Alien Workshop

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Alien Workshop is a skateboarding company founded in 1990 by Chris Carter and Mike Hill. Following a brief period under the ownership of the Burton snowboard company, Alien Workshop was purchased by original team rider Rob Dyrdek in 2012—the official confirmation of the acquisition was announced in a press release on April 17, 2012.[1] Alien Workshop produces skateboard decks, wheels, apparel, and other skateboard accessories.

Contents

History [edit]

The brand is a part of DNA Distribution (also known as the "Sovereign Sect"), a Dayton, Ohio, US distribution company that also consists of the Habitat and Reflex (bearings) brands. DNA Distribution was acquired by Burton Snowboards on February 5, 2008.[2]

On May 2, 2008, the Flip company announced that its long-term team member, Arto Saari, had relocated to Alien Workshop. The announcement was a shock to members of the skateboarding media. In 2012, Saari provided further insight into his decision to leave Flip, citing the death of former teammate, Shane Cross, as a significant underpinning factor: "It wasn't, like, a easy thing to do, but, at the time, I knew I had to do it ... for the reasons that happened, you know? And that's why I decided that it's better off for me to leave Flip than, just, go my own way and, just, do that."[3] Professional skateboarder, Ed Templeton, stated in a 2012 interview: "I mean I was completely shocked when he left Flip ... it didn't make sense."[3]

At the start of January 2011, Flip announced that Saari had rejoined the team and released an image that featured Saari alongside the caption: "Home is Where the Hearto Is".[4] A video segment was also published on the website of Thrasher magazine and featured Rowley, Saari and Thrasher editor-in-chief, Jake Phelps, discussing the decision in Phelps' office in San Francisco, US. Saari explained to Phelps that Flip is like "family" and stated "You can take a man out of Flip, but you can't take the Flip out the man".[5]

Saari has spoken about his time as an Alien Workshop rider and has also relayed his brief conversation with Carter, following his decision to return to Flip:

Riding for Alien was great; like, there wasn't any bad vibes or anything. I really liked the company, I really liked everyone involved in it and I became friends with everyone. And when you got to quit a company like that, you wanna blow your brains out, you know? I only spoke to Carter and that's probably, like, one of the hardest calls I had to make and just talked to him and he was, like, "Well, fuck man, it's a bummer, but it's, like, you gotta do what you gotta do."[6]

On January 10, 2012, Skateboarder magazine announced Dyrdek's purchase of Alien Workshop from Burton Snowboards.[1] Following Dyrdek's acquisition of DNA Distribution, the official press release stated that "Carter will continue to oversee DNA Distribution in Dayton, Ohio, while Dyrdek will consult directly on all marketing and creative from his Los Angeles based office."[7]

The brand released a series of skateboard decks, wheels, apparel, and stickers that featured the art of Keith Haring in August 2012.[8]

On May 1, 2013, two senior skateboard team members Jason Dill and Anthony Van Engelen (AVE) publicly announced their departure from Alien Worshop. The press release stated: "Our decision to leave the Workshop is painfully difficult ... It will always be the greatest times of our lives ... The time we spent growing up with the Alien Workshop. Thank you Dyrdek. Thank you Carter. Thank you Mike Hill. Sincerely, Dill and AVE."[9]

Team [edit]

The company sponsors a team of skateboarders that plays an ambassador-like role:

Professional [edit]

Amateur [edit]

  • Donovon Piscopo
  • Kevin Terpening
  • John Fitzgerald[10][11]

Videography [edit]

  • Memory Screen (1991)
  • Timecode (1997)
  • Photosythesis (2000)
  • Kalis in Mono promotional video (2006)
  • Mind Field (2009)[12]

Life Splicing series [edit]

The company introduced a web-based video series, entitled Life Splicing, in early 2011, with each segment featuring a montage of team riders and enhanced with artistic filming/production techniques—videographers included Greg Hunt, Benny Maglinao, and Cody Green. Alien Workshop described the series as "a series of short films, featuring teamriders, artists and friends." Transworld Skateboarding magazine praised the series, stating that "... the Workshop straight nails it in the art department. Alien’s recent Life Splicing clips haven taken the dime-a-dozen video platform of the meat grinder known as the Internet and transformed it into a full-on fine art gallery."[13]

  • Life Splicing No. 001: Kevin Terpening (2011)[14]
  • Life Splicing No. 002: Life In A Box (2011)[15]
  • Life Splicing No. 003: EXP (2011)[16]
  • Life Splicing No. 004: Nick Boserio (2011)[17]
  • Life Splicing No. 005: Gilbert Crockett (2011)[18]
  • Life Splicing No. 006: John Fitzgerald (2012)[11]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c Skateboarder Magazine (17). "ROB DYRDEK OFFICIALLY ACQUIRES DNA DISTRIBUTION FROM BURTON". Skateboarder Magazine. GrindMedia, LLC. Retrieved 18 August 2012. 
  2. ^ SNOWBOARD Magazine PR Dept. (5). "Burton Acquires Alien Workshop and Habitat". SNOWBOARD. Storm Mountain Publishing. Retrieved 30 August 2012. 
  3. ^ a b Patrick O'dell (June 2012). "Arto Saari - Part 5 Epicly Later'd" (Video upload). Vice. Vice Media Inc. Retrieved 15 January 2013. 
  4. ^ Blair Alley (1). "Arto Back On Flip". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 15 January 2013. 
  5. ^ "Flip: Extremely Saari" (Video upload). West49 TV. West49.com. January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2013. 
  6. ^ Christian Senrud (7). "ARTO SAARI EPICLY LATER’D PART 5". Skateboarder magazine. GrindMedia, LLC. Retrieved 23 January 2013. 
  7. ^ a b Blair Alley (17). "ROB DYRDEK ACQUIRES DNA DISTRIBUTION". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 9 September 2012. 
  8. ^ Nick Estrada (17). "Keith Haring x Alien Workshop Collection". Highsnob. Titel Media. Retrieved 9 September 2012. 
  9. ^ "AVE And Dill Quit Alien Workshop". The Skateboard Mag. Strictly Skateboarding. 1. Retrieved 2 May 2013. 
  10. ^ a b Alien Workshop (2012). "Team". Alien Workshop. Alien Workshop. Retrieved 30 August 2012. 
  11. ^ a b AlienWorkShop (31). "Life Splicing No. 006: John Fitzgerald" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 23 January 2013. 
  12. ^ "Alien Workshop skate videos". SkatevideoSite.com. SkatevideoSite.com. 2005–2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012. 
  13. ^ Kevin Duffel (31). "JOHN FITZGERALD LIFE SPLICED". Transworld Skateboarding. Bonnier Corporation. Retrieved 23 January 2013. 
  14. ^ AlienWorkShop (16). "Life Splicing No. 001" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 23 January 2013. 
  15. ^ AlienWorkShop (1). "Life Splicing No. 002: Life In A Box" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 23 January 2013. 
  16. ^ AlienWorkShop (8). "Life Splicing No. 003: EXP" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 23 January 2013. 
  17. ^ AlienWorkShop (18). "Life Splicing No. 004: Nick Boserio" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 23 January 2013. 
  18. ^ AlienWorkShop (1). "Life Splicing No. 005: Gilbert Crockett" (Video upload). YouTube. Google, Inc. Retrieved 23 January 2013. 


External links [edit]

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