Not mad.

Weekndtage.

OK, I'm not drunk or anything (yet) and I owe finding this to the ever insightful YWS but I'm pretty sure this is is the funniest skate video I've ever seen. I don't know these dudes but they are some funny cunts for sure. I just sat and laughed out loud at so many bits that I felt weird, maybe it's the prozac.

Anyway, Part 2 starts a little slow but give it a chance - the chroma-keying in the acid section is phenomenal. Oh and the Ke$ha into part makes you want to hit the club with these idiots. All in all a solid 10/10. 

Embedding is disabled for some reason so click the pics below to get there...

Soul is wank.

Looks like a fun session...

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I still hate that fucking song though.

W O W

And if you don't pray it doesn't matter.

We had a BBQ to break in the new garden. Actually it was the second one this week.

Carve. Grind. Slash. Very good. Have a drink.

Habgood and Howells.

A child from those ugly new houses.

Clearly my finger is not on the pulse with only just discovering this clip but fucking hell - Raven Tershy! I knew this kid was good but he pretty much just shut down that place. Kind of like me at the curbs today.
The line that starts with the indy air is A M A Z I N G.

I don't mind if you forget me.

I got 2 films developed from the cameras Rachel bought me for my birthday. Hit and miss but nice looking pics sometimes.

Black coming of veinen.

BONES/BARRIER KULT COLLABORATION WHEEL from BONES WHEELS on Vimeo.

VF3.

Just found this. It's the issue of Viewfinder that made me quit and I haven't seen it since maybe the week after it came out as I couldn't stand to watch it. Shame 'cos there's some good stuff in it. I think I filmed loads of this, I remember being there at least! Benny Fairfax, that was me, Ozzie Ben, that was me and Silvester was definitely me. That ollie attempt at American Express at the end was suicidal, getting away with just the cracked paving slab was a miracle.


More Skateboarding Videos

Midnight Marauders.

So this is a sort of review/comment/rant about that French indie video Minuit. I really like it. I also think it's wank but then so should everyone else that likes it. I'll tell you why.

It's really nicely put together. The editing is snappy and the filming is pretty much all in that super-close-up fisheye style that makes everyone look like Bobby Puleo. You know how I mean - the camera never just stays in one place letting the skater fly past. Instead it follows them from ground level up onto the ledge/bank/whatever and then down to the ground again at the end stopping as the skater rides away. This gives a different kind of feeling of speed and distance and almost always makes the exit look speedy and stylish. Point is, it can make almost ANYTHING look dope. And this video is chock full of "anythings". Dudes basically getting away with murder 'cos they've figured out how to make it look good on camera.

The video is almost all street. Real street. As in bombing down the road popping up and down curbs and not necessarily doing any "bangers". You know - Static, Traffic, fuck, even that last Landscape video (oops!) kind of style. And I like that, I always have. But fuck me running! There's some cheeky shit in this one.

One dude appears to FS 180 over a small gap in the pavement and then switch FS 180s off the curb. And that's a clip. He gets his name on the screen and everything. Another dude effectively rides down some very long, flat steps and ollies off the curb at the bottom. And so on.

Now, I'm straying into a mentality I've never really cared for - the skate-jock mentality. That is to suggest that there's no place for mellow, non-competitive skateboarding in videos and that I'd rather not see top pros fucking around when they should be one-upping each other on the stair counts and flips in and out. Basically an attitude I'm not keen on but one it's easy to assume when watching this vid. I know these dudes are not top pros but some of the tricks they've got in their parts are so easy that it virtually begs for you to sit there shouting "weak!" at the TV.

"The Emperor's New Clothes" is an accusation that has been levelled at plenty of modern videos/skaters/companies but it fits here for me more than ever. But like I said - I like the video. And it has all kind's of shit wrong with it - the arty bits between the skating are far too long and the music is soulless instrumental monotony yet I'd still rather watch this than a new P-Rod or Torey Pudwill part where the technical limits might be being pushed.

Style goes a long way and it's the style that this video is filmed in that makes it work. The filmer really can make any old shit look good. I might see if he can get me in the next one! Oh and it's all filmed at night, cool concept but I think I can see why - the dude's death lens is FUCKED! It has so many scratches around the edge it might have been used as hockey puck. You can't see them so badly in the dark, hence the concept for this video I reckon. Check the last clip where the Jap guy finishes his part in the light - the lens is S C R E W E D.

