fred Gall then now's the time to learn your history and pay your respects to one of the all-time greats. Few people can claim to live the life that he's led and any interview with him is guaranteed to be an absolute goldmine of hilarious stories and unbelievable encounters. Go listen to his Bunt and Tim O'Connnor Show interviews afterwards too. Then watch Sub Zero Real Life. Your life will be drastically improved.

Not only is this issue significant because it features one of my all-time favourite human beings on the cover, it also features an extra special CSC ad in honour of Skate Shop Day. Alongside a drawing done by our good friend Dan Lazenby of our new shop and all of our staff members, shop dragons, and other associated legends, we've given a shoutout to all our fellow skater-owned shops around the UK to help spread some of the love of Skate Shop Day and support our good homies (apologies to anyone we missed though, it just wouldn't be right if we didn't mess it up somehow). 10 points and maybe a sticker if you can correctly name everyone in the picture.

Thrasher Magazine issue 499 also includes several bangin' articles, such as a piece about skating in Alaska, Emerica's East Coast Tour, an interview with Creature's Kevin Baekkel, 'People I've Known' with Bobby Worrest, and more; as well as all the usual features like 'Five Greats', 'My War', and 'Firing Line', so you can keep up to date with all the latest gossip.

Thrasher Magazine Issue 500 March 2022

For March's mag, Thrasher are celebrating their 500th issue since the first was released all the way back in January 1981; which is a pretty massive landmark for any skate company to have been running for that long, especially without selling out or fading into obscurity. Respect. To honour this achievement, legendary skate artist, Neckface, has done his own reimagining of the first ever Thrasher cover, which featured artwork by Kevin Thatcher as well as details of the Upland Gold Cup competition Finale and downhill racing in Capitola and at the Laguna Seca Raceway. Definitely a far cry from what's in the mag today.

As well as boasting a special cover, Issue 500 is Thrasher's biggest issue to date with a whopping 288 pages of thrashing, hell-riding, and everything else you expect from the Bible. The mag also comes with some special edition stickers and posters because let's be real, that's all anyone's really interested in. Most of the features in the mag are retrospective pieces looking at some of the greatest moments in Thrasher's history, including the list of SOTYs, a look at some of Thrasher's favourite graphics from over the years, and features on some of Thrasher's best known series' like Skate Rock and King of the Road. If you're a fan of Thrasher and you want to get a closer look at some of the history of one of skateboarding's most revered institutions, or you're an old head who wants to fondly reminisce about the good ol' days, then this issue is a must-read.

On top of all this, Issue 500 also features one of our very own CSC ads (as every good mag should, what else do people buy these things for?), this time featuring West Wales' finest: Jack Steele. After cleaning house at the Plaza Comp this summer (like he does every year) Jack won the chance to design his very own advert to grace the pages of Thrasher, resulting in this bangin' photo of a backside noseblunt accompanied by the iconic artwork of the legendary Phil Morgan. Two fire-breathing dragons hand-in-hand in the pages of the 500th issue of the Bible, it doesn't really get better than that now, does it?

That's enough chit-chat though. Head to the shop to view the full range of Thrasher magazines, clothing, and accessories and buy now from CSC, or check out the blog for more skateboard videos, news, and product discussion. Safe.