# Neil Blender

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American  skateboarder

**Neil Blender** (born 1963) is an American former professional [skateboarder](/source/Skateboarder), skate company owner, and artist.[1][2] His pro career began during his senior year of high school in 1981.[3][4][5] He is [regular-footed](/source/Footedness#Goofy_stance_vs._Regular_stance). By 1986, Blender invented at least two tricks, the Wooly Mammoth and the Gay Twist.[6][7] Neil is also credited with naming and conceptualizing several tricks.[8]

## Skateboarding

### Early life

Blender skated for Powerflex for three years in his mid-teens.[3] Brad Jackman introduced Blender to Gail Webb, team manager of Powerflex who signed Neil. After Powerflex went out of business, Blender skated a contest at the Big 'O' Skatepark in Orange, placing first. Steve Cathey from the G&S amateur skateboarding team appreciated Blender's skating and signed him to G&S.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In January 1981, Blender appeared on national television on the 'World of People' television program, which featured footage from a skate contest in San Francisco.[3]

### Professional career

In 1990 Chris Carter, Mike Hill, and Blender decided to form [Alien Workshop](/source/Alien_Workshop), a company based in [Dayton, Ohio](/source/Dayton%2C_Ohio), at a time when the skateboard industry's core was located in California.[9]

Throughout his career, Blender often made cameos in other companies [skate videos](/source/Skate_video). In 2015, Blender was inducted into the [Skateboarding Hall of Fame](/source/Skateboarding_Hall_of_Fame).[10]

In the 30th Anniversary edition of *[Transworld Skateboarding](/source/Transworld_Skateboarding)*, published on December 20, 2011, Blender was number 19 of the 30 most influential skaters of all time.[11]

### Skate video appearances

- 1985 - Summer Sessions - Sure-Grip International[12]

- 1985-87 - NSA contest videos: Del Mar, Houston, Chicago

- 1988 - The Vision Pro Skate Escape[13]

- 1988 - [Thrasher](/source/Thrasher_(magazine)) - Savannah Slamma[14]

- 1988 - Ohio Skateout[15]

- 1989 - [Santa Cruz](/source/NHS%2C_Inc.) - Speed Freaks[16]

- 1989 - Goin' Off!

- 1990 - [Gordon & Smith](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0lQovAvwkI)- Footage[17]

- 2004 - [Destroy Everything Now - 88 Footwear](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvUszuZLe8c)

## Art

In his teenage years, Blender enjoyed drawing cartoons and photography.[3] Blender was one of the first skaters to design his own board graphics.[11]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Neil Blender Interview"](https://skateboarding.transworld.net/magazine-archive/neil-blender-interview/). *TransWorld SKATEboarding*. December 21, 1999. Retrieved September 13, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Neil Blender - Complete Interview"](https://www.larrybalma.com/2016/06/01/neil-blender-complete-interview/). *TRACKER - History of Skateboard Book*. Retrieved September 13, 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_3-3) Beyerbach, Chris (February 17, 1981). ["Saxon skates towards success"](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QAK8spJc1mQ/UFmjbsHfyiI/AAAAAAAABLo/bGebdrHvEAo/s1600/neil+blender+2.17.81+Shield.jpg). *Saxon Shield*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Classic Graphics: Neil Blender"](https://www.thrashermagazine.com/articles/classic-graphics-neil-blender/). *thrashermagazine.com*. Retrieved September 13, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Neil Blender"](http://skately.com/library/people/neil-blender).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Interview: Neil Blender"](https://archive.org/details/SocietyMenaceVolume1Issue2VirginiaBeachVA/page/n7/mode/2up). *Society Menace* (2): 7–8. 1986 – via Internet Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Interview: Neil Blender"](https://archive.org/details/SocietyMenaceVolume1Issue2VirginiaBeachVA/page/n7/mode/2up). *Society Menace* (2). 1986 – via Internet Archive. Interviewer: Tricks you have invented? Blender: Wolly [sic] Mammoth and Gay Twist.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Neil Blender - 2015 Skateboarding Hall of Fame Inductee"](https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/shof-2015/neil-blender-2015/). *skateboardinghalloffame.org*. Retrieved January 1, 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Alien Workshop"](https://thedarkslide.com/collections/alien-workshop). *TheDarkSlide*. Retrieved October 3, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Neil Blender – 2015 – Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum"](https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/neil-blender-2015/). April 21, 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_11-1) ["Best Skateboarders Of All Time"](https://skateboarding.transworld.net/features/the-30-most-influential-skaters-of-all-time/). *TransWorld SKATEboarding*. December 20, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Summer Sessions skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite"](https://www.skatevideosite.com/skatevideos/summer-sessions/soundtrack). *skatevideosite.com*. Retrieved October 2, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["The Vision Pro Skate Escape skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite"](https://www.skatevideosite.com/skatevideos/the-vision-pro-skate-escape/soundtrack). *skatevideosite.com*. Retrieved October 2, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Thrasher - Savannah Slamma skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite"](https://www.skatevideosite.com/skatevideos/thrasher-savannah-slamma/soundtrack). *skatevideosite.com*. Retrieved October 2, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Ohio Skateout skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite"](https://www.skatevideosite.com/skatevideos/ohio-skateout/soundtrack). *skatevideosite.com*. Retrieved October 2, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Santa Cruz - Speed Freaks skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite"](https://www.skatevideosite.com/skatevideos/santa-cruz-speed-freaks/soundtrack). *skatevideosite.com*. Retrieved October 2, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Gordon & Smith - Footage skate video soundtrack | Skatevideosite"](https://www.skatevideosite.com/skatevideos/gordon-and-smith-footage/soundtrack). *skatevideosite.com*. Retrieved October 2, 2019.

## External links

- [Classic Neil Blender board art - Thrasher Magazine](https://www.thrashermagazine.com/articles/classic-graphics-neil-blender/)

- [Collection of photos of Neil Blender](https://www.azpx.com/shit-my-mom-threw-out3-happy-birthday-neil-blender/)

- [Neil Blender - 2015 Skateboarding Hall of Fame Inductee](https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/shof-2015/neil-blender-2015/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Neil Blender](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Blender) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Blender?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.