Steve Caballero
Caballero at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California in 2012
Personal information
Born (1964-11-08) November 8, 1964 (age 59)
San Jose, California, U.S.[1]
Occupation(s)Skateboarder, musician
Years active1976–present
Height5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Children3
Websitestevecaballero.com
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Guitar
  • bass
Labels
  • IM Records
Member of
  • Urethane
Formerly of
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportSkateboarding
Turned pro1980

Steve Caballero (born November 8, 1964) is an American professional skateboarder. He is known for the difficult tricks and air variations he invented for vertical skating and for setting the long-standing record for the highest air achieved on a halfpipe.[2] In 1999, Thrasher Magazine named Caballero the "Skater of the Century".[3]

Career

Caballero skating, c. 1987

Caballero was born with scoliosis, a condition which causes a curvature of the spine, although he has stated that the condition "really hasn't affected me too much."[4]

He began skating in 1976 at the age of 12 and started his career at age 14.[2][5][6] His first sponsor was Campbell Skate Park. In 1979, Caballero entered a national skate contest in Escondido. After finishing fifth place, he was approached by Stacy Peralta who offered him sponsorship with Powell Peralta.[7] He turned pro in 1980 during the Gold Cup series at the Oasis Skatepark, Southern California.[8] By this time, Caballero had invented the 'Caballerial' (also known as 'Cab'), a skateboarding trick also known as the fakie 360 aerial.[9] Caballero is also credited with inventing the frontside boardslide.[10]

In 1987, Caballero won both street and vert titles at the World Championships in Münster, Germany. The same year, on September 7, 1987, he set the world record for highest air achieved on a half-pipe by successfully executing an eleven-foot backside air at the Raging Waters Ramp in San Jose, California.[11] Caballero's record was later beaten by Danny Way in 1997. In 1999, Caballero set another record for the longest board slide on a 44 step handrail.[12]

Caballero is a member of the Bones Brigade, and has appeared in many of their videos, including The Search for Animal Chin. His current sponsors include Powell Peralta, Bones Bearings, Independent Truck Company, Bones Wheels, Vans Skate Shoes, 187 killer pads, Merge4 socks, and Protec Helmets.[13] His past sponsors included Tracker Trucks, Standard Trucks, and Red Dragon Apparel.

During the first half of the 1980s, Caballero was arguably the best professional skater and featured on the cover of Thrasher Magazine several times. He also features as a character in five of the Tony Hawk video games, from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 to Tony Hawk's Underground, and as a downloadable skater in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD. Caballero's most recent video game appearance was in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, a remake of the first two games in the Tony Hawk series.

Caballero featured in Stacy Peralta's 2012 documentary film, Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, which chronicles the life stories of members of the Bones Brigade skate team such as Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain and Tommy Guerrero.[14]

Other projects

He has been a member of several punk bands including The Faction, Odd Man Out, Shovelhead, and Soda, and released a compilation CD of the various bands he has appeared in, titled Bandology, through Sessions Records. The Faction's song "Skate And Destroy" featured on the soundtrack of Powell Peralta's eponymous Bones Brigade Video Show.[15] He also had an acting role as Juan in the 1984 Jimmy McNichol action movie Escape from El Diablo, together with fellow skateboarder Mike McGill. In the 1980s, Caballero published a skate zine entitled 'SPEED ZINE,'[16] which replaced 'Skate Punk,' an earlier zine that he discontinued, in part, because he "didn't like the name anymore."[17]

Caballero also paints, collects toys and comic books, rides motocross, and is a hot rod enthusiast.

Caballero started a new punk band called Urethane, who has signed to the Cyber Tracks record label. Their debut album, ‘Chasing Horizons’, was released on September 24, 2021.[18]

Personal life

Caballero is of Japanese and Mexican descent, and is a Christian.[19] Caballero was raised Catholic[20] but now attends a non-denominational Christian church in Carlsbad, California named Daybreak since 2005.[21]

Contest history

All contest results are covered in Thrasher Magazine and can be checked at the Thrasher Magazine Archives.[22]

References

  1. ^ "Steve Caballero". Powell-Peralta. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Vanessa Wilson (December 7, 2001). "X marks the spot for pipe dreamers and high rollers". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 39.
  3. ^ "Steve Caballero – A Skateboarder With Talent, Depth, and a Continuing Presence in the Sport". Extreme Sports Magazine. 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  4. ^ "Skate Anatomy: Steve Caballero". Skateboarder Magazine. 2006. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  5. ^ Mountain, Lance (2006). "Steve Caballero". Juice Magazine (60).
  6. ^ Peterson Kaelberer, Angie (2005). Skateboarding Greats: Champs of the Ramps. Capstone. p. 16. ISBN 0736833137.
  7. ^ Levy, Dan (2012). "BONES BRIGADE CHRONICLES: STEVE CABALLERO". Juice Magazine (70): 40–41.
  8. ^ "Steve Caballero Biography". ProSkaterBase.com. Archived from the original on April 9, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  9. ^ Marcus, Ben (2010). The skateboard : the good, the rad, and the gnarly : an illustrated history. Minneapolis, MN: MVP Books. p. 216. ISBN 9780760338056.
  10. ^ "Steve Caballero". Vans. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  11. ^ "World Record Department". Bones Brigade Intelligence Report. 1987 – via Internet Archive. He set the new record of 11 feet at the Highest Air Contest at San Jose's Raging Waters ramp, September 7, 1987.
  12. ^ "Tony Hawk 2 Exclusive: The Skaters". IGN. August 1, 2000. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  13. ^ "Steve Caballero". Vans. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  14. ^ Wolfe, Jennifer (April 2012). "Stacy Peralta's Bones Brigade". Digital Video. 20 (4): 42–44.
  15. ^ Kevin Duffel (November 2010). "Skate Bands and the pros they feature". Transworld Skate. 28 (11): 68.
  16. ^ "SPEED ZINE - Selected Issues". Zines Collection / Internet Archive. Retrieved January 3, 2003.
  17. ^ "Interview - Steve Caballero". Ragged Edge. 1984 – via Internet Archive.
  18. ^ Cave, Steve. "Steve Caballero Profile". About Sports. About.com. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  19. ^ Francey, Matthew (November 14, 2012). "We Spoke To Skate And Punk Legend Steve Caballero". Vice. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  20. ^ "Steve Caballero: 50 facts about the iconic skateboarder". Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  21. ^ "Faith and Family | United States | Steve Caballero". stevecaballero. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  22. ^ Thrasher Magazine Archives. Website Thrasher Magazine. Retrieved January 1, 2015

External links

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