Thrasher publisher and Independent trucks founder Fausto Vitello died last weekend at the age of 59. Though Margalit Fox’s obituary in the New York Times would have you believe that Fausto was “revered by skateboarders” and the Godfather Of Gnarly, it should stressed that neither he nor the Thrasher empire were universally beloved.

(Glen E. Friedman on his tenure taking photos for Thrasher.)