Depressed Midwest Issue 8

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#8


Brett weinstein Cover: Half Cab Here: Ollie

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editor/director alec ozawa

graphic design alec ozawa

photography alec ozawa \amanda hart thank you you know who you are

Mom, Dad, Sarah, Zenita, Grant Hindsley, Rado, Amanda Hart, Jon Schmoldt, Jon Sharrat, Steffen Watts, Laban Pheidias, Bing Liu, Marfa Capodanno, Smitty, Kyle Jakubowicz, Greg Harbour, Kevin Penczak, Jereme Sneath, Eric Guzman, Brett Weinstein, Mark Dunning, Matt Gamalinda, Takakuni Ikuma, Alex Kruser, Gary Rzeszutko, Sara Rado, Sam Long, Sean Burek, Pete Grannis, Taylor Caruso, Aaron Goure, Ari Shiffrin, Peter Vlad, Bone Daddy, Bonestock, Son of a Gun Boys, FA Skates, Yeah! Boardshop, Peasant’s Plot Farm, Todd and Julia McDonald, LoFi Supply, Dickhead Dekker, Aric Sparticus, Fauser, Rob Walker, The Ridgelands, Street Canoe, Zack Dowdy, Typical Culture, Giant Spiders, NeckBeard, Kyle Seidler, Eddy Liddy, Jake Wickersham. Thank you, everyone.

Depressed Midwest © 2014, Alec Ozawa depressedmidwest@gmail.com alecozawa.com

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Jereme Sneath Lien Disaster

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FRIENDS SECTION for when we grow old

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kingswell los feliz los angeles, ca

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lowdown hoedown camping in the corn fields

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contributing photog amanda hart

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FRIENDS SECTION


Jereme Sneath Hurricane Fakie

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eric guzman Frontside Feeble

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jon sharrat Frontside 5-0

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taylor caruso Frontside Noseslide

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Brett weinstein Curb Cut Over Planter Ollie

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Brett weinstein Back Lip

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steffen watts Nollie Flip

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FRIENDS SECTION


steffen watts Fakie Backside Nosegrind

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steffen watts Fakie Switch Front Wallride

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mark dunning Wallie

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takakuni ikuma Rock to Fakie

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Matt gamalinda Smith Grind

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aaron goure Slide Bomb

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kyle jakubowicz Tailslide into Hillbomb

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FRIENDS SECTION


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I could write about how this place is pushing skateboarding art culture...or redefining skate retail...or tackling multiple business venues in one store front...or using dot-tv instead of dot-com... but you can go on their website and read their bio at Kingswell.tv. They better explain what they do. Instead I am sharing a few pictures from this past January, when I lurked at Kingswell for a few days and got a tattoo from Mike Burns. Photography and words by Alec Ozawa

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Nuge’s motorcycle on display for a Baker Skateboards raffle.


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kingswell los feliz


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Kingswell inhabits the space that was once Walt Disney’s first studio.

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Mike Burns (pictured) and Roger Seliner are resident tattoo artists at the shop. Both these guys are amazing at what they do. Appointment only, so don’t show up unannounced and without a clue.

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kingswell los feliz


Patrick Melcher 39


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lowdown hoedown camping in the corn fields Photography and words by Alec Ozawa

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Far removed from the glow and frenzy of the city, Accommodated with an ample amount of space to the urban culture of skateboarding and lo-fi music is set up camp in a cleared cornfield, all attendees are invited to stay overnight on the property‌ and highly pinned against a rural backdrop. encouraged to if consuming alcohol. Most pitch tents, Eleven years ago, Todd and Julia McDonald opened however some prefer the primordial route of throwing their 20 acre organic farm in Manteno IL for a junction of down a sleeping bag and dreaming under the stars. skateboarding, punk rock, camping, and community. It is first come, first serve, so the benefit is with those Hosted annually by the humble owners of Peasant’s who get there early to claim a patch of ground. Plot farm, located an hour south of Chicago, The Low Down Hoe Down is a characteristically Illinois event. Not far from the encampment, one of the largest Each year since its birth, city-folk; burb-dwellers; barns on the farm roars with perpetual excitement. rural-farmers; and participants from various parts of Half the barn houses a behemoth mini ramp while the the region flock to the farm in congregation of an remaining space is crammed with attendees enjoying offbeat tradition that transcends their differences of live music and the rampant spectacle of skateboarding hysteria. The scene is filled with commotion and proximity and backgrounds. borderline lunacy. Partially fueled by alcohol and On Labor Day weekend of 2013, I packed up the car music, the crowd gleefully dances, screams, hollers, with my skateboard, sleeping bag, camera, and best and moshes. This in turn fuels the band. They play friend, as we headed South from Chicago for our first faster, more passionately, and louder. Low Down Hoe Down experience. (Continued on Page 48)

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lowdown hoedown

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lowdown hoedown

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lowdown hoedown

Everyone let’s loose and the fun is contagious. Consequently, loud fast music stokes an enthusiastic mini ramp session. Eventually the mellow and sweettempered demeanor of the ramp escalate into complete absurdity of daring airs, hand plants, doubles, and all sorts of skateboarding madness. The ecstasy of the moment continues and recycles as the audience watches, listens, and reacts. It’s pure celebration. Outside the fervor of the barn, attendants can take a reprieve from the chaos and enjoy the slower pace of a large potluck dinner (open for all, but please contribute if you partake), a massive bonfire, live acoustic acts, and mingling with friendly faces around the camp grounds. Despite the differences of all in attendance, there is something for everyone to enjoy, and plenty of new friends to be made. Even if napping is your kind of thing, you can always call it an early night and retire to your camping spot at your leisure. Given this was my first hoedown adventure, I will impart a few lessons learned from my experience: Always be kind, Make friends, bring your own beer, bring bug spray, do not litter, clean up your campground, bring food, bring friends, do not forget your skateboard, ear plugs hinder deafness, check for ticks, follow the sound of the mini ramp if you get lost in the cornfield, hold on tight to your camera while running through the cornfield, make sure you have enough room in your tent, bring extra toilet paper just in case, do not skate the mini ramp if you are too drunk to climb onto the deck, mosh pits are fun but overly aggressive personalities are not, drink water, do not urinate on the campgrounds (it is farmland after all), hang out at the bonfire, do not stand too close to the bonfire, bring a flashlight, have fun. Thank you, Todd and Julia, for the experience! x

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lowdown hoedown

Jack Munroe airs a stalefish over a front slasher by Brendan Venturelli.

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lowdown hoedown

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lowdown hoedown


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lowdown hoedown

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lowdown hoedown

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lowdown hoedown

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LURKDIGGLER


photo contributor amanda hart Amanda, or known otherwise by the internet as Lurkdiggler, is a good friend of mine and I am stoked to welcome her as a contributor to the project. Shooting predominately 35mm color film, her pictures are honest and personal. Picking up a camera in recent years, Amanda’s pictures often exhibit testimonials of adventures with friends, Lizzy the dog, and subjects she cares about. For this issue, I asked her to send me a few photos and I received these great snapshots from several trips to Los Angeles. Thanks for sharing Amanda! Send images, illustrations, writing, and other submissions to depressedmidwest@gmail.com.

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takakuni ikuma Crook to Fakie

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photo contributor amanda hart

alec ozawa Back Disaster

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photo contributor amanda hart

jesse hotchkiss Frontside Air

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jesse hotchkiss Kickflip


photo contributor amanda hart

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steffen watts Front Board Popout


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