About Sonic Skateboards

Sonic Skateboards: The Wild Ride of a 90s Skate Institution

In the chaotic, creative whirlwind of 1990s skateboarding, few brands captured the spirit of rebellion and absurdity quite like Sonic Skateboards. Co-owned by the eccentric and unforgettable Simon Woodstock, Sonic wasn’t just a company—it was a movement, a circus, and a punchline all rolled into one.

The Birth of Sonic

Sonic Skateboards emerged in the early 1990s, born out of the California skate scene’s hunger for something different. The company was co-founded by a group of creatives including Kevin Marburg, Gavin and Corey O’Brien, and Mike Briganti. But it was Simon Woodstock—already a rising star in the skate world—who gave Sonic its unmistakable identity. With his clown suits, skimboard setups, and fearless antics, Simon wasn’t just a team rider; he was the brand’s beating heart.

What Made Sonic Stand Out?

Sonic Skateboards was never about polished tricks or mainstream appeal. It was raw, weird, and wildly entertaining. The brand leaned into Simon’s offbeat persona, producing decks with surreal graphics—most famously the “Circus” deck, which featured a burning tent and fleeing animals. It was a metaphor for Simon’s own chaotic journey through fame, burnout, and reinvention.

Sonic was also known for pushing boundaries in board design. They experimented with oversized decks, odd shapes, and graphics that felt more like underground comic art than traditional skate branding. Their ads were loud, irreverent, and unforgettable.

Sponsored Riders and the Sonic Team

Beyond Simon Woodstock, Sonic sponsored a handful of skaters who shared the brand’s quirky ethos. One notable name was Wee Man, who would later gain fame through Jackass but got his early start skating for Sonic. The team wasn’t stacked with contest winners—it was filled with personalities, misfits, and creatives who saw skateboarding as performance art.

In 1995, the Sonic team even toured Switzerland, leaving behind grainy VHS footage of wild sessions and cultural collisions. It was skateboarding at its most punk rock: spontaneous, unfiltered, and full of heart.

The Fall and What Came After

By the late '90s, the circus began to collapse. Simon Woodstock, burned out from touring and media saturation, stepped away from the spotlight. His personal struggles—including substance abuse and a falling out with sponsors—led to Sonic’s quiet fade from the industry. The brand never officially shut down, but its presence dwindled as skateboarding moved into a more commercial era.

Simon, meanwhile, found a new path. He became sober, embraced Christianity, and even went on a skateboarding mission trip to Ethiopia to help impoverished youth. His transformation was as dramatic as his career—proof that the clown suit was never just a gimmick, but a symbol of deeper stories.

Where Are They Now?

Sonic Skateboards is no longer an active player in the skate industry. Their decks have become collector’s items, with the “Circus” board fetching hundreds of dollars on resale sites. The brand lives on in nostalgia, in old skate videos, and in the memories of those who lived through its wild ride.

Simon Woodstock occasionally resurfaces in interviews and retrospectives, reflecting on his journey with humility and humor. He’s no longer the clown in the spotlight—but the legacy of Sonic, and the joy it brought to skateboarding’s weirdest era, still echoes in every tail slide and kickflip done for the sheer fun of it.

(1995) Sonic Skateboards - One Louder Skate Video