a brief glance skateboardmag 22

issue _22

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MY DC CREW SHOPS: SKATEBOARDING’S FINEST - TORINO (TO) / ACRIMINALG - ARONA (NO) FRISCO - BRESCIA (BS) / GREEN BOARDS - PADOVA (PD) / BLACKOUT – PINEROLO (TO) CALIFORNIA SPORTS - TEL 0119277943 - WWW.CALIFORNIASPORT.INFO

DCSHOES.COM/NYJAH

THE

WITH

SWITCH BIGSPIN HEELFLIP | BLABAC PHOTO

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photo_davide biondani_

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SKATE.VANS.COM

ANTHONY VAN ENGELEN

©2013 Vans, Inc.

EDITORIAL_22 Skateboarding opens doors_

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COVER: Karsten Kleppan_Wallride_ Photo_Davide Biondani_

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M A R T Y

M U R A W S K I

F S C R O O K S TO FA K I E / P H OTO : R O B C O L L I N S

ISSUE _22

CONTENTS FRAGMENTS_ VANS_a journey to Cyprus_ PLACES_Istanbul_Turkey_ LAKAI in Sicily_not just a skateboard trip_ THE BLUESTONE experiment_concrete diy in OZ_ Dusted Off_ ORIGINAL PREMIUM_

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JOSEPH BIAIS LIPSLIDE - PHOTO: AVAILABLE NOW- BACKSIDE ON DVD/BLU-RAY AND iTUNESGUILLAME PERIMONY

A DOCUMENTARY FILM BY FALLEN FOOTWEAR

EDITOR and CONCEPT Davide Biondani.

(davide@abriefglance.com) ASSOCIATE EDITOR Guido Bendotti.

ASSISTANT EDITOR Andrew Zolin.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Leo Sharp, Kévin Mètallier, Nils Svensson,

DVL, Friedjof Fèye, Garric Ray, Bear Bridges,

Graham Tait, Marcello Guardigli, Eric Antoine, AlanMaag, Reece Leung , Kazuhiro Terauchi,

Davide Biondani, Riccardo Ceccato, Bertrand Trichet.

CONTRIBUTORS

Jonathan Levin, Jeroen Smeets, Francesco Paolo Chielli, Mauro Caruso, Jerome Campbell, Samu Karvonen, Lorenzo Formenti, Ale Martoriati, Luca Basilico, Holger von Krosigk, Simone Bertozzi, Niall Neeson.

DESIGN

Fake Donkey Lab. www.abriefglance.com

GET ALL THE INFOS at: info@abriefglance.com

abrief glance skateboard mag is a bulletin published by fake donkey skateboard asd.

No part of this pubblication may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher.

All right reserved.

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FRAGMENTS

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Josh Young, Fakie ollie.

Photo_Leo Sharp.

Cornwall_UK.

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FRAGMENTS

Paul Cooper, Fs feeble.

Photo_Leo Sharp.

Cornwall_UK.

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FRAGMENTS

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Francesco Salini, Switch fs heelflip.

Photo_Giuliano Berarducci.

Barcelona.

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FRAGMENTS Benjamin Delaboulaye, Fakie nosepick.

Photo_DVL. Marocco.

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VANS_a journey to Cyprus_

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Photography_Davide Biondani_

Photographic contributions and words_Federico Romanello_

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Traveling is part of the essence of skateboarding. Pushing your wheels in new places gives you a completely different satisfaction than walking on the same paved road. That’s the reason our skate team keeps exploring and venturing the farthest, where no other Italian team has been yet. Serbia, Mallorca, and Morocco. Having better and better skate-tours every year seems impossible, but then at the end of each tour all the stories that originate are proof we managed to arrange a better one. It’s not just the magic of the places we visit, or at least not only that. It’s the emotion you feel when you step outside of an airport, not knowing what you will find outside. That sense of brotherhood that builds during those kinds of trips. The different smell of the air, the colors, the landscape. Meeting people that lead a different life from yours, sometimes just a little different, other times completely different. And still, having the same big passion: skateboarding.

