Monday, March 13, 2017

Jay Boy: The Early Years Of Jay Adams


Kent Sherwood isn't a name most people will know. He was Jay Adams' step father. He was there at the beginning documenting his step son's activities as any good father would. His subject just happened to grow up to be one of skateboarding's earliest pioneers. Kent was a good photographer. Not setting up flashes and using a fisheye good but he knew where the light was and how to use his camera.

The book of Kent Sherwood's photos, Jay Boy: The Early Years Of Jay Adams feels like a family album you've been given a peek into. The photos are familiar in that there are probably similar photos of you in your family's album on a shelf somewhere. The photos are extraordinary because of their subjects, Jay Adams, Tony Alva, and various other Dogtown heavys before they became that.

C.R. Stecyk, Tony Alva, and Glen E. Friedman lend their words to the book but it is Jay Adams' own words that are most interesting. He wrote all the captions from behind bars in 2006. They feel like the stream of consciousness kind of comments you'd get from your uncle flipping though his yearbook from 30 years ago. Some insight, some trash talk, and some slight self aggrandizing.

Royalties from the book are going to Adams' wife and two children. If you're the kind of person who likes skate books this is a good one to add to your collection.

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