Focus Magazine Guest Editorial

Something I have noticed about movements is how they can mirror the structure of the landscape they sought to replace. In Eastern Europe people still use communal utilities like grape presses because it’s what they know from Iron Curtain times. They find the familiarity of it reassuring.

Of all the great things to come out of being youngish, outside and alive, skateboarding is clearly the one great find. However what it shares with all ‘no rules’ cultures is an invisible hierarchy constituted of perceived legitimacy. I’m here to tell you it’s a house of cards.

You hear a lot these days in sub cultures about what constitutes ‘legit’, but here’s what I think: legit is as legit does. Because it is a collective shapeshifter, legitimacy is in crisis. The legit guys are all broke and you can’t eat cool. Where this is taking the centre ground of skating is anybody’s guess, but what it means to us is: think for yourself, support what you like and don’t worry your head about fitting in.

 Legit has become a kind of romantic revolutionary state of integrity, a ‘blacker than thou’ sanctimony. It is nonsense.
Being yourself is the only true legitimacy.

Now what to me makes Focus so interesting, is that it covers a series of scenes of great contrasts, connected in some ways certainly but very culturally different in others. From the two sweaters and weathered surfaces of the Northern seaboard to the slanting sunlight of the Florida peninsula, Focus remains for me the magazine to see the people and places a world away from the Babylonian ‘fit in to get ahead’ mantra. That is what I want to celebrate here. The scenes, the talents, the brands, the photographers and the culture you have shone a light on and exposed to the wider skateboarding world are your living breathing achievement. And you have done it without trying to fit in.

Skateboarding is built on that rejection of humdrum everyday Babylon so there’s no reason that we should allow it to leak into our sunshine. Skateboard life is like some fabulous shabby uptown nightclub where we are all out to be ourselves and let it all hang out. Don’t fit in if you don’t feel like it.  This is your room in your house.

 Happy Birthday Focus, please continue not fitting in.

Join me as we hold hands and reach out for a shiny new tomorrow.

 Don’t let me down now.

 I feel a healing coming on.