This year, after the incredible Moroccan experience from last year, we chose Cyprus. An island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, partly Greek and partly Turkish. With a culture resembling Morocco in the north of the island, and a completely different culture in the rest of the country, where the biggest influences are Greek and Anglo-Saxon. An interesting destination from both the cultural and the naturalistic point of view, with dry weather that best suits our hunger for skateboarding, and of course with plenty of skate spots.

This year we had the opportunity to have two European guests with our national team, Flo Marfaing and Kris Vile. They’re both good ol’ friends of ours, they’ve been to Italian skate events several times, so they don’t really need any introduction.

So we had in the mix: an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea covered with spots where it never rains, the Italian team, two well known European guests, and warm weather even in mid-Autumn. Oh, we forgot, in October the sea in Cyprus is still around 25°C. Do we really need to say how it ended?

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Kris Vile_Bluntslide_

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Simone Verona_Switch feeble grind to fakie_

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Jacopo Picozza_Fs nosegrind_

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Kris Vile_Switch fs varial heelflip_ a brief glance

Carlo Cassan_Fs nosegrind_

Flo Mairfaing_Ollie up to kickflip fakie_

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Jacopo Picozza_Crooks pop over_

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Nicosia_

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THE CYPRUS AFFAIR_

Cyprus is an island in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, historically subjected to

different occupations, from Greeks to Assyrians, Egyptians, the Roman Empire, Byzantines, Venetians, Ottomans, ending with the British who governed it till it

gained its independence relatively recently, in 1960. In 1974, after an attempted coup d’état by Greek nationalists, Turkey invaded the island, obtaining a partition of the

island in two administrative areas, the Republic of Cyprus and the Turkish republic of Northern Cyprus, which covers about 36% of the island area, and is de facto an occupied territory for the international community. One of the reasons we chose

the island as our destination is this cultural aspect. A United Nations buffer zone

separates the two governments, with mine fields along the border and UN military surveilling it. A wall literally splits Nicosia, the main city, in two, making it the last city in the world divided by a wall. Just to give you an idea of what happens there,

you need a passport to cross the border, with regular immigration checks and stamp

on the passport every time you go to the other side. The area close to the buffer zone is undeniably scary to say the least. On both sides of it you can see plenty of soldiers waiting in their barracks with rifles in their hands as if a fire fight could start any

moment. You can still see closed shops and buildings that no one has entered in the last forty years, just meters away from a vibrant city center with people gathering,

shopping and having coffees at bars, as happens in every other city of the world. If

you think that not only the city, but the whole border is constantly patrolled by sol-

diers from three different armies, and covered in mine fields, you can clearly see how in reality the situation is not so relaxed after all.

Sure Cyprus is joining the European Union, as is Turkey, and in 2008 the wall across Ledra Street, the symbol of the island’s division, was demolished, but walls, soldiers and mine fields are still there.

We didn’t spend that much time on the Turkish side, because most of the skate

spots were on the other side, but we ventured there to appreciate the differences in cultures. Nicosia has a laid back mood on both sides of the wall, but you can feel

some kinda tension in the air just approaching the city, where a gigantic Turkish flag is somehow painted in the hills overlooking the city. If that’s not enough that flag

blinks at night. Yes, you read correctly, it’s doesn’t just light up, it blinks. Close to the border you can hear the chants coming from the mosque, and at the time of the call

to prayer some Christian school has religious parades in front of the schoolyard. The blue and white UN colors mark the buffer zone, with soldiers from Cyprus, Turkey and UN surveilling it. The usual “no photos” signs cover the area, but we are skate-

boarders, so we didn’t care too much and took some shots in stealth mode. If you go to the other side you’ll find yourself in a similar environment, of course the Arabic influence is clearly visible but nothing too drastic.

