a brief glance issue_36 by a brief glance skateboardmag

issue _36

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INTROD UCING T HE

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WELCOME TO ISSUE 36 a brief glance

NICK BOSERIO BACKSIDE 50-50

NIKESB.COM

ANY STYLE / ANY SPOT / ONE BRUIN

Mark BAINES Nollie in Sheffield / UK_

Photo // Reece Leung.

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CALIFORNIA SPORTS - TEL 0119277943 - WWW.CALIFORNIASPORT.INFO

DCSHOES.COM BIG BROTHER COLLECTION: BIG BROTHER BUCKET \ BIG BROTHER SNAPBACK \ BB COACH JACKET \ SULTAN S BIG BROTHER \ CRAP TIE DYE SS \ GARY CAT LS

EDITORIAL // 36

SKATEBOARDING IS NOT AROUND YOU IN EUROPE, YOU’VE GOT TO GO OUT AND FIND IT.

Chris Pfanner

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CONTENTS // 36 Fragments. Mark Baines / Interview. Wandering around in SF with the Nike SB Euro team. The Melbourne Experience. Places / Kirghizistan. It was all in a dream / Chris Pfanner. The kids are growing fast / Jacopo Cervelli.

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FRONTSIDE BLUNTSLIDE | PHOTO: SAM MCGUIRE

BUILT BY SKATEBOARDING

BARNEY PAGE MARANA VULC

etnies.com

@etniesskateboarding

EDITOR and CONCEPT_ Davide Biondani. (davide@abriefglance.com) ASSOCIATE EDITOR_ Guido Bendotti. (guido@abriefglance.com) ASSISTANT EDITOR_ Andrew Zolin. TRANSLATIONS_ Jonathan Levin. PHOTOGRAPHERS_ Leo Sharp, Jonathan Mehring, DVL, Craig Dodds, Brian Gaberman, Marcello Guardigli, Davide Biondani, Friedjof Feye, Marcel Veldman Giulia Romano, Kev Metallier, Reece Leung, Jason Lewer, Greg Somerset, Sebastiano Bartoloni, Oliver Kofler, Fed Mortagne. CONTRIBUTORS_ Nick Jensen, Mario Torre, Francesco Paolo Chielli, Jerome Campbell, Mark Baines, Tom Knox, Ale Morandi, Kirill Korobkov, Niall Neeson, Federico Incarbone, Giuliano Berarducci. DESIGN_ Fake Donkey Lab. GET ALL THE INFOS at: info@abriefglance.com

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FRAGMENTS

Gav Coughlan, Kickflip fs boardslide Photo_ Craig Dodds Charleville, Ireland.

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FRAGMENTS

Albert Nyberg, Fs kickflip over Photo_Davide Biondani Milano, Italy.

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Tom Lafay, 360 flip Photo_Sebastiano Bartoloni Lyon, France.

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FRAGMENTS

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FRAGMENTS

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Damian Engl Switch kickflip Photo_Oliver Kofler Bozen, Italy.

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Photography / Reece Leung Interview / Davide Biondani.

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MARK BAINES a brief glance

skateboarding needs more people like Mark Baines

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360 flip.

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Nollie lipslide.

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Nosegrind. [ photo_Jason Lewer ]

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Hi Mark, it seems like you are very productive lately... this is your second full interview in just a few months… are you sixteen again? Hey Mate! Yeah, it’s all been quite good recently. I had a problem with my knee early last year and was worried that was it for me but with some physiotherapy and a little time it healed fine and I was able to get back into the swing of things. I bought a foam roller which is one of the best things I’ve ever bought, and eased off on cycling so I could heal up. I feel good and I am also at the stage where I want to make the most of skateboarding whilst still I can, going out and

after if I go out boozing now, so I don’t even bother. You’ve got to be driven to go out and film and shoot photos too. I have skated so much over this winter and spending a Tuesday night in Barnsley trying to shoot a photo in -2 weather isn’t for everyone, but that’s the stuff that makes you appreciate it when the good weather comes. I’m sure it won’t be forever but right now it’s still in me to want to go out and try and be productive and do that kind of thing.

shooting and filming stuff without looking too hideous.

skateboarding. If you watch it, it is so current, people (and brands) still get inspiration from this video, it marked the rebirth of skateboarding after a dark era. What do you remember about that time? I remember that video coming out and it was refreshing. Obviously, most videos from that time came out of Cali so to see something that looked like the UK was different. We could relate to it, the spots and the weather, although the skating was different from what was coming out everywhere else. Skating has always had dark times. To be honest, if it had another dark time soon it might be a good thing but it probably won’t for a while, if at all. Not with the amount of money being invested and the big companies dictating things. That video was incredible, anyway. It was raw and it helped get those guys out of there, which at the time was difficult for East Coast skating. I was fortunate enough to film with Dan Wolfe in SF some years ago. I felt nervous every time we went out because he made one of the most influential videos of all time, but he was cool.

