Thrashin' Revisited: The Daggers' Unlikely Origins

Here’s some little known info about Brolin for you. He comes from my town Santa Barbara and was good friends with our very own mighty contribution to punk rock RKL, Rich Kids On LSD. He actually really did skate so he knew how way before the movie Thrashin. He also dabbled a little with drums and it’s rumored in old punk rock lore and legend that he may even have played with RKL once or twice in the early punk scene. It’s good he went into acting and saved his life. Sadly RKL and a shooting gallery filled with the old Cito rats, almost all of us skate punks from that bygone era when skating was anti everything are either dead, prison, mental hospitals or junkies barely hanging by a thread knowing we should’ve died way back then and gone down in flames in youth history forever to be spoken about in shudders and whispers by the ones that were really there. The ones that still bear the scars we inflicted on them in the dark alley ways of the 80’s LA /California scene. The ones who knew how dark it really was back then. The kind of darkness that would give birth to punk rock fury. I’m one of those kids at heart still, the only difference is I’m cursed to barely hang on by a thread. But at least I can put on Thrashin and even though that movie was nothing like real life it helps the memories I have come flooding back and I get to live again. Forever young, forever punk, forever free. Skate or die.

As an English teacher and someone who has skated since 88, I think that this critical analysis is absolutely on point. Thanks so much for taking the time to put it all together. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.

Brings back so many memories. Thrashin' and Gleaming the Cube were key movies in youth. Strong work!

my Dad brought a vhs copy of Thrashin home for me in 1992 when I was 8 years old. I watched it almost every day that summer before trying to learn how to ollie. I still watch it at least once a year, it's the best!! If you are able to find a copy of the DVD I highly recommend buying it, movie commentary with Alan Sacks- Steve Olson-Robert Rustler and Josh Richmond is well worth the purchase

I skated at the Del Mar Skate Ranch a few times before it closed, it was pretty awesome. Whenever we went there, you’d usually see Cab, Steadham, Hawk and Hosoi among others there. Also Rodney Mullen would be in the freestyle bowl. People would usually gather to watch them skate. Fun times and I miss it.

The best skateboarding movie hands down! Discovered the vhs of it at a flea market in 2002 and was curious so I bought it for 25 cents. My friends and I used to film each other acting out the scenes when we would go out and skate like "CHRISSY I'M GOING OKAYYY!" 🤣🤣 This was super well done bro I wish it never ended. Gonna share it around!

The thing to remember is that Thrashin’ was filmed in 1986… so after Back to the Future, but before the major boom of the late 80s and the hey day of Powell, Santa Cruz and Vision. Only two (2!) skate videos had been released by then. It was really based on the early 80s scene and things changed quickly after this point. As a reflection of the time it’s not far off.

I started skating in 1986, I still skate to this day. I appreciate this narrative 🙏

Thrashin is the best man... it inspired me to skate... and I still skate to this day! Thanks Thrashin!

Wow, I'm a self-declared 80s skateboarding connoisseur and I knew (or noticed) less than 10% of the things you included here. Just the one-foot 180 power slides by Natas comment (yeah, he did them in both 'Wheels on fire' and 'Streets on fire') made the video worth-watching. Amazing.

Thrashin’ and Rad were two great movies from youth!

this was a damn fine review. well done!

161,000 views. 352 subs (including now myself) High quality review. No ridiculous intro, good voiceover. Keep at it man. I just watched Thrashin' for the first time and this review was a great capper.

As a teenager I loved Thrashin in the late 80s. I had no idea how authentic it was, but I knew it had something I wanted. Great movie (despite the terrible dialogue)

“I’m certain this is Natas Kaupas” I guessed that too by the fact he’s ollieing wayyyyyyy higher than everyone else.

Sweetest YouTube video I've come across in awhile. I'm 40 and discovered this movie at around age 4 or 5 thanks to my cuz Scott who got me skating around the same age. I still enjoy this film. Timelessly unique- this video is why YouTube rules and tv drools

Thank you for posting this. I’ve been looking for years for any info on Thrashin’

This dude deserves more followers. Well done, sir. It takes me back.

This is a great video. Quality copy and narration. I enjoyed it, thanks!

That was very insightful. Hopefully this dude makes more content.