It’s our co-founder’s 38th birthday, and Corey Duffel is a man of many talents. Whether he’s skatejoring** with his rescue German Shepherd Blixa, designing cool USA-made stuff for Devium, running his own Adored hardgoods skateboard brand, or chillin’ with his wife Rachel, he always seems to be thinking about things.
Since he officially enters his “late 30s” today (“Holy shit I remember when my dad turned 40 and I’m close to doing the same… bizarre. When you keep having fun with your friends it doesn’t seem that bad,” says Corey), we asked him to look back on some things that have shaped his life along the way.
On His Love of Music
First Music Memory: Weird Al. I know that sounds strange, but my mom brought home some Weird Al tapes when I was little and those songs helped me discover bands that he was parodying. Weird Al videos made me fall in love with music. Thanks Mom!
First Radio Station Call In: When I was seven I called the radio station and asked them to play Imagine by John Lennon and Turn Turn Turn by The Byrds. I loved those songs.
First Record Buy: The Cramps Rockin n Reelin in Auckland New Zealand, The Ramones (self titled), and The Great Rock n Roll Swindle by the Sex Pistols. I was 14.
On Style
I bought a leather biker jacket when I was 15. I was so excited to wear it to school, along with a pair of tight trousers. (Editor’s note: yes, Corey calls pants “trousers.”) I got laughed at so bad. I still remember the feeling. I figured out that they were laughing out of envy, and wishing they had the courage to go against the grain. That day I felt rejected by my old friends– and met new friends who also wanted to be different.
On Skating
I like to search for skate spots and fix them up just as much as I like to skate them. The hunt is as good as the catch in skating.
My favorite places to skate are the ones I grew up skating. There just seems to be something magical about them. And old American concrete is just so much better for grinding!
On Independence
Stay Free by the Clash comes to mind for some reason. When I think of this song it makes me think of how great it is
to be reckless but also knowing that with everything dangerous there is a toll to pay at times.
And speaking of tolls, I took the plunge and started my own skateboard brand, Adored, in the middle of the pandemic. This was a huge milestone for me because I realized I had gotten too comfortable for a bit. I had to ask myself, ‘Do I really want to ride for someone else’s vision for the rest of my career, or do I want to take a chance on myself?’ I needed to experience some more failure and learning in my life all while learning a new process. I knew it was time to grow, and I was okay with taking the road less traveled.
On his Birthday
My mom bought me my first skateboard for my 10th birthday. It was love at first sight. And my mom was also responsible for my first piece of music equipment– a turntable she bought me when I turned 14, which I finally got rid of recently.
And speaking of my mom, every year I ask her to make me a German chocolate cake to share with everyone. Every year she comes through!
** Skatejoring/Dogjoring/Dogboarding takes its name from the snow sport of joring, where a dog, horse or motor vehicle is used to pull you across the snow. Think: skateboard/human/dog/street.
Photo by Bruce Rodela