Cons Project Berlin by a brief glance skateboardmag

The Cons Project_Berlin

a brief glance

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, Fabio Montagner, Brian Gaberman, AlanMaag, Reece Leung , Kazuhiro Terauchi,

Davide Biondani, Carmin Santos, Bertrand Trichet. CONTRIBUTORS

Jonathan Levin, Francesco Paolo Chielli,

Mauro Caruso, Jerome Campbell, Mauro Peduto,

Neil Smith, Mark Baines, Ale Martoriati, Holger von Krosigk, Simone Bertozzi, Niall Neeson. DESIGN

Fake Donkey Lab. www.abriefglance.com

GET ALL THE INFOS at: info@abriefglance.com

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COVER: Pontus at Cons Project Berlin_photo: davide biondani.

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Photos_Davide Biondani_Words_Guido Bendotti.

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During the summer edition of the 2014 Bright Tradeshow, Converse organized the Cons Project

Berlin, an event to present their new Weapon skate shoe. Inside an empty ex-supermarket they put a

series of skateable metal obstacles whose position was changed several times during the skate session

and the competition. Jake Johnson, Louie Lopez, Pontus Alv, Jerome Campbell, Brian Delatorre and other Cons Ambassadors, plus some Cons euro riders were there to skate and enjoy the day. During the contest that took place in the evening Kris Vile took first place, Jonas Daater got second, and

RĂŠmi Taveira third. The format of the event was interesting and the nine modular obstacles were fun to skate. Everybody enjoyed the day and the laid-back atmosphere: a skate session with a bunch a friends. Thanks to Cons for the fun day. db_

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Louie Lopez, kickflip transfer.

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Kenny Anderson_

Kenny Anderson_ fs big spin transfer.

all interviews_Guido Bendotti_

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What is “The Back Forty,” and why did you start this new adventure? Ehm, it was Marc… Marc Johnson and I talked about it for years. We had a lot of ideas, and then we started to think where to put these ideas. It’s an Idea company, a place for our ideas. So we put like this “whatever we come off with, wherever we wanna do it and whenever we wanna do it.” It didn’t start out as a label, we drew some t-shirts and hats, and side projects with the hobbies we have. Basically it’s an Idea company, we can put like this. The thing that I like is that you don’t take it too seriously. Of course, as an Idea company, it is what skateboarding is now in our opinion, what we like to see coming out. I’m not against anything out there, I just like what we like, and you should laugh about it, and have fun doing it. That’s how skateboarding should be in my opinion, expressing yourself and having fun doing it. Don’t you sometimes think that a lot of people take skateboarding too seriously? Ehm, I mean, it is as serious as you want it to be. Maybe it is what they want to do, and there’s nothing wrong about it. You wanna be the champion? Good for you. The other side of skateboarding, the reason why I started and continue skateboarding, is not like that, and I can see this revolution in little companies that have come out recently. There’s the league and the championship, but we do what we do for these other reasons. Why do we have to sit around and wait for something that doesn’t represent us? We started something that we like. I’m not against the league or something, I’m not against the “elite team.” I’ve got friends in them, and

I say “go for it, go make your money and your time. Make the best for you.” But I’m gonna keep doin’ what I love doin’. It’s been a long way from Las Vegas, and now after almost 20 years, you’re one of the most relevant pros around, with a huge fan base… and I know it’s because you’ve got one the best styles ever! Oh, thank you! I don’t know, It’s been a trip, but I keep looking at it as something I love to do, and do it for myself and for the fun of doing it, and keep doing it until it’s lasting, until it’s cool for me to do. I don’t look deeper in this thing, I love skating, I love travelling, so I’m gonna take it day by day. It’s very simple. I love how skateboarding is now, you can do whatever you want, and do it for the love of the act of skateboarding. You can see it all other the world, you’ve got lots of people skateboarding, doing their thing, and skating and working the way they want. It’s revolutionary, and it is why I started skateboarding and why I still skateboard as much as I can. It’s a culture! Do you skate better in these Cons, or in the Helium Cons shoes from the mid 90’s? (laughs) That’s funny because at the time we tried to convince them to redo the Chuck Taylors or the Doctor J’s and they didn’t want to… so now it is way better (laughs). What’s next for you? Ehm, we’re working on some Back Forty’s stuff, and this year is Chocolate’s 20th anniversary so I’m coming out with a mini-part for Chocolate and Back Forty. And keep coming out with ideas and doing them. So spontaneous as skateboarding should be. Thank you very much Kenny!