When we were kids the average age skaters were considered “old” at was around 28, nowadays 40 year-old skaters put out sick video parts and skate at an amazing level… not only Guy Mariano and Daewon Song that are definitely from another planet… but also more human skaters… is 40 the new 20? What’s your secret to keep skating at this level? I think this is the first generation of skaters that have just carried on throughout their 30s and kept it going?! Before it was maybe drilled into people that it’s only possible to be a pro skater up to your 20s. You make some changes in the way you live I suppose. You’re not going out drinking every night and you try and eat a little better maybe to keep your body working as well as it can. I do some cycling, I try to eat well and I rarely drink. Not to be boring, but I spent a lot of time doing that stuff and my body can’t hack it anymore. I had years of it where I didn’t have to get up at any time and no one to tell me what I should be doing. I feel rough for days

March 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of Eastern Exposure 3, probably the most influential video in the history of

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Fs noseslide. [ photo_Greg Somerset ]

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MARK BAINES a brief glance

What’s your favorite food? Do you like to cook? I like to eat fish a lot. I actually love the food over there in Italy. Whenever I stay at Lorenzo’s we always eat the most amazing, simple food. Italian food is up there for sure. I love to cook but sometimes I get lazy and make the same things, usually some salmon or sea bass. I just got a stone pizza oven so I eat pizza 3 times a week now, all from scratch.

to be involved with Blueprint so people could make those connections. Blueprint was a respected brand for many years and we always put out quality videos and did things the correct way. I suppose companies saw that and respected it. There’s also the thing of it being who you know, etc., but generally I think people respected the riders enough to offer them those positions over the years. We all learned the correct way to do things. Whether it’s putting a trip together or a video

Wine or beer? Wine or a decent beer. Wine for sure when we are out in Italy.

project, we’ve all been around that for a long long time and it’s something that you just can’t fake. We’ve all lived skateboarding over the years and been a part of the industry, so you pick things up along the way that no suit or random guy from a different background is going to understand. Obviously they’re all good at what they’re doing and are in a position they deserve to be in.

You have been part of Blueprint ever since the beginning, we talked about that in a previous interview we did a few years ago so I won’t go on about it, but I’ve noticed that almost all of the people involved in Blueprint at the time are now fully involved in skateboarding and many of them with important positions in the “European skateboard industry.“ Colin works in the marketing sector for Nike SB, Jerome for Cons UK, Shier & Jensen run Isle Skateboards, you started the WESC Skateboard Camps, Mackey is involved in NB Numeric and brilliantly manages Los Art skateshop, Magee is involved full time in video productions, and Chester now works for Adidas Skateboarding… It seems like you guys learned a lot from the Blueprint days. Are you something like a secret society that controls the skateboard industry in Europe?!!? Ha ha ha… I think it’s partly down to the association with Blueprint. At that time everyone was happy

Do you skate for NB Numeric now? I have seen your new model for Fabric Skateboards recently too... right? Yeah, I have been on NB Numeric for a year or so. I’m hyped on it, the shoes are incredible, the team is incredible, and Seb is an old friend of mine from way back so it’s nice to be able to link up with him again. Mackey is now working for them too so it’s pretty rad to be a part of it. Fabric is a British brand and we are working on some stuff now. It’s going well, we just need to produce some video stuff which we are working on. We have some rad artists working on the graphics now so it’s looking good. It takes time and there’s so many brands these days that you have to try harder to make something worthwhile and stand out.

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180 up switch kickflip over the rail.

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From your point of view, what was necessary to have as a skateboarder to be noticed and make a career in skateboarding in the 90s, and what do you need nowadays? I don’t think people saw skateboarding as a career in the 90s. Especially over here. I remember when we started Blueprint we were almost laughed out of the game, ha ha. It took some time to be accepted. But I like that, being the underdog is fine. Now you just need 10k followers and be able to do some quirky tricks right? I have no idea now, it has changed so much. Now you don’t need to go through the process of filming and shooting photos to

skateboarding? Any advice for the younger guys? I have seen it with people too. Maybe they expect too much from skating. You’re lucky to be earning a wage in this country from skating. In America it’s the same thing I’m sure, unless you’re hooked up on certain companies or you have some energy drink money coming your way. I think a lot of it is down to who you know as much as how good you are. I don’t even know to be honest. I see dudes hooked up, getting paid decent money and they’ve never put out a part but are held up there as being the best. For me that’s weak but some people get lucky like that. There’s

get out there and earn some respect within skating, or at least it seems there’s a fast revolving door that welcomes the next guys as quickly as they disappear. Scott Palmer always used to say, “You’re only as good as your last video part,” and I think that’s spot on. I always thought like that too. Now I don’t know, you’re only as good as your last insta post? It seems that is the most important thing to a lot of people now. Stuff that if you did in the 90s or even 5/10 years ago you’d be laughed at is pretty much accepted now. It’s pretty funny I guess, you see people trying so hard on insta to find a niche to get recognized. You don’t need to have a 4-minute banging part anymore, just get those 15-second clips. It’s all a bit more narcissistic I guess, but it’s the way it is now. That is skateboarding now, it’s not going to go back to how it was, it is constantly moving onwards. Anything goes almost, sex changes are in for God’s sake, ha ha ha, sack taps will be next.

some dudes who will never get a look inside, they could be kooks or just unlucky or they get bigged up too much too soon and believe the hype, and believe they made it before they really get started. There still needs to be progression in skateboarding, very few people have enough style to disguise the fact they’re not actually that good.

