Black Sheep
Black Sheep
Josh and Dieter chilling in front of Black Sheep's store front Photography: Richie McCorkle
Words by Steve Neal
That one motion, slow yet swift, drives us to believe that we were meant for something else. Youd think the sidewalks would be bustling, when in fact the action is in the streets. The kids are zooming around everywhere in front of Black Sheep, cutting off cars, pissing off traffic, and barely escaping getting hit. God damn it, we wish we were 15 again. We let the kids have the show now. Well hold the sidewalk steady, paying homage by dousing it ever so heavily with beer and the occasional cigarette butt.
Based in Charlottes Historic South end neighborhood, Black Sheep has been steadily whispering to everyone over the past three years. Josh Frazier and Dieter Wagner are the owners of this fine establishment. Theyve skated forever and theyre even nice guys. More importantly, these guys know that actions speak louder than words. The shop is one of those rare pure things that hasnt been kept a total secret. For instance, a small celebration is held out in front of the shop on the first Friday of each month. Its officially called a gallery crawl, but with Black Sheeps arrival in the neighborhood its turned into more of a block party free-for-all attracting all sorts of derelicts. Bunch of drunks is what I call them. Its really rad though, theres nothing like an excuse to go out and drink.
Jesus Christ, you might be thinking. Is that all these guys do is drink? Some might say the answer to that question would be yes. After all, drinking is really the only way to justify sitting around like a pile, and judging your friends for what they have or have not done. Sounds good, right? No, it just sounds honest to me. Really though, you may or may not drink. Thats okay, I guess. I mean, if you actually think youre gonna be able to cope with this life without the help of a couple cocktails, then be my guest.
So, we could sit around and discuss how procrastination is the fatal flaw in what we as skateboarders take as a very serious description of our identities: "If you had only one word to describe this person, it would be " "Oh yeah, dudes a procrastinator, totally." I still cant believe that Josh and Dieter left this article in my hands. My name is Steve, and Im a procrastinator. Here it is, fucking Wednesday, just one day before my homework assignment is due, and Im still writing it. Thats ok, its not like most skateboarders read these articles anyway. You know how it goes, So-and-sos gonna do this., or So-and-so, in two years, plans on doing that Lets face it guys, youre not doing anything, and its really not a bad thing that youre a steaming pile. No, youre not a steaming pile; youre really just a cold pile a piece of crap thats not even worth a crap.
Okay, back to Black Sheep Ive sat at the shop a lot, and Ive seen a lot of the stuff that goes on around there, whether it is with Josh, Dieter, or Derek. I may not remember all of it clearly (cause we sure as hell can dilute our memories, huh?). Some classic stories in the making happen on a weekly basis it seems: cases of near robbery, the mindless babble of a child in denial of his own boyhood, what appeared to be a crank phone call worthy of Larry Perkins, but was truly a drunk woman floating on a boat off the coast of Florida. It seems she was honestly looking for her daughters roller skates that were supposed to be fixed seven years ago at a shop that had only been open for two years and never sold roller skates in the first place. I didnt actually see Pete get a ticket for skating in front of the shop, but Im pretty damn sure he was drunk, and I bet it was funny. I bet it was even funnier watching Derek beg the female cop to take his ticket back because he couldnt afford it.
Aside from all of this, some secrets are better kept. But, Black Sheep whispers loudly, so its bound to get out one way or another. The piles of shit sitting on the bench in the shop have heard these whispers. Dont think for one minute that this couldve passed them by. Theyre there for a reason. Its not just because Josh and Dieter opened a skate shop that is cool to hang out at, but probably because they dont have anything better to do but sit there, passing judgment, raiding the shop refrigerator for cheap beers, accomplishing nothing more than piece-of-shitdom. Going skateboarding? Probably not I mean thats old news. Now its just the occasional drunken game of SKATE in front of the shop, or a quick trip to the corner store for another pack of smokes. Theyre old and theyve never even had the time of their lives. The piles wouldnt waste one drop of beer on you. Precious things are kept right here, in the palms of the hands that feed each of us, whether it be with money, food, beer, some form of criticism. We all love to see everything that makes this place go round, the good, the bad, whatever.
Id tell you to go to Charlotte, visit Black Sheep, hang out and skate with all these guys, but, you probably wont. Its ok, thats just the nature of the way things work. Besides, all true skateboarders know that some things are better left a secret.
