Natas Kaupas
Encyclopedia
Natas Kaupas is a semi-retired American professional skateboarder. He grew up in South Santa Monica, California
in the area known as Dogtown and is of Lithuania
n descent. He attended Santa Monica High School. He is often referred to as one of the first true professional street skateboarders.
Kaupas began skating during his childhood years. In 1983 Kaupas won a local Santa Monica surfing contest and received a Santa Monica Airlines (SMA) skateboard as a first place prize. SMA was operated out of the back of a surfshop owned by Skip Engblom
. Kaupas approached Engblom about becoming a member of his skate team, which did not exist. Engblom was however impressed with Kaupas's skating ability and offered to sponsor him. Kaupas would then utilize his surroundings preferring not to ride ramps or parks. At the time street skating was never considered by skateboard makers and riders.
As Kaupas began to hone his skills on the streets of Santa Monica others took notice. Kaupas by his own admission remained clueless or uninterested in the skateboard subculture. By the mid 1980s Kaupas had discovered riding walls where he would throw his skateboard up on a wall and ride off of it. He then perfected this trick by just riding up the side of walls without using his hands. In 1984 Thrasher Magazine
photographer and skating commentator Craig Stecyk took a photo of Kaupas riding off a wall. The members of Thrasher Magazine were so impressed by Kaupas the photo made the cover of the magazine in September 1984. This was odd as according to Kaupas he had never owned a copy of the magazine. With this cover photo Kaupas began to receive to more magazine coverage and professional skaters took note. Also in 1984 SMA released Kaupas's first pro-model, which featured a panther sketch drawn by Santa Monica artist Kevin Ancell. By now Kaupas was regularly skating with such notables as Mark Gonzales
, Julien Stranger and Jim Thiebaud
and setting the roots for what would be known as street skating. The combination of Kaupas and Gonzales would give the skateboarding a laundry list of new tricks and ideas. The first trick was transferring Rodney Mullen
's kickflip
from freestyle skating to street skating. Other tricks would soon follow.
In 1986 demand for SMA skateboards had grown at an increasing rate. Kaupas impressed Engblom when he approached Santa Cruz skateboards about a distribution arrangement. While at a pro-am skate contest held in Oceanside, California
Kaupas stunned the crowd by attempting a board slide down a handrail. Although his attempt was unsuccessful, skating history was made. This was followed up when Kaupas and Gonzales performed what is considered the first legitimate rail slide and later with 50-50 grinds.
In 1987 Santa Cruz released the skateboarding video Wheels of Fire. Kaupas played a role in the film and showed the world what he had been doing all these years in Santa Monica. He received a sudden jolt of notoriety and soon critics began questioning his first name. Natas spelled backwards is satan
. Kaupas attempted to explain that his name as being the masculine version of Lithuanian female name of Natalia. He then poked fun at the critics when he began to wear the rap group Public Enemy t-shirts. Despite his growing popularity Kaupas was not keen on being so well known and avoided crowds of fans, preferring to just skate. In 1988 Kaupas had become such a well-known figure that shoe company etnies
was so impressed they offered him his own pro model shoe, an entirely new concept in the skating world. The marketing and design of the shoe was influenced by Kaupas. He was able to use his artistic talents, which he later incorporated in SMA skateboard designs as he was practically managing the company and team. At the time a skater playing such an important role in a board company was a new idea.
In 1989 Santa Cruz released a follow up video entitled Streets on Fire, which Kaupas played a greater role. Kaupas had already tested the ollie
to new heights but he stunned the skateboard world when he ollied up on a fire hydrant and performed a 720 degree spin while filming the video. The trick would be known as the 'Natas spin'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY9X8_Ye8cA It has now been adapted to snowboarding as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYEZW5lFzlg This trick has also been incorporated into the Tony Hawk's series since Tony Hawk's Underground 2
.
Kaupas along with fellow skater Jim Thiebaud
, who was now skating for SMA, began a tour across America driving used Cadillacs. During the tour the duo discovered many unknown but talented skaters that would later skate for SMA. Upon their return and by 1990 skateboarding's hype had died with a slowing US economy. Kaupas continued skating and managing SMA.