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of amazingly talented skateboarders not making it and leaving the game. From your long-lasting experience, apart from having a talent, what’s necessary to “make a career” in

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Do you still “make a living” off of your sponsors or do you have a side job? Does the idea of eventually having to get a “regular job” in the future scare you? I do make a living, but I’ve had to do other stuff as well. I do the skate camps over here and I have Story clothing, but I probably don’t make a penny on that. If you’re wanting to get rich from skating then you might be set for a disappointment. That’s the point I suppose, skateboarding is more than just money even when it is your job. I spent a few years buying up old road bikes and doing them up to sell on but I haven’t had to do that as much now. I still do it as a hobby but it’s not that I have to do it at the moment. I don’t need a lot of money to live, I’m not trying to buy a gold ring or a flashy car.

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Nollie pop shove-it.

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What is the current state of the UK skateboard market and industry? From the outside it looks like one of the most active, productive, and alive in Europe… Actually, the skateboarding side of things in the UK is amazing. Lots of dope skaters here right now. Korahn, Andy Evans, Casper, Tom Knox, and the list goes on and on. Shops still struggle which is harsh, skating is the biggest it’s possibly ever been and yet so many stores here close down or struggle. A lot of them say the same things as well, so it’s tough, Instagram can make things look

How is living in Sheffield? What kind of city is it and what do you like most and what least about it? Sheffield is home basically, ha ha ha. I like it here, it’s good for skating and it’s good for cycling as it’s 10 minutes to the countryside. People are generally quite friendly and it’s pretty cheap to live here. There’s no real downside to it but a lot of the people I grew up skating with all moved away. It’s very much a student city, businesses rely heavily on the students. I was in a cab earlier and the driver was saying how quiet it was outside of term

rosy but behind it all the reality is different I guess. I don’t have a store anymore so I try and not get too caught up in that side of things, but I sympathize with all my friends who have stores and try and do positive stuff for their scenes but still struggle. It’s shit, but that’s partly why skaters need to get back on top of the industry and support the shops, and get people coming back through their doors again, or at least buying their product from skate shops and not random sports shops. We need to keep the money within skateboarding as much as possible which is tough these days. I think it’s pretty decent here for sure, although there’s more to it than you see. Kids should try and support their local skate stores if they can, otherwise they will disappear and we might be left with a skateboard section in sports shops next to the roller skates and scooters. I hear it’s coming soon anyway, once the Swoosh starts making skateboards. But overall in the UK it’s a good scene with a lot of amazing skateboarders. It does tend to feel like you have London and then everywhere else but it’s always been that way. There’s a massive bubble surrounding the M25. Not saying that’s a bad thing but you will hear different stories in different parts of the country, that’s for sure.

time. It’s just a working class place pretty much. We always say if you gave someone in Sheffield a million in cash they’d moan about the notes you handed it over in. I really want to change house at the moment. My neighbor passed away recently and his wife moved and sold the house to a landlord so we don’t know who we will get living next to us right now. We really got along with them so it sucks a little bit. If we get some annoying neighbors then it might be time to move to somewhere else in the city. How is the skateboard scene in Sheff at the moment? It’s always been good here and there have always been a lot of decent skaters. We have a lot of students in the city so there’s always skaters coming and going. There’s a real mix which is good.

Fakie 360 flip in.

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MARK BAINES

Fakie nosegrind.

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I know you are a great Sheffield Wednesday fan. Why the Owls and not the United? Ha ha. Also, what do you like about football, just the game or also the magic vibe of the stadium? It’s something so different from skateboarding… I was actually a Liverpool fan when I was real young, then my dad took me to watch Wednesday and that was it, really. My brother always had a season ticket so it seemed natural to be a Wednesday fan. I live near the United ground funnily enough and the fans park on my street on match day so I have to

Your three favorite movies? Bronx Tale, Lawless, and the second Godfather film.

see their shitty red and white shirts, ha ha. I used to really enjoy football as a kid, I lived and breathed it until I started skating. Now I follow it and I enjoy going to watch the odd Wednesday game when I can. When it’s full and there’s a good atmosphere it’s sick, we had years of really poor football so now there’s something to sing about. I hope Leicester wins the premiership this season, that would give some hope to everyone who doesn’t support Chelsea, Manchester United, and the other big money clubs.

good for the world. The masses would benefit and I could turn on the news without feeling depressed after 5 minutes... they would be some happy days. The stuff going on here now with the government is grim. The rich always getting richer. There needs to be another way.