Moving farther away from the capital the atmosphere changes completely. Beautiful beaches and seaside touristic towns alternate, some being very nice while others are

definitely too “touristic”. Even in the most commercial areas, it’s just a matter of driving a few minutes to find yourself in some of the most beautiful seaside landscapes you ever dreamed about.

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Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus__

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THE DITCH_

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Cyprus has an arid climate, which is one of the reasons we chose it as our destination, and that’s why a lot of tourists choose it. But the lack of rain can be a big problem for the local population.

To solve this problem, all around the island you can come across huge ditches used to channel the water to artificial basins. We don’t have that many ditches in Italy, so we couldn’t miss this opportunity to skate one. We spotted this ditch on pictures first, but when we saw it in real life we got a strange, good feeling. This spot is epic, no other word is appropriate. Hands down on one of the best sessions of the tour.

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Simone Verona_Ollie into death_

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Simone Verona_Blunt bs out_

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Edo Maule_Wallride_

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Jacopo Picozza_Kickflip_

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THE SLAM_ Edo Maule_Lipslide attempt_

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“It’s not a Vans tour if Edo doesn’t pay a visit to the hospital” cit. Tuuli, Edo’s girlfriend.

That’s damn true, just like he did in Morocco, Edo went to the hospital after a crazy slam.

You can clearly understand what happened from the pics. After the slam, Edo started spitting blood, the scary thing being he had no cuts in his mouth. While at the hospital we needed the help of a local actor to get him visited. Guess what? Blood in his lungs. One day of rest, and Edo was ready to rip again. We just have two unanswered questions. The first: how is it possible that Edo fears needles so much, while he doesn’t care at all about throwing himself down huge rails? The second: why, seconds after the slam, and still laying down on the ground, was he wearing just his underpants?

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Edo Maule_Ollie_

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Kris Vile_Switch tre flip_

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Flo Mairfaing_Ollie up to bs heel flip_

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PLACES_Istanbul_Turkey

Photos_Friedjof Fèye_

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LAKAI_in Sicily Sicily seems to be one the most popular destination for skateboard tours lately, everybody is flying to Sicily. Lakai organized a trip to the Italian island with the european team, but more than a skateboard trip, this was the chance to welcome the new Lakai rider, Mauro Caruso, and since he is from Catania, what a better opportunity to bring the all crew down there? One week with Nick Jensen, Karsten Kleppan, Mauro Caruso, Gauthier Rouger and Sylvain Tognelli spent around skating spots and having fun together. It was a pleasure to meet all the guys and watch them skating. Niky Walt and Sam Ashely were in the mission to document the trip and Mathieu to take care of the whole crew. Karsten killed every spot with a smile on his face, Gauthier implemented our knowledge about french hip-hop, Nick was constantly searching for strange things to skate, while Sylvain was in the toilet because of a food poisoning caused by a sandwiches bought at the airport in Berlin. Mauro was a bit under pressure since he had to drive, decide where to go skate, where to eat and where to drink‌ being the tour guide and having to skate is always a little bit stressful, but he did a good job. Definitively a good week with a great crew, and no doubt a good addition to the team, congratulations Mauro.

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Photography and words_Davide Biondani_ Interview_Guido Bendotti_

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_more than a skateboard trip

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karsten kleppan

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bank to bank bs smith to fs out_

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_transfer to fs lipslide_

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fs lipslide_

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mauro caruso LAKAI_in Sicily

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This was your first tour with the Lakai team who came to visit you. What was it like having the guys in your home turf, and how did the mission go? Was it a kind of “welcome to the team” type of thing?

Exactly, it was the first tour we did together because I got on the team just a few weeks earlier! It was super cool to have all the guys down here! I really liked the team and the vibe there was between all of us… it’s always a pleasure for me to have and bring people around my area... especially when I’m also involved with the team! On the other hand I have to say

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it’s also a bit stressful and I got a bit paranoid, because it was pretty much all on me! All the decisions on what kind of spots to go skate, the places to visit or to get food and stuff like that!