In 1991 fellow pro skater Steve Rocco
, who started World Industries
skateboards, approached Kaupas about starting his own line of skateboards. Kaupas left SMA and began 101 Skateboards. The company would become an outlet for Kaupas to employ his graphic and artistic talents. By 1992 101 had become a major brand and Kaupas was still actively skating, however this would change after he suffered from a broken ankle. While convalescing Kapaus explored his artistic talents more and began to use computer graphics programs. He was soon asked to assist with the first issue of the Big Brother skateboarding magazine, which was also owned by World Industries.
As World Industries and 101 Skateboards became more successful, scooping up many well-established pro skaters and new emerging amateurs, Kaupas lost interest. Kaupas then received a call from Larry Flynt Publications. The company was interesting in launching a new magazine entitled Rage and needed an art director. The tone of the magazine changed and Kaupas lost interest, leaving shortly afterwards. In 1998 Kaupas along with longtime friend Mark Oblow formed Vita Shoes, which was short lived. Kaupas then found plenty of work in design and art with clothing company Quiksilver
and Element Skateboards
. Both companies also sponsored him for their skateboarding team. Quiksilver soon promoted Kaupas to the role of graphic director and then vice president of marketing.
In 1998 Element Skateboards rereleased his pro model board. In 2003 etnies
followed suit with a rerelease of his pro shoe. In 2004, Natas started a new own board company, Designarium under the manufacturing and distribution of NHS. Natas' art background led him to focus Designarium on artists rather than pro skaters. He has commissioned artists to interpret his original Santa Monica Airlines Panther graphic into their own vision. Each board is produced in limited edition runs. Currently Natas Kaupas still skates and surfs having left an indelible impact on the world of skateboarding.
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
in the area known as Dogtown and is of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n descent. He attended Santa Monica High School. He is often referred to as one of the first true professional street skateboarders.
Kaupas began skating during his childhood years. In 1983 Kaupas won a local Santa Monica surfing contest and received a Santa Monica Airlines (SMA) skateboard as a first place prize. SMA was operated out of the back of a surfshop owned by Skip Engblom
Skip Engblom
Skip Engblom was one of the co-founders of the Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions Surf Shop in Santa Monica, California. He also was the owner of the Zephyr skate team, he currently owns and runs Santa Monica Airlines, a skateboard company.Engblom helped to create the Zephyr Surf Team and...
. Kaupas approached Engblom about becoming a member of his skate team, which did not exist. Engblom was however impressed with Kaupas's skating ability and offered to sponsor him. Kaupas would then utilize his surroundings preferring not to ride ramps or parks. At the time street skating was never considered by skateboard makers and riders.
As Kaupas began to hone his skills on the streets of Santa Monica others took notice. Kaupas by his own admission remained clueless or uninterested in the skateboard subculture. By the mid 1980s Kaupas had discovered riding walls where he would throw his skateboard up on a wall and ride off of it. He then perfected this trick by just riding up the side of walls without using his hands. In 1984 Thrasher Magazine
Thrasher magazine
Thrasher is a monthly skateboarding magazine founded in 1981 by Kevin Thatcher, Eric Swenson, and Fausto Vitello. It regularly publishes articles , skateboard photography, interviews with professional skateboarders, interviews with and reviews of musical groups, skatepark reviews, and miscellaneous...
photographer and skating commentator Craig Stecyk took a photo of Kaupas riding off a wall. The members of Thrasher Magazine were so impressed by Kaupas the photo made the cover of the magazine in September 1984. This was odd as according to Kaupas he had never owned a copy of the magazine. With this cover photo Kaupas began to receive to more magazine coverage and professional skaters took note. Also in 1984 SMA released Kaupas's first pro-model, which featured a panther sketch drawn by Santa Monica artist Kevin Ancell. By now Kaupas was regularly skating with such notables as Mark Gonzales
Mark Gonzales
Mark Gonzales , also known as "Gonz" and "The Gonz," is an American professional skateboarder and artist. He is known in the skateboarding world as a pioneer of modern street skateboarding, currently skateboarding's most popular form....
, Julien Stranger and Jim Thiebaud
Jim Thiebaud
Jim Thiebaud is an American skateboarder.Thiebaud was a co-founder of Real Skateboards and Adeline Records. He also controls Deluxe Distribution.-References:...
and setting the roots for what would be known as street skating. The combination of Kaupas and Gonzales would give the skateboarding a laundry list of new tricks and ideas. The first trick was transferring Rodney Mullen
Rodney Mullen
John Rodney Mullen is a professional freestyle and street skateboarder. He is widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative and influential street skaters in the history of skateboarding...