Do you have other interests apart from skating, cycling, and football? I enjoy cycling a lot. It’s good for fitness and it’s nice being out in the countryside. It’s hard where I live because it’s all hills. There’s no easy riding really. I like watching tennis and used to play a lot, it’s a tough game. Snooker as well. We’re having the snooker championships in Sheffield soon so I might try and get some tickets. I got some before but it was one of the worst games you could ever imagine. I was bored out of my mind. What are you listening to recently? Low End Theory album.

If you could have a magic wand for a minute and could realize your biggest dream what would it be? If I was being selfish I would be happy with a house in the countryside with a little barn to build a little park and some land. I would be happy with that. If I was thinking about others then I would be a Robin Hood and take all the corrupt, rich people’s money and do some

Imagine the “session of your dreams.” Where, when, and with who? Nottingham square with the whole old Workshop crew, Shipman, Rob, Piggy, Smig, Hirst, and the rest. 38mm wheels, big cut off New Deal jeans, and getting abuse from dudes who probably sit and watch street league with their kids now. Spring is here, are you hyped, and what are your plans for the summer? It’s been a long winter here. I have only just stopped wearing 2 pairs of socks, so yeah I am stoked. Fingers crossed, we might get a summer this year. When will we leave for another tour? Hopefully I can come out in May with a small crew. That’s the plan anyway. I’ve been missing the food. Let’s work on that.

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Nollie fs heel. [ photo_Greg Somerset ]

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WAN DE RING AROUND a brief glance

PHOTOGRAPHY & WORDS_ MARCEL VELDMAN

WITH THE NIKE SB EURO TEAM

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SF has definitely changed over the decades since the hippie revolution brought peace, love and bunches of flowers to this stunning city in the bay. While you catch glimpses of that long gone era here and there, most of that spirit has been pushed out by the insane rents that tenants have to put up each month, courtesy of all the tech giants taking over their town. No, I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get into that, google it. Pun intended.

Kilian Zehnder // Bs lipslide.

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Oski Rosenberg // Smith pop over.

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What hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t changed in SF is the unlimited amount of killer downhills. Along with these steep hills, there are plenty of spots if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re willing to look beyond the perfect Macba ledge (hello Dani, luckily we found a fire hydrant eh?). In this day and age, where being creative on a skateboard is the hottest new trend, it is the perfect place for it, plenty of stuff to body varial I would say.

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Jacopo Carozzi // Kickflip. Jacopo Carozzi // Kickflip.

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All jokes aside, this place was, is and will be amazing for skateboarding for decades to come. I remember back in the early 2000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when Wieger and myself would just sit on top of one of the hills that overlook the city and drink a beer, staring at all the lights below us, and contemplating the limitless possibilities this city has. Funny fact, at the time Wieger could not powerslide which is an absolute must when one wants to survive going down the hills at mach speed. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve eaten my fair share of shit since my very first time in â&#x20AC;&#x2122;97, and at least once each visit you go down and slide on your ass in between cars, barely escaping death. How very exciting it is to be alive. Did you guys see that clip of Frank Gerwer? Madness.

Michael Sommer // Fs bluntslide. a brief glance

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Witnessing the local kids skate these hills and the spots they hold, is absolutely mind-blowing. They’re just fearlessly blasting down, dodging traffic at intersections like it’s the most normal thing in the world. And I guess for them that’s the case. For guys like me however, who basically grew up in the flattest country on Earth called the Netherlands, it takes a while to adjust to the fact that you can’t really control your own speed when going for that ledge or roadgap. And when you finally land a trick it’s balls out and hanging in there for dear life, gaining more momentum every inch down the way. And while houses, pavement cracks and pedestrians fly by in splits of a second, you’re trying your best not to get speed wobbles or hit one of those speed bumps which can catapult you off your board (hello Fernando, I’ll never forget that). Just imagine nollie heelflipping a street gap with a landing that steep with no other option than to go all the way… (hello Michael, so dope). a brief glance

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Michael Sommer // Nollie heelflip.

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Dani Lebron // Kickflip.

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Fernando Bramsmark // Bs nosegrind.

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Nike Sb rented a house for their riders for one month, conveniently located a long drive out of town over the Golden Gate bridge and cutting down the party hours to a minimum. Besides the location, the house was lacking not a thing, swimming pool, big yard, a ton of bedrooms, and an all around sound system to play some shitty tunes real loud early in the morning (hello Youness and Jacopo, thanks, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still stuck in my head).

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Every day we drove into the city over the Golden Gate, welcomed to our left by the most beautiful skyline in the world, the city of SF. Normally Eric Burdonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s San Franciscan Nights is flowing in my brain. This time around however we had Drake telling us we could call him on his cellphone (hello Michi, you have by far the worst taste in music). The bay area however is absolutely stunning, no shitty tune in the world can change that. When entering the city you feel like you would just want to get lost there and wander around, taking in all the beauty. a brief glance

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Hjalte Halberg // Noseslide pop over.