You always feel the pressure because people are expecting a lot from you and not giving enough! Just think of the fact that we had 3 days of rain and I was so mad, because I felt as if it was my fault... but in the end we all had fun. Everyone was hyped on the spots and the food (of course!), so I’m glad we made it happen!

hardflip_

What was the funnest thing that happened that week, and who impressed you the most?

I was impressed by everyone on the team, you know, everyone has got his own style and his own ideas on how to skate the same spot so you are always learning from new people! For sure Karsten is the one that got the most stuck in my head for how he skates and what he skates. He is a total beast and so good at skating! The control he has is insane! Going around the island is fun even just for the random people you meet at spots that have never seen a skateboard, so it’s always funny to talk to

them, but for sure the most hilarious thing was the one day at the plaza in Rosolini where we were getting kicked out by this old guy for no reason at all, and at one point this other crazy guy showed up taking our defense! He was so pissed at the old guy that he was ready to start a fight with him ahahaha... luckily for everyone the cops showed up 5 minutes later!

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How did this Lakai-Crailtap connection come about?

At the end of 2012 I received an email from Mathieu asking me if I wanted to start skating for Royal… I didn’t really have a truck sponsor at the time so I was down and that’s how everything started! We kept in touch, we both were hyped on how we were working… and then my Sicily part came out (Gold or Nothing). Then I went to the States, and Berlin after that, met up with him and at that point they asked me to ride for all the Crailtap brands! I was shocked!

Why choose to take a leap into the dark like that when you had sponsors and a well-defined situation? Your old sponsors were paying you. If you’re not making more now, then why do it if living from skateboarding is your aspiration?

What was missing in the relationship with your former sponsors?

Let’s say I like going on adventures! Both Clichè and Nike have always treated me well and I never lacked anything…

I always had my boards, and my shoes and money through Nike… both Jerèmie and Colin are great people and first of all great skateboarders, so I’m glad I had the chance to work with them, but I felt it was time to change… I had been on Clichè for many years, a few less on Nike, but I was kind of tired to skate for a brand that big. So many people are getting on Nike that it seems like it’s the only cool brand in the business because it’s got lot of money… but I never associated skateboarding with money, so honestly I never cared about that one side of it… since I started skateboarding, I grew up doing everything on my own, organizing trips, videoparts, and stuff like that… and no matter what company I’m skating for, I will always keep doing that… that’s what I love in this world… it’s just you and your board, nothing else in between… sponsors or money can help you do this better, but nothing will stop me from living skateboarding this way, even the day I won’t have a sponsor anymore… and the moment I realized this, I asked myself why was I skating for a company that doesn’t really belong to this world? That’s

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what pushed me to start skating for Lakai, and from there Girl, Fourstar, and Royal!

What does representing Girl and Lakai mean to you? They are among the most respected companies in the world, with an extraordinary team, and a history and attitude that are rare to come by in these difficult times of total commodification of skateboarding...

I feel it’s a great honor for me to skate for brands like that, real skate brands owned by real skateboarders who never stopped believing in it… especially for me, coming from nowhere… I never thought I would get to this point… I’m so stoked for all of this! And yeah, as you said these are some of the best brands out there, brands that even without the budget of a multinational company, have always pushed skateboarding to the next level, always having fun with it!

You are not a teenager anymore, and yet your skateboarding keeps perfecting and improving each time. What is the spark that pushes you to continue to progress? Where and how do you find your motivation?

I’m not a teenager anymore, and also I can’t learn new tricks that easily anymore! Actually I never did! Hahaha, it’s always been hard for me to skate, to learn stuff… I’ve always had to struggle for every single trick, and people that know me well can tell you that! Ahahaha, growing up I never had a skatepark nearby where to learn, I never skated a miniramp till very late and that’s why I have such a hard time skating banks and trannies, but in the end I realized that the most important thing is having fun on the board… as long as you enjoy it, it doesn’t matter what tricks you’re doing or what trick you’re gonna do next! I also got to that point where what I want from skateboarding is not new tricks every day, but trying to get better at it… control and confidence on the board is everything! The only thing I wanna do till I can walk is skateboard, and that’s what pushes me on and gives me the energy to keep going, even by myself!