's kickflip
Kickflip
The Kickflip, Ollie Kickflip, or Ollie Flip is a skateboarding trick where the rider ollies and flips the board over in the air before landing.It was the first of many modern flip tricks to be invented by Rodney Mullen in the early 1980s....
from freestyle skating to street skating. Other tricks would soon follow.
In 1986 demand for SMA skateboards had grown at an increasing rate. Kaupas impressed Engblom when he approached Santa Cruz skateboards about a distribution arrangement. While at a pro-am skate contest held in Oceanside, California
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
Kaupas stunned the crowd by attempting a board slide down a handrail. Although his attempt was unsuccessful, skating history was made. This was followed up when Kaupas and Gonzales performed what is considered the first legitimate rail slide and later with 50-50 grinds.
In 1987 Santa Cruz released the skateboarding video Wheels of Fire. Kaupas played a role in the film and showed the world what he had been doing all these years in Santa Monica. He received a sudden jolt of notoriety and soon critics began questioning his first name. Natas spelled backwards is satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
. Kaupas attempted to explain that his name as being the masculine version of Lithuanian female name of Natalia. He then poked fun at the critics when he began to wear the rap group Public Enemy t-shirts. Despite his growing popularity Kaupas was not keen on being so well known and avoided crowds of fans, preferring to just skate. In 1988 Kaupas had become such a well-known figure that shoe company etnies
Etnies
thumb|Picture of an etnies shoeEtnies is an American footwear brand based in Lake Forest, California, and owned by Sole Technology, Inc. In 2003, etnies, along with the city of Lake Forest, California opened etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest, the largest public skatepark in the state, with over of...
was so impressed they offered him his own pro model shoe, an entirely new concept in the skating world. The marketing and design of the shoe was influenced by Kaupas. He was able to use his artistic talents, which he later incorporated in SMA skateboard designs as he was practically managing the company and team. At the time a skater playing such an important role in a board company was a new idea.
In 1989 Santa Cruz released a follow up video entitled Streets on Fire, which Kaupas played a greater role. Kaupas had already tested the ollie
Ollie (skateboarding trick)
The ollie is a skateboarding trick where the rider and board leap into the air without the use of the rider's hands. Particularly on flat ground, it is not intuitively obvious how the liftoff is achieved, making the trick visually striking....
to new heights but he stunned the skateboard world when he ollied up on a fire hydrant and performed a 720 degree spin while filming the video. The trick would be known as the 'Natas spin'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY9X8_Ye8cA It has now been adapted to snowboarding as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYEZW5lFzlg This trick has also been incorporated into the Tony Hawk's series since Tony Hawk's Underground 2
Tony Hawk's Underground 2
Tony Hawk's Underground 2, also known as THUG 2, is the sixth installment in Neversoft's Tony Hawk's Series and sequel to Tony Hawk's Underground. Tony Hawk's Underground 2 was released on October 4, 2004 for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, PC, and Game Boy Advance platforms...
.
Kaupas along with fellow skater Jim Thiebaud
Jim Thiebaud
Jim Thiebaud is an American skateboarder.Thiebaud was a co-founder of Real Skateboards and Adeline Records. He also controls Deluxe Distribution.-References:...
, who was now skating for SMA, began a tour across America driving used Cadillacs. During the tour the duo discovered many unknown but talented skaters that would later skate for SMA. Upon their return and by 1990 skateboarding's hype had died with a slowing US economy. Kaupas continued skating and managing SMA.
In 1991 fellow pro skater Steve Rocco
Steve Rocco
Steve Rocco is an American businessperson and skateboarder. He founded World Industries with Rodney Mullen which grew into one of the largest and most influential skateboard companies in the world. He has since sold the company and is currently retired....
, who started World Industries
World Industries
World Industries is a skateboarding company that offers skateboarding products, accessories and apparel. The company was founded by Steve Rocco in 1987. In 1988, Rocco was joined by skaters Rodney Mullen then Mike Vallely in 1989....
skateboards, approached Kaupas about starting his own line of skateboards. Kaupas left SMA and began 101 Skateboards. The company would become an outlet for Kaupas to employ his graphic and artistic talents. By 1992 101 had become a major brand and Kaupas was still actively skating, however this would change after he suffered from a broken ankle. While convalescing Kapaus explored his artistic talents more and began to use computer graphics programs. He was soon asked to assist with the first issue of the Big Brother skateboarding magazine, which was also owned by World Industries.