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That doesn’t mean you have to actually get lost and lose the crew, especially being the filmer (hello Sami, how did the homeless treat you?). But it’s understandable at times. And when you’re done skating around, which is hard to imagine (hello Hjalte, what’s for dinner?), you can always hit up a concrete skatepark like Potrero. And since it is home to Thrasher, it’s not very unlikely to be cheered on by the one and only godfather of raw Jake Phelps while backside tailsliding the fence on top of a quarter pipe (hello Oski, so damn gnarly).

Kilian Zehnder // Bs noseblunt.

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Oski Rosenberg // fs ollie.

I won’t bore you for too much longer, I’m actually wondering if you’re still reading this. Who really wants to read a bunch of words about how we skated a sick banked ditch thingy in a graveyard and one of us took a gnarly slam to the dome (hello Micheal, hope you’re ok). Or that we tried to eat as organic and GMO free as possible (hello Kilian my dooooggggie) when we weren’t BBQing a whole cow (hello Pstone, what’s cooking?). Enough, let’s just look at some photographs finally! And sorry I forgot anyone (hello Denny, too bad we could only hang out for a day or two). a brief glance

Kilian Zehnder // 360 flip.

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MELBOURNE

THE

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EXPE RIEN CE

Photography Marcello Guardigli Words Ale Morandi.

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After more than twelve months away from my country, friends, and family, of course I miss a lot of things, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be honest, my adventure on Australian territory was a fantastic experience, but more than anything else it was a rehabilitation, both mentally and for my life in general, including skateboarding.

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Ale Morandi // Fs lipslide.

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Tom Griffin // Fs ollie.

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As soon as I arrived in Melbourne my friend Ale Cesana gave me a place to stay for five days, “just until I found a place of my own,” which then became three months of beers, good times, and lots of skateboarding. Thanks to you buddy and your lovely girl Benny, you have been like family for me. After having spent a full year in Melbourne I can now tell you how both the city and skateboarding work there. I now love this place; I consider it like a second home, everything works perfectly, from public transport which is always on time, to work opportunities that with a little adapting, can allow you to find a decent job.The city is full of virgin spots because many of them are skate-stopped, so the skaters here go on night missions armed with hammers to remove the skate-stoppers, making the spots skateable the next day, or if you are lucky even for a week. It’s a real war.

Matt D’ambrosio // Fs feeble.

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One of the most famous and skated spots is the library, with the Roman-style column sticking out of the pavement where it is possible to do wallrides of all sorts. Two other main spots are Lincoln square and the Melbourne Museum. The first of these is the most well known spot in Australia but unfortunately it was demolished last week.The museum is the famous spot with the sand gaps you see in many historic videos. These three spots are at most ten minutes apart and form a triangle on the map. They are not difficult to find. Cruising around the city and its suburbs it is possible to find interesting spots of all kinds; but now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll quit talking about spots and skateboarding, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re curious, come out here and experience it yourself!

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Ale Morandi.

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Ben Currie // Kickflip fs board.

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Let’s talk instead about parties, hotties of all nationalities, and of how people have fun in this Australian city that many liken to Europe. About this last point I have my doubts, since I never for one moment felt like being in Europe, ha ha ha... Smoking and getting drunk is really expensive so if you don’t want to spend half your paycheck doing so, then it’s better to think twice about it. Obviously there is a solution to this problem, and that is organizing or sneaking into house parties, sharing the cost of alcohol with your friends. If you’re so poor that you cannot afford half a case of beers there will always be someone willing to pitch in the money for you, as long as at the next party you are rich and no longer poor. House parties are typical in Australia, everyone brings a case of beers, puts it in the fridge and the party is on, often accompanied by a gigantic BBQ... another typical thing here in Australia... fantastic!

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Matt Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ambrosio // Kickflip over.

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Melbourne is the capital city of the State of Victoria, and is the second largest city in the country. It is a fascinating, multicultural city where different ethnic communities reside and coexist, and this shows in the diverse assortment of international dishes the city is well known for. You can find bars and cafĂ¨s everywhere thanks to the localsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; enthusiasm about chatting with friends. Melbourne is also considered the culture capital of Australia thanks to its artistic and cultural events ranging from art to music, and from cuisine to cinema, and so on. Things you should not miss: eating lunch along the river at Southbank, strolling down back streets and historical galleries, and wandering around Fitzory, the alternative neighborhood where I live, sipping on some good coffee and drinking delicious beers.

John Dickenson // Wallride.

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Spending an afternoon relaxing on the beach at Half Moon Bay, or going towards Mount Martha, and definitely not to be missed is Great Ocean Road, one of the main tourist attractions in Australia, a four-hour long trip from Melbourne to see the coastal city of Torquay, Lorne and Apollo Bay, the lighthouse At Cape Otway, London Bridge, and the 12 Apostles.

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There are also local markets like for example the Queen Victoria Market in the city center, which is open all year round, five days a week; a good place to skate full of flatbars and original spots to explore. I also suggest you visit the markets on Wednesday evenings that offer live music and an excellent sangria, or the S. Kilda market during the summer, known for its international cuisine. On the weekends you can visit the South Melbourne market. Melbourne is a city you must visit and live, it has a relaxed atmosphere and lots of possibilities when it comes to work. You can meet people from all over the world and skate tons of diverse spots together with awesome skaters. If I may give you some advice, come out here and your life will change. I love Melbourne.