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blindside bs kickflip to fakie_

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Portland, Barcelona, Berlin, Europe, Sicily: what attracts you the most of these situations?

It’s been a few years now that the only reason why I take a plane is to go skate some new city… so on one hand, no matter where I am, I’m there to skate so it’s always the same thing. On the other hand, I love the fact that every city I go to has got its own skate scene, its own type of spots, the food is different, the night life is different, and the mentality and approach to skateboarding is different… I try to adapt myself to every place I go to because you know, no matter where you are, even if it doesn’t seem like that, you are learning so much under every single aspect I just mentioned, and I usually feel this on myself the moment I step back to Sicily…it’s a great thing!

What is your personal record of airplanes taken in one year?

I have this thing that I save all the plane tickets I get, and between 2008 and 2010 when I was doing a lot of contests in Italy and traveling around, I collected like 130 tickets in 3 years, which is almost 4 flights per month.

Traveling constantly and living out of a bag, have you found a way to feel at home wherever you go?

Not really! Ha ha... I mean home is home, and nothing can really compare… you just gotta love being around, being gypsy, and not being able to have what you want when you need it! Just need to try to adapt yourself to what you have in that place and live with it… it’s not home, but for sure it’s more fun and you embark on way more adventures!

You are an extremely social person. Why does everybody love you so much?

I grew up in a place where the idea of skateboarding wasn’t even close to what the reality in other places could have been at the time… besides my small crew there was nothing happening in the city… so as soon as I started traveling, this new world turned up and still today I’m so glad I can live this life and be part of this world! I love having good times with everyone! I’m also a chill guy so it’s kind of hard for me to get into fights or even arguments with people… the sad truth is that I fight against myself so much that I feel that is already enough for me! Ha ha ha.

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As seen from a European perspective, what’s Italy’s situation, and why do very few (if not only you) guys actually manage to live this skate life?

Of course everyone loves Italy for a small tour… spots looks amazing, food is the best, people are funny to watch and to hang out with (most of the time), but I feel we have too many problems and are still far behind the rest of Europe… every state in Europe is full of people who actually skate and believe in it and try to push it as hard as they can… that’s what we are missing here I think… nobody takes it that seriously… even those who run the businesses take it as a hobby… often I have the impression that people in Italy skate or are involved in it because they have nothing else to do… you need to believe in it so much, you need to sacrifice so many things for it… it’s not easy at all and for sure not for everyone… skateboarding is cool and fun as long as you do it once in a while… when you are out there, killing yourself, no matter whether you are skating, shooting or running a business, you need to put money on it, you need to lose, you need to waste time and fail… that’s when you step up, that’s when you feel glad to be part of this world… skateboarding doesn’t make sense!

How are you dealing with your flippin’ out when you skate?

Pretty badly! Trying to chill and change mentality but at the end it’s all the same, it’s still me, nothing I can do about it!

I just need to learn how to live with it and keep going…ha ha ha.

What’s next for you? Have you been working on any projects lately? Anything on the horizon for 2014?

I’m working on a few different things right now! There is a project on this really cool city here in Sicily we just did that is coming out around February I think… in January I’m going with Lakai to Morocco for a 2-week tour and I’m so looking forward to that. Then in the summertime my welcome clip for Lakai should be out and I’m planning my next trip to the States! I think I’m gonna do a coast to coast trip with all my friends! Can’t wait! After all of this I’m moving out of Sicily… I feel it’s time to spend a few years away from here.

gap to fs blunt_

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nick jensen

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bs tailslide_

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sylvain tognelli

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fs wallride_

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LAKAI_in Sicily

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switch bs 5-0 grind to bs out_

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The BLUE STONE _experiment

Photography_Marcello Guardigli_ Into_Anton Jeandet_Interview_Luca Basilico, Guido Bendotti_

Interview with Marcello Guardigli, the fool who started this impossible project_

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Bluestone. It’s almost like a dream that place. A bad dream when you turn up just after it has

been demolished. Almost like it never existed, move on, next park. That’s one of the things that sucks the most is that so many shit public parks still remain, and remain to be built.