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Kenny Anderson, Jake Johnson, Pontus Alv_

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Guy Jones_ bs lipslide up.

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Jerome Campbell_

Jerome and Pontus_

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You’ve changed a few sponsors, but you still have the same TM Neil Chester.. does he still treat you like a little bastard? Absolutely all the time (laughs)... it’s bizarre because I’ve know him for a long time. When I first met him he was the main man behind Blueprint, and I was so scared of him. At first I think he didn’t like me or whatever. I’ve heard something about that... Yeah, at first we didn’t click, but now he’s one of my best friends, and I’m happy to have him as Converse TM. Why did you choose Polar? You’re one of the few ex-BP riders that found a home outside the UK. I was still riding for BP when Pontus first called me to ride for polar. It took me one year to decide to leave BP for Polar. Pontus wanted somebody to push Polar in UK, and I really like Polar, so it wasn’t difficult to say yes.. that was like 2 or 3 years ago, and I m happy. Did you ever expect that a little brand from Sweden could be so relevant in skateboarding all over the world? It’s very difficult for a European brand to do what Polar is doing, but people enjoy and respect Pontus’s ideas in skateboarding. People love that Polar is not stuck in one thing in skateboarding, and the fact that we have people all over the world representing Polar, and the art, the products… Everything is cool and people can relate to it. It’s all about the ideas and the fun side of it. The fun is tangible, kids can see it, they can see that we do what we do having fun, and it’s real skateboarding. Good skateboarding every day. Yeah, it’s not jumping down the same stairs to be whatever. It’s skateboarding, and fun, and friends, and it’s not fake.

You told me that you’re leaving for some tours? We’re going to New York for a Polar/Converse collaboration, and then I’m going to Mongolia with Carhartt. It’s been 10 years from the last time Carhartt went there and filmed that clip, so it’ like an anniversary. Are you scared ? Shit, I’m terrified (laughs). I can’t imagine what will happen after I step outside the plane. It’s gonna be fun, but I can’t imagine the food, or the rituals… it’s my birthday on the 5th of August, and I hope I don’t have to take part in some crazy tradition, like drink the blood of a Yak or something (laughs). So you’re a hypochondriac? Yes I am ….so nobody will know it’s my birthday. You still have a skate-school in Sheffield Right? Yes, but it’s not a “school,” it’s a way to get as many people into skating as possible, and to give to professional skateboarders in a more secure way. It’s a way to help the scene on different levels. Of course it’s difficult, but we try to stay positive, and it’s working. When you were a little kid from Sheffield did you ever imagine that you’d become what you are right now, with a pro model and travelling the world to skate? It sounds bizarre, because I remember being a kid and thinking “it must be incredible to travel and skate.” And it’s weird because it’s happened so naturally, step by step, and the decisions I’ve made make me happy today. I’m involved in good projects, and surrounded by good people that love skateboarding. So if I think back… no, I couldn’t ever have imagined what actually happened to me! Are you happy? Yeah, massively!!!

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Pontus Alv_ Bs nollie kickflip.

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Louie Lopez_

Bs kickflip transfer_

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Are you still working on the video project for Flip with Luan and Curren? It’s supposed to come out the 14th of July or something like that. Seriously? I can’t wait to see it. Yeah, I’m hyped. I hope it will be good, it’s gonna be called THREE. Have you worked on this video a lot? Cause you just filmed for the Volcom video... I’ve filmed between trips for the companies. We take some film trips with Flip. I don’t know, but it’s gonna be sick. You grew up in the center of skateboarding, and you got sponsored at a really young age... I remember the cap and the long hair, eheeh! Yeah, everybody remembers that, ahahahaha. How did you get on Flip? It’s a pretty elite team. I grew up skating a bunch of parks around the LA area, and used to skate quite a bit with Lance Mountain. I think Lance put a good word for me… one time I was skating a little park and I saw Jeremy Fox (Flip owner) just watching me... it was creepy, ‘cause he doesn’t look like somebody who skates, and I was asking myself, “why is this guy following me?” It was weird when I found out he was the owner of Flip. I was 13... now I’m 19… I was really young when I got on Flip... and I’m happy! Basically, one thing that I like about you, is that you can skate pretty much everything with good style, from ledges to miniramps, to monster rails and stuff… You skate everything. I just try to skate everything, to me skating is not fun if you skate only one thing. I just try to do it all and have fun.