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Ale Morandi // Boneless.

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PLACES_

KIRGHIZISTAN

Photography // Kévin Mètallier.

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KIRGHIZISTAN

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CHRIS PFANNER [ interview ]

IT WAS ALL IN A DREAM

Words & Interview // Guido Bendotti. Portrait // Davide Biondani.

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It’s always a pleasure to meet a person who is satisfied with his life, of the goals he’s accomplished and of what he’s creating. It’s a pleasure to meet a peaceful, grounded person, who lives what skateboarding has given him with ease, and takes everything not with superficiality and presumption, but with gratitude. Chris has intelligently created his own world within skateboarding with a big smile on his face, and even though he’s pro for companies we all love, he experiences it all with a joie de vivre. With two kids and a tight schedule made of constant traveling, a new videopart coming out soon, and lots of responsibilities, Chris always gives us the thrills, whether it’s skating with top pros or discovering the secret to ollie higher in a dream. It was all in a dream.

Pop shove-it // Photo Leo Sharp.

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Hi Chris, how are you? I’m fine, doing great, we’re here in Milan for Vans’ 50th birthday, so it’s great.

The ollie was already in you! Well, that’s my favorite thing to do. Ollie? it’s the best!

We all know that you’re from Lagos, and you grew up in Bregenz, Austria. How was the life of an African kid in a small city in Austria? I was ten years old and I was all on my own, no parents or anything, but I was in a boarding school, and when you’re young, you find connections in a really easy and really quick manner. It took me like 6 months to learn the language. For me it was a good opportunity, ‘cause if I had stayed in Lagos, pfff... I don’t even know what my future would’ve looked like, because the situation down there was terrible. Also moving to Austria, I picked up a skateboard... so hey, it was all for the better man!

Well, I know it sounds really stupid… but do you have some secret or some technique to ollie that high, and with such control? You know, when I was a kid I was jumping over things. I’ve always jumped over things... but actually, I remember one night I had a dream, that to ollie I need to jump! So when I woke up, no breakfast, no nothing, I just grabbed my board and tried ollieing like in the dream, and it actually worked! From 2 boards I went straight to 5 boards… I was like, ”Yeah, this is it,” just like in the dream.

I’ve read that you learned how to ollie on the very first day of skateboarding on someone else’s board… Yeah, ha ha ha. It was funny, because these kids skated, and they had ramps at the boarding school, and I would try to bike on them. The kids came over, they skated and

I’ve seen you around at contests in Europe and Italy when you were really really young... I think like 14 or 15. You were on Yama, and you could skate trannies and skateparks very well. Clean style, grabs, high kickflips... when did you discover this clean and powerful style of skateboarding,

I had to leave my bike. So it was like a bet. I was like, “Hey it looks so easy to skate,” ha ha ha. So they were like, “Yeah, if it’s so easy, try to ollie over 2 boards!” Ok! So I tried all day long and at the end of the day I was ollieing over two decks, ha ha ha. But after that day I was hooked, I was thinking, “That’s cool, I don’t wanna do anything else.”

Like Biggie, it was all a dream. Yeah, ha ha ha ha ha!!!

versus maybe tech ledge tricks? I don’t have the patience for tech tricks, like trying a manual over and over again. To me, skateboarding is about going fast and jumping high. It’s so much fun for me. I don’t like to practice, I just go with the flow and push it as far as I can.

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And you can skate transitions too... Of course, I try. Sometimes I get in a session with people like Daan (Van Deer Linden) or Grant (Taylor) and they start to skate... and well… I just wanna chill, ha ha ha!

still traveling a lot, so I need her help. It’s been 5 years now that we’ve been living in Nuremberg, ‘cause she’s from there, her parents are there, and we need some help sometimes.

How is Grant? Grant is born to do that, he’s so natural. His power is so unbelievable... I’m just so lucky to be on the same team as him. I can always say, “Hey, he’s my guy,” ha ha ha.

The way you started skating for Anti Hero is pretty epic. You seriously didn’t recognize Julien Stranger? Ha ha ha, at first it was strange. Growing up in Bregenz, we didn’t have that many magazines or skate videos. We just fed off each other. If somebody learned a trick, you had to learn that trick... as simple as that. Of course I knew the name Julien Stranger, but at first he introduced himself as “Julien,” so I just skated with him. After a while I realized who that guy was. You know, I was drinking a lot of beers and smoking a lot of hash at the time, ha ha.