The structures or obstacles at Bluestone were unlike any other park, Coles tacos, boobs, horse-

shoe, channel, pool corner and Bluestone wall ride, and due to the available materials and existing structures, that’s what was born. It must be noted that the only materials that came from off-site were the tiles and the concrete itself... Not bad.

Marcello Guardigli a.k.a. Nello is an Aussie now, but in a previous life he was and still is an

integral and influential part of Italian skateboarding. From organizing comps, traveling for demos, and documenting everything for Sky and then Volume video magazine, then moving into photography, Nello has never slowed down. I feel like such a lazy cunt next to him, only coz I am.

Don’t let the mellowness fool ya.

After a few trips back and forth to Australia, Nello decided to settle here and become a per-

manent resident, and why not? It is a paradise here, skating, camping, and partying. Melbourne

was increasingly popular with skaters from around the world as a destination, only adding to its radness.

Nello has never stopped progressing since I’ve known him, always trying new things and doing it the right way, by trial and error. Where most people would be too scared to give it a go Nello jumps in. Why not?

Maybe it’s due to the fact that such little opportunity exists in Italy for something like this. On the other hand, Australia is still full of opportunity if you know what you want.

So along came Bluestone, a new project, a new challenge that no one else would have even thought possible, let alone to do it in this place.

Knock down that wall, move that bar over here, pole jam here, horseshoe over there, channel over the door... Nello put the local lads to work, and (like any good Italian) then covered it with concrete, paid for the most part out of his own pocket. That’s dedication, that’s commitment, that’s fucking rad.

The call had gone out to industry and individuals and surprisingly only the skint skaters coughed up for somewhere to roll.

Did they think this was just a dream? That without major backing it wouldn’t happen??

What turns some people off, spurs others on.

I’m sure Nello was influenced by his travels to Europe and the US, and inspired by what’s on offer in the way of DIY, and also from the lack of challenging terrain around, but still, you’ve gotta

have that vision right? An idea of the layout, the energy to realize it, for everything that you want in your life, and everything you want to see for real.

Manifest destiny.

Why not! (Anton Jeandet)_

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LB: How come an Italian expat felt the urge to build a concrete skate park in Melbourne? Have you ever considered the risk involved?

One day I went with some mates in this empty warehouse very close to my house. It was dirty and full of rubbish but there was a lot of material that could be used to build something. I had a kind of vision; you know when you feel straight away that it’s going to happen?

I didn’t know at that stage how big it could be or how it could look like but I knew that I would have created a DIY inside that abandoned place. At that time I wasn’t an Australian citizen yet and I was a bit concerned that if something bad happened it could have affected my citizenship application.

But I didn’t care.

GB: Why did you build a DIY in Australia a country with a lot of skate parks and 300 days of sun per year?

Maybe Perth got 300 days of sun a year. Melbourne is pretty rainy and cold.

Nobody knows what the weather is going to be like tomorrow over here.

That’s why I decided to build an indoor DIY. LB: You started BS as a solo project, which is crazy. Tell us about the early days and how you felt.

Well, I never thought I would have built it entirely by myself. After 10 days from my first visit to the spot I put a crew together, there were a few people who had already built concrete skate parks and some of my best mates.

Mainly I wanted to have those guys’ opinion if it was possible create a DIY with the material we had available. There were tons of bricks laying around in an area of that massive building. That day we started to clean up the big room that was going to be the main one. We started moving bricks using a supermarket trolley we found already there. That day I definitely knew that it was going to happen.

ANTON JEANDET_fs ollie over doorway_

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GB: The design was pretty original and innovative. Which one was the obstacle you started from?