As World Industries and 101 Skateboards became more successful, scooping up many well-established pro skaters and new emerging amateurs, Kaupas lost interest. Kaupas then received a call from Larry Flynt Publications. The company was interesting in launching a new magazine entitled Rage and needed an art director. The tone of the magazine changed and Kaupas lost interest, leaving shortly afterwards. In 1998 Kaupas along with longtime friend Mark Oblow formed Vita Shoes, which was short lived. Kaupas then found plenty of work in design and art with clothing company Quiksilver
Quiksilver
Quiksilver, Inc. , is an American company based in Huntington Beach, California, one of the world's largest manufacturers of surfwear and other boardsport-related equipment...
and Element Skateboards
Element Skateboards
Element Skateboards is a skateboard manufacturer and surfwear retailer based in Irvine, California. It is a subsidiary of Australian clothing giants Billabong International....
. Both companies also sponsored him for their skateboarding team. Quiksilver soon promoted Kaupas to the role of graphic director and then vice president of marketing.
In 1998 Element Skateboards rereleased his pro model board. In 2003 etnies
Etnies
thumb|Picture of an etnies shoeEtnies is an American footwear brand based in Lake Forest, California, and owned by Sole Technology, Inc. In 2003, etnies, along with the city of Lake Forest, California opened etnies Skatepark of Lake Forest, the largest public skatepark in the state, with over of...
followed suit with a rerelease of his pro shoe. In 2004, Natas started a new own board company, Designarium under the manufacturing and distribution of NHS. Natas' art background led him to focus Designarium on artists rather than pro skaters. He has commissioned artists to interpret his original Santa Monica Airlines Panther graphic into their own vision. Each board is produced in limited edition runs. Currently Natas Kaupas still skates and surfs having left an indelible impact on the world of skateboarding.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Sponsor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | NSA '86, Volume 4 | Unreel Productions | Featured Skater |
| 1987 | The Search For Animal Chin The Search for Animal Chin The Search for Animal Chin is a 1987 skateboarding film featuring the Bones Brigade. It is one of the first skateboarding films to have a "plot".- Cast :Bones Brigade:*Tony Hawk - Himself*Steve Caballero - Himself*Mike McGill - Himself... |
Powell Peralta Powell Peralta Powell Peralta is an American skateboard company founded by George Powell and Stacy Peralta in 1978. The company rose to prominence in the 1980s as skateboarding began maturing as a sport. The company featured the Bones Brigade, a team of the era's top competitors... |
|
| 1987 | On The Prowl | NSI Video | Featured Skater |
| 1987 | Sacto Street/Ramp Contests | NSI Video | |
| 1988 | Wheels Of Fire | Santa Cruz | Featured Skater |
| 1988 | Street Skating With Rob And Natas | (None) | Featured Skater/instructional street skating video |
| 1988 | Sick Boys | Mack Dawg Productions | |
| 1988 | Savannah Slamma | Thrasher Magazine Thrasher magazine Thrasher is a monthly skateboarding magazine founded in 1981 by Kevin Thatcher, Eric Swenson, and Fausto Vitello. It regularly publishes articles , skateboard photography, interviews with professional skateboarders, interviews with and reviews of musical groups, skatepark reviews, and miscellaneous... |
Featured Skater |
| 1989 | Tales From The Street | Mack Dawg Productions | Featured Skater |
| 1989 | Streets On Fire | Santa Cruz | Featured Skater/First video to feature "Natas Spin" |
| 1989 | Speed Freaks | Santa Cruz | Featured Skater |
| 1989 | Savannah Slamma III | NSI Video | Featured Skater |
| 1989 | Goin' Off | T.R. Productions | Featured Skater |
| 1990 | A Reason For Living | Santa Cruz | Featured Skater |
| 1991 | Quiet Storm Volume 1 | Frontline Video | Documentary on skateboarding in San Diego San Diego, California San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round... |
| 1996 | Shit | Big Brother | compilation video from Big Brother magazine |