How was traveling with the Yama guys when you were really young? When I started skating with Muki (Rustic), he was such a dickhead to me. I met him and the guys from the skate shop said, “Go skate with him,” and he was like, “Fuck no, I don’t wanna hang with the kids.” So he took me to a big set of stairs, and said that if I wanted to skate with him, I had to ollie down them! Ha ha ha. It was like 8 or 9 stairs, and I had never tried anything bigger than 4 stairs. I wanted to skate with these guys, so I decided I was gonna try, and after a few tries I landed that ollie, ha ha ha. How was living in Barcelona for the first few years? It was cool man, ‘cause I had just finished school, and in 2004 or 2005 I flew down there to skate. Barcelona has always been the dream place. I was getting a little money from Vans and Carhartt, so I just skated and lived the dream, you know? I didn’t need anything else, I was just skating all day long. I stayed there for 7 years, I met my wife there and we have two kids now. Two kids? That’s hard. I’m lucky. My wife is really supportive, she takes care of everything, ‘cause I’m

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You’ve lived in Barcelona and LA. Now you’re in Nuremberg with your family… where do you feel most at home? Seriously, where I’m at right now, in Nuremberg! You can’t always ask for something more in your life. You have to appreciate what you do have in the moment. If you appreciate it you’re gonna be fine with it. I like it there, really good nature, great living standards, and it’s quiet! Not far away from my family too.

Apart from money... what are the biggest differences between skateboarding in Europe and in California? Well, if you’re born and raised on the West Coast, skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding are part of your culture. Skateboarding is something normal, you’re surrounded by it. In Europe it’s not like that. Maybe you can get into it, maybe you can go a little deeper with your passion, but skateboarding is not around you in Europe, you’ve got to go out and find it. You’ve just finished doing the Vans video. Are there any tricks you missed? Hmm, I had some tricks in mind, but I realized that planning stuff really doesn’t work for me; I just skate what I have in front of me and see what happens. It feels more natural to me to just go with the flow. Sometimes if you think too much about what you wanna do, once you get to the spot you’re already tired. Actually, I got everything I wanted to get... so that’s good. You skate with some of the best skaters of all time, true legends… I’m still a little fan! Growing up I saw these guys in videos, and now I hang out with them. I still can’t believe it sometimes. The other day I took the DVD again, and read the names on the back cover… my name is up there with all those guys... pretty unreal! It seems like you really enjoy being in the streets, and after a trick you get a lot of love from people around you... like the old man who hugged you after the caballerial in New York… Ha ha ha ha! I get so excited. We’re in the streets, and these people are in the streets too. So sometimes, when I try a trick, people

are just stoked, and try to motivate you to land your tricks. You get so much energy from that. When I landed the full cab I was so happy that I thanked that guy for the motivation. You’re very polite and always smiling... do you ever get mad while skating and can’t land a trick? Of course!!! Ha ha ha. Everybody has days like that. With family and skateboarding, sometimes I get mad over little things that are so unimportant. But you’ve got to progress, you’ll never stop learning how to be in control. Things are gonna happen anyway, so you’ve just got to relax and be ready. Can you describe your ideal day to us? Well, I get up in the morning, have breakfast with my little man, make some waffles for him, then take him to kindergarten, then I go skate and have a successful mission, come back home, see my wife, play some more with the kids, and then when everything is quiet, I chill a little bit with my wife. What’s next for you? I’ve just finished filming for the Volcom video “Holy Stokes.” I didn’t have that much time like I did for the Propeller Video, but I tried hard for this video too. The premiere is in May. I’m gonna start building the house with my family in the summer, that’s it. Thank you Chris, sorry for all these questions. Sorry? That’s good man. People say sorry to me for the interviews all the time, but man, I’m not shoveling snow in a parking lot. It’s an easy job doing interviews, ha ha ha. Ha ha. Ok, let’s go for a beer.

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THE KIDS ARE GROWING FAST [ JACOPO CERVELLI ]

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Photos & interview // Davide Biondani.

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Jaco is really a bro. He’s one of the dearest people to me, like a brother. Life has given him a few beatings, but he is stronger than a rock. He is a real talent, he has skateboarding in his veins, at times he’s a total nut but he’s humble and has his head on his shoulders. Forged by the exhausting, stressful hardcore side of Turin that never stops churning out talents, even though they’re all crazy and underrated. Jacopo Cervelli. His destiny is still unwritten, I hope he gets going and stops finding excuses to not kick everybody’s ass in Italy. His team manager Danny and all his team mates at DC believe in Jaco and represent precious support for him, but he must believe in himself first and pull out his true potential. If you see him around, tell him that I really love him, and that he owes me 50 Euros. ( Federico Incarbone). OLLIE.

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HALF CAB FLIP.