We started from the double taco, which is something I had never seen before. The first time we started moving bricks, some of the concrete skate park guys joined these 2 semi-circle rails creating a kind of S shape. Everything else was designed from that first settlement. The obstacles were created from what we had, nothing was planned ahead. Once an obstacle had been shaped with bricks and gravel, then I decided what could be the next one. The horseshoe was a rail already there, the humps were old drums with gravel on the top, the love seat was a drum too. The platform of the corner extension was a door on the 2nd floor of the building.

LB: How did things evolve? Did a workgroup get together by the end of the project?

After the first day of work it took ages to put people together again. Two weeks later only four us went down there to do some work. Reesy came over with a sledgehammer and we started to pull down half wrecked useless walls. We kept giving shape to a few obstacles like the double taco and some humps.

After that time only Nick Maughan and I used to go down during the week ends. Sometimes there were some random mates coming over to help us out. It was a bit depressing at that stage but even if we weren’t many believing in the project, we kept going and gave shape to a fair few more transitions. Magically one day a crew from the Newport skate park turned up and when they saw what we were doing, they started giving us a hand straight away. Since that day the progress of the park started to pick up much quicker and I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. If that amazing crew didn’t turn up probably I would have been still there moving bricks.

GB: Most of the materials were recycled. What tools did you use? Which ones are fundamental for building a DIY? In our case the main tools we used were hammers, sledgehammers, the magic supermarket trolley, jackhammers, shovels, trowels and generators. I don’t think you need all these tools for building a DIY. We had a lot of walls to pull down and floors to crack that’s why we needed extra tools.

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REECE WARREN_bs nose pick_

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JOSH KOTLEGA_fs smith grind over the corner_

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LB: It seems like most of the skaters today build DIY so they can adorn their Instagram profiles and act “rad”. BS has been kept kind of secret till it was finished... Why? Jealousy? Caution? Misanthropy or just carelessness?

The Bluestone was kept a kind of secret till its death for different reasons; first of all, it was located in an abandoned warehouse but it was also surrounded by houses. Having a lot of people coming and going every single day it wouldn’t have helped to keep the place up as long as it did. We also didn’t know what could have happened if a kid would have hurt himself in there. We didn’t want to know it at all. For the same reason we didn’t advertise the park on facebook, instragram or those kind of things. We didn’t care about glory or fame. We just wanted to enjoy what we had built for as long as we could. We have never prohibited anyone to skate the Bluestone.

They just had to contact us to plan when they were having a session. Not sure why a lot of people never called or came down for a roll. Weirdos.

LB: You earned your living as a photographer / videographer and also work in servicing in Australia. BS had rather big ramps: How did you learn how to work with concrete?

Probably I still don’t know how to work concrete properly. When we were setting up the obstacles we used to mix concrete and water on the ground with a couple of shovels. Sometimes even 20 bags at the time…believe me it’s not easy and the mix has to be right. Shaping the ramps it’s not too bad but all depends on how perfect you want it. We also had to jackhammer the floors for the entrance of the transitions otherwise they would have broken in few days. That was hard work too. On the final day of work we poured 15 cube metres of concrete. I organized 3 trucks. We were a big crew; everyone who helped out during almost a year of construction was there. There were a few good concreters too. I’m 100% sure that without them the park wouldn’t have been as good as it was. They created the gem.

I don’t consider myself a good concreter…I just put the puzzle together.

NICK MAUGHAN_bs disaster_

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GB: Did you have any failures or make any mistake? Which ones are the results that you never thought about?

I don’t think we made many mistakes. It was a DIY and it couldn’t be perfect. If it was perfect it wouldn’t have been the same thing and have that kind of challenge every time we had a roll. I reckon we did a great job for being the first time I tried to build a skate park. To be honest I never thought it could turn up that good.

LB: Most of the projects like BS usually end up being legalized. What went wrong with Melbourne? What future you rather wished and foresaw for BS. I’m not sure about that, have a look at steppe side, black cross, and just a few days ago Brooklyn street.

