The Motley Crüe of Skateboarding: How Deathwish Was Born

A segment from the Erik Ellington Episode. Erik Ellington is an iconic skateboarder who is one of the original members of the Baker Skateboards and Deathwish teams. Ellington, alongside his peers, revolutionized skateboarding with legendary videos like Baker 2G, Baker 3 and The Deathwish Video. These videos presented an unfiltered view of skateboarding at the time with energy that is nearly impossible to replicate. The footage often showed them not just skating, but also fighting, partying, and struggling with the highs and lows of their lives. Ellington has been open about his personal struggles with substance abuse and subsequent sobriety after years of living the lifestyle seen in the videos. His story of positive change and optimism has left deep influence on skateboarders world wide. With involvement in art and design throughout the multiple facets of his life, Ellington was instrumental in developing pro model skate shoes during his time with Emerica and later Supra Footwear. He played a key role in popularizing Baker’s classic aesthetic, and as one of Deathwish’s creative forces, his vision helped Deathwish become one of the legacy companies within skateboarding. As a natural expression of other interests in his life, he has been designing luxury footwear with Human Recreational Services, as well as working on ‘Ellington’, a clothing line which will launch in due time.   / livingproofnewyork   http://livingproofnewyork.com