Anyway, it's a great video that will have plenty of people very happy to see some real skateboarding but probably questioning the legality of some of the tricks. The camera really can lie and it's pants are seriously on fire for much of the vid yet it still contains enough good skateboarding to work. I like it a lot and it has a couple of my good friends in but a part of me feels guilty when I'm watching the easier tricks - but hey, you wait 'til the Tuesday Crue: Bristol Chapter video comes out! Boy will that have some weak moves in it! Maybe 2011 is the year the pressure comes off and we can all get our 15 minutes of video fame. Fuck handrails and stairs - ollie off some curbs.

Quit Sinnin'.

Anyone else out there this good? Nope.



Oh and watch the Lennie Kirk episode of Kalis' Epicly Later'd. He's the only christian i'll tolerate.



Edit: This is too good to not post. Glad we seem to be getting into cupsoles again - i'm too old for vulcanised.

Bad Romance.

I doesn't get much Jazzier than this...



Actually they could have sat her on a fixed gear bike I suppose.
A tandem one with Jason Dill.
In Max Fish.

The queen is dead boys.

I picked up the new Sidewalk yesterday so I could see the Witchcraft/Lovenskate tour article. It's been a while since I've read a British mag and as anyone who knows me will tell you, I'm down for UK skateboarding.

This ad however blew my mind. First I didn't know Craig Smedley was on Unabomber - that's a trip eh? I know 'Bomber is owned by totally different people these days and the anarchy and system smashing kind of vibe has gone but still, I thought this dude was all swishy strides and chunky laces?

Then there's this. The interesting new take on the iconic Pete Fowler Unabomber gimp..


Holy fucking shit! I'm assuming this isn't a joke and that board is in production. I'm sure Smedley is a good guy and all but mate, what are you - fucking TWELVE YEARS OLD??

I'm completely clueless with the Graffiti style of "art" (Andy Howell left me cold) but doesn't that look like the Spliffy jeans logo to you? Deformed chunky shoes and a spray can. Helicar must be turning in his grave. OK, he's not dead thankfully but this must be breaking his fucking heart. Can you imaging Harry having this graphic in the good 'ol days?

How did this...

...become this???...


We live in a fucked up world at the best of times but this ruined/made my day. I know the Fowler graphic is hardly high art and I've never counted myself as a fan exactly but I still recognise it as a classic of British skateboard graphic design.

I can well imagine the design and concept of this board probably came more from the company than the rider but still, didn't he have a say? Worst board of the year and it's only February, good work Unabomber!

If there's a worse one out right now I want to know about it.

Ccccciiiidderr onn myyy lllaptoppp kkkeeeyyybbboooaaarrd. Stiiiccckkkkyyy.

I've been backing Suski since the 5boro lot came to Brighton years ago and he tried the Churchill Square rail. Plus - I've had enough of little kid footage - from now on I only like skateboarding from men with beards.

Yeah, torture motherfucker, What!?

Sam Ashley is my favourite skate photographer, Dog & Duck drinking partner (along with Seth obviously) and road trip van DJ.

Snowy is my favourite Landscape rider, Wu-Tang fancier and has the best nollie flips out there.

Click the photo below for my new favourite blog post.

You might as well watch this too whilst you're in the mood...

Steven Binks.

French called last night to tell me that Bingo, one of the greatest people I've ever met, died yesterday from a suspected heart attack in his shop Mischief. He was 36 years old.

Every time I visited the North East he was the perfect host, always sharing his spots and skating with us late into the night. I know that anyone who had the good fortune to spend any time with him will be devastated at his passing. He was far too young and far too good to deserve such an early ending and leaves a big hole in the lives of Teeside skateboarders and those in the rest of the country too for that matter.

Why do the good guys go first? In this case it really isn't fair.

Rest in peace Bingo, you made such a difference.

P.S. There is a skate jam on Sunday at Five Bridges in Newcastle so if you're in the area you should turn up and shred for him. 

Execration of Cruel Bestiality

Proclamation from Saturday night. Better angle from 3:10 in.
 Your prophet is dead.

Porco Dio.

Here's the MD video from Saturday night. Snippets of two songs (probably my favourite two actually).



Proclamation vid tomorrow.

All the witches dance.

The Funeral Fog/Witchcraft crew went to gig of the year (so far) at the Elektrowerkz last night.

  
Bestial Raids.

Proclamation. Fourth time I've seen them now and even though I miss the old vokillist they still smash it every time.

There's nothing like a drunk and bleeding Polish random to kickstart the party!

And finally, Mortuary Fucking Drape. First time in the UK and tighter than a nun's chuff. Amazing performance, the guitarists had all the mellow interludes and solos down perfect. So sick!
I was too busy screaming along to take photos but I filmed a couple of songs that I'll upload soon.