They have all been demolished. When the land is not yours and you don’t have a written permission, there is big chance that it’s going to be pulled down. When we were building it, we used to catch up and talk with the owner of the building. He didn’t care; he was kind of happy. We had a deal with him; we had to make sure no one got hurt and the park would have been knocked down only when the building was pulled down. Fair enough though. But things changed. The owner sold the building to someone else who let the council take over the situation. It looks like the councils prefer to have dodgy people hanging around in an abandoned building instead of skaters who keep it clean and safe. Who knows what they think. I’m pissed off because they pulled down the park only. Otherwise I would have peace of mind.

GB: The park was demolished and you saw Koston skating in there. Have you had time for a roll?

I wasn’t there when the Oakley guys came over. I was in Queensland shooting and I had to organise the session the night before over the phone. Apparently Koston skated for about 4 hours non-stop. I guess he really liked it and enjoyed it, which makes me very proud of what we built. But at the same time I’m a bit pissed off because I didn’t see a legend like him skating the Bluestone. Of course I skated the park, I built it. There is nothing better than skating what you have created. It wasn’t easy to skate that thing, there were a lot of imperfections, everything was tight and fast and it never forgave you.

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LB: Before it was pulled down I saw many famous OZ hallowing you for doing something unheard down under. How did BS change your relationship with the Australian skateboard scene?

Everyone who came down for a roll was impressed by the park. For its shape, flow but especially for its size. Most of the people imagined a couple of concrete trannies, but it was a proper skate park. Everyone who came in for the first time couldn’t believe his eyes. I was stoked about that. I’m not sure if it changed my relationship with the Australian skateboard scene. But I’m sure that I did something never done before in Australia.

GB: How long did the project last since you found it till its death?

The first day we went down there it was the 15 of March 2012, we started moving the first bricks on the 5th of April 2012. It was completely finished on the 12th of January 2013 and it was demolished on the 7th of June 2013.

LB: Starting over again tomorrow... Any advise you would give to yourself?

To myself… do it! It was an amazing journey. I met so many people and had a great time since we started moving bricks till its death. For sure, I would do it again.

GB: Why didn’t you build an obstacle in the shape of a piadina?

Piadina is a pretty flat object thou. Probably a rolling pin and a crescione could do the job. I think it’s a great idea. I can use it for the next one.

LB: Any final note?

I wish I could go back in there and find it still there. I miss it. I haven’t been in that building since the day it was torn down. With all that gravel you could easily build another one and quicker because everything is already on site. I also want to thank all the boys who helped out and believed in the project as much as myself, and also the people who helped me out on deleting the instagram and facebook pictures from non-legit accounts.

Legends!

JOSH KOTLEGA_crooks polejam_ a brief glance

NICK AND JOSH_double fs feeb_

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CAMERON MARKING_bs smith stall_

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Dusted_Off

Andre Genovesi_2008_

Switch bs tailslide_

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“I’ve been to lots and lots of places where I’ve made instant connections with people through skateboarding, and I wanted to give that gift to Afghan kids...”

ORIGINAL PREMIUM Photos and words_Davide Biondani_

Andre is originally from Brazil and he spent 15 years in the States to pursue his career as a professional skateboarder; in the spring of 2008 Andre was in Italy for the opening of his shop in Firenze where his family lives.

The shop was named Original Premium. We spent 10 days around the boot with him and filmer Mauro Peduto to shot an interview and get some footage.

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We shot all the photos we needed in a few days and one of them, the switch heel, was published double page on Skateboarder.

Andre is a cool guy and it was funny to know him and see how many capuccinos he can drink in a day. His personal record was 11 capuccinos 20 hours!

The shop didn’t last long and after this mission Andre flew back to California and we never met since then.

Hey Andre give me a call when you see this.

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Switch heel flip into the street_

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Dusted_Off

Andre Genovesi_2008_

ORIGINAL PREMIUM

Switch fs noseslide_ a brief glance

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issue _22