Skateboard culture had a vibrant, messy energy as it emerged from the underground of the early 1980s and the photographers of Read And Destroy magazine were there to document its development.

 

For British skateboarders in the late-1980s, RAD was more than just a magazine. A whole generation of the subculture trusted Read And Destroy to be their beacon, bringing them together in spirit and in person. 

 

The legacy of the magazine is a unique photo archive documenting a specific time, place and attitude, encompassing the death and rebirth of skateboarding as it began its evolution towards becoming a mainstay of extreme sports and street culture the world over. The new book READ AND DESTROY Skateboarding Through a British Lens '78 TO '95 documents a vital subculture driven purely by passion, offering an inside view of skateboarding and youth culture through a British lens.

We were fortunate to visit the exhibition and launch of the book a few weeks back, check out the photos below, and if they pique your interest you can pick up a copy of the book here.