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Hi Jacopo, introduce yourself for those that do not know you. Hi, my name is Jacopo Cervelli, I’m 23 years old and was born and raised in Turin, Italy. How long have you been skating for, and how did you start? I’ve been skating for quite a while, in September it’ll be 10 years. I’ve always liked sports ever since I was a little kid, not that I think skateboarding is a sport, it’s more like a way of life, a way of thinking. I live in Serravalle, a small town that probably has more shops than people, and one day I saw a complete setup. I bought it that same day and started pushing in the countryside near my house. I was catapulted into a whole new world altogether. Turin is one of the first cities in Italy where skateboarding appeared back in the 70s... and where in the 80’s one of the first companies in Europe to produce its own decks was also born, called Graw Skateboards. You’re part of the newest generation of Turin skaters, what do you know about the history of your city’s scene? Actually, I’m not part of the newest generation any longer, I’m almost twice as old as the newest kids... ha ha ha. What I do know about the Turin scene is thanks to older skaters like Mario Marinelli, Marco Mina, and Mattia Rossanino who held skate lessons. I owe them a lot both as a person and as a skater. For me, Mario was like a pro. Together with Fabio Palombino, they are part of the second generation of Turin skaters that kept skateboarding alive, and despite this, today most of the younger skaters know very little about them, as is the case with Graw Skateboards, and Turin’s pioneers.

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Turin is a city of great elegance with a very important history, it once was the Italian industrial city par excellence, and even a little “grey.” Lately it has definitely become a new city... For many aspects I consider it the most livable city in Italy. Its mentality has always remained closed towards skateboarding, even though now everybody wears skate clothing. The problem is that what we do is not valued at all. But for the main part I don’t mind living here. What’s the skate scene like? Over the last two years it really seems like it’s come alive and full of new energy... new good skaters... a good movement. How much did having a skate plaza like Valdo Fusi to skate every day influence you? Skating in this city makes you tough, both for its rough spots as for its bitchy people and chavs. At times we end up in fights, especially with the latter. Yes, over the last few years many new kids have popped up that are really good, but they are capricious and don’t have much respect for the older dudes, and no respect for other skaters in general. The scene is not united, but maybe that’s exactly what pushes everybody to skate harder. The building of the “plaza” in Valdo Fusi marked the splitting of the scene in Turin, and the birth of a new and important meeting place for us. However, the skaters are no longer united.

Last year you were welcomed to the DC team, how did that happen and how’s it going? I was on the Fallen team, which is managed by the same distributor, so I asked the TM Danny if I could be part of the DC team, and after a year it finally happened. I’m really happy to represent this company in Italy and to be on a team with incredible skaters that are also very serious and professional people. I still have lots to learn, and I’m just psyched about the whole situation. What do you think about the fact that before, kids were out on the street, while now they are at home in front of Facebook? What’s your relationship with social networks? I think there is something wrong, nowadays the new generations live on social networks and construct identities that are not coherent with who they are, they all look retarded. I cannot say that I don’t use my mobile, but I’m not dependent on it except maybe to call my girlfriend. I use social networks mainly to post things inherent to skateboarding. I’m not looking for popularity or things of the sort, but it makes me happy when my friends visualize, like, or comment my posts.

What do you think about the fast pace at which we live today, and of how quickly something becomes old? Regarding skateboarding, nowadays it’s a constant media bombardment. Every day, every minute, new videos are coming out and you don’t even have time to realize what you’re watching. There is nothing left, everything comes and goes. Nothing can match the old 411 videos.

What’s your dream as a skateboarder? As a kid growing up, I dreamed of becoming a professional skateboarder, but as time went by, I came back down to reality. I think it is wrong to set limits for oneself, but for the things I’ve been through, honestly I’m content just being able to skate every day. It is difficult for many people to do so, and having an excellent sponsor that allows me not to spend any money to travel is a good motivating factor. With DC I realized that there might be a chance, maybe not of turning pro, but of being able to stay in the scene for a long time, and who knows, maybe one day even find a job in the skateboard world. It is necessary to give it your all, giving blood and making many sacrifices in order to reach a goal. What about outside of skateboarding? I don’t think I have a dream outside of skateboarding. I didn’t even finish high school. Bullshit apart, I think life gives us many possibilities to change for the better or make money, all you need to do is make the right decisions and bust your ass the right amount. Let’s go back to the last question and let me add that I would like to stay in the skateboard scene for the rest of my life. Apart from skating well, what else is necessary to make a “career” in skateboarding? Skating well isn’t enough. You need to be constant, have your head on your shoulders, be dedicated, intelligent, and also a bit savvy. You need the courage to put aside everything else and make many sacrifices. You need an attitude to life. Does this interest you? Of course it interests me. I don’t think I have many expectations, and that’s where I go wrong. I should expect more from myself.

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BS KICKFLIP.

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Three songs you listen to a lot lately? The Subways - Rock’n’Roll Queen The Notorious B.I.G. - Suicidal Thoughts Lexicon - Rock the Rhythm Three favorite films? The 25th Hour, Legend, Rock N Roll. What happened to your ankle? I saw a photo of you with a cast... On the second day of the Malaga tour I was doing a simple line, with a switch fs 180 over a bench as the first trick. The wheels touched the bench and I just let go of the board without thinking about it. The tip of my foot slammed into the ground and I twisted first my foot and then my ankle. I went to the hospital and they gave me a cast I had to keep for just three days, because I didn’t break anything fortunately. This is the game.

FS POP SHOVE-IT.

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I’d like to end it with a quote: ”If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got.”.

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Photo Marcel Veldman // SF 2015.

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