You travel a lot all around the world, what is the craziest place you’ve ever been to? Yeah, probably the Philippines are the craziest place I’ve ever been to. I was really, really young. It wasn’t my first time outside the USA. Maybe it was the third or fourth tour outside US, but it was definitely crazy. It’s a really poor place, so I’m really thankful for what I’ve got in my life. Why did you choose Converse? I think that at one point you were getting a lot of offers. I think Cons is the best thing for me, it’s about personality and the people that work for Cons. I’ve seen something different where I can work in a good way, and the team is sick! Don’t you get nervous sometimes, when you realize you’re skating with Geoff or Aarto? Yes, every time!!! When the Flip video came out, Aarto filmed most of it, so it’s crazy going out skating with him, like, “Alright Louie, jump down this.” He knows, hehehehe. Yeah, he knows how it is, so you have to do it, ehehehhahahahh! Is he good? He has some knee problems. Yeah he’s good, he’s focusing on photo and filming, but he’s skating a lot on Flip trips. He skates miniramps and stuff like that. Tom was on a trip too and he was skating. Really??? Yeah, he was skating a lot, and killing it. Happy to hear that.. what’s next for you? I’m working on the Volcom video, it’s supposed to come out in a couple of years, and I’m pretty happy with my life at the moment.

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Louie Lopez_ Fs nosegrind up.

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David Stenstrom_ Fs ollie 360.

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Brian Delatorre_

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Hi Brian, How are you? Olaaaaaa. Ehm, I’m italian, not Spanish, ehehheeh! Oh..ok ahhahaahah. The news of the week is that Habitat is still alive !! Yeeesss. We’re with Tum Yeto now and I’m so happy about that. As a rider, did you imagine what was happening with AWS? We had an idea, but I didn’t know what was happening with the Workshop, and what was gonna happen with the riders that rode for Alien. All I knew was what was happening with Habitat, and Joe Castrucci kept telling me that we were gonna be fine, and that everything would work itself out for the Habitat riders. He couldn’t let 15 years of work go to shit, so I trusted him, and now we can finally say that Habitat is still alive and kickin! I’m so happy! We, as a team stood together and believed in Joe... Alien riders were kind of over it, because of what happened over the last few years, so I think they split. I don’t know… I love Habitat and I’m happy. Your part in Search the Horizon was sick! As we can see, you put a lot of work into it! I took a lot of slams ahahahahah. Nothing comes easy for me, so I had to put a LOT OF work into that video, I’ve had surgery on my ankle, so I filmed for like a year and a half. Only one year and half?! Yeah yeah. Now I just try to put out a video part every year, that’s my goal. I wanna skate, film, and put out fast video parts.

Do you still live in New York? Yes, I’m living in Queens after living in Brooklyn for some years, now I’m here in Europe for a bit. I don’t know, maybe I’ll end up living in Europe, I really like here. How do you survive New York winters? I don’t !! Ah ah aha ha! For real! This is the first year that I left for the winter, now I’m gonna do it every year, as long I’m living in New York. I’m trying not to spend winters in New York anymore. Fuck that!! I wanna skate! Why queens? Different spots, good roommates, and who knows what’s gonna happen? I’m open to everything. I remember you on Think skateboards... I come from a long way! Ahahahah, it took me a lot of years to settle my “career.” I’m 27, and I’m in my prime ah ah ah! I’ve been living this skate life since I was 19, moving around, travelling, skating, and trying to survive. This is the first time in the last 2 years that I’m able to just skate and I don’t have to work in a cafè anymore… just skate!!! Great! I’m very very thankful to skateboarding. Do you like Berlin? I’ve been to Berlin 4 times already and I love it. You can do whatever you want, and everything is possible. You can try to live up there. You know what.. it’s possible!!

Like a real work horse… go for it! I’ll try... I put all my energy into skateboarding, I wanna do it.

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Pontus_

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Kris Vile_ Transfer to bs nosegrind.

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Jonas Skroder_ Bs kickflip transfer.

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Joseph Biais_ Fs lipslide up to pop in.

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The Cons Project_Berlin

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