That one motion, slow yet swift, drives us to believe that we were meant for something else. Youd think the sidewalks would be bustling, when in fact the action is in the streets. The kids are zooming around everywhere in front of Black Sheep, cutting off cars, pissing off traffic, and barely escaping getting hit. God damn it, we wish we were 15 again. We let the kids have the show now. Well hold the sidewalk steady, paying homage by dousing it ever so heavily with beer and the occasional cigarette butt.
Based in Charlottes Historic South end neighborhood, Black Sheep has been steadily whispering to everyone over the past three years. Josh Frazier and Dieter Wagner are the owners of this fine establishment. Theyve skated forever and theyre even nice guys. More importantly, these guys know that actions speak louder than words. The shop is one of those rare pure things that hasnt been kept a total secret. For instance, a small celebration is held out in front of the shop on the first Friday of each month. Its officially called a gallery crawl, but with Black Sheeps arrival in the neighborhood its turned into more of a block party free-for-all attracting all sorts of derelicts. Bunch of drunks is what I call them. Its really rad though, theres nothing like an excuse to go out and drink.
Jesus Christ, you might be thinking. Is that all these guys do is drink? Some might say the answer to that question would be yes. After all, drinking is really the only way to justify sitting around like a pile, and judging your friends for what they have or have not done. Sounds good, right? No, it just sounds honest to me. Really though, you may or may not drink. Thats okay, I guess. I mean, if you actually think youre gonna be able to cope with this life without the help of a couple cocktails, then be my guest.
So, we could sit around and discuss how procrastination is the fatal flaw in what we as skateboarders take as a very serious description of our identities: "If you had only one word to describe this person, it would be " "Oh yeah, dudes a procrastinator, totally." I still cant believe that Josh and Dieter left this article in my hands. My name is Steve, and Im a procrastinator. Here it is, fucking Wednesday, just one day before my homework assignment is due, and Im still writing it. Thats ok, its not like most skateboarders read these articles anyway. You know how it goes, So-and-sos gonna do this., or So-and-so, in two years, plans on doing that Lets face it guys, youre not doing anything, and its really not a bad thing that youre a steaming pile. No, youre not a steaming pile; youre really just a cold pile a piece of crap thats not even worth a crap.
Okay, back to Black Sheep Ive sat at the shop a lot, and Ive seen a lot of the stuff that goes on around there, whether it is with Josh, Dieter, or Derek. I may not remember all of it clearly (cause we sure as hell can dilute our memories, huh?). Some classic stories in the making happen on a weekly basis it seems: cases of near robbery, the mindless babble of a child in denial of his own boyhood, what appeared to be a crank phone call worthy of Larry Perkins, but was truly a drunk woman floating on a boat off the coast of Florida. It seems she was honestly looking for her daughters roller skates that were supposed to be fixed seven years ago at a shop that had only been open for two years and never sold roller skates in the first place. I didnt actually see Pete get a ticket for skating in front of the shop, but Im pretty damn sure he was drunk, and I bet it was funny. I bet it was even funnier watching Derek beg the female cop to take his ticket back because he couldnt afford it.
Aside from all of this, some secrets are better kept. But, Black Sheep whispers loudly, so its bound to get out one way or another. The piles of shit sitting on the bench in the shop have heard these whispers. Dont think for one minute that this couldve passed them by. Theyre there for a reason. Its not just because Josh and Dieter opened a skate shop that is cool to hang out at, but probably because they dont have anything better to do but sit there, passing judgment, raiding the shop refrigerator for cheap beers, accomplishing nothing more than piece-of-shitdom. Going skateboarding? Probably not I mean thats old news. Now its just the occasional drunken game of SKATE in front of the shop, or a quick trip to the corner store for another pack of smokes. Theyre old and theyve never even had the time of their lives. The piles wouldnt waste one drop of beer on you. Precious things are kept right here, in the palms of the hands that feed each of us, whether it be with money, food, beer, some form of criticism. We all love to see everything that makes this place go round, the good, the bad, whatever.
Id tell you to go to Charlotte, visit Black Sheep, hang out and skate with all these guys, but, you probably wont. Its ok, thats just the nature of the way things work. Besides, all true skateboarders know that some things are better left a secret.
A look inside Black Sheep Photography: Richie McCorkle
A look inside Black Sheep Photography: Richie McCorkle
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